Florence Country Club

Bridal Shower

Glenview Farm

Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding Day

Guest arrival 

Ceremony

Cocktail Hour

Dinner

Cake

Glenview Farms

Reception

Ward Family House

Morning After Brunch

Our Wedding

Our Story

Luca and Ella met on December 10th, 2021, which truly could not have been a more chaotic time. It was the end of the semester, stress levels were high, and life felt a little overwhelming. Naturally, that is when God decided it was the perfect moment for them to meet. Luca came over to Ella’s house with his longtime best friend, who happened to be dating Ella’s roommate at the time. Luca and his good friend had not seen each other in a while, so a casual get-together was planned. What no one planned for was the immediate sparks… or the immediate attitude. Within minutes of walking in, Luca made a slightly snarky comment to Ella. She responded in the most reasonable way possible by threatening him with a frying pan. And somehow, that was the beginning. From that very first night, they were inseparable. They quickly became best friends, talking for hours, laughing constantly, and realizing that what started as sarcasm and kitchen utensil threats felt surprisingly natural. They like to say they started dating the day they met, because of the instant connection. There was no slow build. It was instant comfort, and the sense that they had known each other much longer than a few hours. Some may say it was love at first threat. In 2023, after Ella graduated from Ole Miss, she moved to Florence, South Carolina. Luca made the easy decision to follow her, proving that what started in a college kitchen was something much bigger. Together, they built countless memories filled with laughter, growth, and a whole lot of love. On February 14, 2026, Luca asked Ella to marry him. She said yes, without threatening him with any cookware this time. Now they are counting down the days until they get to celebrate the next chapter of their story with all of their favorite people. And it all started with exam week, a reunion between friends, and one very brave frying pan.

Photos

Kaley Ward

Mary Grace Nelson

MK Berger

Harper Smith

Robin Hodge

Daniel Crawford

Dalton Kiser

Ian (Ice) Berger

Sidney Smith

Declan Ward

Wedding Party

Q + A

This is the booking link for those coming in from out of town who may need a hotel room!

Ella & Luca

Ella & Luca

Travel

Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Florence I-20