Martina & Giovanni

Martina & Giovanni had the most beautifully styled reception - silvery grey table linen, mirrored table runners and an abundance of white blooms just make the tables look incredible, it's the perfect way to bring warmth to the rustic wooden beamed ceiling and the industrial exposed brick walls. The space is warm and inviting but oh so luxurious. I love how versatile the venue is too, there is just a plethora of different backdrops to work with - some classically Italian and some much more unusual. Images come from the lovely Marta Guenzi who shots internationally, as well as in Italy, so if you like her natural, romantic style, then do get in touch. You'll find Marta on our List too.

{The Film}

The Photographer

Marta the Photographer: When I met Martina and Giovanni for the very first time I found them so sweet and madly in love, so I imagined the poetic pictures I would have taken on their special day. I felt so much emotion and so much inspiration in creating the images that you will see above!

The Venue

Margherita the Planner: Martina and Giovanni got married during a sunny and warm day of June in the countryside around Lake Como, in Northern Italy. They chose a very special location where to celebrate their wedding reception, Villa Sommi Picenardi. This was the place where they met the very first time on the occasion of a friend’s wedding. So when they decided to become husband and wife, they asked me to start with the planning of the day visiting that particular location. After the first site inspection we had there I understood that there was the chance to design a stunning wedding with such a sweet couple, they were so tasteful and madly in love! Villa Sommi Picenardi is an Eighteenth Century country house well known for its amazing english garden in the front side of the building, with rare worldwide plants, and most of all for its delicious Italian “secret garden”, in the back yard, with fountains and statues and a staircase characterised by mosaics of Roman inspiration. Here overlooks the rustic hall where we decided to set the dinner, among the brick columns and under the oak-beamed ceiling.

The Decor

The concept of Martina and Giovanni’s wedding was on the base of elegance and candour, so the main colour they chose was white combined with the most delicate hues of ivory and blush with small hints of green. Following this idea, Martina, that works in the industry of fashion, chose a lace and tulle big dress by the Italian designer Antonio Riva. After seeing the gown, Maurizio Buzzi, the flower designer, created the delicate bouquet made by white and blush peonies. For the dining room the bride asked me to let my imagination run wild and to create something chic and refined. So I imagined a stylish atmosphere of lightness and freshness, pastel hues and luminous colours. My aim was to create an elegant setting in contrast with the rustic building where the event took place. With the help of the flower designer, I imagined an imperial table with a triumph of English roses (Martina’s favorite flowers), peonies and freesias combined with mirrors and antique silver candlesticks. For the napkins bows I used a satin blush ribbon with a lisianthus flower laid in the middle. Then I asked a calligrapher to write down the names of the guests on the escort cards. But we did not stop here because Martina asked me and Maurizio to design something special on the ceiling too. So we decided to hang up lots of small candles on the beams as to create a starry sky in the dining room. Here had been wonderful to see the newlyweds’ first toast with the dearest friends under the candles sky!

The Cake

To end the day, we planned to cut the cake in front of the staircase, in front of the fountain and surrounded by the warmth of the family and friends. I put many candles around the big creamy cake with mixed berries on the top. Then a video surprised the couple and the day ended up with much fun on the dance floor.

Final Thoughts

All this scenery was made even more magical by the elegance of the couple and their lovely smiles of happiness for their marriage with each other. The talented photographer Marta Guenzi was so able to capture all these unique emotions with her romantic photography, making the memory absolutely perfect!