This Interior Designer Bride Wore Custom Vivienne Westwood for Her Idyllic and Intimate Wedding in Ischia

Christie Ward and Sharif Zu’bi technically met in October 2017 at a Halloween party in Brooklyn through Sharif’s cousin, who was dating one of Christie’s best friends. Yet, they’d long circled each other: “We had met several times in passing, at group dinners with our friends,” Christie says. “I was interested but we just never really had the chance to fully connect—always sitting on opposite ends of the table and then going our separate ways.” Five years after that October night, Sharif proposed to her in Miami at a friend’s house by the pool.

In July 2023, the two wed in an intimate ceremony at the historic Castello Aragonese on the Italian island of Ischia. While the two have their own distinct careers—Christie is co-principal of the interior design firm Ward and Gray, whereas Sharif works in tech and commercial real estate—the two also cofounded homewares company El Mono Home. They often traveled to Italy for their work with Murano glass, making the country a special place for the couple.

Christie wore a custom gown by Vivienne Westwood. Inspired by a ’90s Chanel wedding dress worn on the runway by Claudia Schiffer, they collaborated together on a corset dress draped with a sheer bow top. “We decided on lace given it was a summer wedding and used a classic corset design for the top portion of the dress,” the bride said. “It was so delicate and it felt just right,”

Sharif, meanwhile, worked with Paul Smith to design a suit in navy linen. They asked local wedding planner Stefania Silvestro to help coordinate their day. Christie’s interior design background came in handy: “I made a lot of mood boards for how I envisioned the altar, my bouquet, and the flowers surrounding the castle,” she said.

Christie and Sharif spent most of their wedding day swimming with their families in the Tyrrhenian Sea. “It was about 3 p.m. when we realized we should probably get ready for the ceremony,” Christie said. Her brother drove them in a vintage 1960s Fiat Jolly from the Mezzatorre Hotel to Castello Aragonese for their ceremony. “It was a very special 30-minute ride and with all of our hair blowing in the wind, we were laughing the entire way,” she said. They said their vows during golden hour in front of just seven of their loved ones.

Afterwards, they had Champagne in the garden. “We had several glasses all together, enjoying the shade. Then Sharif and I took off in the Fiat back to Mezzatorre,” Christie says. Their parents, meanwhile, trailed them in tuk-tuks. “We all caravanned through town. Everyone on the streets was shouting as we drove past. It was such a magical moment.”

Back at the hotel, more Champagne was waiting for them. Then, their families went off to enjoy a long, “limoncello-fueled dinner” that went well into the night. “It was a perfect day for us,” said Christie.