Women sew outside of their Truili homes. (1947)

According to Roman mythology, Minerva, the goddess of wisdom gifted an olive branch to Puglia as a symbol of peace and prosperity. The region is home to 60 million olive trees and responsible for 1/2 of Italy’s olive oil production and 1/8 of the world’s supply. Truillis are century old structures traditionally inhabited by peasants and built with stones collected from family olive orchards. Their walls are three feet thick and the design of the house helps to keep the elements out. Historically, Puglia is the poorest region of Italy. When tax collectors would come to the heal of the boot, home owners would knock their houses down to avoid paying taxes. Many remain today.

After five years together, Tom surprised me with a trip to Italy in 2025 when and where we got engaged on the Amalfi Coast. Two days later we hopped on a south-bound train to Lecce. Affectionately referred to the Florence of the South, the region is home to some of the most beautiful Baroque architecture in the world. Like Maine, Puglia feels like a well kept secret, which is one of the reasons we fell in love with it.

In 2026 my sisters took me to Masseria Tenuto Deserto where we will host our wedding in September of 2027. The property has been owned by the same family dating back to the Middle Ages and is home to truillis, a medieval chapel and watch tower, farm animals (donkeys and sheep!), wild capers, orange, conifer, and olive trees. We loved the Masseria because it felt un-fancy and authentic, just like Maine. Ricardo, his wife, and daughter speak both fluent English and Italian and are generous hosts.

We ask that those joining us for our wedding stay on the property so we can properly enjoy bike rides, afternoons by the pool, the family’s lizard hunting dog, meals, and time together : ) We are so excited to get married but also want this to feel like an Italian vacation with those who we love most.