Italian Lakes Wedding Planner

In all our posts you surely noticed the wonderful colors of Lake Orta.
Green, Blue and light grey. Today we would like to show you a different Lake Orta… all in black and white.

This is a first of several posts that will explore black and white technique on wedding photography.
Main actor of the even are Shawn and Raul a lovely couple coming from Dallas Texas who choose Lake Orta for their wedding in Italy.

All these images were takeb by Alfonso Longobardi a famous and honored photographer coming from Naples. Shawn and Raul simply loved his style.
You can have a look to his web site to understand why they chose him: www.alfonsolongobardi.com.

Just have a look to the beauty of these photos. The monochrome images have great appeal concentrating watcher’s attention to shapes, shadows and impression rather than on colors.
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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 »

Today I have the pleasure to introduce you a lovely Italian couple: Marialisa and Matteo.
Their wedding was a real mid summer wedding arranged between Mountains and Lakes.
First the ceremony on Church of Madonna del Boden and then down to Stresa on Lake Maggiore shores.

Church of Madonna del Boden is located on the road leading to small village of Ornavasso (close to Verbania – Piemonte). It climbs on top of one of the most spectacular Alps mountain: Monte Massone. From Mt. Massone peak the view is gorgeous. You can see Mt. Rosa, Mt. Weissmiess, Mt. Adamello and Mt. Bernina. On South view runs over River Po Plain and on 5 lakes such as Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore. Just amazing!

Church of Madonna del Boden has been built on 500 mt of altitude right inside chestnuts woods. A fresh oasis that Marialisa and Matteo simply loved during the hot August day of their wedding. Continue Reading »

A wedding on the Lake Orta can be romantic, like Rachel and Mark’s wedding, celebrated at sunset, on the lake shore…
Or it can be intimate like Silvia and Giorgio’s wedding for 3 celebrated in the garden at Villa Bossi…
But a wedding on the Lake Orta can also be fun and festive…. Just like the one celebrated by Mariana and Matteo, the fantastic couple I will tell you about today.

Matteo and Mariana are an Italian-Armenian couple who live and work in London. Matteo is originally from Torino and he is just like every good boy coming from Piemonte, he is in love with his own homeland. Over time, Mariana was infected with this love as well, and thus their decision to choose one of the most charming places in Piedmont for their wedding: the Lake Orta.

Fun and joy are two words which perfectly describe Mariana and Matteo’s wedding. You will certainly see that in the photos accompanying this post: pictures that tell of their friend’s feast and fun, the first pranks of marriage, the couple’s happiness after the ceremony… emotions and feelings captured by Maren Ollmann’s lens from the Photography Studio Ollmann/Ottaviano in Torino. In the PHOTO GALLERY you will find 27 exceptional shots filled with the passion and magic which bring together the most wonderful emotions of Mariana and Matteo’s Big Day.

Mariana and Matteo’s wedding on the Lake Orta took place in 3 venues: Hotel Villa Crespi, where the bride and groom and their relatives stayed, the Church, Sacro Monte di Orta, where the religious ceremony took place, and finally Villa Ortea, where the wedding reception continued till the early lights of dawn.

For their stay in Orta and their first wedding night, Mariana e Matteo chose the Executive Suite in Hotel Villa Crespi. It was a fantastic room overlooking the lake with XVIII century furniture, a refined marble bathroom with a hydromassage and a magnificent four poster bed.
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I must admit that the above title does not fully do justice to the location of which I’m going to talk you about today: a wedding at the Villa L’Antica Colonia is not only a “wedding with lake view”, but it’s definitely a lot more. Villa L’Antica Colonia is a perfect mix of history, nature, relaxation and romance, all emphasized by a breathtaking view of the Lake Orta. If you are looking for an intimate and exclusive, but at the same time spectacular location for your wedding, then Villa L’Antica Colonia can be the right location for you!

Villa L’Antica Colonia is located in Crabbia, a small village on the hills of the Lake Orta, a few minutes from Pettenasco. The structure is surrounded by a large green area and is an excellent starting point for interesting trips into nature and culture.
But the strongest point of the Villa L’Antica Colonia is the magnificent panorama that sweeps over much of the lake and the surrounding green mountains, reaching up to Orta and the Island of San Giulio, a real spectacular scenary!

Try to imagine your wedding party on the large terrace of the villa with fantastic view on the lake: an unforgettable event for you and your guests!

Built in the eighteenth century, the villa was for long time a church property. The large ground around the building, that in the beginning extended until the lake, was planted with vineyards and fruit trees and cultivated by the women of the village that were working for the clergyman. At the beginning of ‘900 the villa was sold to a textile industry, which changed the property into a summer residence for the children of its employees, using part of the house for the breeding of the silk-worm in the winter season. It was later purchased by its actual owners, the family Manini-Maulini, who started the renovation of the property turning it into the beautiful villa we know today.

Villa L’Antica Colonia offers a unique and exclusive setting for your wedding: its prestigious balconies and arcades, between rustic and old, will give your wedding a scenario of the ancient times and a real magical atmosphere. Continue Reading »

Silvia, the bride. Giorgio, the groom. Angela, their pretty daughter.
They are the main characters of an intimate wedding on Lake Orta.

Silvia and Giorgio both come from Rome.
For their civil ceremony they were looking for a romantic and intimate destination to celebrate this special day. What’s better than Lake Orta?

A wonderful idea. Lake Orta gave to this lovely couple a great Spring day, warm and sunny.
They choose for a week day ceremony so atmosphere was even more intimate and cosy.
During week days village of Orta is very quiet and relaxing with very few tourists.
Very different from week ends on July and August which are much more busy!

As floral designer I had to create bridal bouquet, buttonhole and ceremony floral arrangements.
Enrico Mocci of ArteFotoArona, a wedding photographer specialized on Orta weddings, and with many years of experience, was the photographer of the day.

For their Orta staying Giorgio and Silvia choose the best: Hotel Villa Crespi.
Villa rooms are just enchanting and they were the perfect frame for stunning pictures.
You can see the bride and the bouquet I created for her. It was made of a long and wonderful fall of Phalaenopsis orchids.

Civil ceremony was held to Villa Bossi, Orta San Giulio town hall. Continue Reading »

On Lake Orta posts we usually show our couples in wonderful green and blue landscapes with bright medieval houses under the sun.
Today we would like to suggest something completely different and unusual:
a white Christmas on Lake Orta!

Yesterday, just two days before Christmas, lot of snow whiten Lake Orta creating and enchanting Christmas atmosphere.
Raffaello Mazzoleni one of Italian Lakes Wedding photograher captured it for us.

This is Lake Orta that many of you never saw, right into a fairly tale landscape almost unreal.
Don’t you think it could be perfect for a Winter Wedding on Lake Orta?

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Just few days ago Valentina has told you about Chris and Suzanne’s Italian Style wedding.
Many couples coming from United Kingdom and United States arrive on Italian Lakes choosing a typical Italian Style wedding: dresses, venue, music and Italian musicians, food, wines and even flower or favors.
Suzanne and Chris opted for an additional touch: an Italian vintage car!

Italian cars are famous all over the world: Ferrari, Fiat, Maserati and Alfa Romeo among the others.
This famous story begun back at the beginning of 1900. Among several brands, some become real Must of Italian Style. One of this is lovely Fiat Balilla the legendary car of 30s.

Balilla car is a real piece of Italian history. Fiat produced it in 1932 and it was the first Italian “city car”
It was called by Giovan Battista Perasso also known as Balilla that in 1746 begun a riot against Austrian power throwing a stone to one of their officers. A real patriot.

Fiat Balilla sold more than 100.000 cars even outside the country.
It was very innovative for the times, it even had hydraulic brake system.
It was Giovanni Agnelli’s dream. He decided to produce it with automation chain after an interesting visit to Ford factory in United States. Continue Reading »

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 »

Last but not least part 5 of our Summer Season Weddings on Lake Orta.
Today I will tell you about one of my favorite weddings of this year: Gillian and Louis’ special day.

Gillian and Louis chose as theme color pink and apple green but what made the event special were multicolored kilts of guests.

She is Scottish and he is Italo-Scottish and they both chose Orta San Giulio for Louis’ family Piemonte heritage.

Sweet and lovely Gillian look like a pretty princess when she walked on aisle of Villa Bossi Garden.

Her father was by her side wearing a kilt, but he wasn’t alone!
All guests had it on to bring a corner of Scotland in Orta.

As all the other weddings that I mentioned in Summer Season Wedding in Orta session, Gillian and Louis had a great sunny day. It was the perfect weather for an outdoor civil ceremony in the town hall of Orta San Giulio.

Floral arrangements were created by Paola one of the florist designers of La Piccola Selva.
She created fresh and natural bunches of flowers for the decoration of the gate and the columns of Villa Bossi.
Bridal and bridesmaid bouquet had the same style Gillian wanted. A perfect match between baby rose, apple green and white.

After the ceremony Gillian and Louis walked along ancient pedestrian roads of the village.

A wedding in Orta is not complete without a tour on the lake to discover the landscapes and beautiful St. Julius Island.
Here you can find amazing spots for unforgettable wedding pictures. Continue Reading »