Wedding stories
Lake Como Wedding at Villa Balbianello | Mariana & Alvaro
From Rio de Janeiro to Lake Como. Mariana and Alvaro’s wedding at Villa Balbianello: boat journeys, vintage details and a celebration with the people closest to them.
This Lake Como wedding began with a television programme and a shared thought: what a wonderful place to get married. Living in Rio de Janeiro, Mariana and Alvaro chose Villa Balbianello for their celebration and planned the day from across the Atlantic. Their story brings together a Brazilian couple, an Italian lake and the people who travelled to celebrate with them.
From Rio de Janeiro to a Lake Como wedding
Mariana had never imagined a large church wedding followed by a party for hundreds. She wanted something different: perhaps a beach, or a house with a garden. Then, while watching a travel programme with Alvaro, she saw Villa Balbianello. A little online research led her to wedding planner Alessandra Fabi, and a distant possibility became a real plan.
For almost ten months they worked through the details by email. As Mariana recalled, making decisions from another country was not always easy. What mattered was finding people they trusted to bring everything together. We travelled from Poland to photograph their celebration, arriving early enough to explore the lakeside towns. The portraits of a local butcher and his wife are part of that journey too: small encounters that belong alongside the grand views.
Getting ready in Laglio
Preparations took place at Regina Teodolinda in Laglio. Mariana’s dress was made by Brazilian designer Carol Hungria, inspired by the Jenny Packham Aspen design she had fallen in love with. Her shoes were handmade by Lidu and her team in Rio, while Alvaro wore a tuxedo by Ricardo Almeida. These were personal choices brought with them from Brazil, rather than a wedding assembled entirely around its destination.
Two boats, one destination
The journey across the lake became part of the wedding itself. Alvaro travelled with the guests; Mariana arrived separately with her father. They would see each other at Villa Balbianello. Photographing the crossing meant following the anticipation as well as the landscape: the people beside them, the water and the approach to the ceremony.
Travel already held a special place in their relationship. Alvaro had proposed on a plane during their first trip together to Paris. Now another journey was bringing their families and friends together in Italy.
A ceremony at Villa Balbianello
The setting at Villa del Balbianello gives the lake a constant presence. Yet the heart of this Lake Como wedding was the encounter between Mariana and Alvaro and the reactions of the people around them. We photographed the ceremony as it unfolded, leaving room for gestures, glances and the quieter moments between the obvious milestones.
Rustic vintage details, chosen with care
Mariana described their theme as rustic vintage. An old typewriter, a radio, flowers and a candy bar gave the celebration its own character. Looking back, she spoke warmly about the colours and the view over the water. These details mattered because she had chosen them, and because they helped turn an extraordinary location into a day that felt like theirs.
An evening by the lake
The light changed, the celebration continued and the lake became a different backdrop. Mariana remembered the sunset as perfect for photographs. Our story follows that change of pace, from the preparations and boat journeys to the time spent together after the ceremony. The portraits, details and evening frames form one complete memory of the day.
Mariana on the photographs
“I loved the photos so much, they are incredible!!! Amazing!!! It was a pleasure to have you both as our italy wedding photographer. You rock!!! Thank you:)”
Mariana
Planning your own wedding in Italy?
If you are planning a Lake Como wedding, we would love to hear what is bringing you there and who will be coming with you. We photograph weddings with attention to people, relationships and the atmosphere of the whole celebration. We are taking enquiries for 2027 and beyond. Tell us your date, location and plans, and we will talk through photography and, if you would like, film.
Explore Magda and Luca’s wedding near Bologna or browse our complete wedding stories across Europe.
