Lake Como elopement and micro-wedding guide
Lake Como elopement and micro-wedding Summary: Guests - Budget - Venues - Locations - Flowers - Boats - The best time to elope
I am a wedding and elopement photographer based in Lake Como with more than 15 years of experience and a great love for shooting elopements. Elope in Lake Como is a great experience, I strongly recommend hiring a wedding planner to help you organize your event, of course, you will need a road map to understand the basic of a Lake Como elopement.
2025 Update about Eloping in Lake Como
Last year, Lake Como felt the strain of over-tourism, now things are a bit challenging for both the locals and the couples. It’s more important than ever to be aware of the situation. I’d love for us to have a chat where I can share some personal tips and things to steer clear of before you kick off your plans. After doing over 150 elopements in Lake Como I can tell you just how enchanting it really is. I genuinely hope that with these little insights, you can soak up all the beauty Lake Como has to offer. Unfortunately, privacy, uniqueness, and beauty come at a price.
In the last few years, a lot of couples have chosen to have a micro wedding in Lake Como. A global pandemic, on the other hand, has created a lot of problems that couples have had to manage.
This Lake Como elopement guide is intended for those brides and grooms who still want to celebrate their love without dealing with big marriages and complex wedding planning but still want to create something beautiful and epic that will strengthen friendships and families. Lake Como is a favorite top wedding destination, it is simply a dream with fabulous villas. Elopements on the other hand are for those couples that want to celebrate their love intimately and unforgettably.
Having fewer people means planning less, which ultimately means less stress!
This is one of the biggest pros I have seen, with this little guide you can also think to plan a beautiful Lake Como experience.
My clients can focus on what matters most to them that day. They have fun and be in the moment a little more.
The size of your event matters. So, if you choose to go the elopement or micro-wedding route, you’ll be making a more-than-sizable dent in your overall venue, food and beverage, decor, invitation costs, and much more.
This is a little guide to help you plan your Lake Como elopement or micro-wedding, feel free to share it!!!
Remember that planning an elopement or micro-wedding in Lake Como takes a lot of time.
Start at least 6 months before your event so you will avoid a lot of stress, also hiring a wedding planner who will coordinate all your vendors and help you with the bureaucratic papers is a great idea to make your Lake Como elopement unforgettable.
How Long Does It Take to Plan an Elopement in Lake Como?
Well if you are going to use a professional wedding planner you have to start plans at least 4 months before your desired elopement date. Keep in mind that Summer is a very busy season and to book your venues and boats is better to ask at least 6 months before your wedding date. Elopement, micro-wedding, and minimony required time if you want to realize a dream.
Start with the guests
Lake Como is the ideal location in Italy for your micro-wedding or your elopement so first, it’s better to start with the guests. The elopement means that you will be you 2 with your witnesses, a micro-wedding with no more than 30 guests and a minimony no more than 12.
The first thing to do is to prepare a guest list and keep it short.
The wonderful thing here is that with a micro wedding, you can either pocket those savings and put them towards your honeymoon, your home, or anything that contributes to your happily ever after or invest in professionals like your photographer or gorgeous albums and elements services that you may have never considered before, but can now afford with your smaller guest list.
Define a budget for your elopement in Lake Como
How much does cost a Lake Como elopement? This is a recurrent question for brides and grooms that want to marry here.
Little does not mean cheap, fewer people means more money to spend in detail to create a real unforgettable experience. More time to spend with your wedding photographer to experiment with creative portraits or try to build a little story to celebrate your love. Define your budget and find your preferred venues remember that you can add some nice touches like having the ceremony in outstanding locations facing Lake Como, having a private boat tour, or a photo shoot in amazing gardens. Flowers, arches, and personalized clothes for your bridesmaids and best men.
What about a private dinner or personalized concert?
A realistic budget for your elopement in Lake Como starts at 25.000 Euros (including travel) and can go up to your deep pocket ideas.
Lake Como is an exclusive and expensive destination. The most beautiful venues are not cheap. In recent years, some of the most beautiful Villas and Hotels raised their prices due to the overwhelming amount of requests from high-budget couples that want to elope in Lake Como.
Elopement and Micro-wedding Hotel in Lake Como
Villa Cipressi in Varenna
The hotel Villa Cipressi is a unique location distinguished by an outstanding botanic garden that surrounds it and makes it a fabulous place. The building directly overlooks Lake Como and is surrounded by a botanical garden with scenic terraces and numerous species of native and non-native plants the ideal setting for your elopement shooting.
Villa Lario in Pognana Lario
Thanks to its off-the-beaten-track position, the size of its gardens, and its 18 Suites-only capacity, Villa Lario offers a naturally social distancing environment for a true escape.
While staying at Villa Làrio, you will benefit from direct access to the lake and enjoy a private pontoon. You can take a swim, enjoy a water sports afternoon, take a drink à fleur d’eau or get ready for a wooden boat pick up or take delivery of a rental boat to enjoy a lake tour.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo in Tremezzina
Named by Travel + Leisure among the 100 best hotels in the world and at the third place among the Top 10 hotels in Italy. Proclaimed by Condé Nast Traveler #1 Hotel in Italy in its prestigious Readers’ Choice Awards Grand Hotel Tremezzo is a unique place for your micro-wedding or Lake Como elopement. Iconic settings flaunting distinct personalities and mesmerizing lake views pair with the highest quality service. Transforming your once-in-a-lifetime moment into memories you will cherish forever.
Villa d’Este in Cernobbio
For centuries a residence of the aristocracy – princesses, marquises, sultans, and tsars. And since 1873, an elegant and charming five-star resort; one of the most celebrated in the world. Villa d’Este is the ideal location for an unforgettable luxury elopement or micro-wedding il Lake Como. Something that will remain in your hearts forever. A combination of classic charm and modernity, history, and sophisticated technology.
Il Sereno in Torno
Il Sereno Hotel breathes fresh air into the iconic, bucket list item, which is Lake Como. The award-winning designer, Patricia Urquiola planned a natural ambiance with comfort and luxury, here you can experience all spectrums of luxurious accommodation. 40 lakefront suites, each with grand high ceilings, and just steps from the waterfront. The spectacular lake views and private furnished terraces make for an exceptional elopement or micro-wedding experience.
Mandarin Oriental in Blevio
Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como is a sanctuary of calm, nestled on the sunny forest shores of Lake Como.
The Hotel provides an idyllic setting for weddings and private events, with bespoke dining experiences featuring innovative cuisine, enjoy Mandarin superb facilities ensure to your partner and selected guests a memorable, perfectly delivered event.
You can book an aperitivo onboard taking in the spectacular views from the water, whilst indulging in a bottle of fine Italian sparkling wine and a selection of chef's favorite canapes.
Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni
The Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni is one of the most prestigious historic hotels in the area, and the only 5-star luxury hotel in Bellagio, the best-loved village around Lake Como. Surrounded by centuries-old, flower-filled gardens that slope down to the water's edge, this unique setting is perfect for fairytale weddings and a wonderful natural backdrop for truly original wedding photos. The villa gardens are a magical place for your wedding ceremony. The Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni also has splendid indoor rooms that can also be fitted with a dancefloor, with live bands and DJs.
Realais Villa Vittoria in Laglio
The Relais offers different rooms and Suites with ancient taste combined with every modern amenity. A historical villa directly on the lake, a perfect place to stay for groups who want to celebrate by staying together in the intimacy of a private villa, but with all the Hotels’ services and facilities. For romantic candlelit dinners, the Relais o ers, upon reservation, a corner of charm: the Gazebo of Gelsomini. Perfect oasis with panoramic views of Lake Como. Lanterns and candles will delight your dinner for two and create a romantic and private atmosphere. This enchanted place is the ideal location for romantic dinners, anniversaries, honeymoons, marriage proposals, small weddings, and renewal of vows.
Elopement and Micro-wedding locations and venues in Lake Como
Villa del Balbianello in Lenno
The Villa is a sophisticated and unique location for exclusive receptions civil or symbolic wedding ceremonies, aperitivi, dinners.
Villa del Balbianello, with its spectacular garden, appeared in a great number of films and commercials and had many movie stars among its guests.
Exchange your rings under the famous Loggia Durini, the monumental arched structure which crowns the whole Balbianello complex, or in the garden near the famous old Holm Oak.
Perched on the edge of the wooded peninsula of Lavedo jutting out over Lake Como, the Villa offers a wide panorama, which makes it one of the most spectacular estates in the area.
Gardens of Villa Melzi in Bellagio
The Gardens of Villa Melzi d’Eril, among the most beautiful of Europe, rise along the shores of Lake Como near Bellagio, harmoniously inserted into the hilly landscape between the two branches of the lake. The Gardens may not be hired for private events such as weddings, ceremonies, or parties.
It is possible, by prior agreement with the Management and filling out the appropriate form, to book professional photoshoots for private purposes.
Isola Comacina in front of Ossuccio
The only Island on Lake Como is a little jewel with a church and some houses for artists. Isola Comacina is a well-kept secret fairy place where you can celebrate your elopement or micro-wedding. Remains of Roman marble columns preserved beneath the church of St. John are the perfect scenery for your wedding shooting. Unfortunately in 2024, Isola Comacina will not be available for weddings and elopements.
Villa Monastero in Varenna
Villa Monastero is a prestigious and fascinating residence: it stands on the eastern shore of Lake Como, in a natural setting where the mountains are reflected in the water and the light renews the beauty of the villa and its lush garden every day. It’s a perfect location for your Lake Como elopement. There is also a peer from which you can leave for a Taxi Boat Lake Como Tour.
Here is a list of Lake Como wedding Venues that are great also for an elopement.
Flowers and details for your Lake Como Elopement
The details, flowers, and touches are making an impression on a much smaller group of people - you and your partner, most importantly. Micro weddings will still have all the same details as your original, bigger wedding day, it will just be on a smaller scale. Being opportune to downsize your wedding guests will allow a bigger budget to go towards you and your special someone.
I usually work with. Manifesto Flowers.
Elopements and micro-weddings boats in Lake Como
Rent a boat to take photoshoots on the boat or take you to the most exclusive locations for unforgettable photos. Lake Como is famous for its small postcard villages, fairytale villas. Perfect for your wedding photographs!
Varenna TaxiBoat
Riva classic boat: Como Classic Boats
Venetian taxi boat: Lake Como Water Taxi
More here: The best time of the year for your Lake Como elopement -
Lake Como elopements and micro-weddings photographer
Here we are, to remember your elopement or your micro-wedding year after year you must choose someone who loves his work, a storyteller who pays attention to details, to candid moments but can also tailor a private session for the couples with little directing and he is able to let the love flow between you and your partners. Here is where I come. To me little and beautiful events are the most exciting, you can plan the right times for photo sessions without the hurry and the pressure that you will find in bigger weddings and I can build trust and a relationship with my couples. To me, participation in the birth of a new family s something that moves me. I have an editorial style blended with a cinematic view here you will find something more about your Lake Como wedding photographer: BIO.
Lake Como celebrants for elopements and micro-weddings
For your civil or legal ceremony is better to think to have a celebrant that will give you a tailor-made touch. A good celebrant is fluent in your language and can disclose to all the guests the romance and magic behind every couple’s path.
Here you will find the websites of celebrants that are based in Lake Como. Remember to reserve in advance!
Typical Lake Como elopement or micro-wedding timeline
h. 9 Breakfast with a view at your hotel
h. 10-11 Massage and relax time by the pool
h. 11:30-14 Getting ready at the hotel
h. 14 - 14:30 Group shos with bridesmaids and best men
h. 14.30 First look in the garden
h. 15-15.30 Boat transfer to Villa 1
h. 15.30-16 Civil or Simbolic Ceremony at Villa 1
h. 16-17 Shooting at Villa 1
h. 17-18 Boat ride around the lake + popping champagne
h. 18-19 Relax
h. 19-19.30 Boat ride to restaurant
h. 19.30-21 Intimate dinner by Lake Como + cake cutting
Remember that if your budget can fit one of the best investments for your elopement or micro-wedding in Lake Como is to hire a wedding planner. Probably you are going to pay 10% more but you will save a lot of time. Not all vendors are fluent in English and with a wedding planner at the head of your elopement organization you will avoid a lot of stress.
Best time of the year for your Lake Como elopement
This is the most frequent FAQ for a Lake Como elopement: <<When I should elope?>>. Well from the beginning of May to mid-June Lake Como is blossoming: flowers are everywhere. Villas’ gardens are beautiful and definitely for your pictures are the best months that you can choose. After mid-June temperatures will rise and some flowers start to disappear.
To me, July and August are a little bit too warm for a wedding so be careful and choose the late hours of the afternoon after 6 p.m.
September is a great month to plan your wedding I love also the first 15 days of October, Lake Como is less crowded and you can enjoy all its majestic beauty. During April there is a lot of green and the air is fresh, not too many tourists crowd Lake Como.
Keep in mind that the crowd is something that you will avoid and some locations like Villa del Balbianello will require you to book for your elopement at least 6 months in advance if you want it all for your micro-wedding.
Even when the weather is not perfect, the stunning villas and gardens on Lake Como always provide amazing spots for photos.
Should you elope on a weekday?
YES! And for so many reasons - one, roads, gardens, and locations are almost ALWAYS quieter on weekdays. You can almost guarantee yourself more seclusion by choosing weekdays in Lake Como. Plus, hotels, Taxi boats, and other services may be free. An elopement or a micro wedding should be a moment of private and quiet joy!!!