From Carry-On to Castle: How After The Tone Traveled to My Destination Wedding

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when an After The Tone employee throws a destination wedding in a 13th-century castle in the hills of Assisi, Italy, let me be the first to tell you: absolutely everything, all at once, and somehow even better than TikTok promised.

Back in October, my husband and I gathered 70 of our favorite humans (our brave, jet-lagged, Aperol-fueled wedding guests) for a three-day celebration that still doesn’t feel real.

And yes, of course, our After The Tone audio guestbook came with us. I packed that vintage beauty right into my carry-on, padding it between my Gucci shoes and my ceremony accessories like the precious cargo it is. After The Tone phones love a good adventure, and honestly, they’re the easiest travel companions! You simply tuck them into your suitcase and off they go, ready to be the star of any destination wedding. Ours crossed the Atlantic like a seasoned traveler, fully prepared to become our beloved voicemail guest book.

Because when you work for the brand that perfected the wedding guest book alternative, you don’t just bring a phone… you bring the party. So without further ado, here comes my wedding highlight reel that no one asked for but I’m sharing anyway.

Photographed by a Coworker-Turned-Bestie (AKA the Plot Twist of My Wedding Planning)

Most brides spend months scouting the perfect wedding photographer… I walked into the office one day and realized mine was sitting across my desk.

I asked my coworker-turned-bestie to shoot our special day entirely on film - and honestly? It’s the best decision I made, besides, of course, saying “I do.” The photos look like they fell out of an Italian romance novel (Don’t you think? 😉). People keep asking who I hired, and I get to just smile and say, “Oh, her? She’s on Slack.”

A Wedding HMU Team That Doubled as My Inner Circle

Every VIP moment of this wedding was brought to life by someone I love.

My best friend handled hair and makeup.
My husband’s sister officiated with heart, humor, and her positive aura.
And our 18-month-old Finnegan toddled around like the tiniest king of the castle.

It truly took a village, and mine just happened to be full of people who knew how to wield a curling iron, a camera, and a ceremony script.

A Castle Full of People… and One Well-Traveled Phone

We rented an entire castle, because if you’re hosting a destination wedding in Italy, go big or go home, right? All 70 guests stayed on site, which meant no one was ever more than a courtyard away from a prosecco refill.

And in the center of it all sat our beloved After The Tone rotary phone, proudly perched after its international voyage, ready to capture the good, the mushy, and the mildly hammered. The digital guest book recordings are now my personal words of affirmation archive: friends singing, siblings crying, another friend confessing that they may or may not have had one too many limoncello shots at the rehearsal dinner.

 Spoiler alert: She had.

Five Hours of Dancing + One Bride in Pajamas

I danced for five straight hours. Five. Around hour three, I saluted my second look dress, changed into pajamas, and reentered the reception like the dancefloor maniac I am. Zero regrets.

Midnight hit, and like a gift from the fast-food gods, McDonald’s arrived. There is nothing quite like watching your friends eat fries while wearing suits and gowns.

Final Thoughts from a Bride Who Carried a Phone Across the World

My castle wedding in Assisi wasn’t perfect because it was fancy - It was perfect because it was personal.

Because my friends created it.
Because my family traveled oceans.
Because Finnegan frolicked across the grounds.
Because everyone stayed under one roof.
And because I carried a little vintage phone halfway around the world, and it brought those memories right back home with me. Our recordings are my favorite keepsake, not just as an employee, but as a bride. 

If you’re planning your own destination wedding, here’s your wedding inspiration:
Bring the phone. Bring the people you love. And let your wedding guest book talk back. Book your audio guest book today. 

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