When Keith Lindsey Jr. met his work colleague Rosa in the summer of 2009, little did he know that he would get down on one knee and propose to her a decade later. Though the two were just friends during their shared time at General Motors, they went on their first date in 2013, when Rosa was in law school. They roamed around the Detroit Institute of Arts, grabbed lunch in Corktown Detroit, and the rest, as they say, was history.
The couple developed a shared passion for travel, so when it was time for Keith to propose in 2019, he planned a romantic gesture during a trip to the Bahamas. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans. “Our trip got canceled at the last minute due to Hurricane Maria and we were rerouted to New Orleans,” Rosa explains. “Keith proposed in New Orleans outside of our Airbnb.”
Though Rosa and Keith had to postpone their nuptials due to the pandemic, nothing would stop the couple from having their dream destination wedding. “Our goal was to pick a location that would force people to disconnect from their world and be present in the moment. In today’s world where we are always attached to a screen and demanding careers, we truly wanted to pick a part of the world that was so beautiful it forced people to disconnect and live in the moment.”
Ultimately, the couple selected Villa San Giacomo along the Amalfi Coast for its “dream landscape.” “We loved the fact the venue was able to accommodate our family and wedding party and came with a chef and a house manager so everyone could truly enjoy their vacation,” the couple adds. “From the wedding perspective, it could hold our ceremony and reception and of course provided us with the iconic fairytale views of Positano.”
On September 30, 2021, the couple finally became husband and wife with 40 of their favorite people in attendance. Read on for an intimate look at Rosa and Keith’s romantic, jet-setting wedding, as planned by Weddings in Italy and photographed by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
Throughout their three-day celebration, the couple juxtaposed Positano’s lush backdrop with a bold, jewel-toned color palette. Rosa and Keith deftly set the scene with a custom, handmade suite from Isabella Invitations, a Nigerian creative based in Houston, Texas. “On the day of the welcome party, we presented [our guests with] custom blue and rose gold welcome bags with personalized hangover kits,” Rosa shares.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
The festivities kicked off with a welcome party at a nearby restaurant called La Tagliata. “The restaurant surprised us and gave us a guitarist and many bottles of wine,” the couple adds. “Later, all of our wedding guests and family were out of the seats, dancing and singing.”
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
On the day of her wedding, Rosa got her glam on alongside her two maids of honor.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
The bride stunned in a custom dress that was made in conjunction by Impression Bridal and Yumi Katsura. “I knew it was the one when I fell in love with the lace and beading details,” she said. “I loved the inverted neckline, high split, and the detachable train, which provided me with a look [for the ceremony] and a reception look.”
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
Rosa completed her look with thoughtful accessories that paid homage to her family’s roots. “I wore a hair piece that was the shape of a feather to incorporate and represent my Navajo Diné roots,” the bride shares. “I wrapped my grandmother’s pearls around my bouquet to ensure her presence was with me at all times.” Once she slipped on her Jimmy Choo shoes, she was ready to walk down the aisle.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
Meanwhile, the groom looked dapper in a custom Festari tuxedo, which was made from Italian silk and featured a shawl lapel.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
Keith’s pre-ceremony ritual included completing his skincare routine—which featured black-owned brands like Scotch Porter, Nature Boy, and Bevel—as well as toasting with his inner circle.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
“We chose to honor our Native American and African American roots and incorporated the symbolism of the circle,” the couple shares. “Our sitting arrangement was circular, and we used our Native American wedding vase, as well as a custom broom to honor our African American ancestors when jumping the broom at the end of the wedding ceremony.”
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
Gilded seats and an assortment of pink and white blooms—courtesy of FloraGarden—rounded out the look to offer plenty of flair without upstaging the spectacular view.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
Rosa and Keith chose a nontraditional wedding party—and wanted their family members and closest friends involved in their wedding day. From their best friend as ring bearers to Rosa’s godmother walking her down the aisle to groomsmen taking a banner down the aisle, the ceremony was packed with personal touches.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
For Rosa, seeing Keith at the end of the aisle was a highlight of the day. “[I wanted] to tell him all about my ‘getting ready’ experience and he ‘shushes me’ while smiling and telling me we must be quiet and focused because we are getting married,” Rosa shares. “This moment made my heart smile, as I am the defiant chatty one in the relationship and he is the serious, poised one.”
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
In addition to reciting traditional Christian vows, Rosa and Keith wrote personalized letters for each other, which were read by the bride’s godsister.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
During the ceremony, I told Rosa that I was going to ‘movie kiss’ her.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
“Rosa and I love watching movies and we always laugh when rom-coms exaggerate the highly anticipated—yet iconic—movie kiss,” the groom says. “During the ceremony, I told Rosa that I was going to ‘movie kiss’ her. She laughed it off and didn’t believe me, but I did it!”
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
Once the couple slipped on their wedding rings from Ekletic Jewelry, they recessed down the aisle to Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours).”
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
After the ceremony, the couple snuck away to capture some solo pictures with photographer Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
Meanwhile, guests moseyed to the villa’s veranda for the reception. To create a romantic, intimate mood, the couple peppered the outdoor space with overhead lighting, candles of various sizes, and flowers reimagined in vibrant blues, purples, and pinks.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
Rosa and Keith teamed up with a personal chef to create a mouth-watering Italian menu, running the gamut from miniature eggplant parmesan bites to a creamy Frutti di Mare. “We also had personalized name plates made for each guest with a menu and hand-painted Italian dinnerware,” the bride adds. Guests also sipped on a Rosa espresso martini or a Keith Beer, made with cognac and ginger ale.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
A saxophonist and percussionist revved up the crowd as the newlyweds made their grand entrance into the reception.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
We were able to truly interact with our family and friends and create lifelong memories that brought us so much joy.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
The lively dinner party was packed with touching speeches from the couple’s nearest and dearest. For Rosa and Keith, their 40-person guest list made it possible to spend some quality time with everyone. “We loved the fact we were able to truly interact with our family and friends and create lifelong memories that brought us so much joy,” they say.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
After dinner, Lorenzo Zanobetti took over with a lively setlist, including Rosa and Keith’s first dance to “You and I” by Ingrid Michaelson.
Photo by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio
For dessert, guests enjoyed a traditional Italian wedding cake, made with Italian custard, puff pastry, and a layer of fresh berries. Of course, the festivities did not stop there. Since Rosa and Keith got married on a Thursday, they spent the day after lounging by the pool with their guests.
Though the newlyweds were supposed to spend part of their honeymoon in France, they decided to spend over three weeks in Italy, making it a special spot in their love story. “It was absolutely amazing we spent our days embracing everything Italy had to offer,” the newlyweds share. “We cannot wait to return!”
