Lucinda and Matthew had started looking at Italian wedding venues about a year ago and had almost confirmed a villa in Lake Maggiore but ended up falling in love and getting married at the Lonato Castle in Lake Garda once they viewed its photos.  The castle is a stunning fortress and one of the few Italian Lakes wedding locations where civil ceremonies can be performed outdoors.  Wedding receptions are also hosted at the castle  in a magical setting – encircled by medieval walls and ramparts lit by torches.

The bride and groom and guests flew in from Australia and enjoyed some leisure days on beautiful Lake Garda before the wedding began.   May 2, 2013 was the wedding date. Preparations began at the luxury Villa Cortine Palace Hotel. It offers truly magnificent gardens and views of the lake and sumptuous rooms and interiors.  Lucinda’s family and friends were an amazing group and a real joy to have around – as these photos will show.  Everyone had the time of their lives!

Lucinda’s gown was a designer masterpiece……a siren shaped sheath that perfectly complimented her princess updo and natural beauty.  And then the FLOWERS.…..Lucinda’s choice of colours and style of flowers is in our mind one of the most perfect we have seen and particularly suited for the castle backdrop – the whole colour theme was regal.  The bridesmaids dresses are equally stunning.

The ceremony was held outside with a harpist playing and the chairs were set in a unique spiral shape with breathtaking flower arrangements to compliment the setting.

After photos the aperitif hour began

 The Menu

Welcome Drink with standing buffet
Buvette: Spumante Rosé, fruit juice and mineral water

Finger food:
Grana Padano cheese with grapes and nuts

Gorgonzola cream with celery
Platters of local salami and other cold cuts
Rustic homemade focaccia and grissini
Mignon crunchy crudités;
Crispy fried vegetables
Savory muffin with onion and ham; Small caprese with burrata cheese and basil pesto
Frittata with goat cheese, basil and caramelized tomato
***
Lasagna with eggplant on tomato coulis
Lamb chops in a sesame crust with rosemary potatoes

Wedding Cake

“…and the catering team were superb – the food and drinks were exquisite and all of our guests commented on how delicious everything was! “

THE CAKE…….!!
Beautiful as any cake can be.  Lucinda chose a dramatic design of cascading lilac roses. The cake had one tier with Strawberry Jam and the other one  with Chocolate.

After dinner there was music and dancing…….EVERYONE danced the night away!

Hi Rosanna and Gloria, 

Thank you so much for your wishes of congratulations – we truly did have the most amazing, memorable and magical day! It was beyond wonderful! 

Everything was exactly how we had hoped, and what we had expected. The location was amazing – so magical…

We can’t recommend the Duo enough – they were out of this world! Her singing is amazing, and he is truly awesome on guitar! Again, everyone commented on how excellent they were! I’m not sure if they recorded them playing our first dance song, but if they did, I would love to see it, as we only got half of it videoed and I’d like to be able to listen to it again as it was so beautiful!

Literally, every single thing was amazing! We can’t thank you enough for everything you did. Even recommending Sirmione as where we should stay was excellent – that town just added to the magical charm of our trip! 

We would love to be references – I will happily recommend your services to everyone!  

Thank you again, from the bottom of our hearts. 

Lucinda and Mathew 

 These amazing photos were taken by Australian photographer BRETT EARL

Lorraine and Jason chose to elope in Venice and celebrate their love in an intimate wedding ceremony at the Palazzo Cavalli on the Grand Canal. The hotel of choice during their stay was the exotic, Palazzo Stern one of our favorite Venice hotels.  A former private Palace; it exudes the atmosphere of centuries past.  Lorraine and Jason’s wedding in Venice was pure elegance and class……from her gorgeous gown to the elaborate updo that we arranged for her to have directly at her hotel.

It was a spectacular February day….Venice is beautiful year-round!

The Palazzo Cavalli is best reached via private motorboat – an exciting ride along the Grand Canal taking in all of the magnificence of the Palaces lined along the way.

The Palazzo Cavalli is one of the most requested civil wedding venues in Italy.  Ceremonies are performed with great elegance and can be held any day of the week including Sundays.  Music is possible as is personalization with own vows and readings.

Currently fees for that Palazzo Cavalli for 2013 start at:  Euro 600 (weekdays/working hours) for EU citizens including British and Euro 1.600 for non EU Citizens from during weekdays and working hours.

The gorgeous photography of Mauro Pozzer shows all of the charm and secret corners of Venice.  It was a gorgeous February day.

WHAT AN AMAZING PHOTO THIS IS!

Dear Rosanna and Gloria,

Jason and I had a truly amazing time in Venice and would like to thank you for all the work that went into making our day special!  We feel that everything went as expected location and ceremony-wise.  The schedule that Gloria provided was very helpful in preparing us.  Tamara was wonderful to work with, as were Carlotta and her niece. 

We are also extremely pleased with the photography.  The images that have been posted are artistic but capture our personalities and the overall experience well.

It has been a pleasure working with you!

Best regards,

Lorraine and Jason

The stunning photography is by Mauro Pozzer.

Best of all: civil wedding ceremonies are possible at this exclusive villa!

The enchanting loggia is one of the most romantic settings imaginable for a ceremony or reception.

A civil, religious blessing or symbolic wedding ceremony at Villa Balbianello can take place under the beautiful arches of its ivy covered loggia which allows guests to enjoy the incredible panorama of lake and gardens. The loggia holds approximately 50+ guests and wedding receptions can be held for over 150 guests with marquees in the grounds.

Symbolic wedding ceremony at Villa Balbianello, Lake Como

In case of rain, the ceremony can move indoors inside the beautiful library, which is furnished with antiques.  It holds about 30/40 guests.

The romantic church on the grounds is not available for ceremonies but there are churches nearby where a Catholic rite can be performed.

Those of you dreaming of a one of a kind exclusive Lake Como wedding location will find it at Villa Balbianello.  Further details can be found on the Villa’s page on our web site.

Simone has become one of our favourite brides; one of the most delightful ladies we have had the pleasure of working with.

Cortina offers a wide variety of mountain refuges where it is possible to be married.  The one we proposed to Simone and Kenneth can only be reached via chairlift and is 2470 meters altitude.  The views are incomparable!

A chilly but absolutely stunning, sunny day greeted Simone and Kenneth.

Everything about a snow wedding is unique…from getting to the ceremony (by cable car!) to the incredible setting of snow-capped mountains.

The civil ceremony was performed on the first level of the refuge; and then for the first reception (there were two) there was one more cable car to get to the very top.  During the ceremony and celebration, skiers and well wishers stopped in their tracks at the unusual sight of a beautiful bride and handsome groom!  Everyone wanted to say “AUGURI!”!

After the ceremony Prosecco was served to all the guests who relaxed enjoying the panoramas and then went indoors where a magnificent buffet of local specialty foods was awaiting.

The host of the refuge served everyone a “bombardino“.  Bombardino is “a drink popular in Italy during the Winter, especially in the ski resorts. It is made by mixing 1/2 Advocaat or eggnog and 1/2 Brandy, mixed with spirit of the alps. It is served hot and with whipped cream on top. It has several variations: with coffee (calimero), with rum (pirata) or whisky (scozzese). The calimero variation is one part Brandy, one part Vov (an egg-based liqueur), and one part espresso. The Bombardino’s name is supposedly derived from one of its first imbibers noting its hot temperature and high alcohol and remarking (in Italian) “It’s like a bomb!”. “”

After all of the excitement of the morning, guests returned to the hotel to prepare for the formal black tie evening reception at the Elegant Chalet Hotel in the center of Cortina.  The hotel has one of the finest restaurants in town.  The chef has won many international culinary prizes and all menus are bespoke.  Simone’s one special request was for a chocolate wedding cake which the chef was happy to oblige!

The beautiful imperial table sparkled!  Everything was impeccably laid out for the guests to enjoy a completely private wedding dinner.

MENU

Risotto with Spinach, Lobster, “Prosecco” Wine from Valdobbiaddene and Saffron

Home-made “Maccheroncini” Pasta with Prawns, Green Asparagus and Rocket Sauce flavoured with Basil

***

Sea Umbrine baked in Salt Crust served with Herbs Sauce

Sauté of Vegetables confit in Olive Oil from Sassicaia

Peach and Lime Sorbet on Pineapple Slices with Wildberries Syrup and aromatic Vinegar from Modena

Beef Fillet in Bread Crust  with Herbs and Olives

Potatoe Slices with matured Cheese flavoured with fresh Thyme

***

Pudding of Vanilla Boubon flavoured with Mint and with Strawberries Sauce

***

Chocolate wedding cake!!:)

Raffaela,

We are now back in Denmark and I am just catching up on my e mails

Firstly

I would like to say an enormous thank you to you for all of the outstanding and thoroughly professional way you organised and conducted the work you have done in making our day into something that we could not have even imagined it would be. I mentioned to you the day of the wedding your website tag line ” exceeding expectations” well that was certainly fulfilled. I am lost for words at how wonderful it was.

Secondly

I would like to say a huge and personal thank you to you for being so lovely. It was a pleasure working with you. Everyone was asking was I stressed and all I could say is how can I be stressed when we have Raffaela. You were just so thoughtful and kind and made everything seems so easy! And I am sure it wasn’t.

Thirdly

Hi Rosanna, hang on to this lady she is an absolute ambassador for DIW and has certainly gained huge fans as a wedding planner with the friends I had there I have never seen them so impressed (and they have high expectations).

And I would also like to say a big thank you to you for all of the help and advice during our preparation time for the wedding. It was a pleasure dealing with your company and I will be singing your praises for many years to come.

Kindest Regards and again I cannot thank you enough for giving us the most beautiful day (you even managed to organize the weather to perfection)

Simone and Kenneth. XX

We hope you have enjoyed the FANTASTIC photos shot by ALESSANDRO GHEDINA!!

]]> http://www.distinctiveitalyweddings.com/blog/2013/03/snow-wedding-in-cortina-dampezzo-simone-and-kenneth/feed/ 0 http://www.distinctiveitalyweddings.com/blog/2013/03/fabulous-verona-villa/ http://www.distinctiveitalyweddings.com/blog/2013/03/fabulous-verona-villa/#comments Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:02:46 +0000 DIW Team http://www.distinctiveitalyweddings.com/blog/?p=34 Fabulous Villa with Magnificent Estate near Verona.

This incredible Verona wedding villa, surrounded by the undulating hills of the Valpolicella wine country, is one of the finest venues we offer.  It has become available for weddings and events only recently and the highlight of the location are undoubtedly its incredible park and the magnificent Italian gardens.

First – a word about the setting.  The Valpolicella’s countryside with its rolling hills and vineyards is simply stunning and as beautiful if not more so than the wine country of  Tuscany or Piedmont.  Best of all, you are under 30 minutes from the gorgeous city of Verona one of Italy’s most elegant cities and a gastronomic paradise. This is where great wines such as Amarone and Soave are made. The deep blue waters of Lake Garda are also less than 30 minutes away and the Dolomite Alps are a short drive as well.  We can’t think of a more perfect location for a beautiful wedding in Italy!

The gardens are huge , occupying an area of approximately 54000 square meters, and include many unique features such as a temple, fountains, ponds, a green amphitheatre, stone walls, sculptures, tree tunnels and a lookout. Many of these features were constructed using a technique of bending the trees and the hedges. The resulting landscape is quite astonishing.

An outside wedding reception is certainly possible or you can choose to have your cocktails and finger food outdoors and dine inside.

The interiors have been recently completely restored and refurbished.  Each room displays a different stunning Murano glass chandeliers.  There is a balcony on the second floor that overlooks the entire gardens while different halls can accommodate large and small numbers – totaling a maximum, of 250 guests if dinner is to be served indoors. Huge windows allow guests to admire the views throughout the event as they explore the various salons.  But we are pretty certain that they will want to spend much time wandering through the various sections of the gardens including the amazing green amphitheater.  At night the villa takes on a magical atmosphere with lanterns, torches and candles lighting both the interior and the gardens.  Absolutely dreamy…

The villa offers all the necessary services and facilities including parking, private kitchen and catering facilities. There is an adjacent outdoor area for open air functions and you can dance the night away until 2:00am indoors or midnight outdoors.

We will let the photos show you the beauty of this amazing venue.

Fountains and beautifully lit gardens!

For details and pricing on this amazing venue contact the DIW TEAM!

Cortona is one of Tuscany’s most beautiful towns…….and even a rainy day cannot hide its unique charm and hidden corners.  In Italy we say “Marzo pazzerello, guarda il sole e prendi l’ombrello” which translates as “March is crazy – you look at the sun but then grab your umbrella”.  And so it was on Michelle and Chris’ wedding day…..first the sunshine and then the rain.  But Cortona is beautiful in any season as these photos show.  Originally founded by the Etruscans, the city pre-dates Rome and is filled with antiquities, narrow streets and ancient buildings.  It is in the south of Tuscany bordering Umbria.  Cortona is the setting of the popular book by Frances Mayes: ” Under the Tuscan Sun”.

The civil wedding in Cortona is held in the Palazzo Pretorio, a very impressive medieval building with fine interiors and the ceremony is conducted with elegance – with the city gifting the couple with roses, Prosecco and other lovely gifts.  The 2013 fee for civil weddings is Euro 500.

The Cortona civil ceremony was held in the absolutely stunning interiors of the medieval palazzo with ancient frescoes, chandeliers and antiques.  A violinist played during the ceremony and a toast to celebrate the newlyweds was offered – compliments of the town of Cortona!

A typical Tuscan wedding  reception was held in one of the top restaurants in the heart of Cortona.

Michelle and Chris’s photos are by ALESSANDRO GHEDINA

Rosanna!

Thank you for the warm wishes! We could not have been happier with the entire event. From our arriving in Florence and meeting with Grazia, to our arrival in Cortona and meeting Antonella! She was an absolute dream!

You have a wonderful team you work with and it made things very seamless for our trip!

Cortona was simply the perfect location for us – from the charm of the city to the wonderful people we met along the way, we could not have been more pleased.

Ha the one “issue” if you will was the weather! But it certainly made the trip more memorable and we found it really perfect for us. Our photographer was very nice, and look forward to seeing the photos.

I will be most happy to be a reference for any potential couples looking to marry in Italy.

Thank you and Gloria for your hard work ensuring we had everything in order for our big day.  Again to compliment Antonella (and her daughter) whom we met as making the day even more personal. We truly felt a sense of connection with the city and everyone involved.

Kindest Regards,

Michelle and Christopher

The wedding guests and family stayed at one of our favorite venues, the romantic Ancient Monastery where the reception was also held.    The civil ceremony was held outdoors in the Giardini della Principessa..…beautiful gardens with sea views where legally binding ceremonies are now celebrated.  The  setting is one of the most dramatic for an Amalfi Coast civil ceremony.

The theme of the wedding was purple…….and Sophie’s bouquet was a gorgeous arrangement of purple lysianthis.

After the ceremony a mandolin and guitar serenaded couple and guests throughout the town while photos were taken at Villa Cimbrone and other famous locations.

At the reception Sophie and Daniel and all the guests experienced the best of the Amalfi Coast cuisine!

Cocktails with Prosecco wine and fruit coulis,
Local red and white wine, fruit juice and soft drinks
Bruschetta, assortment of baked hot puff pastry with meat and vegetables, ham and cheese canapés

SEATED MENU

8 persons
Octopus & Rocket Salad
Ricotta & Pear pancakes
Pumpkin ravioli & scialatielli pasta e/ basil e tomato pesto
Lemon Sorbet
Veal roulades stuffed with cepe mushrooms and artichokes with truffle oil
Celebration Cake
Espresso Coffee

The wedding cake was a traditional Italian Chantilly lemon cream decorated with the purple lysianthis.

Dear Rosanna,

We would love to thank yourself and the team at DIW for the amazing effort and assistance you all provided in helping us celebrate our wedding in Ravello, Italy.

From the very beginning, we found you all very professional and we were so thankful for making what seemed like a daunting task (i.e. planning a wedding in an area we were unfamiliar with) very easy to cope with.

We had some problems throughout the preparation through no fault of DIW, and at one stage it appeared we would not be able to get legally married. However we could not be more grateful for the assistance provided by Laura who almost singlehandedly ensured that our wedding went ahead as planned.

From picking out a suitable venue (which was perfect!!), to selecting menus, assistance in Rome and travel tips, we couldn’t be more impressed with our experience with DIW.

Once again, thank you and all the best to the team.

We hope you have enjoyed the beautiful photography of ArtOf2 Wedding Photography - www.artof2photography.com

Caroline and Tim first celebrated their civil union in the lovely town hall of Soave and then were married in a solemn religious ceremony in the ancient Pieve of San Giorgio in Valpolicella.  Throughout the planning all of Caroline and Tim’s choices reflected the very essence of Veneto.  This is one of the most beautiful regions of Italy, in the North, renown for its refined cuisine and gorgeous wine country.

DAY 1- the Civil Wedding in Soave, Veneto

The bride’s friends gathered round while preparations began for the civil ceremony at the Soave town hall.  Soave is considered one of the most striking of all of the ancient towns of the Veneto region.  This is also where the lovely white wine Soave is produced.

Caroline and Tim, together with friends walked to the town hall and the ceremony was performed by the Mayor.  Caroline wore a stunning sea foam colored dress with peacock feathered fan……very dramatic and elegant!

After the ceremony a traditional rustic buffet of fine foods was served at a local restaurant; it was a relaxed, laid back affair.

DAY 2 – Anglican Wedding in San Giorgio, Valpolicella

The church of San Giorgio is one of the most historic churches in the Veneto.  A solemn Pieve Romanica……which dates back to the 8th Century.  The acoustics are marvelous and it has a baroque organ.  There is also a very beautiful ancient cloister.

The bride and groom walked together to the church while guests waited inside.

The formal reception was held at a private villa which overlooked the stunning Valpolicella countryside.  The weather could not have been finer and as soon as guests arrived they were greeted by the amazing cuisine and wines – the best the region can offer.  Caroline wrote:  “ I think we have Sonia to thank for finding the Villa which was a total success. A lovely setting which met all our needs for elegance, drinks, dinner and dancing spaces. The umbrellas and casual chairs were an excellent suggestion by Sonia – and created such a nice atmosphere. The garden with the dinner tables looked beautiful.”

“The Band – Fab! End of story. They played great repertoire well and with evident and contagious enjoyment. Loved them.”

“The Caterers….The food was delicious. Everyone commented on it  and there were some very keen foodies there.  The service itself was superlative….They served the wines beautifully.. The waiters looked so professional as well as being so….. We would be very happy to recommend them.”

“Rosanna – you did a wonderful job. Thank you. Great location. Your responsiveness and organization have been superb. Your scheduling was great and needed. We appreciated it. Very importantly / we never felt we were one of many weddings but felt that you were utterly focused on our wedding and how we wanted it.

You did a lot of work – and quite marvelously. Thank you. “

 The photography was by the superb studio of Tassotto & Max!

Matt and Carrie chose to get married in Lake Orta after visiting the area with our team; they  quickly fell under its unique spell. The ceremony was held outdoors at Villa Bossi on a gorgeous October day!

Carrie wore one of our favourite dresses of the season…..a beautiful gown with a retro look that had a 1950′s touch to it.  Pure romance!

Carrie and her father arrived at Villa Bossi in the traditional row boat…….while Matt and guests waited in the gardens of Villa Bossi.  The Villa is in the heart of the town of Orta, on the lakeshore and is easy to reach on foot from the main hotels.

Villa Bossi is one of the top outdoor civil ceremony locations in Italy…….a lovely villa with gardens with roses and wisteria.  Very romantic.

The town of Orta presented Matt and Carrie with a beautiful book representative of Orta’s beauty for a keepsake.

After the ceremony and pictures the wedding party was whisked away on a cruise around the lake with cocktails served on board.  Time to relax and take in the beauty of Lake Orta and the Island of San Giulio.

The Island of Saint Julius is one of the treasures of Lake Orta.  It is very tiny, just 275meters  long and 140 meters wide.  The island is home to a Benedictine monastery; its nuns are famous for baking a particular cookie that can be purchased in the shops around Orta San Giulio, the main town of Orta.  The pastel colored picturesque buildings of the island are one of the most memorable sights of the area.

While Matt and Carrie took some photos around the town, guests upon disembarking were offered some refreshments and finger food at the 17th Century Convent.

Guests and family relaxed and had fun basking in the warm October sunshine.

After their wedding, Matt and Carrie wrote:  “We had a great wedding, the ceremony was great and the photographers very good! The boat rides were perfect on time and a lot of fun. The aperitifs at San Rocco were lovely and the aperitifs at the restaurant were lovely and the overall meal was fantastic with so much food I couldn’t eat the main course! The owner of the restaurant was so nice and helpful.

We love Lake Orta and the area; the weather was beautiful as well…… everything you did was fantastic and we loved it all!!”

We hope you enjoyed the outstanding photography of Enrico Mocci.

This 4 star castle hotel offers 7 unique historical suites, many different halls for ceremonies or receptions for any size wedding party and gorgeous gardens for an outdoor symbolic ceremony or blessing.  Located in the Verona area, it is within easy access of an international airport.

Closing your eyes to reality and opening them in a period of noble glories is a unique and exciting experience that the guests will not soon forget!
The ancient decorations are mixed with modern comforts, so that guests can enjoy a unique atmosphere.

CEREMONY IN THE GARDENS
Exchange your promise of love in the hanging gardens, shaded by an elegant gazebo arranged for you, surrounded by lush plants and colorful flowers for a special day. There are many different settings possible; all they all have something in common:  great elegance and taste.

A variety of outdoor ceremony options are available for a magnificent castle wedding in Italy…….

RECEPTIONS
Your wedding banquet will begin with a rich buffet of hors d’oeuvres and Prosecco wine – all beautifully presented; creations to be admired before being tasted.  A multi course meal will follow, either outdoors in the gardens or in one of the many different interior halls.

Delicious desserts will follow, with creams, chocolate, fruit …A pleasure for the eyes and a pleasure for the palate. The small details do make the difference!

Possibility of wine tasting evenings in the beautiful vaulted cellars.

ROOMS
You can choose among 7 Junior Suites completely different from one another, whose names recall those of the castle’s ancestors and their passions. 7 magical scenes created to relive the excitement of past ages and the unforgettable experience of a classy stay.  Canopy beds and magnificent frescoes decorate the rooms, where the Renaissance style is combined with contemporary design details. The tale gives way to comfort in the bathroom, where guests are greeted and pampered by wide-angle double whirlpool tubs.