Italy is one of my favorite countries to visit during the summer time. I love gelatos, beautiful landscapes and of course the food is unbelievable! Last July we had the privilege of joining the Alo and other Houstonian families in Chianti, Italy. We were able to capture all of their traveling and activities around the Tuscany region throughout a full week.

Although, there was a more important reason for us to be there; Ken Alo was surprising his wife Kim again with the renewal of their vows during a private ceremony celebrated by Ft. Witek Kania (from St. Vincent’s Catholic Church). Not only did Kim and Ken got to renew their vows, but the rest of the couples that were there also renew their vows, and this was also a surprise for all the wives! How incredible is that?! Not only did we get to witness such an amazing moment for all these families, but we got to renew our vows too!!! Once they had all renewed their vows, we were asked to leave our cameras and renew ours! So amazing! We are officially married in Mexico and now Italy! It was a beautiful moment for us, and for this we can’t thank them enough.

Our stay in Serravalle was more than amazing. This place has everything for a perfect summer vacation. We all stayed there and enjoyed the amazing hospitality of Sampath and Sanji who manage the place. In addition to lots of space to stay, there are lots of outdoor spaces for kids to play and also for adults to relax. With a breathtaking view, fresh food, huge pool and a stunning vineyard, this place is a dream for a family vacation. Check out their website: www.serravalleinchianti.com

Throughout our stay in Italy, we joined all the families to several activities. We were able to tour around Florence, Siena and the surroundings in Chianti such as Radda and Castellina in Chianti. One of the most exciting places we visited was Chianti Cashmere Company. Nora Kravis, the owner, gave us a tour of her company and showed us how the cashmere is produced. The process of her products is very detailed and above organic standards. The goat images you’ll see below were taken at her location. Make sure you visit her site, www.chianticashmere.com they have absolutely amazing products that will make perfect gifts for anybody. The cashmere scarves were beyond beautiful, have never felt anything as soft as that!

Another big event was the Palio in Siena. The Palio is a horse race that takes place twice each year during the summer time. The horses and the riders represent ten out of the seventeen city wards. The first race (July 2) is held in honor to Madonna di Provenzano who has a church in Siena and the second is held in honor of Assumption of Mary. The race takes place at the Piazza del Campo and doesn’t last longer than a minute and half. The horse that wins gets the Palio, not the rider itself and after the race is over they take the horse to the church to offer their win. This is as traditional as it can get. Thousands of people from Siena gather at the Piazza del Campo to witness this amazing event. It was definitely a life experience.

I would like to thank Kim and Ken Alo for having us capture these precious moments for them. We feel absolutely blessed to have met all of you and there are no words to describe how honored we feel to have worked for such beautiful families. Thanks again to Kim, Ken, Gina, Tom, Sampath, Sanji, Jane, Quinn, Maru, Guillermo, Michael, Janiece, Maru, Hugo, Rosannette and John.

Below is the first part of five blog posts I will be doing in the following days. It has been really hard to select my favorites out of tons of images. Hope you enjoy and would love to hear your thoughts on the images below.