Italian Lakes Wedding Blog - Destination Weddings Italy

Lake Orta has always been one of the best destination for bridegrooms coming from all over the world. But not only!

Often is the trait d’union between different culture, very far from each other.
This is the case of Cristina and Derek. She comes from Genova and he is from Scotland.
A long love story and then the decision to getting married. Considering the wonderful places they both come from it is not easy making a decision. Portofino, Five Lands, Porto Venere or even some legendary castle in green Scottish country side.
What a difficult choice! And here it comes Lake Orta. They immediately fell in love with it. The perfect destination for their wedding.

Considering the distance it was not easy organizing all the event: ceremony, reception, flowers, music, invitation, guests coordination coming from Scotland and Ligura.
They decided to hire a wedding planner specialized in Lake Orta area. Their natural choice went on Valentina Lombardi from SposiamoVi – Torino. Valentina is a wedding planner with long experience on Lake Orta and she works with skillful professionals on the territory.

The photographer is Raffaello Mazzoleni who is the author of beautiful photojournalistic pictures that you can see in the SCOTTISH WEDDING PHOTO GALLERY for Cristina and Derek.

Floral arrangements are from La Piccola Selva thanks to the fantasy and creativity of floral designer Monika Andenmatten. La Piccola Selva has been leader for more than 20 years in floral arrangements and bridal bouquet creation for churches and best venues on Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore.
Cristina and Derek for their reception venue decided for Hotel San Rocco in Orta San Giulio.
Continue Reading »

Tags: bride, bridegrooms, ceremony, church, civil ceremony, colors, dance, destination wedding, details, floral designer, florist, flowers, groom, guests, Hotel San Rocco, lake Maggiore, lake Orta, music, Omegna, Orta San Giulio, party, photographer, photojournalistic style, Portofino, reception, Scotland, Scottish wedding, SposiamoVi, Torino, Town Hall, Valentina Lombardi, venues, Villa Bossi, wedding, wedding planner

The Sacro Monte della SS. Trinità di Ghiffa is located on Piemonte’s shore of Lake Maggiore very close to Verbania Pallanza. It is reachable from the lakeshore road that coasts the Lake aside of villas and parks.

Ghiffa is a touristy and wellness village on a small promontory and characterized by an all year warm weather. Ghiffa and its Sacro Monte with quiet Lake Maggiore and charming mountains near Verbania offer a harmonic combination of nature and culture that make those places the perfect frame for your wedding on Lake Maggiore. Continue Reading »

Tags: beautiful, bridegrooms, ceremony, chapel, church, flower arrangements, Ghiffa, guest, lake Maggiore, lakeshore, lakeview, Pallanza, pictures, restaurant, Sacro Monte di Ghiffa, sanctuary, Verbania, wedding

My name is Martha J.

I have been working in the Italian music scene for more than twenty years and in the last few years part of my activities has been focused on private parties (weddings, anniversaries…) and corporate events (conventions, meetings,…).

In my experience, I saw many brides and grooms spend a lot of time and efforts in choosing the right “ingredients” for their big day: a perfect dress, a nice church, lovely surroundings, a gorgeous villa, beautiful flowers…
What they much too often leave as a last minute choice is music, which is considered a less important “ingredient”.

Remember that music represents the soundtrack of you wedding day and a good soundtrack can make the difference!

That’s why I am here to help you find the right music for you big day!

A wedding without music is like a movie without a soundtrack!
Let me help you find the right soundtrack for your big wedding day!

Our secret is that: you have fun…because we have fun! We can change the musical program according to your requests; we can change musical styles just reading-through your guests’ tastes.

It will be a pleasure for me to play at your wedding or to help you stage the music that suits your tastes, because I am sure that, in the years coming, when you close your eyes and think of your big day, my music will play again in your heart!

Tags: bride, church, dress, event, flowers, groom, guests, italian wedding vocalist, italy, jazz, martha j, music, musician, soundtrack, villa, vocalist, wedding

As a wedding coordinator I travel a lot in Piemonte organizing events: Langhe, Monferrato, Olympic valleys near Sestriere, up to Stresa and Pallanza on Lake Maggiore.
Every single place has a special appeal but nowhere is like enchanting Lake Orta to me. Planning a wedding in Orta San Giulio is always a magic emotion…

This was also in for Luisa and Massimiliano’s wedding.
A Saturday in the beginning of this summer. The day begins with a shady sun that soon turns in a wonderful, sunny and warm day. Just like Luisa wished.
Luisa and I have worked together for months, just one close to the other to plan her wedding in every single detail. Continue Reading »

Tags: bouquet, bride, bridegroom, civil ceremony, flower arrangements, groom, guests, Hotel Giardinetto, Ivana Porta photographer, lake Maggiore, lake Orta, lakeshore, music, Orta San Giulio, Pallanza, peony, petals, Piemonte, SposiamoVi, Stresa, Torino, Town Hall, Valentina Lombardi, Villa Bossi, wedding cake, wedding coordinator, wedding planner

We hired Estella & Diego for our wedding in Varenna, lake Como in July 2008. They really worked hard for us all day long and were very discrete. Their charm, quick thinking and patience immediately put us at ease.
We received our photos and were delighted; they captured every detail of the entire day.
The quality and creativity of their photographs were very impressive. I would highly recommend them.

Tags: creativity, details, Diego and Estella, italy, lake Como, photographs, photos, Varenna, wedding

Casablanca Lilies, the largest blooms of all Lilies!
A very fragrant flower, Casablanca Lilies are perfect for large wedding flower arrangements. From a decorators point of view Casablanca Lilies are important because they fit modern and traditional situations so well. They are individually unique and mass pleasingly and they are so fragrant. They are long lasting, holding up well when manipulated into wired floral pieces. Brides find them magically expressive of the beauty they are looking for and popularity makes Casablanca Lilies stylish and trendy.
The image on the left shows a flower arrangement with Casablanca Lilium and Roses created by me at Hotel Dino in Baveno, lake Maggiore.
The beauty of fresh Casablanca lilies offers a sweet fragrance and statuesque grace. No flower is more frequently used at weddings than this hybrid. These lilies were originally found in China and Japan. The first known use of lilies at weddings was by the Ming dynasty in China. A breathtaking lily, the Casablanca is known for its dramatic white blossoms and irresistible scent. Among the most famous of Lilies from the Oriental family, it’s as elegant as the name implies. The Casablanca takes its name from the Spanish “casa” (house) and “blanca” (white). These pure white Lilies exhibit three-to-five stunning flowers per stem, for a total of 30 or more flowers per bunch. A plentiful amount well suited for a truly spectacular display, gala event or thoughtful gift.

Warning: put a protective shield under the lily when using them as corsages. The anthers which project from the center of the flower will easily stain fabric. It is safest to remove the anther prior to using them in this manner. Continue Reading »

Tags: Baveno, beauty, bride, Casablanca, ceremony, corsages, destination wedding, event, floral, flower arrangements, flowers, Hotel Dino, italian lakes, italy, lake Maggiore, lake Orta, lilies, petals, reception, roses, wedding, wedding theme

The string quartet is the ideal size of ensemble for most events ranging from a handful of guests up to a few hundred or more. The combination of two violins, viola and cello can create a wide range of textures and moods varying from the most subtle and delicate to a full, rich string sound, which carries equally well in small or large halls, outdoors, or in a marquee.
A string quartet can add the perfect touch to your wedding day, whether entertain the guests for the drinks reception or playing music for the bride walking down the aisle. A string quartet is completely mobile and requires no power supply. This makes it an ideal choice for a civil ceremony or a summer wedding, where guests may move outside for drinks and back inside for dinner. Some of the most well known pieces you might hear a string quartet play at a wedding or private party are “Canon In D” by Johann Pachelbel, “Air On the G String” by Johann Sebastian Bach, and excerpts from “The Four Seasons” by Antonio Vivaldi.
Whether you have chosen to have a Church or Civil wedding ceremony, music is surely the most important factor in creating the perfect classical and romantic atmosphere. Choosing music to suit your wedding day can be a difficult task. The Koiné String Quartet can provide music at any point during your wedding day, whether it be the ceremony itself, the hotel drinks reception in the afternoon, as background music during the wedding meal, or indeed after the meal itself as live music and entertainment.
All professional musicians, the Koiné String Quartet is a young and vibrant ensemble based in Piemonte that has been playing for weddings and corporate functions throughout lake Orta, lake Maggiore, lake Como and lake Garda. since 2003. Continue Reading »

Tags: bride, bridegroom, ceremony, church, entertainment, guests, italian lakes, italy, Koiné String Quartet, lake Como, lake Garda, lake Maggiore, lake Orta, meal, music, Orta San Giulio, Palazzo Penotti Ubertini, Pallanza, Piemonte, reception, Stresa, string quartet, Torino, Villa del Balbianello, violin, wedding

On September 4, 2004 Isola Madre on the Borromeans Islands has been the perfect scenario for the wedding of the decade: John Elkann, Fiat heir, married Donna Lavinia Borromeo of Princes of Angera at the Cappella Bianca on the Isola Madre.
John Elkann is the chiselled 28-year-old grandson of the late Gianni Agnelli. Following the death of his uncle Umberto, Elkann was promoted to the vice-chairmanship of Fiat, becoming the head of Italy’s grandest family in the process.
Princess Lavinia Borromeo is the last descendant of the Borromeo family: this noble family was the owner of the islands for centuries. Borromeo family is one of the premier Italian families that became rich through trade and banking.
Lavinia Borromeo and John Elkann made up a beautiful couple: she was 26, he was 28. They had a beautiful wedding: the ceremony and wedding took place at the Cappella Bianca, at Isola Madre in Lake Maggiore, which is property of the bride’s family. Father Biagio Pizzi and Don Giuseppe Volpati presided over the ceremony. The church was adorned with white and yellow flowers. From the seven hundred guests invited to the reception, only the relatives and close friends of the couple were able to enter the small church.
The bride wore a Valentino’s gown and she complemented it with a splendid lace veil that is running in the Borromeo family for many years. Valentino was also in charge of the dresses worn by the bridesmaids, Beatrice and Matilde (sisters of the bride), as well as by Isabella Borromeo, who acted as witness. Continue Reading »

Tags: beautiful, Borromean Islands, Borromeo, bride, bridesmaids, Cappella Bianca, ceremony, church, couples, dresses, flowers, gown, guests, Isola Madre, italy, lake Maggiore, palace, reception, Stresa, Valentino, wedding, wedding cake

For our wedding in Stresa and Isola dei Pescatori - Lake Maggiore - we had special ideas of the art of photos. The photos should be taken very natural, many close-ups and moment-shoots from us but also from all our guests.
By good references we found Estella & Diego. Young, very nice and friendly and all the time professional they accompanied us the whole day – up from the early morning by dressing up until the wedding-dance at night. As they work as a Duo they take photos with two aspects. Both are working with a lot of passion, special feelings to catch the rights moments and a lot of gorgeous details. Their manner of work is very discreet, like chameleons. We and none of our guests had never the situation of being disturbed in close moments and it was fun having them around us.
The result of their work was breathtaking – and we are very, very happy and thankful to had them as our photographers. After 2 months we are looking the photos quiet often and keep these beautiful memories of our important day in our hearts – and images!

View more pictures about Barbara and Daniel wedding in Lake Maggiore.

Tags: beautiful, Borromean Islands, details, guests, images, Isola dei Pescatori, lake Maggiore, memories, passion, Photo27, photographer, photos, Stresa, wedding

Of the recent new hotels in the region of the Italian lakes, the Hotel Cortese in Armeno represents a uniquely successful example of the skillful blending of tradition and modernity. A perfect synthesis which, when expressed through the charm of this authentic architectural jewel at the heart of an incomparable location, provides the ideal setting in which to celebrate your wedding in refined style.

The use of local stone, precious woods and wrought-iron (typical crafts of the area) create a unique and charming atmosphere in which time seems to stop, allowing us to recover the pleasures of life at a slower pace – and thus to savour that most special of happy days.

Immersed in the tranquil scenic surroundings of Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore, only minutes away from the village of Orta San Giulio, the town of Stresa and the spectacular panorama of Mount Mottarone, the Hotel Cortese enjoys the magical atmosphere of a little historic village: the use of local stone, precious woods and wrought-iron (typical crafts of the area) create a unique and charming atmosphere in which time seems to stop, allowing us to recover the pleasures of life at a slower pace – and thus to savour that most special of happy days. Continue Reading »

Tags: Alps, Armeno, banquet, celebration, ceremony, church, civil blending, couples, cousine, event, gazebo, guests, Hotel Cortese, italian lakes, lake Maggiore, lake Orta, location, Mottarone, Orta San Giulio, photographs, reception, Sacro Monte di Orta, St.Julius Island, Stresa, Villa Bossi, wedding