How to Plan a Destination Wedding That Doesn’t Fall Apart

It was the kind of evening that didn’t feel real.

The golden light bounced off Lake Como’s surface like it was choreographed. The boat rocked gently, slicing across the water as the couple held each other, completely unaware of the camera.

We had just wrapped portraits at Villa Cipressi and Villa Monastero. Two stunning villas tucked away in Varenna, each holding its own version of Italian magic: arched walkways, lush gardens, and lakefront views that look like a still from a Bond film. This wasn’t a wedding. It was a fairytale.

The Truth About Destination Weddings: It Doesn’t Have to Be Chaos

If you’re planning a wedding across the world, you’ve likely felt it…that anxiety.

The what-ifs. The language barriers. The travel logistics. The fear that the day might not feel like ‘you’ because everything’s so unfamiliar.

Here’s what I’ve learned: destination weddings only fall apart when the planning team isn’t experienced and when the couple doesn’t feel supported.

The key to a successful Lake Como wedding (or anywhere abroad) is trust. Trusting your planner. Trusting your vendors. And trusting the magic of the place.

Tips From Behind the Lens: What I’d Tell Any Bride Dreaming of Italy

1. Hire a planner who specializes in Italian weddings. Someone who knows the language, the permits, and the pace of life there. A good planner is worth their weight in gelato.

2. Plan a ‘buffer’ day. Give yourself a day before and after the wedding with nothing scheduled. This helps with travel fatigue, last-minute adjustments, or just soaking it all in.

3. Think of your photography as an experience, not a checklist. Let yourself be immersed. The moments between the shots are the ones you’ll cherish most.

Photography in Italy is a Feeling—Not Just a Location

You can’t fake the light in Lake Como. You can’t stage the breeze that moves through Villa Monastero’s gardens.

But what makes the photos sing isn’t the scenery—it’s your connection.

The way you look at each other on a boat in the middle of a dream. The silence before a kiss. The way the wind lifts your veil like it’s part of the moment, not a prop.

That’s what I’m looking for. That’s what I capture. Because that’s what lasts.

Let’s Make the Dream Real

If Lake Como has been living rent-free in your mind, let’s talk. I’ll bring the eye for magic. You just bring the love.

→ Reach out and let’s start planning your Italy wedding dream.