Italian Lakes Wedding Blog - Destination Weddings Italy

Together with Castello dal Pozzo, Villa San Remigio is today one of the best destination to celebrate a civil wedding on lake Maggiore.

Villa San Remigio is located on the top of Colle della Castagnola, near Verbania Pallanza and overlooks Lake Maggiore. Its garden was studied and realized from a young couple of lovers. It has a romantic and interesting story.
Musician and poet Marquis Silvio della Valle di Casanova and passionate painter Sophie Browne, after their wedding in 1896 decided to realize their dream, transforming into a villa an old grandparents’ chalet. They renewed the park that became their lover refuge.
After more than 100 years Sophie and Silvio’s dream this wonderful villa is now on the disposal of bridegrooms who want to crown their big day.
Just a touch of continuity and good fortune. Continue Reading »

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. Continue Reading »

The string quartet is the ideal size of ensemble for most events ranging from a handful of guests up to a few hundred or more. The combination of two violins, viola and cello can create a wide range of textures and moods varying from the most subtle and delicate to a full, rich string sound, which carries equally well in small or large halls, outdoors, or in a marquee.
A string quartet can add the perfect touch to your wedding day, whether entertain the guests for the drinks reception or playing music for the bride walking down the aisle. A string quartet is completely mobile and requires no power supply. This makes it an ideal choice for a civil ceremony or a summer wedding, where guests may move outside for drinks and back inside for dinner. Some of the most well known pieces you might hear a string quartet play at a wedding or private party are “Canon In D” by Johann Pachelbel, “Air On the G String” by Johann Sebastian Bach, and excerpts from “The Four Seasons” by Antonio Vivaldi.
Whether you have chosen to have a Church or Civil wedding ceremony, music is surely the most important factor in creating the perfect classical and romantic atmosphere. Choosing music to suit your wedding day can be a difficult task. The Koiné String Quartet can provide music at any point during your wedding day, whether it be the ceremony itself, the hotel drinks reception in the afternoon, as background music during the wedding meal, or indeed after the meal itself as live music and entertainment.
All professional musicians, the Koiné String Quartet is a young and vibrant ensemble based in Piemonte that has been playing for weddings and corporate functions throughout lake Orta, lake Maggiore, lake Como and lake Garda. since 2003. Continue Reading »

Elegant, charming, ancient, Stresa is the pearl of Lake Maggiore, one of the most wanted destinations wedding in Piemonte. It has been a favorite destination with the British, even Queen Victoria stayed on the shores of Lake Maggiore.

Stresa is located on Lake Maggiore in northeastern Piedmont which borders Lombardy and Switzerland. It is a renowned tourist resort in a picturesque setting facing the equally famous Borromeo Islands.

In order to see Stresa well, it’s important to explore the many alley ways and small cobblestone lanes that make up the town. Not a shopper by nature, Stresa was an invitation to buy! Lovely little pottery shops are found around every corner, and the shopkeepers are more than happy to ship your items home. Also, shops with jewelry, tempting Italian foodstuffs, and cute little bars and trattoria are everywhere.

The lakeside promenades are lined with magnolias, camellias and verbena and many other flowers and Mediterranean trees.
Embarcadero is probably the most crowded place in town. From here you can take the boats for an excursion on the Lake visiting Borromean Islands and their lush gardens and palaces owned by Borromeo Family.

In the 1850s Stresa was one of the most sought-after vacation spots in all of Italy. The rich and famous from all over the world spent their leisure time enjoying the beauty, serenity and romance of Stresa. Consequently dozens of fabulously expensive and ornate Villas were constructed overlooking the lake. Today those same Villas of the world’s richest people are available for your wedding and for your wedding reception. Continue Reading »

If you are wishing an Italian Wedding with a religious ceremony, the area between Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore is just perfect. This area is very rich in churches and sanctuaries located in panoramic setting such as Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso, Sanctuary of Madonna della Bocciola, or in medieval village as Maria Assunta church in Orta San Giulio or St.Rocco church in Corconio. There are even some churches in the wild nature such as Madonna di Luzzara church or Oratorio di St. Sebastiano in Lesa, just near Stresa.
Some others are monastery just on the lake as Eremo of St.Caterina del Sasso on Lombardy shore of Lake Maggiore or monk’s convent of Mesma Sacred Mountain.
Among the most magical spots for a religious wedding we cannot forget about Sacred Mountains built between XVI and XVII centuries. These religious buildings have a deep symbolic and cultural meaning and they are simply beautiful. They are perfectly integrated in a natural landscape made of woods, hills and lakes. These places have a high artistic value for their statues and chapels some are also part of UNESCO heritage.
In Italy there are 9 sacred mountains spread all over between Piemonte and Lombardy. Among those, the ones situated on Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore are the most fascinating and strongly recommended from Italian Lakes Wedding for your religious wedding in Italy.
These are Sacro Monte of SS Trinity’of Ghiffa, and Sacred Mountain of Orta San Giulio, two sacred complexes characterized from the perfect fusion between surrounding landscape: wood, architecture, lake view are the elements that make unique this settings just perfect for a wedding on the lakes.

If for your wedding in Lake District you are looking for a unique and unforgettable venue, comparable to none, Villa Crespi is the perfect choice and it is strongly recommended by Italian Lakes Wedding team. Villa Crespi is a fairy tale venue similar to no one in all over Europe.

It is wonderful with its Moresque style that makes us think about “A thousand nights and a night” Persian homes, the richly decorated ceilings, its stuccoes, precious marbles and its minaret overlooking the lake.

Villa Crespi is located in Orta San Giulio, on lake Orta one of the most fascinating Lakes of Piemonte.

This home was built by the end of 1800 from Beniamino Crespi, a rich Italian business man charmed by Baghdad appeal. It took 12 years to build this wonderful building and for its handcrafts he decided to use the most precious materials. Green marbled came from Polcevera, red one from Levanto, he wanted Sicily jaspers, Swedish, Spanish and French marbles. As for stuccoes he wished for handmade embossed copper moulds. There were stalls for horses, a greenhouse, a dock a big wall with wonderful iron gates and a 48 meters minaret; all this was surrounded by terraced gardens toward the Lake.

After more than 100 years, after hosting princesses and queens, Villa Crespi is now an luxury hotel. Bridegrooms coming from all over the world simply love it. They choose it for an exclusive ceremony, a special wedding, a different reception, an important party or just for an unforgettable dinner.

A suggestion for all the brides that dream of a unique and really different wedding: why don’t you opt for an ethnic theme wedding?
It is one of the most wanted trends of the moment!
Villa Crespi thanks to its memorable Moresque atmosphere will be the perfect fairy tale scenario for your precious Ethnic Wedding. Continue Reading »

Italian Lakes district offers to couples a wide range of exclusive venues to realize their wedding. There are villas, castles and ancient residences. Palazzo Penotti Ubertini represents one of the most wanted venues, a unique example in terms of position, style and accessibility.

• Good position
  Palazzo Penotti Ubertini is right into medieval village of Orta San Giulio, in its little paved roads and ancient houses with big doors, loggias and beautiful iron artworks.
  During centuries this little village on Orta lakeshore was the main center of St Julius Riviera. Nowadays it is a famous touristy location.
  Palazzo Penotti Ubertini is on “Salita Della Motta”, one of the most charming and renewed spots of Orta San Giulio. On this road you will find the most important noble houses of XV- XVII centuries: Villa Giani, Villa Margaroni (so called Casa degli Gnomi) with lot of frescos, the huge Palazzo Gemelli and at the top the hill the delicious baroque façade of Santa Maria Assunta church, parish church of Orta San Giulio.
  Thanks to its neighborhood with one of the most beautiful church of Lake District Palazzo Penotti Ubertini is the perfect venue for a wedding.
  If you are thinking of having a catholic celebration this palace represent the ideal choose for you and your guests.
  This way you will avoid uncomfortable transfers from the church to the reception venue.

Continue Reading »

Lake Orta is not only one of the most romantic destination for a wedding in Italy but one of the most wanted sets for movie directors.
Near Orta San Giulio there is a little village where you will find “Via del Cinema” (cinema street), a sort of extraordinary open air art gallery dedicated to movies shot on lakeshores and in Piemonte in general. There are 45 artworks painted on house walls by artist came from all over the world.

In the next weeks Cinema and big stars will be on stage on Lake Orta. Famous actress Monica Bellucci will come to the Lake. She will be the star of Italian movie L’Uomo che Ama, directed by Maria Sole Tognazzi shot between Torino and Lake Orta.

Monica Bellucci is one of the divas of international jet set. Her carrier begun during the 90s whit her cameo in Bram Stocker’s Dracula directed by Francis Ford Coppola. She became more and more famous thanks to her roles in Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolution, The Brother Grimm and Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. Welcome to Lake Orta, Monica!