Emily had been dreaming of an outdoor ceremony overlooking Lake Como accompanied by a celebratory boat ride for the months leading up to her Italian destination wedding, but when the forecast the day of called for rain, she had to make the tough decision to move things under a tent. Luckily, Happy Moments Collector was there to expertly execute plan B, and now the bride reflects, “Looking back, all I remember is that September 9th was the most beautiful and magical day of our lives.” And we have to be honest – with the mist over the mountains, the dreamy draping of the tent, and the lovely images by Thcablookfotolab, everything looked picture perfect in our book.
From planner Anastasia Aslanyan, founder of Happy Moments Collector…. This wedding was on the 9th of September, and usually we are still having summer on Lake Como, but last year it was something extraordinary – quite chilly, and the forecast was showing heavy rain all day long with wind. Of course, we had a plan B, but we were all a bit worried. And what can I say? All the guests and the couple were telling us that it was even more cozy, memorable, and special because of the rain. Not all weddings are on sunny days, and couples are always worried about this point. Usually it is their nightmare. But we assured Emily and Michael that rainy weather could still be beautiful and unique. The only thing is you must have a well-organized plan. You know, in Italy they have a proverb, ”Sposa bagnata, sposa fortunata.” that means that rain on the wedding day brings good luck to the bride. And we are sure that Emily and Michael will have their happily ever after.
The theme of the wedding was elegant simplicity, with a color palette of white, ivory, blush, olive green, and touch of gold. You can see it starting with the stationery and finishing with the small details. We couldn’t help adorning the lovely dog of the couple with the wreath on his neck. It walked down the aisle with the groomsmen, opening the ceremony.
From the bride… Michael and I have quite a love story. He is originally from Germany, and I was born in Canada, but we met eight years ago at a surf camp in Costa Rica. We fell in love and ended up dating long distance for four years before he moved to California to be with me. We got engaged in Big Sur, California, and had dreamed of getting married on the coast of California, but after a trip to Lake Como, Italy, we fell absolutely in love with the idea of an Italian wedding. It was the best decision we made as the food, wine, and romantic atmosphere can’t be beat.
I found our wedding planner, Anastasia, on Style Me Pretty, and all of her weddings were so beautiful, so I knew she would be able to execute our ideas perfectly. Every day for two weeks leading up to the wedding, I would check the weather reports. The night before, the radar was calling for 100% chance of rain, and I became so upset even though everybody told me not to worry. I had been dreaming of our beautiful, floral arch overlooking the lake, our guests enjoying cocktails in the garden, and us taking a sunny boat ride for photos. Our friends and family all traveled from far away to be with us, and I wanted it to be the perfect day spent outdoors. On the morning of the wedding, we had to make a decision, and I wanted to so badly have it outside, but our planner, Anastasia, suggested we move everything under the tent. Halfway through our ceremony, the winds picked up, and it started raining. Looking back, all I remember is that September 9th was the most beautiful and magical day of our lives. It didn’t matter that the rain ruined my hair and my dress was destroyed, because the only memories we have now are that everything felt perfect.
My advice to other brides planning an outdoor wedding would be to not panic when you see rain in the forecast because your wedding will be the best day of your life regardless of the weather. Your guests are there to celebrate your day, and the rain won’t stop them from having an amazing time. Also, don’t be afraid to take some chances in the rain. We almost canceled our boat ride when we knew it would be raining, but our favorite photos from the day were taken in the rain. The way the fog and the mist rolled through the mountains was truly stunning.
Photography: Thecablookfotolab | Event Planning: Happy Moments Collector | Floral Design: Flower Haute Couture | Wedding Dress: Pronovias | Invitations: Sydney Beth Designs | Rings: Mark Broumand | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Needle & Thread | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Fame And Partners | Catering: Sunlake Catering | Groom's Attire: Loro Piana | Venue: Villa Geno