Lavish Lake Como Wedding With Three Phenomenal Wedding Dresses
Ying & Billy wanted the guests to enjoy a memorable experience and getaway in Lake Como. They ultimately wanted the space to feel as natural as the interiors of Villa Sola Cabiati & the beautiful grounds surrounding the property.
From the bride, Ying: Billy planned to propose on a boat in Positano during a vacation to Italy (it was each one’s first visit to the country despite the fact that Billy is an Italian citizen). Before they could make it to Positano - on the first full day of the trip, June 16, 2019 - Ying and Billy headed to meet some of Billy’s distant relatives in the southern region of Calabria at a graduation party for his cousin Christian. Despite having never met before, the family embraced the couple warmly with hugs, kisses, and mountains of food. Only one person at the party spoke any English, and conversations were conducted almost exclusively through gesturing and Google translate. One of Billy’s aunts showed him a message translated on her phone that read, “I heard you want to ask your girlfriend something.” - Billy wrote back that he wasn’t prepared (the ring was back at the Airbnb!) and didn’t want to steal attention from the graduate. Multiple members of the family (including the graduate, Christian) kept insisting that right there in front of the family was precisely the right time and place! Billy and the one English speaker went to the front of the room on the pretense that he was going to give a speech (the English-speaking guest took the microphone and translated into Italian after each sentence): "112 years ago, my great-grandfather left Rose and went to America. It took me more than 100 years to get back to my family. It's beautiful to see where I come from and where my past is. Today is the first day that my past and my future meet - and that is why I would like to take this moment to ask this woman to marry me." Billy got down on one knee, Ying broke into stunned tears, and two glasses of champagne were produced for the couple, who were showered with congratulations all around.
The wedding dress designer was Galia Lahav, and the dress was done in lace with tulle. I loved the form-fitting beaded lace top of this mermaid gown and its dramatic tulle train, but I was looking for something strapless. The bridal salon called the designer, who agreed to customize it without straps, and I was instantly sold! The first dance wedding dress designer was Nadine Merabi and it was done in lace and sequins. I had been scouring the internet for a tea-length bridal dress for our first dance but couldn’t find anything that I loved. One day, I randomly scrolled across an ad from Nadine Merabi on Instagram and knew it was exactly what I had been looking for! The reception/late-night wedding dress designer was Berta, and the dress was tulle. While I loved my mermaid ceremony gown, it wasn’t easy to move around (much less dance), so I was looking for something a bit more comfortable for the second half of the reception. When I saw this Berta glitter under the lights of the bridal salon, I fell in love immediately.
A tuxedo with a white jacket for the ceremony and a black jacket for the reception, both from Hall Madden. Black velvet Christian Louboutin loafers, an anniversary gift from the bride, and a Rolex Submariner watch, a wedding gift from the bride.
