Skip to the story
Wedding ceremony under the frescoed gothic loggia of Isola del Garda

Real wedding · Lake Garda, Italy

Isola del Garda Real Wedding: A Day on the Island

Champagne being poured into a tower of coupes
Bride and groom walking through the island gardens
The frescoed ceiling and quatrefoil windows of the loggia

Sara and Drew flew in from the US to marry on Isola del Garda, with a Riva boat ride, island garden portraits and a party under the stars on Lake Garda.

Nº 01 A day on the island

Emotion, laughter, a few tears and so much love. Sara and Drew’s Isola del Garda wedding had all of it.

Sara and Drew came over from the US to get married on Lake Garda, and their guests flew all the way from the United States with them.

The morning

The morning started in a cosy villa up in the Salò hills. The sun was streaming in, there were giggles and last-minute touch-ups, and then Sara put on her couture Galia Lahav dress.

  • Bride having her make-up done by the window, with her gown hanging behind
  • Sara smiling into the mirror as her hair is finished
  • A group hug in the villa before Sara gets dressed
  • Sara's hands and engagement ring resting on her knee
  • The villa and its pool among the cypresses in the Salò hills
  • Sara reaching up for her dress as it hangs by the window
  • Close-up of the lace train of Sara's gown
  • The lace back of Sara's Galia Lahav gown being fastened
  • Sara laughing in her wedding dress
  • Groom fastening his shirt cuff on the wedding morning
  • Bride smiling at her bridesmaid while getting ready
  • Drew's groomsmen helping him into his shirt, in black and white
  • Sara looking down as her veil is pinned in place
  • Drew in his tuxedo by the window, in black and white
  • Sara in her gown as her friends arrange the long veil
Sara walking up behind Drew on the lawn for the first look
Bride and groom standing together on the lawn after their first look
Bride laughing with her bouquet of white flowers
Bride laughing beside the groom on the lawn
Drew with his hands to his face, seeing Sara for the first time
Drew twirling Sara on the lawn by the pool
Sara kissing Drew on the cheek by the villa pool
Bouquet of white roses and anemones in the bride's hands
Sara laughing with her bouquet, seen past Drew's shoulder
Black and white photo of the groom smiling over the bride's shoulder
Bride with her bouquet facing the groom under the trees
Sara and Drew at the first look, in black and white

Boat to the island

Then everyone climbed aboard for the short ride across the lake to the island, veils and bouquets catching the breeze.

  • Sara in her gown walking along the jetty to the boat
  • Friends helping Sara and her train on board the boat
  • Two bridesmaids in rose dresses laughing on the boat
  • Bridesmaid with her eyes closed in the breeze on the boat
  • Drew and his groomsmen on the boat, with its wake behind them
  • Sara and a bridesmaid smiling together on the boat
  • Sara's bouquet of white roses and eucalyptus on the boat seat
  • Sara's veil lifting in the wind on the boat
  • Sara with her bouquet by the boat window, the lake behind her
  • Bridesmaids laughing together on the boat
  • Sara at the boat window, looking out over Lake Garda
  • Guests walking down the jetty past the lakeside town to the boat
  • Sara and her bridesmaids close together on the boat
  • The villa and gardens of Isola del Garda seen from the water
  • Bridesmaids at the boat window as the island comes into view
  • Looking back across Lake Garda to the lakeside town from the boat
  • Drew helping Sara off the boat onto the Isola del Garda jetty
Bride and groom by the stone tower on the shore of Lake Garda
Sara and Drew walking along the island shore with the lake behind

The ceremony

Nº 02 Under the frescoes

They said their vows under the frescoes of the neo-Gothic mansion on Isola del Garda. The whole private island was theirs and their guests’ for the day.

White flower arrangements lining the aisle for an Isola del Garda wedding ceremony
Ceremony aisle under the gothic arches at an Isola del Garda wedding
Stone urn of white roses and hydrangeas beside a loggia column
Guests with drinks waiting under the loggia for the ceremony
Black and white silhouette of the bride meeting the groom at the altar
A waiter serving drinks to seated guests before the ceremony
Black and white photo of the bride walking down the flower-lined aisle
A guest filming on his phone as Sara walks in
Sara walking down the flower-lined aisle towards Drew
Bride and groom facing each other at the ceremony with the lake behind
The ceremony under the loggia, with guests and white flowers
A string quartet playing among the ceremony chairs
Bridesmaids and groomsmen standing beside Sara and Drew during the ceremony
Bride smiling during the ceremony on Isola del Garda
Sara seen between the groomsmen's shoulders at the ceremony
Drew smiling at Sara through her veil, in black and white
The bridesmaids in rust satin standing along the loggia
Drew's groomsmen standing in a row under the loggia
The groomsmen lined up during the ceremony, in black and white
Sara and Drew exchanging rings with the officiant
Black and white photo of the groom laughing as he reads his vows
Sara and Drew's first kiss as a married couple
Sara throwing an arm in the air as Drew hugs her after the vows
Sara and Drew kissing, his arms around her
A close-up of the first kiss
Sara and Drew walking back down the aisle as guests cheer
Sara and Drew cheering, her bouquet raised high
Guests hugging Sara and Drew after the ceremony, in black and white
The bridesmaids cheering with their bouquets under the palm trees
Sara's father holding her close, in black and white

It felt surreal, as every Isola del Garda wedding does.

The ceremony framed by the neo-Gothic arches and rose windows
Close-up of Sara and Drew holding hands during the vows

Aperitivo

A chef cooking at the aperitivo food station
Drew with a glass of prosecco among the bridesmaids
Two guests stretched out on the lawn by the hedges
Prosecco being poured at the aperitivo bar
Rows of glasses ready at the aperitivo bar
The terrace gardens, palms and lake seen from above
A tray of canapés at the aperitivo

Formals

Formal? Ish...

  • Sara with her bridesmaids in rust satin on the terrace
  • The bridesmaids raising their bouquets around Sara
  • Drew and his groomsmen with Sara on the terrace
  • The groomsmen holding Sara up between them
  • Sara and her bridesmaids cheering under the loggia arches
  • The whole wedding party on the terrace above the lake
  • Bouquets thrown in the air by Sara and her bridesmaids
  • Drew's groomsmen fooling around on the terrace
Bride and groom walking back up the aisle as newlyweds
The wedding party laughing together on the terrace

Nº 03 A Riva boat and the gardens

After the ceremony, the two of them took a classic Riva boat out across Lake Garda for their first few minutes as newlyweds. Then came the portraits: the English gardens, the Oriental garden and the Italian maze on the main terrace.

  • Drew helping Sara aboard the Riva boat at the jetty
  • Bride and groom sitting together at the back of the Riva boat
  • Sara and Drew in the Riva boat with the island villa behind
  • Bride and groom laughing on the Riva boat
  • Groom raising his arm in celebration on the Riva boat
  • Newlyweds at the stern of the Riva boat with its wake behind
  • Sara leaning back in the Riva boat, her veil in the breeze
  • Sara's bouquet in her lap on the boat
  • Sara stepping onto the jetty as Drew waits in the boat
Bride and groom walking through the island gardens
Bride and groom walking between clipped hedges in the Italian garden
Groom kissing the bride's forehead in the gardens
Bride holding her bouquet on the garden path
Bride and groom along the hedge-lined path on Isola del Garda
Sara and Drew embracing on a hedge-lined garden path
Bride and groom foreheads together in soft light
Sara and Drew kissing among the flowers in the gardens
Bride with her bouquet among flowering plants in the gardens
Sara and Drew close together behind her veil

Reception

Sara and Drew arriving at the reception with their arms in the air

Reception

Drew pouring the champagne tower as Sara and guests watch
Champagne flowing down the tower of coupes
Bride laughing as she pours champagne at the champagne tower

Nº 04 · Evening

Once the stars came out, the marquee at the far end of the island filled with music and laughter until the early hours.

  • Sara and Drew laughing with drinks at the party, in black and white
  • The marquee dance floor in purple light, framed by leaves
  • Black and white photo of the couple dancing close
  • Bride and groom dancing under blue light
  • Black and white photo of the couple's first dance
  • Guests dancing in pink and gold light
  • Black and white photo of the couple laughing on the dance floor
  • Sara and Drew's first dance in blue light
  • Black and white photo of the bride dancing with guests
  • Drew spinning Sara during their first dance
  • Sara singing along on the dance floor, in black and white
  • A full dance floor under the marquee lights
  • Guests cheering around Drew at the party, in black and white
  • Guests dancing on the white floor in the haze
  • Guests dancing in the marquee, in black and white
  • Guests dancing, one in sunglasses
  • The dance floor seen through a gap, in black and white
  • The marquee glowing at dusk with lanterns on the lawn
Bride and groom by the wedding cake as sparklers go off
Black and white photo of the bride dancing in the haze

About the wedding

Venue
Isola del Garda
Planner
Weddings At Lake Garda
Wedding dress
Galia Lahav
Flowers
Bohem La Stazione
Catering
Eventi Bio
Hair & make-up
The Studio Como
Boats
Danieli Service
Music
Laura Masotto
Photography & film
Love Weddings
Planning a wedding on Lake Garda? Tell us about your day