A destination wedding in Italy on the shores of Lake Como

Like so many couples, Macy Brasfield and Travis Howard were planning on a 2020 wedding, then the pandemic got in the way. After brushing off the sudden change in plans, they set out to throw a waterfront fête in Lake Como, Italy (paging Amal and George!) with about 30 of their close friends and family members. The historic venue, Relais Villa Vittoria, with its breathtaking views inspired the romantic yet simple celebration.

We love the creative challenge of architecting a destination wedding: Language barriers and cultural differences in traditions can often result in surprises, for both the clients and the vendors in the host country. To prepare for the trip, we studied basic Italian phrases and made sure our Google Translate was up and running. We also kept financial exchange rates and measurement conversions in mind. For example, pieces of furniture are measured with the metric system in Europe, and we think in inches for our stateside celebrations. We spent a lot of time researching, trouble-shooting, and adapting plans right up until the moment before the wedding began.

To dream up a color palette for the weekend, we looked to the venue. The historic villa offered plenty of inspiration: Peachy exterior walls, verdant vines, and lush trees, all set against the vibrant blue lake (which we took extra care to ensure served as a backdrop for the ceremony and seated dinner). We poured our energy into creating bespoke details that played well with all the natural colors at Relais Villa Vittoria.

Then came packing: Because shipping overseas can be unreliable (customs delays, delivery mishaps and more) we loaded our carry-on luggage with the most irreplaceable items. We carefully packed the menu cards, place cards, table linens, welcome gift bags and specialty taper candles, as well as key supplies like ribbon, floral tape, wire and clippers. The rental items we didn’t bring with us were in the hands of local vendors, who helped us seamlessly integrate the design elements onsite. We planned our itinerary with extra time to explore the area and gather local treats to include in the gift bags, which included Italian sips and snacks.

The day before the wedding, we spent time scouting and planning with Macy and Travis’ photographer, Jillian Knight, to determine the best placement for breathtaking images, considering factors like lighting and lake views. We knew that most weddings at Villa Vittoria take place in a certain spot because that's routine, but when we looked at that area relative to the position of the sun at ceremony time, we knew right away that it wasn't the right choice. It took some conversations to orchestrate this simple change, but it made a beautiful and entirely unique result.

After lounging by the pool and exploring the area on wedding day, guests gathered for the lakefront ceremony just before sunset. Then the celebrations kicked off with hors d'oeuvres, cocktails and a seated dinner, followed by dancing inside the villa. Though Macy and Travis originally envisioned simple white table linens, we encouraged them to consider something special. We ultimately landed on a beautiful soft blue fabric with an eyelet pattern that we spotted in the Nuage Designs showroom in April; the fabric had never been used and they're preparing to include it in their new collection launching later this year. The Nuage team worked their usual magic and created the custom fabric for the tables, then shipped it overnight so we could fly to Italy with it in tow. That linen made all the difference: Many guests commented on how it was one of the most beautiful tablecloths they had ever seen.

Both Travis and Macy were calm, cool, and collected throughout our time together. They had enthusiasm during the process, fun with their guests and fully leaned into the ability to finally relax and celebrate after two years of waiting on the wedding they began planning so long ago. There wasn't a dry eye in sight when they exchanged vows: A beautiful reminder that life is short and throws us so many curveballs that derail hopes, dreams, and plans, but the opportunity to be surrounded by the people we love is the most precious thing.

Our deepest gratitude for our international team of vendors:

If you’re curious or considering a destination wedding in Italy, we’d love to get in touch. We love turning locations all over the globe into a setting for the celebration of your dreams!