LA-based stylist Karolyn Pho wore The Row and Chanel to marry ‘How Long Gone’ podcaster Jason Stewart

From their very first date, Karolyn Pho knew that Jason Stewart was different. Pho, a stylist, had already known Stewart, the co-host of beloved podcast How Long Gone, for years when Stewart invited her over for their first official date. “I would have never agreed to that if he were a stranger,” she notes. “I still remember him moving confidently around the kitchen, all the while effortlessly carrying a conversation. He was genuine, unpretentious, and so funny. It was over for me.”

Stewart planned to pop the question during a romantic trip to the Amalfi coast, but he hadn’t yet settled on the exact moment. So he spent the first days of the trip traveling from town to town (Sorrento was their home base) with a ring box in his pocket. “I remember getting a phone call from her friend with a cryptic message saying, ‘If you’re planning on doing something on this trip, may I suggest doing it at the beginning instead of the end’,” he says. Taking the not-so-subtle hint, he proposed shortly thereafter, en route to their hotel after dinner, in a courtyard overlooking the sea. “We were both in shock, crying and laughing,” says Stewart. “We returned to our hotel and had a glass of champagne to calm down.”

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It was only fitting that the Los Angeles-based couple return to Italy for their wedding, settling on a villa (or two villas, actually) in Val d’Orcia, Tuscany. Upon seeing the small lake, extraordinary gardens and a handful of horses, Pho wired the deposit sight unseen. Luckily, the venue was “even more beautiful in person”.

Pho approached her wedding look as she would any styling job: “pull, style out, edit”. Unusually, the look came together by way of the veil, courtesy of London-based WED studio. “I love their approach to custom bridal so I messaged them asking to build a custom veil for me,” she says. “The veil turned out to be such a spectacular piece, I decided I needed the most minimal and refined dress as it’s canvas. Obviously no one does minimal and refined better than The Row, so that was that!” The strapless lace dress, paired with the veil of delicate exploding bows was a singular bridal moment. She completed the look with a classic Manolo Blahnik Carolyne 70 slingback (“in my opinion, the perfect wedding shoe”), a diamond tennis bracelet and huggie hoops. “The cherry on top was the garter belt gifted to me by my good friend, and fellow stylist, Doria Santlofer,” she says. “She picked it up a sex shop in Pigalle before coming to the wedding – it was such a fun surprise.”

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The bride opted to do her own hair and makeup on the day (“I don’t like people fussing over me,” she says). Armed with a tutorial from her pal, hair and makeup artist Homa Safar, Pho executed a natural look that had her looking and feeling just like herself.

Stewart, meanwhile, had a very specific challenge when it came to getting suited up. “I’m very tall – 205cm – so I had to go custom,” he says. With an assist from his friend Mikey (“The best-dressed guy I know”) and Pho (“We chose the fabrics together”) Stewart worked with LA-based tailor Robert Lim to make his custom suit, which he paired with a classic white Brooks Brothers shirt and no tie. His shoes were also custom, from Morjas. “Nothing feels better than wearing a custom suit,” he says. “I wore it yesterday in Australia!”

The evening ahead of the wedding, guests enjoyed a casual pizza party welcome dinner. “Every destination wedding needs a welcome dinner because you’re about to spend a few days with this group of people, so you need wine and comfort food,” says Stewart. “They can get a bit awkward at first, depending on the crowd, so we made sure not to invite any awkward people.” The dinner served as the perfect ice-breaker, not to mention an opportunity for another look. Pho wore a red Commission dress and Mary Janes from Khaite while Stewart paired his vintage suede jacket with Zegna trousers and vintage yellow Hermès tie.

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Though the couple rehearsed the “choreography” a few hours ahead of the ceremony, for Stewart, it wasn’t until he saw the flowers that the magnitude of the moment snapped into focus. “For some reason seeing those flowers meant that it was really actually happening,” he says. “Flowers are expensive.”

Guests arrived to the tune of a local jazz quartet, who also played the cover of Radiohead’s “True Love Waits” as Pho came down the aisle. “I was a wreck, which was unexpected,” says Pho. “It was really hard to keep my composure and not have ‘ugly cry face’ while walking down the aisle, but as soon as I saw Jason, my nerves calmed.” Similarly for Stewart, seeing Pho come down the aisle was a defining moment. “I looked at my mom, who was already having the cry of her life, and I lost it seeing her come down the aisle,” he says. “She looked perfect.” As a personal touch, Pho’s older brother, Vinh, officiated and, per Stewart’s request, the couple wrote their own vows. “In our relationship, I tend to be the one who’s always trying to make a joke or get a laugh. Sometimes I can be a bit extra,” he admits. “For our vows, I felt compelled to reign that in because I wanted to let Karolyn shine.” The couple exited as husband and wife to the tune of “Frolic” by Luciano Michelini, better known as the theme to Curb Your Enthusiasm.

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Ahead of the dinner reception, Pho changed into a Chanel skirt suit and slingbacks. “I strongly believe that Chanel should always be worn as a full look,” she says. “It’s an incomplete sentence otherwise.” It was a rustic affair – long wooden farm tables topped with vintage white tablecloths, gold-trimmed plates and vintage silver cutlery. In lieu of flowers, brass coups overflowing with grapes, cherries, figs, peaches, and pears served as the centrepieces. The menu of local dishes was a smash hit. “Everyone couldn’t stop talking about how good the tuna tonnato was,” says Stewart.

Following dinner, guests hit the dance floor. “I’m a DJ myself and have played dozens of weddings over the years,” says Stewart, who DJs under the moniker Them Jeans. “I’m also a control freak, so I spent weeks crafting a four-hour playlist of hundreds of songs because you can’t DJ your own wedding.” The playlist spanned from New Order to “cheesy trance stuff from the early 2000s” to Mariah ballads. Their first dance song? ‘2 Become 1’ by The Spice Girls.”