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 »

Italian Lakes Wedding Team is getting bigger!
Starting from now our offer will be wider. Flipping through our pages you will discover new lakes and wonderful destinations for your wedding. This our special gift for 2010 season!
Discover Southern italian Lakes and wonderful Lake Bracciano.

It is a stunning location few kilometers from eternal city of Rome where history and nature get together to create a perfect frame for your dream wedding.
Italian Lakes Wedding team is happy to introduce Stefania Zen, our wedding coordinator for Southern Lakes area that will include famous Lake Bracciano and rustic Lake Bolsena.

Stefania was born close to Italian Northern Lakes in Piemonte region so she perfectly know the charm and appeal of the lakes and often come back to visit these special place and work with us over here.

Before becoming a wedding planner in Rome some years ago, she worked as flight assistant on intercontinental flights. She travelled all over the world. Her interest for people customs and habits and language skills helps her to be a perfect planner.
When she settled in Rome, she decided to become a wedding planner in this wonderful charming and amazing city discovering also wonderful lakes close by.

She will be happy to guide you to find the best venues, charming solutions, lovely decorations for your unique wedding on Lake Bracciano. She will let you know the charm of this great spot of Italy helping and supporting throughout all your wedding planning!

Join us to welcome on board Stefania!

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 »

Among all past Autumn weddings Chiara and Stefano’s wedding was one of my favorites. Bride and Groom were very nice and they choose a wonderful location for their wedding… but most of all Chiara’s dress was simply amazing.

As floral designer I really appreciated bride’s approach towards me. Even if she gave me precise information on her color scheme, she totally trusted me giving me wide freedom on style and shapes for her floral arrangement. This gave me the opportunity to express myself without being to tight on fixed schemes. I believe that for a floral designer is could be the best way to create and express her skills.

Chiara and Stefano’s big day was arranged on Lake Maggiore. Photographers Manuele and Laurence of Studio Foto Benaglia followed the days with their pictures. The followed the group from the early hours of the day until very late at night. This great italian-french couple of photographer realized a lovely natural and spontaneous reportage service taking every single detail of the day. Have a look to the nice Photo Gallery on Chiara and Stefano’s wedding relized by Foto Benaglia.

From Veneto to Piemonte region: Chiara and Stefano reached Lake Maggiore from Treviso in Veneto region, just like at least half of their guests. Chiara was born in Arona and her heart was set here and Stefano fell in love with this lovely town too. So they opted for Lake Maggiore for their destination wedding. All guests loved this choice they did not know how beautiful could be our magic lake.

Chiara choose red for her wedding theme color. Deep red for flowers, invitations, and wedding shoes. Cherry red for a fantastic organza roses fall on her wedding dress. A very original dress for sure! Chiara designed it and she could realize it thanks to the help of Rosanna, the owner of a little atelier in Feltre on foot of Belluno Dolomites.
The shoulder cover, bustier and part of the skirt were mad of laces with plisse’ tulle. Main feature was roses fall in cherry red that started from waist point to create a little train.
Simply wonderful!

Groom opted for a tailor made suit, too. He was surely elegant and handsome.

Chaira and Stefano got married on October 10 on a wonderful warm day similar to summer time. Religious ceremony was held in Santi Martiri Church in Arona, also known as San Graziano church. Church is located in highest part of the town and has a baroque facade and Gothic nave inside. One of the most beautiful detail is the lovely staircase that from San Graziano square leads to church’s entrance.

Floral arrangement was really detailed. On side of aisle red carpet I placed a series of balloon shaped Buxus enriched with red roses and white Gerberas. I also added scattered rose petals on the floor and little bouquets on the pews.

On white marble balusters I created different height arrangements, just in the middle between ancient and modern style. On a white Gerberas and Monstera leaves base I placed Passion Roses on different levels and on side of them I added some Bear Grass. Continue Reading »

Dear readers,
we are happily proud to announce a new web site born from the experience of Italian Lakes Wedding Team, this is a real spin off and it is called Italian Country Wedding!
Italian Countryside seemed to us another lovely idea side of the lakes for the ones who are are looking for a different, romantic, relaxing and pleasant kind of wedding.

On Italian Country Wedding web site you will discover a multitude of choices for unique ceremony and reception, an intimate elopement, sites, small town hospitality, and a variety of activities for you and your guests in the Italian countryside
Surfing on Italian Country Wedding you will undiscovered and unspoiled places to create the perfect setting for a special and real country wedding: gardens, vineyards, country villas, traditional Italian restaurants, agriturismos or farm houses, or even in a wonderful castle!

Italian Country Wedding is specialized in weddings across Piedmont region and Langhe and Monferrato country side areas….just have a look at it we are sure you will be amazed by the charm of countryside!

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 »

Around Italian Lake region, it is very difficult finding another location like this one we will describe here: Madonna del Sasso church.

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. Continue Reading »

As Wedding Planner I usually coordinate weddings on whole Piedmont. This is a wide region on North West of Italy that borders with France and Switzerland. It is rich of history and traditions, you will surely find here a wonderful natural setting. The ideal spot for destination weddings. On North area there are Italian Lakes such as Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore. There are then Alps and Olympic Valleys we talked about in occasion of Aleksandra and Chris’ wedding and their fabulous Winter Wedding. And last but not least there is a special country area among Monferrato, Langhe and Roero regions. This area is just perfect for country destination weddings thanks to its natural colors of every season, tiny villages and antique appeal.

Langhe hills were the exceptional scenario for the wedding I would like to talk you about: a real Country Wedding. All begun in 2007 when Patricia and Richard, from Philadelphia PA USA, decided to come over Italy to celebrate their wedding.

Both of them are of Italian heritage, Richard’s grandparents origins are from a little village of Piedmont on vineyards hills. Starting from this point Patricia and Richard re-created the same atmosphere for their special day. The planning process lasted over 1 year.
On September 24th 2008 Patricia and Richard got married, such a wonderful event!

Langhe and Roero are two close areas South of Torino city and North of Italian Riviera. This wonderful district is right between mountains and seaside. its hills are the perfect place to grow vines to product the best Italian wines such as Barolo, Nebbiolo, Barbaresco and Dolcetto.
This are is also well known for truffles and delicious food. It is right between Bra and Alba, the most famous towns of the area, that Slow Food Association was born. Its task is protecting and preserving food and wine excellences of the area. Thanks to Slow Food, Pollenzo site was restored. It was an ancient Roman settlement, then Finance Agency during 1700 for King Albert of Savoy and now home of first Enogastronomic science University, a wonderful 4 stars hotel and Bank of Wine, where best and precious Italian wins are preserved.

Patricia and Richard choose this special place to celebrate their wedding together with their family and friends that came from all over US. Ceremony was held in the lovely garden of the hotel in the heart of Langhe where there are also Romans ruins of more than 2000 years ago. Aperitif then was served under the hotel wooden porch and dinner in the brick ceiling room with lovely round ivory tables.

Every single detail, including floral arrangements and bridal bouquet enriched with scented spices was linked to country style idea. 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.

One of the most beautiful weddings I worked on was Victoria and Daniel’s one last year. Victoria herself talked about it in a post she wrote for Italian Lakes Wedding site.
It is with pleasure that I come back talking about Victoria and Daniel’s wedding just in occasion of their first anniversary. I still recall the real satisfaction I felt for that event as floral designer.
On my website www.lapiccolaselva.it you could also see Victoria and Daniel’s photo gallery realized by Felix Segovia coming from Madrid.

Victoria is an kind English girl, very nice and simple. She is literally in love with Italy and its lakes. This was the reason because she choose to organize her wedding in our lovely country. It took almost a year, traveling across all lakes to take the final decision for her destination wedding. At the end she picked up Lake Maggiore.

Religious ceremony was held in San Martino church in Lesa, a tiny village on Piemonte side of Lake Maggiore, between Stresa and Arona. San Martino church is beautiful cosy and intimate and it is just few steps from the lake.
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Villa Muggia was elected as reception venue. It was simply stunning! Villa’s park was embellished with all spring blooming that bridegroom and their guests really loved. Villa Muggia ’s park is full of azaleas and camelias. These are all lake plants that are exceptionally beautiful in Spring.

As floral designer I would like to tell you the most importan part as far as my job is concerned of Victoria and Daniel’s wedding: floral arrangements!
From the very first meeting Victoria was really decided on her wedding theme. She wanted a solar theme that really could recall Italy.
So we choose together LEMONS as main theme of the wedding. I think Lemons could be the right element for all that Victoria was looking for!
Since the color theme was really strong, I decided to smooth it a little in order to match wedding feeling of such a wonderful day.
I suggested Victoria some pastel colors she agreed with me.I picked up Vendela roses and peonies. I love peonies they make me think about vintage style, romanticism, Belle Époque, fascinating ages and elegance.
This flower is really delicate and it has a limited blooming period: April/May until mid June. Of course nowadays we can have flowers like this in every single period of the year, but consider that ordering them out of season could be very expensive and most of all the flower itself will last for very few time. Peonies cannot stay for long time under summer sun and in just 2 hours they will be totally burned. Continue Reading »