Italian Lakes Wedding Blog - Destination Weddings Italy

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 »

Elegant, charming, ancient, Stresa is the pearl of Lake Maggiore, one of the most wanted destinations wedding in Piemonte. It has been a favorite destination with the British, even Queen Victoria stayed on the shores of Lake Maggiore.

Stresa is located on Lake Maggiore in northeastern Piedmont which borders Lombardy and Switzerland. It is a renowned tourist resort in a picturesque setting facing the equally famous Borromeo Islands.

In order to see Stresa well, it’s important to explore the many alley ways and small cobblestone lanes that make up the town. Not a shopper by nature, Stresa was an invitation to buy! Lovely little pottery shops are found around every corner, and the shopkeepers are more than happy to ship your items home. Also, shops with jewelry, tempting Italian foodstuffs, and cute little bars and trattoria are everywhere.

The lakeside promenades are lined with magnolias, camellias and verbena and many other flowers and Mediterranean trees.
Embarcadero is probably the most crowded place in town. From here you can take the boats for an excursion on the Lake visiting Borromean Islands and their lush gardens and palaces owned by Borromeo Family.

In the 1850s Stresa was one of the most sought-after vacation spots in all of Italy. The rich and famous from all over the world spent their leisure time enjoying the beauty, serenity and romance of Stresa. Consequently dozens of fabulously expensive and ornate Villas were constructed overlooking the lake. Today those same Villas of the world’s richest people are available for your wedding and for your wedding reception. Continue Reading »

Isola Madre is the largest of the Borromeo islands and the most characteristic one, with its atmosphere of silence, meditation and enchantment. Flaubert, in 1845, wrote that ‘Isola Madre is the most sensual place that I have ever seen in the world’.

The Borromeo Islands are a group of three small islands and two islets in the Italian part of Lake Maggiore, located in the western arm of the lake, between Verbania and Baveno to the north and Stresa to the south. Stresa is Lake’s Maggiore’s main resort since 19th century, with many luxury hotels, villas and easy access to the Borromeo Islands.

In 1501 Lancillotto Borromeo, one of the five children of Giovanni III Borromeo and Cleofe Pio di Carpi, introduced the cultivation of citrus fruit to the island, the plants being brought from Liguria. It is known for certain that olives were cultivated here; the produce may have been employed for sacred purposes. In 1501 Lancillotto began the construction of the family residence on the island, which in the 1580s was extended in the renaissance style by Renato I Borromeo. The Palazzo Borromeo was built on the remains of the early church, cemetery and perhaps castle of San Vittore. In 1978 the 16th century palace was opened to the public. The visit is interesting for the reconstruction of the antique interior decoration and for the liveries, dolls and ceramics collection. Exceptional exposition of “Puppet Theaters” from the 18th and 19th Centuries. Continue Reading »

If you would like to celebrate your civil wedding in Italy right into an old fashion atmosphere, in a Tudor style castle surrounded by a huge park with stunning view on the lake, Dal Pozzo Castle is the right choice.

Dal Pozzo Castle is in Oleggio Castello, a small village in the countryside near Arona on Lake Maggiore, but also very close to the romantic atmosphere of Lake Orta and St. Julius Island.
The enchanting panorama on Lake Maggiore and the architecture of the castle make of Dal Pozzo castle a peculiar place for fine and elegant weddings. With its wide rooms, galleries, original furniture in Tudor style and the huge park the Castle is a real pearl.

The civil bending could be officiated in the historical library of the family, in an evocative ambience. It is a wonderful room furnished with antiques of 1800, manuscripts and pictures of 6 generations owners Dal Pozzo dynasty. The real masterpiece are the wooden baroque ceilings, every single piece presents a precious floral painting one different from the each other.
The civil bending is celebrated by the mayor of Oleggio Castello and could be held every day of the year. View more images about Dal Pozzo Castle.

Once the celebration ends the receptions starts in the five beautiful rooms of the castle or on the terrace overlooking the Lake.
In the silence and confidentiality of the fine venue, your guests could appreciate every single internal and external area. You will have on your disposal 15000 squared meters of park for your welcome cocktail, the Red Room for dances and music, the terrace for a dinner under the stars, the main room for the wedding toast…. many and different are the solutions that could characterize your civil wedding at Dal Pozzo Castle. Continue Reading »

Weddings in Borromean Islands are just unique. Their incredible panorama, fragrant flowers, brilliant blue water and romantic walks make it a perfect location for your wedding in Italy.

The Borromeo Islands are a group of three small islands and two islets in the Italian part of Lake Maggiore, located in the western arm of the lake, between Verbania and Baveno to the north and Stresa to the south. Stresa is Lake’s Maggiore’s main resort since 19th century, with many luxury hotels, villas and easy access to the Borromeo Islands.

In 1817 the famous French writer Stendahl wrote, “What can one say of Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands…except to pity people who do not go mad over them.” Ernest Hemingway agreed, as well as a notable procession of famous others-Napoleon, Mussolini, Charles Dickens and English poets, William Wordsworth and Lord Byron.

These three marshy specks have stirred the imaginations of everyone from Napoleon to Stendhal, Dickens, Flaubert, Toscanini, and even Mussolini.
Isola Bella is undoubtedly the most famous of the Borromean Islands and when you see it today you can hardly imagine it as the tiny fishing village it once was. In 1632, Count Vitaliano Borromeo began its transformation with the construction of the palace and the ornamental gardens.
Isola Madre is the largest of the Borromean Islands and boasts a tranquil and enchanted atmosphere. It’s gardens are a pleasure to explore: filled with azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons, ancient wisteria they are truly beautiful.
In contrast to the other Islands, Isola Pescatori has retained it’s original charm. The Island has remained a quaint, picturesque fishing village with the traditional fishing boats anchored along the shore.

Continue Reading »