Ged Poe and Erica Dee’s decade-long romance found its perfect culmination in a three-day Pugliese celebration that
wove their love story through Italy’s most romantic landscapes.
Nestled in the heart of Puglia, Castello Monaci stood as the ultimate backdrop for businessman Ged Poe and fashion and lifestyle entrepreneur Erica Dee’s long-anticipated “endgame.” The centuries-old castle and winery provided the perfect venue for a celebration of a decade-long love story that began in their teenage years, a testament to time and enduring love.
From the palm-tree-lined ceremony to the champagne tower in the garden, the open-air staircase cake-cutting to the wine museum afterparty, guests were treated to a well-choreographed love’s evolving narrative.
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A Secret Romance
Their romance began at a breast cancer awareness fundraiser when they were teenagers. Soon after they met, Erica recalls, Ged slid into her DMs and asked her out on a date. “I wasn’t allowed to have a boyfriend, so all our dates had to be in secret,” she adds with a laugh, remembering her teenage rebellion.
College brought them closer, and they already started talking of marriage. “We were babies!” Erica thinks back with some wistful nostalgia. “At the time, we didn’t know how or when it was going to happen. We just knew it was with each other.”
By their mid-20s, the timing felt right. During a vacation in Japan, on a park bridge, with Erica’s siblings hiding in the bushes, Ged got down on one knee. “I think he was nervous because he didn’t even get to ask the question. I had to remind him: ‘Babe, you have to ask first,’” Erica shares. “It has been a long time coming, but it also felt so new. I felt like a teenager getting giddy again.”
Immediately, the wedding planning began. “My first thought, right after the engagement, was, I’m going to make a Pinterest board right now.”
Italian Vibes In The Castle
The wedding was meticulously planned for a three-day celebration, starting with a family dinner and seaside welcome with friends, then culminating in a magical castle wedding celebration. “We wanted it to be a slow progression, and to showcase the beauty of Puglia,” Erica says. “After all, our guests traveled a long way to get here, and, for most, it was also their first time in Puglia.”
The celebration began with a sunset family dinner in Gallipoli. For the Dees and Poes, the family dinner grew to over 100 guests, both coming from large families. “It was so nice to see all our family together,” Erica remembers, “Especially with cousins we grew up with, and both sides of the family interacting so beautifully.”
The following evening, the couple welcomed the rest of their wedding guests in Porto Cesareo, surrounded by the cool breeze of the sea, complemented by the freshest of seafood. There was no official program; instead, the entourage began to give speeches, during which the crowd alternated between laughter and tears. “We were bawling our eyes out while laughing at the most unhinged throwback stories,” Erica says.
Then came the big day at Castello Monaci. The couple made full use of the sprawling property, showcasing its beautiful spaces. The ceremony took place just outside the castle, under palm trees. One of the couple’s dear friends sang the walk-down-the-aisle song, “Feels Like Home.” This was followed by an appetizer buffet at the gazebo, with a live saxophonist. In the garden, a champagne tower was unveiled, and a toast was made to the happy couple.
Guests were led through the castle walls, stopping by the grand staircase for the cutting of the cake. Inside was a reception hall for dinner, with a fun program hosted by friends of the couple. The night continued with a fantastic dessert hall and then an afterparty in the wine museum. At every stop was live music and copious amounts of delicious and authentic Italian cuisine.
“This wedding was not just about us, but also about the people who treasure, support, and celebrate us,” Erica shares. “Three words to describe our wedding: unforgettable, magical, and heartfelt. We loved being in such a romantic setting with the people we love the most.”
Photography by Studio Cromatica, courtesy of Ged and Erica Poe
