monika on Mar 6th 2010 Lake Orta Weddings
Flowers and balloons? Why not?
If flowers are a very important element in a wedding balloons could add a touch of fun to the event going out from the schemes.
First of all I would love to introduce you the main actor of wedding I will tell you about: Desiree and Sander a very nice couple coming from Holland.
For their Italian wedding Desiree and Sander chose Villa Bossi and magic atmospheres of Lake Orta.
Enrico Mocci from Artefoto Arona was their photographer. He took a fresh and dynamic reportage. Just have a look to Desiree and Sander’s PHOTOGALLERY to experience Enrico Mocci’s unique skills.
As for Mariana and Matteo, wedding took place in three different places. First Villa Crespi where bride and groom got ready and came back.
For their first night as married they choose Suite Regina Vittoria. Just a dreamy rooms embellished with red fabrics, furniture dated back to 1700 and a fine marble bathroom with Jacuzzi bath.
After a short walk Desiree and her friends reached Orta Main square. From here bride and father got on the traditional rowing boat to reach Villa Bossi where Orta town hall is located. Here a lovely civil ceremony took place. Continue Reading »
alessandra on Jan 17th 2010 Lake Como Weddings
On the 21st of October 2009, Sandra and John get married at Villa D’Este.
Their story is very romantic and the atmosphere that rainy day brought to their special day was magical and incredibly touching. We were all excited and the time went so fast!
The ceremony was originally organized outdoor, but because of bad weather, it was moved inside the beautiful Column Room.
While Sandra was getting ready, all of us were waiting in the room welcoming the guests and John, the groom.
He reached the altar accompanied by the music of great song La vita è bella.
The florist made an incredible job, we were all astonished…
Finally Sandra appeared, she was beautiful and radiant as John’s son who had the honor to lead her to his father.
Thanks to the great job of our lovely celebrants celebrants Diane and Giuseppe, the whole ceremony was touching and real, and the newlyweds were very happy and surprised!
After the ceremony Sandra, John and their guests had a long walk inside the Hotel to take unforgettable pictures, before coming back to the room for a delicious reception dinner. Continue Reading »
valentina on Jan 3rd 2010 Lake Maggiore Weddings
Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori: they are Borromeo Islands.
Three precious jewels rich in charm and history now among the most know touristy destination of Italian Lakes.
Someone said that gossip of possible wedding between George Clooney and Italian showgirl Elisabetta Canalis here increased the appeal of these places making them “exclusive”.
We do not have to forget about another fairy tale wedding that took place on Borromeo Islands: John Elkann – ceo of Fiat – and princess Donna Lavinia Borromeo.
If Isola Madre and Isola Bella are known for their great palaces and gardens and could be the perfect frame for your wedding pictures, Pescatori Island could be the best location for a perfect reception on the lake shores. This thanks to its wonderful position and rich gastronomic tradition.
Pescatori Island is the only one that is not part of Borromeo Family properties.
It is a liggle village with no more than 50 inhabitants. Fishing was the main occupation in the past some members of local families are still fishers.
You can see this heritage all over here starting from the little port where you will see many fishing boats.
It is such a peaceful place so you will meet many cats and frogs especially in July. Little nice frogs jump all over the narrow roads of the islands.
In this idyllic place there is a quite corner: a little garden with a terrace on the lake. You will read a big white sign with the name Belvedere on it.
Hotel Ristorante Belvedere is located on North East part of Pescatori Island far from busy port.
It has been managed from the same family for 4 generations. In 1921 restaurant hosted Charles De Gaulle who had lunch there during his honeymoon.
Today Belvedere Restaurant can host up to 200 guests inside the charming rooms and on its two gardens on the lake. Your reception to Hotel Ristorante Belvedere can be arranged on the open air by the lake shores, in the wide garden under the porch of booming flowers or inside the charming and bright veranda. You could also choose the lovely dining room once called La Grotta (the cave) because walls were all in stones.
The venue has been just refurbished but still preserves the charm of the ancient appeal. From all corners, including the dining room you could see Isola Madre and its great botanic park.
Belvedere Restaurant mainly serves fish dishes hand made prepared combining precious ingredients of Lake Maggiore and close valleys. Cheese lovers will taste Toma of Ossola valley and natural Gorgonzola. While wine lovers could choose among great Piemonte wines such as Barolo, Dolcetto, Barbaresco or pick great local wines of Novara valley. Continue Reading »
wedding team on Dec 28th 2009 Lake Como Weddings
I have to tell you about my latest wedding at Lake Como. It was September 2009 and we only had 16 guests at all. But with a quite good structure of the day, we had lots of wonderful moments.
Let me begin with their hotel at Menaggio, Grand Hotel Victoria. Everybody including their dog was waiting outside for the bride. Then she came down the stairs like a queen, kissed the groom and came to me saying: Oh my god, my knees are trembling, without you I would not affront this day today. Continue Reading »
wedding team on Dec 17th 2009 Lake Garda Weddings
Lake Garda is the largest Italian lake, so large as to seem a sea. One of the advertising slogan says, The Lake Garda, more than a sea. The Garda in fact, more than the other lakes of northern Italy, has a “marine”connotation and a vocation. Where for marine is intended the atmosphere created by the presence of beautiful equipped beaches, the endless opportunities to play sports, the good food and the many facilities for young people. In particular, good food can count on excellent local produce: delicious olive oil, fresh-water fish, citrus fruits, vegetables and wine.
At the northern end of this “small sea”, where the Garda ends and just beyond to the Brenta Dolomites, lies the picturesque town of Riva del Garda. Its mild Mediterranean climate, its beautiful sunny beaches and its beautiful old town of Riva del Garda have made an internationally known tourist destination since the late nineteenth century. From the harbour, which overlooks the square and the tower Apponale, develops the medieval part of town with its narrow cobbled streets lined with boutiques and cafes, Venetian palaces, arcades and octagonal Baroque church.
Not far away is the Scaligera Fortress, a castle on the lake surrounded by a canal with a drawbridge.
Due to its beauty and charm, Riva del Garda is the perfect destination for your wedding on Lake Garda, appreciated by many couples who want a more sophisticated and cosmopolitan atmosphere.
In this beautiful town we found for you a pleasant hotel near the lake, within the ancient city walls: the Hotel Ancora is a family run company, with a magnificent restaurant where you can enjoy home made pasta, variety of cuisine ranging from fish to meat, the traditional Italian pizza baked in wood-fire oven, all accompanied by excellent wines to be tasted in the restaurant,on the beautiful terrace or in the garden. Continue Reading »
wedding team on Dec 13th 2009 Lake Garda Weddings
Not every time bride and groom are coming with a full group of guests, sometimes they seem to escape the big festivities and have just a very small and intimate wedding. So it happened end of this September at lake Garda.
Kerstin and Wolfgang came from Düsseldorf and wished to get married at Bardolino. Why especially Bardolino and not any other village around Lake Garda? They had often been to this place and hat lots of wonderful memories, so they wanted to relighten all this nice thoughts from the former years of their life together.
Kerstin, the bride came up with a very special colour for her flowers, it was a dark lilac and shoes and bag in gold, so the flowers hat to fit this combination. How perfect the flowers were, so bride and bouquet were shining and the groom had his little buttonhole. Continue Reading »
valentina on Dec 8th 2009 Lake Maggiore Weddings
After Suzanne and Christopher, Loretta and Scott, Nicky and Chris we are on Lake Maggiore again to tell you about another magic wedding: Simone and Stephans’ wedding. They were such a lovely couple coming from Zurich, Switzerland.
First of all a big thank you to Andrea and Marcus a great couple of Swiss photographers that kindly put on disposal their great images of Simone and Stephan’s wedding. A vintage and really unconventional service that we found really unique. The yellow shade gives to images a sense of warm and cosy brightness.
Simone and Stephan wanted a unique and unforgettable wedding. They looked for a real elegant and Italian style event to give their day a touch of glamour. After visiting many venue they choose Lake Maggiore and little town of Pallanza.
Bride and groom opted for a religious ceremony to Sacro Monte church in Ghiffa and a wonderful reception to Villa Rusconi Clerici in Pallanza just few minutes far from the church.
For all guests Simone and Stephan wanted a week end long event.
They started with a lovely dinner on friday night in a traditional pizzeria facing the lake.
Saturday the day of the wedding they decided for a big party to Villa Rusconi sipping champagne, delicious Italian cuisine and fun dances up to early hours of Sunday.
The big day of Saturday begun early in the morning to Grand Hotel Majestic where the group stayed for all the wedding week end.
Dividing herself among make up and hair trial Simone spend some hours with her mother and maid of honor Rachel.
On late morning they all reached Ghiffa where all guests and Stephan were waiting for them.
Simone and Stephan got married in the tiny romantic 1600 church of Sacro Monte of Ghiffa.
Floral decorations were arranged by Manuela the floral designers who works in partnership with La Piccola Selva.
Roses were main flowers. Arrangement at the church included external columns, pews, balusters, and aisle to the altar totally covered with rose petals. Continue Reading »
valentina on Nov 29th 2009 Lake Maggiore Weddings
I’ve already told you some months ago about the wonderful hotels on Lake Maggiore. These are ideal venues for an elegant wedding on these magic shores.
Chris and Suzanne choose Grand Hotel Majestic for they big day.
They came here with relatives and friends from United Kingdom to celebrate a wonderful event that was studied in every single detail.
Suzanne choose a theme inspired on lilac and café au lait enriched by many little crystals.
Suzanne designed personally Bridesmaids and flower girl dresses just thinking about these details.
Flower arrangement Suzanne wanted was very detailed.
All arrangements were created by Manuela one of the floral designer who work in close collaboration with La Piccola Selva. Basing on the theme Suzanne wanted, Manuela created a rich vintage arrangement.
She used Freesias blooms and Aqua Girl roses for lilac, and Cofee Break rose for cafe au lait shades. Purple was made with wide Trachelium and classic Vendela roses and Stephanotis made the white accent.
Little fabric Stephanotis were on all wedding stationery Suzanne and Chris had on their tables: invitations, names card, table chart and trivia boxes.
Crystals were on the tables to match Kartell chairs rented for the occasion and crystal vases supporting flowers decorations.
Some other little crystal were inside the Stephanotis flowers in centerpieces and bridal bouquet, just a little compact and rounded jewel.
Suzanne matched crystals on her dress too. There were crystals on the veil, on the dress and the wonderful vintage pin she had on her waist. Bridal dress was italian by Spose di Gio. Continue Reading »
valentina on Nov 8th 2009 Lake Orta Weddings
In summer 2008 I had the pleasure to meet Amy and Tom for the first time. She is a lovely Irish girl and he is a handsome English guy. Such a great couple! After visiting many venues across Northern Lakes area they reached Orta San Giulio and they fell in love with that immediately. Amy and Tom thought that Lake Orta incorporated the precise idea they had for an intimate and romantic wedding on the lake.
My first wedding of Summer Season 2009 was Amy and Tom’s: 3rd July 2009. Amy arrived some days before to settle in Orta and define some last details.
She spent some lovely days before the event, with her parents and family in a lovely villa on the lake that I often suggest to my couples. It is just in front of Ortello Gulf.
And finally the wedding day came!
Amy and her father took a nice walk from the lovely house on the shores to reach village church. Tom, flower girls, purple dressed bridesmaids and all guests were all waiting for her there. Lilac was the theme of whole wedding.
Amy choose this wonderful color for her main theme and Monika Andenmatten from La Piccola Selva created wonderful arrangements to accomplish her desires. She based her work on a color palette going from white to purple-lilac. Monika created wonderful church arrangements for the balusters and external columns of the church itself.
At the end of the ceremony… just a lovely kiss of bride and groom! Photographer Andrea Dapueto took a wonderful shot of it. Andrea Dapueto was the perfect reporter for such a wonderful event. Continue Reading »
