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.
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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 »

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 »

It is my pleasure to introduce the newest member of the Italian Lakes Wedding team: Giovanna Benati of Poker d’Eventi, a wedding planner agency based in Verona, Italy.
I recently spoke with Giovanna about Poker d’Eventi and how the company can help you plan a destination wedding on lake Garda.

• Giovanna, could you tell me something about yourself and how you became involved in wedding planning?
  After working for many years in the organisation of events for large companies and often in extremely formal situations, a close friend of mine called me to give her a hand with the organisation of her own wedding.
  Time was short (as is always the case with large companies and big events and conferences) and I helped in making the wedding a fantastic experience for everybody.
  I have to say that what made this experience unforgettable for me was to see my friend so relaxed and free to enjoy the day, leaving everything in my hands. She even allowed me to be as creative as I wanted and that is how the passion for this work was born.
• What is your favourite part about event planning?
  I think the most exciting moment is when I present my ideas and plans to the couple. Their faces light up at being able to imagine their wedding and they can finally begin to get excited about the day.
• Where are your top three picks to have a destination wedding in lake Garda?
  Lake Garda offers so many options for the creation of a wedding that I really wouldn’t know how to choose. I like to give couples the chance (if possible) to see some of the lake and a few of the locations that I have selected before coming up with final choices. If I were to get married again however I’d love a wedding on water, an event on a boat.
• Is it difficult for non-residents to get married in lake Garda? What are the requirements?
  No it really isn’t a problem in my experience, the people at the town hall actually seem happy to help in the completion of documents etc. Obviously each case needs to be looked at separately and documents also need to be prepared in the country of origin, but we calculate the time for all paper work in the organisation.
• After the wedding, what nearby romantic places might couples want to visit?
  After travelling so far, many couples see Venice (and a trip on a gondola) as a stone throw away, Florence is a popular stop over and of course Verona with Juliet’s balcony and the Arena Opera House is a must but I think the most romantic and enchanting place is ‘Castel San Pietro’ where the most breath taking view of Verona from above can be experienced.
• Do you have any advice for folks who’d like to get married in lake Garda?
  Plan ahead. Garda and the various locations suitable for such an event are becoming more and more popular so we need to book in advance. With enough time we really have no limits as to what can be achieved.

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Weddings at the Italian Lakes have become very popular over the last few years. Like all destination weddings, Italy offers the opportunity to limit the amount of guests and add a wonderful holiday feeling to the event. Italy has a wide selection of wonderful venues, such as Castello Dal Pozzo on lake Maggiore, Villa del Balbianello on lake Como, Castello of Malcesine on lake Garda and Villa Crespi on lake Orta.

If you’ve just begun planning your wedding in the Italian Lakes area it’s very important that you choose your Italian wedding photographer carefully, as the images will represent how you and your guests will remember your special day. Whether you prefer reportage, elegant, modern, classic, black & white, color, formal or informal, by viewing our online galleries you’ll see there’s a photographic style to suit everyone.

The flavor of the decade for wedding photography is the so-called photojournalistic style. But, what is the difference between reportage and classical photography?

Typical classical wedding photography tends to produce albums consisting of a series of posed photos… group photos, the mandatory exchanging of the rings and cutting of the cake, and some romantically posed photos of the bride and groom.

Reportage describes this very natural informal approach to the capture of the Wedding day, the Wedding details as well as the Wedding Couple. Reportage photographs are taken in a journalistic style. The aim is for the photographer to be a fly on the wall, to capture real, honest, spontaneous moments. The end result is a Wedding Story Book Album, which tells the story of your day as it really happened.
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I recently met Valentina Lombardi of SposiamoVi Group and had a wonderful chat about the wedding events industry in the Italian Lakes area, and learned a bit about Wedding Planning.

Having a Wedding Planner can do wonders for your wedding! For the busy couple that doesn’t have the time, or needs to travel a lot, a wedding coordinator can provide a sense of security and ease.

Wedding planners are professionals at making your special day memorable and stress free. They know the ins and the outs of planning a wedding!

Check out Valentina’s interview: Valentina is truly wonderful, and she gives us a lot of insight into her wonderful job!

• Valentina, what made you decide to become a wedding planner and how did you become one?
  I decided to be a wedding planner a lot of time ago.
  I’ve worked as event planner in a US software company for years.
  My creativity wasn’t satisfied so I decided to make my dreams come true, I met my Genova colleagues Cinzia and Alice and everything started…

 

 

• What do you like about your job?
  I love helping couples to build their own event following their style and passions.
  Working together with them to build the perfect day!
• How would you describe your working style?
  I try to interpreter couple tastes in order to suggest them the best solutions for them.
  I really do not want to force them into a decision…I’d rather prefer to be a consultant for them.
• What’s your idea of an excellent/lovely marriage proposal?
  Getting married on Lake Orta…. the perfect venue for a perfect day. Cozy, romantic and charming as Italy can be!
• Favorite thing to do outside event planning?
  I really do love Disney and 50s musical movies, swing music, shopping, discovery channel, traveling or relaxing with my family and I used to sing in a band….

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Lake Orta is not only one of the most romantic destination for a wedding in Italy but one of the most wanted sets for movie directors.
Near Orta San Giulio there is a little village where you will find “Via del Cinema” (cinema street), a sort of extraordinary open air art gallery dedicated to movies shot on lakeshores and in Piemonte in general. There are 45 artworks painted on house walls by artist came from all over the world.

In the next weeks Cinema and big stars will be on stage on Lake Orta. Famous actress Monica Bellucci will come to the Lake. She will be the star of Italian movie L’Uomo che Ama, directed by Maria Sole Tognazzi shot between Torino and Lake Orta.

Monica Bellucci is one of the divas of international jet set. Her carrier begun during the 90s whit her cameo in Bram Stocker’s Dracula directed by Francis Ford Coppola. She became more and more famous thanks to her roles in Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolution, The Brother Grimm and Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. Welcome to Lake Orta, Monica!

If Italy sets your heart pounding, why don’t you celebrate a truly glamorous wedding in the most romantic country of all. Italy is frequently sited as Europe’s top destination and for very good reasons: great wine and food, gorgeous venues, fabulous climate and beautiful cities.

The Italian Lake Region is the ultimate place to vow life-long commitment to each other…so, what are the suggested steps to plan a fantastic event over there?

• Get organised
  Buy a proper wedding planner that includes checklists and folders so you can store venue’s details, suppliers’ contacts, contracts, budget information, ideas you get from wedding magazines. Make a list of what needs to be done by way of preparations for the big day. Set yourself a realistic target and aim to complete a few tasks each week.
• Stay focused
  Close your eyes and imagine your wedding…write down how you see it, the colours you like, the setting you dream of, the atmosphere you aim to create, the music you would like to hear. Look at guidebooks to choose the perfect lakeside location, search the Internet for the most magic villa, flick through magazines and books for design suggestions.
• Start emailing
  Once you have a clear idea of what you are after, start communicating with the selected venues via email, ask for prices and comprehensive information. Shortlist a few and take the time to visit them. Once you have found the one you really like, ask them to recommend their preferred suppliers and get in touch with each one of them. Don’t forget to check their websites first to ensure that you like their style.
• Delegate tasks
  Remember, you are not a super hero and you might need some help. Get your friends and relatives involved as much as possible, as delegating tasks is the key to saving time. Most of the people around you are dying to help out anyway…
• Consider hiring a planner
  To help manage your time efficiently and make life easier for yourself generally, consider hiring a wedding planner that speaks the language and knows the local culture. They will be able to locate suppliers and negotiate contracts while keeping you update on progress. Many wedding planners also offer partial wedding organisation, they will only arrange certain aspects of your day, leaving you to handle the most interesting bits.
• Talk to brides
  Talking to other couples, who got married in the same area can help ease your workload. You may want to post a note on a few wedding forums to ask for tips and suggestions.

Good luck!