What happens when you fall in love with the romantic atmosphere of Lake Orta and breathtaking panoramas of Lake Maggiore? You choose both! Just like Cassy and Gary did.

Cassy and Gary opted to have their civil ceremony to Villa Bossi on Lake Orta and their reception to Villa Rusconi on Lake Maggiore. The two most beautiful lakes of Piemonte region together for a wonderful event!

Cassy ang Gary came from United Kingdom with their relatives and friends and decided to have their accommodation in Orta San Giulio.

Before the ceremony all guests met Gary in Orta main square for wonderful pictures with
St. Julius island in the background and some drinks. Then all of them walked to closer town hall.

As soon as main square was empty Cassy arrived by foot with her dad and 4 pretty and blond green-dressed bridesmaids.

Acid green was Cassy and Gary’s theme color together with white. A very trendy and elegant color scheme. Cassy wanted them for all little details of her wedding: bridesmaids’ dresses, best man and ushers’ ties, and of course flower arrangements made by Monika, La Piccola Selva floral designer.
Monika paid her lovely attention preparing Cassy’s bouquet relized with Super Green roses, white Phalaenopsis orchids, green hydrangeas and Pittosporum greenery.

From Orta main square Cassy, her father and bridesmaids get on board of rowing boats to reach the town hall where relatives and friends and most of all Gary in his elegant light grey tight suit, were all waiting for them.

After civil ceremony, they had lovely wedding group pictures and a romantic trip to St. Julius Island for some other unforgettable photos. A coach was waiting for guests and a private care was waiting for Cassy and Gary to move all the party on Lake Maggiore, Villa Rusconi Clerici was their destination.

The weather was wonderful and gave the occasion to the group to have a rich aperitif in the garden of the villa just on the shores. A delicious dinner to follow in the wide pavilion arranged with white tables and chairs and most of all a unique floral arrangement.

It perfectly respected Cassy’s ideas: a floating rose inside a tall glass vase with a round-shaped composition on top in which Monika put the same kind of flowers she used for the bridal bouquet. She simply added some green Hypericum berries and white gerberas, and a little touch of falling ivy on one side. Cassy chose for her wedding stationery an acid green theme with little crystals catching sun rays.

Atmosphere was magical thanks to an amazing sunset on the lake. After the dinner, dances,open bar and sweet buffet in the cellar of the villa with a “grand final”: a huge wedding cake with cream, white chocolate and lovely Monika’s flowers.

An unforgettable night followed by a great summer vacation that newly wed with their relatives and friends spent just on Lake Orta. What a Summer!

For more information about weddings on Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore please contact the Italian Lakes Wedding Team.

Note from the authors:
This post was meant to be published with lot of the delay because of loss of professionalism of official photographer of the event who come from UK: Edward Cheater from Hotshots Photography.
After 9 months from Cassy and Gary’s wedding, in spite of many promises we did not receive official photos of the event. For this reason we decided to publish this post using SposiamoVi pictures (which are lovely too). If you are looking for a photographer for your wedding we would suggest to choose him or her not only by his/her skills but also by his professionalism and seriousness. Isn’t it Mr. Cheater?

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.

Sacro Monte of Ghiffa is an evocative complex of churches and chapels and it is the perfect frame for great wedding pictures as the ones that Andrea and Marcus of Tag7 took.

The view on Lake Maggiore from Sacro Monte is really breathtaking. It is just here that after the ceremony bride and and groom decided to offer a little aperitif for their guests, just on the shades of seculars trees of Natural Park.

After ceremony and aperitif a very elegant reception to Villa Rusconi Clerici in Pallanza followed.
The scenery was great and arrangements really sophisticated.

Simone choose as theme color baby pink with shades between white and pink.
This theme was the same for wedding flowers and wedding stationery.

Names-cards, tables names and table chart were all in the same color.
The table chart has been realized using great buxus vases enriched with hazelnuts branches to create a nice support for lovely pink envelopes. There was an envelope for each guest telling him or her the seat.

Photographers had a lot of fun the lovely details of the arrangements: there were so many of them!
Not to forget the Villa Rusconi atmosphere, unique and evocative.

Around mid afternoon a second aperitif was served just by the lake shores in the villa’s garden.

Cocktail was served together with Italian finger food: parmigiano, cheese with nuts, mussels and lake fish up to a wonderful fruit tart totally covered with almond coming from Sicily.

The party followed inside the wonderful pavilion of Villa Rusconi where dinner was served.

A romantic sunset on the lake and a great night came with the gourmand dinner.

For their wedding cake Simone and Stephan wanted the precise replica of an cake they saw some months before which simply loved.
Thanks to maitre chocolatier Costantino Guardia this was possible.
They had a great 7 tiers cake which was decorated in every single detail. It seemed covered with laces.

Guests had another surprise with the delicious sweets buffet and dances in the cellar of the villa and even a pizza party!
Villa has an ancient oven where a pizza maker can cook pizzas to create a very amusing conclusion to your party.

But surprises are not finished!
Out in the park of the villa bridegroom and their guests had the occasion to en-lit a fly lantern each, making a wish and let it going in the air.

Lake Maggiore sky was full of little lanterns….a wonderful sight for a magic night!

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 Lake Maggiore, please contact us.

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.

The ceremony was celebrated at the nearby Pallanza Town Hall.
In order to make it even more elegant bride and groom wanted a corsage for every guest: a little rosebud each. Groom and his guests reaches town hall walking while bride arrived there on a wonderful Fiat Balilla, the legendary Italian car of 30s.

After the ceremony Suzanne and Chris arranged a surprise boat tour on the lake and they reached the hotel on the vintage car for some pictures in the garden by the shores.

Grand Hotel Majestic has a wonderful garden on the shores. It is just a little quiet oasis with many secular trees and flowers. It seems a peaceful terrace on the lake.

When guests arrived Suzanne and Chris welcome them on the terrace of the hotel for a nice aperitif.

Dinner to follow was served in the historical Toscanini room. It is dedicated to famous Maestro Toscanini that used to spend his holiday in this wonderful hotel The great elegance and beauty of this room evoke the greatness of Belle Époque. It has original wooden floors, crystal chandeliers and wonderful curtains.

But it is not enough!
After the dinner bridegroom and their guests enjoyed a wonderful pyro-musical show.
Fireworks have been arranged on the waters of the lake and on the terrace of the little island in front of the hotel.
10 amazing minutes of show on Earth Song by Micheal Jackson and Nessun Dorma.

Wonderful wedding cake has been prepared by Costantino Guardia maitre chocolatier from Torino. Once again wedding cake matched perfectly the theme Suzanne chose.

The after dinner party was very enjoyable with open bar and live swing music.
A very special night in one of the most elegant hotel on Lake Maggiore.

We would like to thank Ivana Porta for Suzanne and Chris’ wedding pictures she took to Grand Hotel Majestic in Pallanza.
To know more about Ivana Porta’s lovely style do not miss Suzanne and Chris’ wedding album or visit her web site www.ivanaporta.com.

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 Lake Maggiore, please contact us.

I would like to start by thanking the photographer Carlo Conti, who has kindly provided these fabulous images of the day. After many years of experience as a fashion, still life and architecture photographer, Carlo Conti has founded RPS Studio – Reportage Per gli Sposi – choosing to continue his career as a specialist wedding photographer. His style is characterised by a great ability to capture the most natural and spontaneous moments of any event in order to compose a fresh, modern and lively album…the pictures of Nicky and Chris’ big day are a very good example of his creativity.

Nicky & Chris are both born and bread in London. Nicky is pursuing a successful career in human resource, while Chris owns a recruitment agency focusing on the sports sector.
Being two very busy young professionals, they did not have a lot of free time to dedicate to the organisation of their wedding and decided to rely on the expertise and professionalism of Chic Weddings, a leading wedding design agency that works with the team of Italian Lakes Wedding.

Nicky and Chris were dreaming of a wedding by the water, informal and elegant at the same time. An event that matched their personality, not too flashy but very fun. After evaluating various options, they opted for Villa Rusconi Clerici for its wonderful position right on the shores of Lake Maggiore.

The colour theme chosen by Nicky & Chris focused on ivory and lilac, with a hint of purple. This successful combination is very much on trend recently and is often requested by my clients.

The ceremony at Villa Rusconi Clerici started with the arrival of the bride, Nicky, by speedboat. She was accompanied by her father and her lovely bridesmaids. The location benefits from a private jetty which offers the possibility of organising an extremely scenic entry as well as lake tours for the guests during the cocktail reception.

Nicky chose a sleek and modern bouquet, in perfect harmony with her dress: to design it I mixed mini white Calla Lilies, purple Lysianthus and Rose Tibet, enhancing the long shape of the bouquet with a few leaves of Beucarnea.
Purple was the predominant colour of the whole party and was found in the centrepieces, in the bridal bouquet, in dress of the bridesmaids and even in the cufflinks and tie of the groom and his father.

As wished by the bride and the groom, the buttonholes had also a hint of purple, obtained with the use of a beautiful type of Lysianthus called “Cinderella Blue”: it is a strong purple, almost blue variety of the bloom which is rather flexible and can be easily used in any floral composition.

The blessing was celebrated in the garden of Villa Rusconi Clerici, right by the water and with a stunning view of the lake. Diane and Giuseppe, two Anglo-Italian celebrants, hosted the ceremony for Nicky & Chris. I had the pleasure to meet them before at the weddings of Janet & Ian at Villa D’Este on Lake Como and of Bevin & Steve at Villa Gippini on Lake Orta.

For the decoration of the chairs of the bride and the groom, I opted for a small variation on the common theme, using long bloom of white Corylus Contorta together with Calla Lilies, Roses and Lysianthus. This mix provided a very contemporary and glamorous effect.

Following the ceremony, all the guests moved to the main lawn in front of the Villa for the cocktail reception.

At that stage, the light of the evening was changing and the water of the lake was becoming orange and pink, creating a stunning and romantic atmosphere.

As usual, the dinner was served in the garden Pavilion of Villa Rusconi Clerici where the guests were able to enjoy a view of the lake: the tables were decorated with a simple floral composition designed with glass cubical vases full of transparent gems and a mix of cream roses and purple Lysianthus.

The party then continued in the ballroom of the Villa where the bride and the groom entertained their guests with a sensual tango.

In this post, I have shown you only some of the magical images of the wedding of Nicky and Chris at Villa Rusconi Clerici: look at the full album created by their photographer Carlo Conti from RPS Studio in Milan if you wish to see more. You will be impressed!

Thank you again to Clara & Eva, founders of Chic Weddings, a wedding design agency based in both London and Amsterdam for all their care in organising such a beautiful event….and very best wishes to Nicky and Chris from the team of Italian Lakes Wedding!

Monika Andenmatten is La Piccola Selva’s floral designer.
Based in lake Orta, has worked with brides for over 20 years to create floral arrangements for weddings in the Italian Lakes district.

For more information about weddings at Villa Rusconi Clerici please contact us.

Loretta and Scott are a very nice couple from England who decided to get married at Lake Maggiore. Both have origins in Italy, both are born in London but the bride’s parents are from Parma and Piacenza and the groom’s father is British but his mother is from Salerno.

Both have Italian origins, that’s why they met for the first time in St Peter’s Italian church in London. After 9 years finally they wished to become husband and wife. Their decision to come to Italy for the wedding was crystal clear, but where? They wanted somewhere which is neither near his or her family backgrounds, so it was the beautiful setting of Villa Rusconi Clerici and the fantastic landscape around Lake Maggiore.

Their choice of photographer was also made with the highest attention, he had to be professional, very special and with a photo-reportage style. Indeed, it is very important to select a good photographer, because what he is producing will last forever.

So it was Luca Rajna, one of the most appreciated and best photographers in the lakes area.
Have a look yourself www.ajn.it.

The church for the wedding was San Leonardo’s at Pallanza, built in 1537, it overlooks the Piazza San Leonardo and the lakeshore.
For the flowers Loretta wanted a focus on the main altar with 2 large compositions of ivory Rose Vendela on some high basements of metal.

Then some smaller compositions combined with tulle and organza in white, emerald green and ivory on the ends of each row of pews. This was the colour theme throughout all the decoration, sometimes added by a touch of lilac.

The bridal bouquet of Loretta was round and very compact and resembled the colours used in church, from the white and ivory of the roses into the emerald green of the ribbons that hold it all together, decorated with some pearls here and there.

A fantastic advantage of this church was the small walking distance to Villa Rusconi Clerici, just 300m.
For Loretta and Scott it was easy to decide for the Villa Rusconi Clerici, they were in love with the location from the beginning. It is really a wonderful place as the villa is situated directly on the shore of the lake, has splendid views and a huge garden. As the wedding day was very warm, the welcome drinks were prepared outside on the lakeshore. Accompanied with some wonderful music from a string quartet.

The dinner itself was inside the white gazebo, this is an elegant structure of tents finished with metal that was normally used at the beginning of the 19th hundred century.

Here the theme of the wedding was taken from well known Italian-American films like “La dolce vita” from Federico Fellini, “Once upon a time” from Sergio Leone and “Cinema Paradiso” from Giuseppe Tornatore.

For the decoration on the tables we used compositions that were based on glass structures and around them petals of roses and tealights. But I surely will return and speak more about this part of the marvellous decoration.

When the dinner ended, everybody went over to the tavern where they danced until the early morning.

During the evening, Villa Rusconi Clerici has a very special attraction with all the lights you see along the lake and with a quiet island in front of the villa that gives a romantic touch. What is more exciting for a flower designer than to work in such a wonderful location?

Click here to see the PHOTO GALLERY of the whole wedding, 40 fantastic photos may be admired which were chosen by the photographer Luca Rajna as the best of this splendid wedding.

I would like to finish off with a citation of what Loretta and Scott did tell me after the wedding day: “This day was much nicer then we ever were expecting it, this day was a dream”.

We wish Loretta and Scott all the best and much happiness; this comes from all of our Italian Lakes Wedding team.

Monika Andenmatten is La Piccola Selva’s floral designer.
Based in lake Orta, has worked with brides for over 20 years to create floral arrangements for weddings in the Italian Lakes district.

For more information about weddings at Villa Rusconi Clerici please contact us.

Excellent value for money is in fact the Hotel L’Approdo’s winning card, offering all the services of a fine 4 star hotel, and the comforts and quality of a top rate restaurant at a decidedly competitive price.

If you dream of an al fresco wedding party, consider that the hotel’s lakeside garden offers opportunities for scenic symbolic ceremonies, cocktail parties and aperitifs.

Indoors, the Calla Room has an elegantly calm atmosphere as well as a magnificent view over the lake. The hotel also takes the bride and groom to the Isle of San Giulio in their motorboat, a quite special place for quite unique wedding pictures. This is the hotel’s wedding gift to the newly weds, a detail not to be overlooked.

The Approdo also offers the expert assistance of their Marketing Manager, an English native speaker. She can assist you with everything from transfers from Milan’s Malpensa airport to the hotel, to the arrangement of tables, and the flower arrangements to put on them, and the choice of wedding cake, and photos on the island in the hotel’s private motorboat.

The Ristorante La Terrazza is well known for its cuisine, fine wedding menus featuring traditional and regional specialities with a touch of creativity and an excellent range of fine wines selected for the occasion.

The Italian Lakes Wedding team wishes the Hotel L’Approdo an excellent season and many superb weddings on the lake shore!

Halloween night is coming!

Right for this magic event I created a centerpiece that reminds the classical Halloween theme: the pumpkin and the classical Autumn elements such as chestnuts, berries together with sunflowers, grapes, candles and beech leaves.

Flowers arrangements have been created in occasion of the Charity Gala Stelle del Lago d’Orta that took place at Hotel Approdo in Pettenasco which involved the most famous chefs of Lake Orta.

It could be a nice idea for a Fall Country wedding?
What do you think about this?

From Scotland to Ireland in few days!! This is what happens on Lake Orta.
Right after Cristina and Derek Scottish style wedding with pipes and kilts, it’s time for Niamh and Jon’s one! Niamh and Jon are a young irish couple that chose charming Orta San Giulio to get married.
Orta San Giulio is a beloved place for Anglo-Saxons. Every year many couples come here from England, Scotland and Ireland with lots of guests. Thanks to weddings local tourism too has the opportunity to let world knows how beautiful this place is.
For Niamh and Jon’s wedding around 100 people came from Ireland. Every single detail should be followed with care. So, many of Italian Lakes Wedding operators were involved: Koiné String Quartet, photographers Diego and Estella from Photo27.com as photographers, flower arrangements by La Piccola Selva and amazing San Rocco Hotel. All was coordinated by Valentina Lombardi from SposiamoVi wedding planners.

It was a lucky one!
Unfortunately after Cristina and Derek wedding, weather conditions got worst bringing rain and storms. According to weather forecasts we all thought that Niamh and Jon’s wedding would be under pouring rain but it wasn’t! A pale sun just came out…leaving the scene for Niamh and Jon.
From sadness to happyness, everything could be done as planned.
Niamh arrived to Villa Bossi with a romantic rowing boat, walked slowly in the path of the villa accompanied by a sweet violin up to Jon and guests all waiting for her.
A short but moving ceremony with Koiné String Quartet music in the backgrounds.
The sound of violin kept on staying the newly weds and guests for a little walk in narrow roads of Orta up to famous “piazzetta” where Niamh and Jon took their motorboat to reach San Giulio Island for a idilliac and romantic walk on Lake Orta shore.
After that… the wonderful party to Hotel San Rocco with cocktail on lakeshore and a gala dinner prepared by famous chef Paolo Viani.

Right after the ending of the event… a huge storm came…
How lucky was Niamh and Jon’s day!

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.

The Sacro Monte of Ghiffa is a baroque monumental complex that includes churches, porches, frescoes and chapels at 360 metres on sea level with stunning view on a wide part of Lake and hills.
This place is a Natural Reserve too. It is located at foot of Cargiago Mt.
The park is 200 hectares. It has many little roads with its tiny stone made walls and votive chapels.
The Sacro Monte of Ghiffa includes 3 main chapels voted to bible characters and 2 other chapels and Via Crucis porch. This place was very popular and seems it should have been a wider project representing episodes from old and new testament, but unfortunately its was never brought to end.

Wedding ceremonies are celebrated in the main church, the Sanctuary of SS Trinity.
It was built between 1605 and 1617 on an ancient medieval building. The church can host about 80 people and can be decorated with stunning flower arrangements especially on external columns, on tiny altar and on the inner balcony.
At the end of the ceremony bridegrooms can have their beautiful wedding pictures appreciating the mystic scenery of the Sacro Monte and unforgettable views over Lake Maggiore far below. Near the church there is a tiny restaurant with wide parking area for bridegrooms and their guests.

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.

Right after the photographs in stunning main square of Orta, Luisa is getting closer to the great moment.
There is an oar boat waiting for her leaving from for Orta pier to lead her to Villa Bossi.
Over there, there is Massimiliano, the handsome groom, waiting for her with all relatives and friends. As soon as she is arrived she walks through the aisle of the villa with lots of wonderful roses and charming sound of a harp in the background.

Right in front of the the town hall porch the civil ceremony takes place. Skillful photographer Ivana Porta from Torino is taking all the reportage of the service with her good experience, shooting every single detail of the event, from the ring exchange to the flower arrangements made up by Peonies and Baby’s breath.

At the end of the ceremony, right after the traditional rice and petals throwing, Luisa and Massimiliano take a beautiful white motorboat that from Villa Bossi will take them to St Julius Island on of the most outstanding places of Lake Orta take some everlasting pictures thanks to Ivana Porta.

After the romantic shooting they go straightaway to Hotel Giardinetto where all the guests are waiting for them for their aperitif and reception.
Hotel Giardinetto is one of the nice facilities on the Lakeshore of Pettenasco, just few km from Orta San Giulio. The best spot of the Hotel is the wide terrace on lake from which bride and groom will cut their wedding cake with wonderful panorama. High standard cuisine was served with wide choosing of red and white local wines.

A great atmosphere of joy, music and dances with colorful handmade favor by SposiamoVi and bouquet throwing!
This is a party that bridegroom and guest will remember for long time!

View more pictures about Luisa and Massimiliano’s wedding in Lake Orta.