Kate and Keegan’s 3-day Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como Italy welcomed 110 guests into one of the most exquisite wedding settings in the world. It was the perfect fit to fulfill their dream. Their wedding planner Elena Pensini with Elena Pensini Events perfectly planned everything and executed it flawlessly.

If you’ve never been to Lake Como, it’s a legendary world of its own. The lake was carved out by a glacier during the Ice Age and is the deepest lake (1300 feet) in Italy. The natural beauty and captivating villas are enframed by the mountains of the Alps. It’s surrounded by a 10-hectare park with centennial trees, baroque statues, and flowers. Lovely terraces, large windows, and stone balconies allow you to look out over far-reaching lake vistas. Villa d’Este’s greatest jewel is the beautiful botanical Mosaic Garden where intimate ceremonies are performed. It has a collonade that is decorated with endless pebbles in various colors forming ornamental designs, embellishments, and elaborate themes along the arches telling stories from Greek mythology.

And… there’s nothing like a little adventure to get everyone excited. After their ceremony rehearsal in the Mosiac Garden, everyone gathered at the dock to take boat taxis with Lake Como Tours to the rehearsal dinner. Strong gusts of wind picked up lifting choppy water across the lake for a thrilling boat ride (while passing George Clooney’s home) to Crotto di Platani. Everyone arrived safe! This rehearsal dinner venue was absolutely mind-blowing. Emotional toasts, flowers, candles, wine, champagne, and gourmet plates of food were served during dinner nestled right near the edge of the lake.

The next day, guests were invited to explore a variety of activities. From charter private boat rides around the lake, day excursions to the town of Bellagio, trail running above the town of Cernobbio overlooking the lake, or simply enjoying the Pool at Cernobbio, lunch or dinner a Figli Dei Fiori Restaurant. Everyone enjoyed cocktail hour at Lido di Cernobbio together.

On the day of this Villa d Este wedding, all the vendors worked as a great team (listed below). Our great Roman/Portland photographer friend Alice Falzone w/ Mosca Studios joined our dream team. From the gorgeous ceremony in the Mosiac Garden, cocktails on the Terrace by the Lake, toasts, dinner, and dancing in the Colonne Room to spectacular fireworks and cake on Terrace by the lake.

Our approach to photography is cinematically telling the entire story from wide, far, close, high, and low. Our aim is to find the best compositional angles and capture people in the most beautiful light and emotion and/or motion possible. Documenting these fleeting moments in full is no small task and we went the extra mile taking 19,304 images over 3 days.  At the heart of everything, we are on the constant lookout for expressions that reflect the feeling of everything. Sometimes these expressions are large yet oftentimes subtle and happen within a fraction of a second. To us, these fleeting moments of feeling tell the greatest story.

Bride and groom toasting to a huge wedding cake with fireworks in Lake Como, Italy. Worlds Best Wedding Photo Award 2022

ISPWP award winning photo of a bride and groom in a red speed boat on Lake Como, Italy during their Villa D este wedding

Bride and groom laughing infront of an oil painting during their Villa d Este Wedding in Lake Como, Italy

Bride and groom walking through the Mosaic Garden moments before their Villa d Este wedding ceremony in Lake Como, Italy.

Lake Como Tours speed boat arriving to pickup wedding guests to take them to a rehearsal dinner the day before during the bride and grooms Villa d Este wedding in Italy

Bride and groom riding in the back of a Lake Como Tours speed boat all lit up by a photographers flash while headed to their rehearsal dinner the day before during the bride and grooms Villa d Este wedding in Italy

Bride and groom driving a speed boat during their Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride and groom riding in the back of a Lake Como Tours speed boat while headed to their rehearsal dinner the day before during the bride and grooms Villa d Este wedding in Italy

Bride and groom lauging during a rehearsal dinner the night before their Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Best friend toast at a rehearsal dinner the night before a Villa d Este wedding on Lake Como

Bride and groom holding each other over romantic waters during a rehearsal dinner on Lake Como Italy before their Villa d Este wedding

Bride and groom laughing on a Lake Como Tours speed boat the day before their Villa d Este wedding In Lake Como, Italy.

Bride and groom riding in the back of a Lake Como Tours speed boat while headed to a cocktail party with their guest the day before their Villa d Este wedding in Italy

Bride and groom laughing during their rehearsal dinner the night before their Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Guests laughing during a welcome gathering cocktail hour at Lido di Cernobbio on Lake Como Italy before a Villa d Este wedding

Grandfathers poem notes during a welcome gathering cocktail hour at Lido di Cernobbio on Lake Como Italy before a Villa d Este wedding

Mothers speech during a welcome gathering the day before the bride and grooms Villa d Este wedding In Lake Como, Italy.

Bridemaids enjoying pizza while getting ready at a Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Groomsmen buttoning up their shirts the morning of the bride and grooms Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride getting makeup and hair done during her Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride and bridemaids champagne toast while getting ready for a Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride in an arched doorway during her Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride and groom intimately sharing emotional vows together during their Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Silhouette of a bride and groom walking over Lake Como during their Villa d Este wedding in Italy.

Bride and groom hugging and laughing together infront of a massive oil painting during their Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Silhouette of a bride and groom walking in the Mosaic Garden during their Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Mother putting a veil on her daughter, the bride, at Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Father and parents walking into the wedding ceremony during their Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride looking out onto the ceremony site moments before her Villa d Este wedding ceremony in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride excited with brothers during a Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride and groom exchanging vows during their Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride and groom joyously exiting their Villa d Este wedding ceremony in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride and best friends laughing together during a Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride and best friends laughing together at sunset during a Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride and groom having a moment with a glass of wine outside during their Villa d este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride and groom walking into their reception during their Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Fathers speech during a VVilla d Este wedding reception in Lake Como, Italy.

Emotional bride and groom listening to speeches during their Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Crazy dancing during a reception at a Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Father of the bride dancing with the mother of the bride during a Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Funny guest enjoying an espresso martini during a Villa d Este wedding reception in Lake Como, Italy.

Crazy fun dancing at a Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Crazy fun dancing at a Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride and groom night photo in a doorway during their Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Three men carrying a massive wedding cake during a Villa d Este wedding reception in Lake Como, Italy.

Bride and groom walking into a fire works display with a massive cake during their Villa d Este wedding in Lake Como, Italy.

Photographers: JOS & TREE | Venue: Villa d Este 
3rd Photographer & Lighting Assistance: Alice w/ Mosca Studios
Wedding Planner – Elena Pensini Events | Dress – Monique Lhuillier
Rehearsal Dinner Venue: Crotto di Platani | Welcome Gathering: Lido di Cernobbio
Boat: Lake Como Tours | Private Boat: Parravicini 
Ceremony: Mosiac Garden | Officiant: Francesca Bodie Leiweke
Cocktails: Terrace by the Lake
Reception Dinner – Colonne Room (inside) | Fireworks / Cake – Terrace by the lake
Make-up and Hair – Elena Panzeri Makeup | Bridemaids – BHLDN
Floral: Figli Dei Fiori | Entertainment: Blunotte Eventi Sagl

Read Kate & Keegan’s testimonial here.

Accolades:

  1. The big cake with fireworks shot at the end of the night was awarded among the top 50 photos for 2022 by World’s Best Wedding Photos.
  2. Kate and Keegan’s adventurous boat ride around Lake Como was given 3rd place awarded by ISPWP in their latest Fall 2022 Wedding Photography Contest.

If you are a photographer looking for a “Destination Wedding Portfolio & Bootcamp Workshop” join us w/ Ralf Czogallik and others in Mexico this coming March 5-9th, 2023. It will be the perfect reset and take your photography and business to the next level.