It is a sanctuary is at the top of a huge rock leap of more than 400 m. high on Lake Orta. From the courtyard of the sanctuary looking towards North side, you could see the Alps of Ossola Valley up to Switzerland. On South side you could admire valley towards Milan and Ligurian Apennines, mountains divide Piemonte region and Ligurian sea.
An unforgettable vision on one of the most beautiful Italian belvederes. This is the reason because many call it Orta Balcony.

Planning your marriage on Madonna del Sasso church means give to your wedding a touch of magic to share with your guests that will surely love this enchanting beauty.

The entire area around Madonna del Sasso church includes ancient villages kept as they were such as Artò, Centanara, Piana dei Monti and most of all Boleto, a real medieval hidden jewel.

Madonna del Sasso church evoke a real spry that happened around 1500. It tells about a pretty waitress of a local teverna in Pella village that married a rude soldier named Aycardo. When he came back from a war mission he heard some rumors about his wife betraying him with an English soldier. Aycardo got mad, he put his wife on this shoulders carrying her on the rock and finally throwing her down it. The poor girl grabbed to a bush but when she looked up seeing his husband – who was trying to save her this time – she decided to let herself going down. On this place some people decided to place a wooden cross, then a little chapel and at the end a big sanctuary.

Sanctuary has been built on the edge of a white granite rock. During 1800 a granite cave was opened beneath the church. This activity kept on going for more than a century until it was closed. People feared that the extraction of granite material would had lead to church collapsing. In order to remember those times there is “miners museum” in Boleto village that tells vistors hard work of Lake Orta miners who were well known as masters in stone-crafts.

Madonna del Sasso Sanctuary is a baroque church with a single nave. It has been recently restored. Inside the church you will see the great Lorenzo Peracino paintings (1771), some wooden furniture, marble balusters and precious Fermo Stella di Caravaggio altar dated 1541.
Madonna del Sasso chuch is an extraordinary monument kept as it was in ancient times. You can see in the image below some wedding floral arrangement by Monika Andenmatten from La Piccola Selva.

Madonna del Sasso sanctuary is a lovely wedding destination for religious ceremonies. It is very easy to reach from Orta village even after a civil service to Villa Bossi.

The beauty of the place, sky and lake, mountains and plain with breathtaking view make Madonna del Sasso church the perfect destination for stunning wedding pictures, too!

Valentina Lombardi is the Italian Lakes Wedding coordinator for Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore area. She follows Italian and foreign bridegrooms who wish to celebrate their wedding in Piemonte and Italian Lakes area.
Valentina is Italian; she has worked in event organization business for years before becoming a wedding planner.

For more information about weddings on Madonna del Sasso Church – please contact us.

All images © Italian Lakes Wedding and:
photo 1: Mauro De Luca – Italian Lakes Wedding
photo 2: Raffaello Mazzoleni – Studio Artefoto Omegna
photo 3: Enrico Mocci photographer – ArteFotoArona
photo 4: Mauro De Luca – Italian Lakes Wedding
photo 5: Mauro De Luca – Italian Lakes Wedding
photo 6: Raffaello Mazzoleni – Studio Artefoto Omegna
photo 7: Mauro De Luca – Italian Lakes Wedding
photo 8: Maurizio Paracchini – Foto Studio 2000

Today I would like to tell you about Piazza Motta, Orta Main Square. Lots of people just love sitting here in a lovely bistro admiring the lake and St. Julius island, thanks of its elegant and charming appearance.

As in many other ancient Italian villages on the lakes, Piazza Motta has its three sides made up by ancient buildings where you will find bistro, cafes, hotels, restaurants or little boutiques. The forth side is just on the lake shores. You will enjoy the lake and St. Julius Island through a row of horse-chestnuts trees.

If you are thinking about getting married in Orta San Giulio, consider Piazza Motta a lovely spot for your wedding photographs. It is just few minutes walk from Villa Bossi, the town hall for civil ceremonies or Assunta Church for religious ones. Photographers loves the setting too and most of them have pictures of couples on the square on their portfolios. From the boat pier bride and groom and maybe the bridal party, could take a motorboat and reach St. Julius Island. Thanks to its intimacy and quiet atmosphere it offers a perfect frame for other stunning pictures.

Piazza Motta is the vital center of Orta San Giulio. Can you imagine?
Every Wednesday you could see the local market since 1228!
On North side of the square there is a building called Il Palazzotto the Community Place. It was built in 1582 with the same style of ancient Town Halls in other bigger Italian cities. It has a portico below and a wide room with windows at the first floor. In this room Community Council used to meet and discuss. It has a wonderful fresco depicting “Holy Mary with St. Francis”. The lovely little tower bel on the top was added later just as Count Bishops of Novara coat who ruled San Julius Riviera for more than a century. This building was the Community court house too. Every Wednesday, same day of the market, the governor used to open the court managing justice. Among many coats and frescoes there is one of the mysterious lady facing on a window on the rear side of the Palazzotto. Her smiling face gives a joyful idea to the building in spite of the utilization this building had.

Italian Lakes Wedding have worked for many here and still works in Orta San Giulio. Hiring one of our wedding coordinators means relaxing and working with high level professionals that will follow you step by step in every single legal and planning aspect of your wedding on Lake Orta.

Valentina Lombardi is the Italian Lakes Wedding coordinator for Lake Maggiore area. She follows Italian and foreign bridegrooms who wish to celebrate their wedding in Piemonte and Italian Lakes area.
For more information about Weddings in Orta San Giulio please contact us.

All Images © Italian Lakes Wedding and:
Photo 1: Ivana Porta, Torino
Photo 2: Enrico Mocci – ArteFotoArona
Photo 3: Estella & Diego – Photo27.com
Photo 4: Raffaello Mazzoleni – ArteFoto Omegna
Photo 5: Giorgio Gnemmi – ArteFoto Omegna

Lake Maggiore is one of the most famous touristy destination in Northern Italy. It hosts rich and scenographic villas. On Piemonte’s side of the Lake, starting from lake shore up to the hills before Mt Mottarone you will have the occasion to admire wonderful parks and amazing villas with their porches, balconies, terraces, galleries, staircases, towers and belvederes. Some of those are now open and transformed in luxury venues for weddings, meetings, congresses, fashion and company events… It is not by chance!

After Lake Como, where George Clooney and Michael Schumacher bought their homes, and Lake Orta which is nowadays one of the main Italian destinations for weddings, now Lake Maggiore is taking for itself all medias interest.
Womens’s Wear Daily, one of the most important US fashion magazine, mention Lake Maggiore among one of the most sophisticated travel destinations, while Los Angeles Times considers it as one of the most scenographic Italian Lakes. Maybe because of its mountains reflecting on the waters and its villas surrounded by wonderful gardens.
New Motorway of Trafori allows to reach from Turin or Milan, the best locations on the lake and Lake’s micro-climate maybe can explain better this new choice for tourism. This is the reason because Lake Maggiore become also one of the favorite destinations of many Italians for their weekends.
From Claudio Abbato to Iannis Kounellis, from Alessandro Benetton and Deborah Compagnoni to Magan Gale, Valeria Mazza, Borromeo Family and Curiel… many people of international show business are now on the Lake!
We are facing a kind of renaissance of Lake Maggiore with its restored private residences now transformed in guest houses, villas that become art centers or galleries or ancient palaces now converted in luxury residences with fairy tale gardens.
Our journey to discover the most beautiful villas on Lake Maggiore for your wedding will be divided in three parts. We will start with Southern area of Lake Maggiore between Arona and Stresa. After that we will go up a little to visit villas around Verbania Pallanza and then we will go up to the North close to Swiss border to discover a couple of interesting venues in Ghiffa and Oggebbio.
So stay tuned for the next days!

The largest from the 5 islands of the lake, is Garda Island, situated on the Brescian side of Lake Garda, a short distance from San Felice del Benaco and it has been the expression of mysticism for centuries (St.Francis of Assisi founded a small community). The island was inhabited since Roman times and this is proven by the findings of old memorial stones and votive temples.
The water to the south of the island is shallow and forms the Emerald’s bay, which is where St Biagio’s islet (also called the rabbit’s islet) emerges. Next to it is the “altar’s”rock, so called because old memories say that once a year they used to celebrate Mass there, which fishermen were attending on board their boats from all over the lake.

Today the island owes its fascination to the extraordinary Venetian neo-Gothic style villa, designed by the architect Luigi Rovelli at the beginning of the 20th century; an imposing harmonious building, rich in surprising architectonic details. Seems like a romantic castle in the fairy tales….. The extremely complex building has its own stylistic unity and a rare stateliness. The façades are decorated by acutely arched windows and in the south-west corner stands a tower crowned with crenellation in stone with flowered neo-gothic style decorations. Doing your wedding here, you can really feel like a Princess who found the love with her Prince ….

Below, the terraces and Italian gardens slope down to the lake. All around the vegetation is luxuriant and intact, rich in local, exotic plants, rare essences and unique flowers. A harmonious wood of pines and cypresses, acacias and lemon trees, magnolias and agaves. The Island of Garda is magic and mystery…
The birdsong seems to be the joyous voice of the soul of those who, over the centuries, have respected, looked after and loved it. Here in the numerous terraces of the garden can be set-up a lovely corner for the ceremony, so the colorful flowers will give the perfect frame for this very special moment.The creation of the stupendous natural park of the island dates back to 1880. Its botanical importance is highlighted by the presence of essences originating from all over the world. The park designed and cultivated by a knowing hand, is planned to be seen both from the water and from the upper terraces. The more numerous plants belong to the North American, Oriental and North African conifer families.

Since they became owners, the Cavazza family has always resided here, and worked on Lake Garda managing a group of companies linked to open-air tourism (campsites), boating and olive-growing. The family lives also now in the Villa.
The Cavazza siblings (four brothers and three sisters) have opened the Island to guided tours and events with the aim of making their unique heritage known. Thanks to this activity it was possible to carry out important restoration work which is still on—going and to improve the centuries-old park. Also thanks to this, that exclusive weddings can nowadays be organized at this magnificent venue.
Made prestigious by the splendid palace, by the precious botanical park and by the relaxing quietness of the lake, the island is an excellent alternative to create a unique and unforgettable wedding ….

Italian Lakes Wedding Team is made up of several professional wedding planners and floral designers with a long experience on Italian Lakes locations.
The Team knows the territory in every single detail and will be able to follow you on every important choice you will take.
Our coordinators are based locally in the areas we serve so whether you decide for a wedding in Rome or Bracciano, a wedding in Como or Stresa, or a Wedding on lake Garda or Lake Orta, we will grant the same level of service.
Our Team will be able to provide you every kind of supplier, florist, photographers, musicians, designers celebrants, witnesses and help as far as your documents are concerned, and anything you may think of.
Italian Lakes Wedding Team will literally pamper you!

For any information about wedding on Garda Island please CONTACT US.

Right after Janet and Ian’s wedding at Villa d’Este, Italian Lakes Wedding Team organized another important event: Bianca and Mills’ wedding to Villa dei Cipressi in Varenna – East side of Lake Como.
Have a look to Bianca and Mills’ photo gallery realized by photographer David Christian Lichtag.

Lake Como recently arouses a certain emotion on people coming from the States. In the last few years famous people like Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie or Sarah Larson visited Lake Como and contributed to let world know the beauty of this magic place, consacrating it as one of the most requested destinations for weddings in Italy and Europe.

Bianca and Mills are from Los Angeles, they work in the movie business.
Bianca is blond so pretty and charming, Mills is a movie director that, among the other commitments, worked as co-director and producer of Lethal Weapon 2 and 3. This was an exclusive wedding that Bianca and Mills reserved for a small number of friends and relatives.
For the organization of the even American couple hired Italian Lakes Wedding Team. Valentina Lombardi from SposiamoVi Torino was the wedding planner and floral designer Monika Andenmatten from La Piccola Selva Lake Orta.

Before the big day they wanted a nice rehearsal dinner in a charming restaurant on Lake shore between Cernobbio and Laglio, just side of the George Clooney Lake residence. All guests arrived by motorboat, there was a long table decorated with lemons and yellow candles in theme of “Lemons in Italy” waiting for them. Wonderful dinner was served with moving speeches in between. For the after dinner again on the boat and dances up to very lake to a pub in Varenna!

Wedding day has come! As for the religious ceremony Bianca and Mills chose the evocative baroque church of St Martin in the little village of Perledo on the hills above Varenna. Church was built in 1500 and inside there are important pieces of art just like the precious marble altar of 1700. Couples coming from all over the world love this church because of the stunning view that you can appreciate from there. You can admire green hills and its Vezze Castle and the lake together with Menaggio, Tremezzo and Bellagio promontory.

At the end of the ceremony Bianca and Mills and their guests moved to Villa dei Cipressi on Varenna lakeshore. Villa dei Cipressi is a wonderful private home of 1400 restored in a beautiful hotel and wedding venue with a botanic garden with rare exotic plants and romantic degrading terrace towards the lake.
Just a perfect atmosphere for an exclusive wedding!
The party started with a cocktail in the terrace and a candle light dinner in the garden of the villa. Full moon, thousand of rose petals, candles all over the garden the steps the tables were the perfect frame for an unforgettable, fascinating night on blue Lake Como.

A magical event for Bianca and Mills.
Italian Lakes Wedding wish them eternal happiness!

Together with Castello dal Pozzo, Villa San Remigio is today one of the best destination to celebrate a civil wedding on lake Maggiore.

Villa San Remigio is located on the top of Colle della Castagnola, near Verbania Pallanza and overlooks Lake Maggiore. Its garden was studied and realized from a young couple of lovers. It has a romantic and interesting story.
Musician and poet Marquis Silvio della Valle di Casanova and passionate painter Sophie Browne, after their wedding in 1896 decided to realize their dream, transforming into a villa an old grandparents’ chalet. They renewed the park that became their lover refuge.
After more than 100 years Sophie and Silvio’s dream this wonderful villa is now on the disposal of bridegrooms who want to crown their big day.
Just a touch of continuity and good fortune.
An informal part, a garden and a wood with Mediterranean plants compose the park. They are all inspired by romantic mood of young lovers.
Thirty gardeners worked to build the park during 1910 and 1916 to model the hill, obtaining a great result!
Sophie and Silvio completed their eight hectares garden in 1916 end right after that they opened it to visitors.
They were opened to fixed hours and the entrance was given as charity.
Public opening lasted in 1929.
Villa San Remigio has an articulated structure.
You can have access to the central body from both entrances through internal stairs.
One of the most important rooms is La Sala della Musica (Music Room) with a big piano where usually are held civil celebrations.
Surrounding main room you will find the gothic little room and the humanistic study.
Antique furniture is stunning and precious: doors, frames, fireplaces, and wooden ceilings.
Its Lombardy Baroque façade has beautiful and huge artworks.

At Villa San Remigio sides you will find a balcony from where you will appreciate an amazing view on the Lake. Under the balcony there is a rock gallery used also as Winter garden. This is for sure on the most stunning and evocative part of the entire garden, used also for wonderful wedding photos. Please browse through the Villa San Remigio Photo Gallery.
This villa is now owned by Regione Piemonte and it is of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province headquarter.
During spring and summer weekends gardens are opened to visitors with a single entrance at 10.00 am for a total guided tour of 2 hours.
In order to celebrate a civil bending in the villa you have to book previously.
In this case park and rooms will be on disposal and Mayor of Verbania will be the officer of the celebration.

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.

After almost an year of planning here is the wedding day. It is a hot day of the end of August. Everything is planned in every single detail. Theme for wedding is a good combination between Italian culture and Scottish one.
Scotland is everywhere, beginning with pipe sound that is the perfect background of the party, and then color of flowers and most of all Derek and his brother’s family kilt.
This is the traditional Scottish suit for ceremonies; it is a heavy wool skirt in tartan fabric with a unique design of fabric coming from Scotland Highlands with the sporran a little leather bag used for carrying money and whiskey!

Civil ceremony is held at Villa Bossi, town hall of Orta San Giulio.
Bride arrival with rowing boat is very charming with solemn pipe sound in background.
Pipe and its player is the main actor of the delightful little walk that newly weds and their guests had up to Orta Main Square. It will follow Cristina and Derek also during their trip on motorboat on the lake.
Cristina and Derek will also dance on pipe sound for their first touching dance a Gay Gordon.

Just as in any traditional wedding theme planning, you need to look at each aspect of your bridal plans and decide how and what cultural traditions could be included. From colors to bridal attire to accent decorations, there’s much to choose from.

Hotel San Rocco served a gourmand lunch with perfect service.
Every table is enriched with a whiskey bottle, one for each region of Scotland, from Northen Highlands up to Islay Island.

The day after for bride and groom and their guests was still party time!
Every one was invited on a boat trip to watch the fireworks in Omegna at the World Championship of Fireworks.
The finest part of the shoe is the famous “fire falls”, a real lightful fall that cross the lake from side to side of Omegna bay.
A real sparkling closing just like Cristina and Derek’s wedding!

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.
The wedding roles of the flowers are to provide the classic beauty and romance of wedding. Meanwhile, the natural fragrance lifts the height and drama of the wedding.
Flowers are not only a beautiful and traditional addition to your Italian Lakes destination wedding and reception, but they also help set your wedding theme, reflect your personality and capture the spirit of celebration on the most special and meaningful occasion of your life!

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.

Stresa offers several ancient and ornate churches where your Catholic ceremony may be held, or your wedding planner can easily arrange for the Protestant, Jewish, Civil or symbolic ceremony of your dreams to be conducted at virtually any Villa, hotel, ancient castle or outdoor garden in Stresa.
Let Stresa make your wedding an event that will be remembered for a lifetime!

Italian Lakes Wedding is on your disposal to offer a complete and professional service to bridegrooms that choose Lake Maggiore and Stresa in particular, as destination for their wedding. We are available for any information you may need.