Lake Como Weddings are not just for the rich and famous, although this has been a recent trend. The number of celebrities who have chosen Lake Como as the perfect choice for the celebration of their vows has grown in over last few years. The Lake itself has been home to many rich and famous Italians and the many stunning villas are witness to this rich heritage. In recent years the likes of George Clooney and his friends, who have bought villas. This has given Lake Como increased exposure through Papparazi and online media.
Some notable weddings of recent years with familiar names are:
- Chrissy Teigen and John Legend. The model and John Legend celebrated their wedding on Lake Como, Italy, in September 2013. The wedding took place at Villa Pizzo, the place where they first fell in love.
- Emily Blunt and John Krasinski who tied the knot in Lake Como in July 2010. Some of the guests included Matt Damon and wife Luciana, Meryl Streep and David Schwimmer.
- Even fictional characters get married on Lake Como. Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of The Sith.
- Bollywood superstars Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh have tied the knot on Lake Como
- Coleen and Wayne Rooney led the group of footballers and WAGs attending the idyllic wedding of Chris Smalling and Sam Cooke in Lake Como in 2017 at Villa Balbianello
There are however many couples who have fallen in love with the Lake Como location and marry there every year. With the increase in the use of the internet to assist in all the planning, its very easy to find many people who are in the planning phases right now! Check this search link out to see some of them.
The Wedding Rules
Residency requirements: None
Necessary documents: Passports or armed forces ID cards; certified copies of birth certificates; proof of divorce or death certificate of former spouse/s (if applicable). Declarations “atto notorio” sworn by four people before and Italian consulate officer attesting that they know of no reason to object to the marriage under the laws of the couple’s home country. Declaration sworn to by both parties that there are no obstacles to the marriage under U.S. law.
Certain documents must be translated into Italian with special “apostille” seals from the secretary of state from the state from which the documents originated. Additional requirements apply if one of the parties is an Italian citizen or resident of Italy. Requirements may vary by region and city. It is highly recommended that you work with a wedding planner to help you fulfill all requirements properly. A translator may be required to attend the wedding if neither the bride nor the groom speaks Italian.
For more info: Italian consulate nearest you; the Italian Government Tourist Board Office.
Wedding Planning: – Where?
Having lived and worked on Lake Como, there is always one special place and we know this is Varenna, for the center of the Lake, where all the car ferries are located, the train station is next to the village. The main road runs behind, not in front of the village. There is also good access to the main motostradas to Milan, Sondrio and the Swiss Alps.
A villa we see well recommended is – Villa Cipressi – for its friendliness, professionalism, location, and superb food. The villa complex is surrounded by private terraced gardens that reach down to the Lake. The name of Villa Cipressi originates from the ancient cypress trees in its gardens. This villa is also a splendid hotel licensed for a civil legal civil ceremony.
Close by is Villa Monastero which was built at the end of the 12th century and it was initially a Cistercian nunnery dedicated to the Holy Virgin. This truly ancient Villa has amazing views across a wide terraced botanical garden. The park atmosphere and flaura provide colors and scents making it the perfect location for your wonderful wedding photographs.
In 1918, the Villa was acquired by the Italian Government as war debt until, in 1939, became public property and also a museum. Since then, the villa is a reference point for marriages and high-level business events on Lake Como.
Civil weddings in Varenna can be performed at the Town Hall, inside the Sala Civica, if you have few guests, in the simple and small yellow Town Hall building located in the center of the village.
Photography & Assistance
If you would like a UK based, English speaking photographer with a wealth of experience of Lake Como, check-out Sue’s “Forever Photos” Wedding Photography page. The general advice is to use a wedding planner especially if you are not Italian or resident in Italy. The paperwork can be confusing and Italians are not the most foreign fluent speakers but all can help with location and all the practicalities.
Where can guests stay?
Hotels can be very expensive to rent for large parties and many people prefer to socialize as well and enjoy a more relaxed ambiance, especially if villas can be rented in great locations with views and water. The advice seems to be to use a wedding planner and focus heavily on your own wedding organization and give links to your guests for where to stay and let them organize their own accommodation. We can recommend Lake Como Homes our partner site for an extended range of holiday rental accommodation.
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