Italian Lakes Wedding Blog - Destination Weddings Italy

Lake Orta has always been one of the best destination for bridegrooms coming from all over the world. But not only!

Often is the trait d’union between different culture, very far from each other.
This is the case of Cristina and Derek. She comes from Genova and he is from Scotland.
A long love story and then the decision to getting married. Considering the wonderful places they both come from it is not easy making a decision. Portofino, Five Lands, Porto Venere or even some legendary castle in green Scottish country side.
What a difficult choice! And here it comes Lake Orta. They immediately fell in love with it. The perfect destination for their wedding.

Considering the distance it was not easy organizing all the event: ceremony, reception, flowers, music, invitation, guests coordination coming from Scotland and Ligura.
They decided to hire a wedding planner specialized in Lake Orta area. Their natural choice went on Valentina Lombardi from SposiamoVi – Torino. Valentina is a wedding planner with long experience on Lake Orta and she works with skillful professionals on the territory.

The photographer is Raffaello Mazzoleni who is the author of beautiful photojournalistic pictures that you can see in the SCOTTISH WEDDING PHOTO GALLERY for Cristina and Derek.

Floral arrangements are from La Piccola Selva thanks to the fantasy and creativity of floral designer Monika Andenmatten. La Piccola Selva has been leader for more than 20 years in floral arrangements and bridal bouquet creation for churches and best venues on Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore.
Cristina and Derek for their reception venue decided for Hotel San Rocco in Orta San Giulio.
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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 »

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 planning your wedding on Italian Lakes, Villa Gippini could represent the ideal venue to plan a wonderful cocktail party on Orta Lakeshore.
It was built during 1700 near Hotel San Rocco that now owns it. Together San Rocco hotel and Villa Gippini are one of the best luxury solution for a wedding party.

Hotel San Rocco is a special and charming place. For more than 150 years it has been a convent. This happened up to the end of 60s when it was converted in the main building of the hotel.
Villa Gippini was added after some years. The baroque building is rich precious handcrafts, stuccoes and frescoes. Its garden is just a romantic corner overlooking the lake with a precious little fountain and pleasant shadowy trees.
Usually photographers love to shoot some pictures to bridegrooms with the unforgettable panorama on St. Julius Island on the back.
Another important fact is that Villa Gippini is located at just few steps from Villa Bossi, Orta San Giulio town hall where civil bendings are held.

The villa is easily reachable by feet from Maria Assunta Church in Orta or Orta Sacro Monte one too where religious bendings are held.

History, nature, idyllic scenario and Orta Lake: stunning features that make Villa Gippini one of the best venues in Lake District.
Consider that the garden could be rented just for a cocktail party or a pleasant aperitif, a wonderful place to celebrate your big day together with relatives and friends. Continue Reading »

Our wedding was in spring which I thought should be reflected in the floral scheme. I had some very unique and specific ideas regarding what I wanted which unfortunately meant I couldn’t simply show a florist a photograph and ask her to copy it.
I spent a lot of time with Monika explaining my vision and I think the challenge of trying out something new appealed to her. She was prepared to follow my requests but wasn’t afraid to give her input. We had to have a contingency plan in case the flowers I wanted weren’t available at the time of the wedding so it was nice to be given updates as to what was in the bloom the weeks before the big day.

The result was spectacular - my first tears on my wedding day was when I saw my bouquet! Monika is a perfectionist and I could tell on the day that he too was pleased with her work.

Of course, I couldn’t have achieved such results without Clara who firstly introduced us and secondly spent endless hours translating between the two of us and coordinating with the other suppliers so they would know how their products (car, wedding cake etc.) would be presented. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, I arrived back from honeymoon to see that mine was bouquet of the month!

We were so scared our wedding would fly by that we decided to have a weekend of celebrations instead of a day. Felix worked tirelessly the entire weekend so that we now have an excellent reportage of the entire time, from the preparations right through to the celebrations. By the end he had lots of new friends (he was more of a guest than a photographer!) and we have some of the most amazing photos.

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It is my pleasure to introduce the newest member of the Italian Lakes Wedding team: Giovanna Benati of Poker d’Eventi, a wedding planner agency based in Verona, Italy.
I recently spoke with Giovanna about Poker d’Eventi and how the company can help you plan a destination wedding on lake Garda.

• Giovanna, could you tell me something about yourself and how you became involved in wedding planning?
  After working for many years in the organisation of events for large companies and often in extremely formal situations, a close friend of mine called me to give her a hand with the organisation of her own wedding.
  Time was short (as is always the case with large companies and big events and conferences) and I helped in making the wedding a fantastic experience for everybody.
  I have to say that what made this experience unforgettable for me was to see my friend so relaxed and free to enjoy the day, leaving everything in my hands. She even allowed me to be as creative as I wanted and that is how the passion for this work was born.
• What is your favourite part about event planning?
  I think the most exciting moment is when I present my ideas and plans to the couple. Their faces light up at being able to imagine their wedding and they can finally begin to get excited about the day.
• Where are your top three picks to have a destination wedding in lake Garda?
  Lake Garda offers so many options for the creation of a wedding that I really wouldn’t know how to choose. I like to give couples the chance (if possible) to see some of the lake and a few of the locations that I have selected before coming up with final choices. If I were to get married again however I’d love a wedding on water, an event on a boat.
• Is it difficult for non-residents to get married in lake Garda? What are the requirements?
  No it really isn’t a problem in my experience, the people at the town hall actually seem happy to help in the completion of documents etc. Obviously each case needs to be looked at separately and documents also need to be prepared in the country of origin, but we calculate the time for all paper work in the organisation.
• After the wedding, what nearby romantic places might couples want to visit?
  After travelling so far, many couples see Venice (and a trip on a gondola) as a stone throw away, Florence is a popular stop over and of course Verona with Juliet’s balcony and the Arena Opera House is a must but I think the most romantic and enchanting place is ‘Castel San Pietro’ where the most breath taking view of Verona from above can be experienced.
• Do you have any advice for folks who’d like to get married in lake Garda?
  Plan ahead. Garda and the various locations suitable for such an event are becoming more and more popular so we need to book in advance. With enough time we really have no limits as to what can be achieved.

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I recently met Valentina Lombardi of SposiamoVi Group and had a wonderful chat about the wedding events industry in the Italian Lakes area, and learned a bit about Wedding Planning.

Having a Wedding Planner can do wonders for your wedding! For the busy couple that doesn’t have the time, or needs to travel a lot, a wedding coordinator can provide a sense of security and ease.

Wedding planners are professionals at making your special day memorable and stress free. They know the ins and the outs of planning a wedding!

Check out Valentina’s interview: Valentina is truly wonderful, and she gives us a lot of insight into her wonderful job!

• Valentina, what made you decide to become a wedding planner and how did you become one?
  I decided to be a wedding planner a lot of time ago.
  I’ve worked as event planner in a US software company for years.
  My creativity wasn’t satisfied so I decided to make my dreams come true, I met my Genova colleagues Cinzia and Alice and everything started…

 

 

• What do you like about your job?
  I love helping couples to build their own event following their style and passions.
  Working together with them to build the perfect day!
• How would you describe your working style?
  I try to interpreter couple tastes in order to suggest them the best solutions for them.
  I really do not want to force them into a decision…I’d rather prefer to be a consultant for them.
• What’s your idea of an excellent/lovely marriage proposal?
  Getting married on Lake Orta…. the perfect venue for a perfect day. Cozy, romantic and charming as Italy can be!
• Favorite thing to do outside event planning?
  I really do love Disney and 50s musical movies, swing music, shopping, discovery channel, traveling or relaxing with my family and I used to sing in a band….

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During the preview of the 2008/2009 Domo Adami collection we met the italian designer and stylist Mauro Adami in his studio in Milan to talk about the new trends in the world of wedding gown fashion.

• What do you think about the new trendy Winter Wedding?
  I think that is a pleasant solution for bridegrooms that want an emotional wedding.
  Winter light is smooth deeply emotional full of intimate suggestions.
  Every decoration can be studied in every single detail and there are much more availability of venues and creative assistance.
• Can you explain us your Fall/Winter collection? It is sophisticated and very feminine…
  I wished realizing a gown collection that would be smooth and light with embroideries that gently lay on wiggly fabrics. The true innovative issue is on accessories, the real central characters of the collection. There are many new proposals: organza matching boleros with ruches and voile or georgettes to dress up gowns adding a touch or charm and romanticism. There are also plumes and furs on the stoles and veils enriched by laces with modern and inedited tailor cuts. Moreover you will see details for practical but elegant hair solutions to complete bride’s style of next collection preview 2008-2009.
• We noticed that your winter collection is very versatile; even if the gowns have a clear winter connotation they could be worn in every other season…
  I’d say that this is a special dedication to the eternal seasons of love…Cold is a personal circumstance; emotion of style is my mission.
• What will be next Spring Summer collection style?
  For Spring 2008 I propose my new satin wiggly lines with transparencies and charming details such as necklines and bijoux. The romantic part is filled of fabric particulars such as laces, tulles, taffetas for elegant gowns, the “new traditional” for the bride who likes cathedral style.

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The lake of Mergozzo was once upon a time a gulf of Lake Maggiore, but because of the drifts of the Fiume Toce is since 1800 a little separate lake, just a few kilometres from Lake Maggiore and lake Orta and direct on the Sempione national road.

This little charming lake is one of the cleanest Italian lakes, a true paradise for couples in search of a romantic and peaceful nest where starting a new life together, the perfect destination for exclusive weddings.

Lake Mergozzo is also recommended for young sportive couples as here it’s possible to practice water sports in safety as the lake is forbidden to engine boats.

The lake, dominated by the Mount Montorfano and surrounded by ancient woods, is a fantastic starting point for many lovely walks from which the visitor can enjoy a fantastic view on to the lake Maggiore, the Pianura Padana and the Alps chain. Beside its amazing location, Lake Mergozzo hasn’t been invaded by mass tourism yet. Continue Reading »

If Italy sets your heart pounding, why don’t you celebrate a truly glamorous wedding in the most romantic country of all. Italy is frequently sited as Europe’s top destination and for very good reasons: great wine and food, gorgeous venues, fabulous climate and beautiful cities.

The Italian Lake Region is the ultimate place to vow life-long commitment to each other…so, what are the suggested steps to plan a fantastic event over there?

• Get organised
  Buy a proper wedding planner that includes checklists and folders so you can store venue’s details, suppliers’ contacts, contracts, budget information, ideas you get from wedding magazines. Make a list of what needs to be done by way of preparations for the big day. Set yourself a realistic target and aim to complete a few tasks each week.
• Stay focused
  Close your eyes and imagine your wedding…write down how you see it, the colours you like, the setting you dream of, the atmosphere you aim to create, the music you would like to hear. Look at guidebooks to choose the perfect lakeside location, search the Internet for the most magic villa, flick through magazines and books for design suggestions.
• Start emailing
  Once you have a clear idea of what you are after, start communicating with the selected venues via email, ask for prices and comprehensive information. Shortlist a few and take the time to visit them. Once you have found the one you really like, ask them to recommend their preferred suppliers and get in touch with each one of them. Don’t forget to check their websites first to ensure that you like their style.
• Delegate tasks
  Remember, you are not a super hero and you might need some help. Get your friends and relatives involved as much as possible, as delegating tasks is the key to saving time. Most of the people around you are dying to help out anyway…
• Consider hiring a planner
  To help manage your time efficiently and make life easier for yourself generally, consider hiring a wedding planner that speaks the language and knows the local culture. They will be able to locate suppliers and negotiate contracts while keeping you update on progress. Many wedding planners also offer partial wedding organisation, they will only arrange certain aspects of your day, leaving you to handle the most interesting bits.
• Talk to brides
  Talking to other couples, who got married in the same area can help ease your workload. You may want to post a note on a few wedding forums to ask for tips and suggestions.

Good luck!