This glamorous, lakeside Italian destination wedding will melt your heart

Glamorous Lakeside Italian Destination Wedding | Jeff Brummett Visuals 20

Glamorous Lakeside Italian Destination Wedding | Jeff Brummett Visuals 32

Just because you’re an ocean away, doesn’t mean you can’t pull off an ultra glamorous and personable wedding. Lauren and Stefano chose an incredible, picturesque, Italian villa overlooking Lake Como for their party, and it delivered on all of our destination wedding dreams.

The jet setting couple got engaged in Venice (swoon!) so it was only fitting they find the perfect Northern Italian destination to share their happy memories with family and friends. Jeff Brummett Visuals‘ photos are just as dramatic as the scenery and evening that unfolded.

Without ever visiting the venue, Lauren made very simple, specific decisions that were easy to deliver for a faraway florist. Choosing just one color for the florals, white, meant all the decor perfectly matched, and looked classic and glamorous against their black-tie, bridal looks.

Glamorous Lakeside Italian Destination Wedding | Jeff Brummett Visuals 6

The Proposal

I was visiting Stefano in Modena, Italy where he was working at the time. He surprised me with a trip to Venice, which was one of the most magical places I’ve ever been. The day of the proposal we were exploring the city and a mysterious older lady approached us. I couldn’t understand her but she was very enthusiastic, she kissed both of our cheeks, asked Stefano to take a picture of her and I together, then left.

I asked Stefano what she was so excited about (because he’s fluent in Italian) and she said we were soulmates and was excited for our future together. She might have been drunk from the afternoon spritzes but I’ll take it. That night Stefano took me to see a symphony in a Venetian church, it was breathtaking. Afterwards, we posted up at a cafe in Piazza San Marco with two bottles of prosecco, listened to the band and soaked up every last minute of Venice – it was magic.

Around 1 am the band was shutting down and it was starting to drizzle. Stefano pulled me out in the middle of the Piazza, it was calm and rainy, he dropped to one knee and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. I don’t remember exactly what he said (oh hey there two bottles of Prosecco!) but I will never forget the burst of love, happiness and pure joy I felt in that moment. I called my parents and asked “are your passports up to date? Because we have an Italian wedding to plan”.

The Attire Details

As my something old, I wore my great great grandmother’s ring. Its 134 years old and my father had been waiting to give it to me on my wedding day.

My something borrowed was the veil. It was my friend, Allyson’s. I was the 7th bride to wear it.

When it came to choosing Stefano’s ring, he asked me to replicate his father’s ring. A little background on his father’s ring- his mom, Jane, was the one who designed his father’s ring. I was able to take his ring to a jeweler where they made an exact replication of Francesco’s ring in white gold. Francesco has a gold ring and Stefano has a white gold version. Its awesome!

I couldn’t think of anything for my something blue so my friend Emily slipped a piece of blue confetti from the welcome boxes in my shoe.

For my dress, I just wanted something lightweight, fun and romantic. Stefano wore a tux with silk grosgrain ribbon detail, I loved it. He looked like he was straight off a Ralph Lauren runway.

Glamorous Lakeside Italian Destination Wedding | Jeff Brummett Visuals 2

Glamorous Lakeside Italian Destination Wedding | Jeff Brummett Visuals 8

Glamorous Lakeside Italian Destination Wedding | Jeff Brummett Visuals 13

The Venue

We wanted a party! We’re both from Texas but Stefano’s father is Italian, his mom is British. Texans, Italians and Brits just want to have a good time. We knew we wanted the wedding in Italy, we just didn’t know where.

Stefano worked in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy so for obvious reasons he wanted to have it in northern Italy and I just wanted it to be around water – so we chose Laglio on Lake Como. We rented out this amazing villa for 3 days, it was like we were on vacation with 30 of our closest family and friends. Big party, beautiful setting was what we were going for.

I wasn’t able to go over to Lake Como before the wedding, I did everything sight unseen. To simplify the flowers I asked for one color – white.

Glamorous Lakeside Italian Destination Wedding | Jeff Brummett Visuals 11

Glamorous Lakeside Italian Destination Wedding | Jeff Brummett Visuals 7

The Dinner

Stefano is a chef so clearly food & wine was a huge priority as well as music. To have a good time, all you need is great company, food & wine and music! We decided to skip having a wedding party – best. decision. ever.

The Desserts

The wedding cake is a traditional Italian wedding cake, millefoglie.

Also, Stefano’s family is from Perfugas, a small village in Sardinia. In Perfugas there’s a bakery that makes the most beautiful amaretti. If you have a sweet tooth like me, you dream about this amaretti everyday until you have another one. I hadn’t had this amaretti since 2011 and Stefano’s amazing aunt Anna brought two cases to the wedding. The cake was great, but this amaretti was everything.

Glamorous Lakeside Italian Destination Wedding | Jeff Brummett Visuals 60

Glamorous Lakeside Italian Destination Wedding | Jeff Brummett Visuals 16

Photo by Jeff Brummett Visuals via Bridal Musings

Special Moments

The reception was loud. We served drinks before the ceremony started so everyone was warmed up by the reception. We had the Brits doing their football yells, people yelling in Italian and of course the Texans contributed their fair share. We couldn’t stop laughing, it was all a dream.

Our friend Giacomo brought us a 3 liter bottle of wine from his winery, Malvira. Stefano and I opened it at the table and poured wine for everyone. The wine is unbelievable and it was very generous for him to gift us that.

Glamorous Lakeside Italian Destination Wedding | Jeff Brummett Visuals 18

Advice for Other Couples

Just have fun and remember what its all about. Don’t pick a fight with your partner over something that you won’t remember. The day goes by fast, just sit back, smile and get ready to have a good time. Also, if you drink, I recommend a glass of something while you’re getting ready, that’s when my nerves set in.

Glamorous Lakeside Italian Destination Wedding | Jeff Brummett Visuals 12

The Honeymoon

We popped around Italy for our honeymoon. After Lake Como we went with my parents and a group of friends to Venice, we wanted to show them where we got engaged. Then we went to Modena to visit Stefano’s work families at Hosteria Giusti and Osteria Francescana. Then we went to Positano for a few days before returning back to Texas. After all the popping around – Stefano and I would both recommend that you pick one place for your honeymoon and stay put.