Leigh Heiserman is in the wedding industry, so there was a bit of pressure on her beau, Jared Biffoni, in planning his proposal. He wanted it to be a surprise, but Leigh had expectations. “We had planned a weekend getaway at the 1 Hotel in South Beach, but Jared completely surprised me with a proposal,” Leigh says. “Our incredibly talented friends, Lisa Ziesing of Abby Jiu Photography and Alex Clayton of Clayton Film Co., flew to Miami to capture the moment. I had always told Jared that Lisa had to photograph our proposal, and with the help of my team and Lisa and AJP’s generosity, he made it happen!” The couple’s friends and family also flew down to surprise her. “We celebrated with an incredible private dinner at the chef’s table at Casa Tua in South Beach,” says Leigh, who met Jared in college; they dated seven years before the proposal. “It truly was the most unforgettable weekend of my life—at least until our wedding topped it!”
Leigh is a planner with Lauryn Prattes Events, and she actually discovered her wedding venue, Ravello’s Belmond Hotel Caruso, while doing research for a client. But Italy had special meaning for her and Jared, too. “I studied abroad in Florence in 2017 and fell in love with Italy—the culture, the food, and the way of life. Tuscany also holds a special place in Jared’s heart; his Nonna was born in the small town of Valdottavo, and his family still owns the home she grew up in.” She toured it before they even got engaged.
“In September 2021, I visited Ravello with my team for a client’s wedding, and my boss and partner in crime, Lauryn, arranged a tour of the hotel for me,” Leigh says. “It’s breathtaking views and the natural beauty of Ravello stole my heart. From that moment on, we started dreaming up my and Jared’s wedding there. In August 2023, Jared proposed, and in September 2025, my dream wedding at Hotel Caruso became a reality.” Leigh booked Abby Jiu Photography and Clayton Film Co. for photo and video again, too.
Styling would be a paramount part of the wedding weekend, and Leigh worked with Over The Moon Style Director Grace Givens to nail each look. “I trusted Grace implicitly,” Leigh says. “She encouraged me to take some fashion risks while staying true to what felt authentic to me.” It began with two welcome event looks: an Italian-inspired Eddy dress—paired with a Staud tomato bag and Larroudé rattan block heels—and a lemon yellow De La Vali dress. “To let me have a true bridal moment, we asked our guests to embrace ‘Amalfi Coast cocktail’ attire, sans yellow,” Leigh says. “Grace styled the welcome party look with Jennifer Behr green drop earrings, a bright orange AERIN rattan clutch—a playful nod to an Aperol spritz—and mini white Khaite heels. She also set the tone for hair and makeup, which Shirin Ratner and Alessandro Mancino brought to life flawlessly.”
For the wedding day itself, there were three looks (plus a chic Waimari slip dress for getting ready in). “For the ceremony and cocktail hour, I wore an Ines Di Santo gown and lace veil, styled with white Aquazzura slingbacks and my grandmother’s heirloom diamond pear earrings,” Leigh says. “For dinner, I changed into a white lace ILA dress—keeping the Italian lace theme—with a Jennifer Behr pearl choker and a pink RAFE shell clutch from Over The Moon. Finally, for dancing and the after-party, Grace found the perfect vintage Pucci dress in vibrant yellow, styled with Schutz gold heels and Janis Savitt drop earrings.”
On September 29, 2025, Leigh and Jared spent the morning together. “We went against tradition and stayed together the night before our wedding,” the bride says. “There was no other way we would want to start our wedding day other than enjoying breakfast together on our terrace overlooking the Amalfi Coast. We were both in a puddle of tears as we privately exchanged our vows to each other. It was such a special moment before all of the happy chaos of the wedding day started.”
After getting ready and portraits, it was time for the ceremony on the lawn. “Malafronte created the most beautiful yellow florals—chosen to honor my mom, whose favorite color is yellow—and paired them with elegant green garden chairs,” Leigh says. Guests found their seats, each adorned with a custom tambourine for the newlyweds’ exit.
There were no nerves. The couple had gotten legally married back home in Arlington, Virginia, the week prior, so all they had to do was enjoy. “Our ceremony was intimate and magical, surrounded by our closest family and friends and officiated by my uncle, Herb Heiserman,” Leigh says. “It all felt surreal.”
For dinner, a serpentine table was topped with glowing taper candles, embroidered napkins, and beautiful menus by Truffy Piand set beneath the olive trees in the Belmond’s gardens. “A live vocalist and pianist filled the gardens with jazz classics, and our guests couldn’t help but sing along between courses,” Leigh says. “We enjoyed a traditional three-course Italian meal: seabass crudo, a rich pasta dish, and tender beef filet. Afterward, a saxophonist led the way from the gardens to the Belmond’s iconic pool, where we celebrated with an Italian millefoglie cake show.”
The newlyweds danced to “Conversations in the Dark” by John Legend, then launched into a joyful horah to officially open the dance floor. “We danced the night away at Belmond’s La Piscina, celebrating with fresh pizzas served in custom boxes playfully named after our goldendoodle, ‘Pizzeria di Theo,’" Leigh says. “Looking around and seeing our loved ones laughing and savoring each moment in our favorite place was a vision I’ll never forget.”
