Italian Lakes Wedding Planner

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 »

As a flower designer, we have to admit that the wedding of Loretta and Scott were one of the most stimulating ones. It was months of work, 3 meetings with the bride and groom, lots of emails with decisions and re-decisions before arriving at the final go.

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. Continue Reading »

Today we would like to tell you about a very special event Italian Lakes Wedding Team followed:Bevin and Steven Wedding to Villa Gippini in Orta San Giulio – Lake Orta.
A special event for so many reasons. One above all: symbolic ceremony was arranged just on the lake shores with evocative St. Julius island in the background.
Let’s go through ever single detail of it!

Special One: Lake Orta as you’ve never seen before!
it was a wonderful Spring sunny day. Sky was clear with small clouds. Lake water was completely transparent and mountains were green after a long winter.
This was the great scenery for Bevin and Steven’s wedding.
Just the right day to promote this lake!

Special Two: Diego and Estella photographs.
Diego and Estella are two creative and state of the art photographers!
We decided to put them as “Special Event” of the day because their shots were simply great. Let’s have a look to the PHOTO GALLERY with the most beautiful Diego and Estella pictures of Bevin and Steven’s wedding.

Special Three: Villa Gippini, the most exclusive venue on Lake Orta.
Villa Gippini is an ancient villa date back to 1500 located just on the lake shores.
It was built in the medieval center of Orta San Giulio.
Nowadays Hotel San Rocco is the owner of the villa and it rarely allows its utilization for special events, like Bevin and Steven’s wedding.

Villa Gippini is a private venue which not open to public. It created a very intimate atmosphere for the wedding.

Special Four: Bevin’s bridesmaids.
They were all in a elegant but sexy cherry red dress.
The four bridesmaids were all so friendly and smiling. They were able to add a touch of glamour and real fun to the ceremony that sometimes could seem even too serious. Continue Reading »

Today we have the pleasure to present you a new interesting photographer who entered in the Italian Lakes Wedding Team just 2 weeks ago: Simone Mottura and his Photographic Studio Blanco Y Negro, in Torino, Piemonte. The photographer is member of different important Italian and international photographic associations, such as the prestigious WPJA, Wedding Photojournalist Association.
To give you an idea about his work, please take a look to the PHOTO GALLERY of Blanco Y Negro published by Italian Lakes Wedding.

The Italian taste for photographic art and the continuous research of details are the facts that make different the studio Blanco Y Negro. Thanks to a particular sensibility to the reportage, the photographic style of Blanco Y Negro is something more than the classical wedding photography: is also fashion and style, is emotion captured improvised at the moment, and that of classic pose without time.

Through an extreme care of details, all the characteristics of the subjects, the scenery and lightning are emphasized. The images takes form in a unique and unmistakable style.

The wedding vision of Blanco Y Negro is composed of different parts: classic where the essential pictures tell you the story of a ceremony, using the traditional poses and framing, and reportage for all the other moments, steeling images and constructing the spontaneity through the natural flow of the events and through the curious and funny sceneries. Sensations, seconds, details to build an elegant and refined square.

A warm welcome to Simone Mottura and his Photographic Studio Blanco Y Negro from the whole team of Italian Lakes Wedding, with all the best wishes to their great job.

After Bianca and Mills’ Wedding, Italian Lakes Wedding Team got back to Varenna for another special event. This time main characters were Delia and Edwin. They came from Dallas, Texas and they choose Lake Como for their wedding.

First of all we need to thank Raffaello Mazzoleni photographer who put on disposal reportage of the event in just 3 days! (record time!). We are showing here a first preview of the images we like most.
In order to give a look at the entire PHOTO GALLERY please visit Raffaello’s web site www.artefoto-omegna.it

Last year Bianca and Mills chose San Martino’s church in Perledo above Varenna for their religious ceremony. Dalia and Edwin have opted for parish church of San Giorgio right in Varenna’s hystorical center.
The big church was established in 1313. It has three naves, the external one is embellished with a wonderful fresco showing life of St. Christopher.

Varenna is one of the most unique villages on Lake Como East coast.
Little roads leads to the lake shore, they are simply beautiful. Here everything was kept as it was, it is the perfect setting for romantic and old fashioned style wedding pictures.

Delia is a deliciuos Latin girl. She comes from Texas close to Mexico border. Obviously Raffaello loved taking picture of her. Here you can find the one we prefer!

Right after ceremony and wedding photographs on Varenna shores, newly weds and their guests moved to Hotel Imperiale in Moltarsio on Como’s bench of the lake. Continue Reading »

After our article for a lovely civil wedding on Isola dei Pescatori, we would like tell you someting more about another venue for civil services on Lake Maggiore: Villa San Remigio in Pallanza – Verbania.

We already talked about Villa San Remigio telling the history of this beautiful 1800 villa. It is now owned by Piemonte region and it is available for marriage thanks to Pallanza town hall.

We would like to tell you about Antonella and Tommy’s wedding.
They choose for their wedding Villa San Remigio, Italian Lakes Wedding Team and Raffaello Mazzoleni photographer one of the more active photographer of the site.
He followed them with his professionalism and experience giving as final result a wonderful whole day reportage full of solar colors right in the perfect frame of Villa San Remigio’s ancient rooms and park.

His quick post processing allowed us to see his work just 3 days after the wedding! Raffaello put on our disposal the entire wedding PHOTO GALLERY. Today we show you some images we choose to describe the beauty of the place: baroque facade of the villa, rich and big and well furnished rooms and stunning park.

White and red was bridegroom color scheme and it was underlined by some lovely details such as bride and groom dresses.

As you can see bride wore a pretty 60s style prom dress.
She had a lot of style for sure!
Have a look at the red details she matched such as red shoes!
Just very pretty!

Floral arrangement included 2 big compositions with white lily callas in room’s entrance in order to create a sort of arch.

Bridal bouquet had mini lily callas and Carte Blanche roses in with some variations of light yellow and ivory. Continue Reading »

Last week I mentioned about Ivonn and Giorgio’s wedding to Castello di Miasino on Lake Orta.
Today I would like to tell you more on this, thanks to Federico Fasano photographer’s images.
He kindly gave his images to let us enjoy the wedding atmosphere.
This lets you appreciate good and quick post production phase and the great skill to catch details such as my floral arrangements.
Federico Fasano’s photos I show you today show some nice details of the work I did for Ivonn and Giorgio. First image is a wonderful detail of bridegroom’s table with some rose petals that created a big heart.

Again rose petals with many heart shaped confettis. Guest threw them as good luck wish to bride and groom after the ceremony. Confettis and petals were preserved in lovely cones realized with music sheets with a wax rose on.

Third photo on the left is one of my favorites. You can see groom’s button hole I created with Avalanche white rose on a leaf and a tulle ribbon. Forth picture on the right shows a view of Castle’s rooms with two arrangements I realized. They are laid on the iron columns that are at the base of the big staircase that leads to big window with mosaic glasses.

Last pictures is a wonderful detail of one of the centerpieces. For their realization I used big vases with little pink stones, Bear Grass and Avalanche white roses.

In order to see entire Ivonn and Giorgio’s photo set to Castello di Miasino please visit photographer Federico Fasano’s PHOTO GALLERY. These are just some first details! Continue Reading »

Here we are at the second appointment on 2008 weddings I forgot to tell you about before but that I really want to write on. This wedding, as the previous one took place last September too. As floral designer, September for me is one of the most busy month of the year and last one was even busier! September 2009 will be more or less the same. For this reason I always recommend to my couples booking their dates with large advance, especially if they are thinking about a date between June and September. You could not find availability, some dates are booked at least a year in advance!

Sabrina and Mauro wedding took place on 21 September the first day of Autumn. For the first time we are talking about an Italian couple, coming from Milan that chose Stresa for their big day! One of the reasons because I love talking about this wedding was the excellent choice of bridegroom to concentrate all the events in Stresa with just little transfers. You could take a look at the wonderful PHOTO GALLERY realized by Alessandro Balossi from Omegna. I also suggest reading the interesting article The photographer of smiling brides that tells perfectly his charming style.

For their religious ceremony Sabrina and Mauro chose the lovely gothic church of San Carciano just on a hill in the Northen part of Stresa close to the beach. San Carciano’s parish priest is a lovely person and he proudly and pleasantly welcomes brides and grooms coming from other cities or countries. A lot of people coming from abroad – Great Britain especially – choose this church for their catholic ceremony. San Carciano church has a beautiful stone entrance embellished with ball buxus trees. From its hill the view on Lake Maggiore is stunning! I love working inside this wonderful church because of wide spaces, around the altar, and the amazing brightness of the room that en-light every flower decoration.

Color scheme Sabrina and Mauro choose was yellow and white. In the church white was represented by Lilium Longiflorum and a great utilization of baby’s breath and greenery. Yellow was represented by wonderful Golden Times roses that matched the bridal bouquet together with Dendrobium Orchids and a touch of green Alchemilla.

One of the advantages of getting married in San Carciano church is being out of the traffic of Stresa center which is usually very touristy. Moreover we are very close to Villa Muggia, one of the best venues on Lake Maggiore where Mauro and Sabrina decided to celebrate their wedding reception.

As far as the floral decorations to Villa Muggia are concerned I kept on following the color scheme bridegroom chose just changing type of flowers. This time I opted for white Anthuriums with long willows of white grapes around a candle together with romantic ivy. Just to remind us the first day of Autumn. A very stylized centerpiece but very elegant the fitted perfectly in wonderful rooms of Villa Muggia. Continue Reading »

Regarding the order in time, Alessandro Balossi is the last photographer entered in the Italian Lakes Wedding team. Although personally I know him very well – as i had the opportunity to work with him for numerous weddings , for the occasion of his official presentation I’ve asked him to write few words about himself.
I supposed that it’s a “mission impossible” being Alessandro a quite shy and reserved guy… In fact, it wasn’t easy, but at the end he could manage to give me a short text, that – I think – describes perfectly his personality and the way of interpreting the world of wedding photography.

Here is a short extract:
“I love the images of the smiling brides, shot spontaneously at the moment, catching the real happiness of that day without any pretence in rigid poses and fake expressions of the face. I like to give a dynamic cut to the photos of my weddings, inspired by the most actual fashion images.
I love to catch details and moments to create a real reportage of that very unique and special day.
Above of all, I like to “stop” in time those particular expressions and situations that are lived absent-mindly on the big day amongst all the emotions, so I can show and revive them again with the bride and groom in my studio later on”.

In fact, this is absolutely true: Alessandro Balossi is the photographer of the smiling brides!
It’s enough to see his photo gallery to understand this. But what strikes the most, is the absolute spontaneity and naturalness of the photos, despite the fact that majority of them shows portraiture images.
Alessandro in fact was “grown” as fashion photographer and has a consolidated long experience behind: this for sure helped a lot his carrier as a wedding photographer.
The portraits of his brides and grooms seems really natural, without any camouflage like if they would have been seized upon.

The trick of Alessandro is simple: all is based on his relaxed and calm approach as he works, like in front of the fashion models making feel the brides very special and at ease. Continue Reading »

Waiting for the beginning of a new season of beautiful weddings on Lake Orta I would like to tell you about some wedding that I followed last year that I did not mention before. This is not because they wasn’t interesting, on the contrary they were absolutely great and unique!
Simply for some reasons I did not have the occasion but I will do it now!
2008 was a busy year for me rich in satisfactions starting from Janet and Ian’s floral arrangements at Villa d’Este on Lake Como. I remember also the arrangements with beautiful peonies and lemons at Villa Muggia in Stresa for Victoria and Danny’s wedding and more Autumn theme I create for Rossella and Giorgio’s wedding: bridal bouquet and centrepieces at Palazzo Penotti Ubertini in Orta.
But let’s go to “the ones I forgot” of 2008.

I’m pleased to tell you about Elena and Peter’s wedding last September. Elena and Peter are an exceptional couple. She is Russian and he is American a wonderful and happy couple. I think that also photographer Enrico Mocci loved work with them since they were so nice, friendly and beautiful! You can see Elena and Peter’s photogallery: you will see stunning pictures!

The entire wedding took place at one single venue: Hotel Villa Crespi in Orta San Giulio.
It was a typical Russian ceremony so the best place should be obviously Villa Crespi!
Valentina some time ago mentioned in one of her articles about the possibility for an ethnic wedding to Mooresque style Villa Crespi, this is the one!

Ceremony was organized in the garden of the villa during a wonderful sunny day.
Traditionally Russian orthodox ceremony is long and rich of signs and details.

The exchange of the rings, that has to be done 3 times meaning the Saint Trinity and the Crown for bridegroom. Again bridegroom will drink three times from the same holy glass and they will go around the ceremony table, the celebrant will lead them for their path for 3 times just like they are having their first steps as bride and groom.
At the end of the ceremony, there celebrant will take off the crown and he will bless them and all guests good wishes.

Elena and Peter’s color scheme was white and orange. I used it for the bouquet, arrangements in the garden and centerpieces. Elena took orange for her hairdo with nice little orange roses. Peter used a little orange rose too but for his buttonhole and he wore a wonderful orange tie. They matched perfectly my arrangements.
Centerpieces were simple and essential because of the beauty of rooms of Villa Crespi, but Elena wanted from me a special attention for her bouquet. I created it with long ivy willows and Dendrobium orchids. A the top of them there were wonderful Orange Dream roses.

Once again to have a look at the bouquet and floral arrangements that I made for this unforgettable wedding just visit Elena and Peter’s PHOTO GALLERY realized by Enrico Mocci from Arona.
Continue Reading »