An intimate, luxury wedding on Lake Como
You can tell that some Lake Como weddings feel like a film before a single roll of film is loaded.
Hanna and Justin's Lake como wedding was one of them. An intimate August wedding at Villa del Balbianello, a boat ride across the lake, a morning in Varenna with the shutters open to the water, and a day I photographed on film from the first zip of the dress to the last final dance of the night. Hanna and Justin value their family and friends the most, and that's actually how they ended up at Villa del Balbianello. A Canadian love story that brought out 60 of their loved ones out to this grand, spectacular villa, only reachable by boat on Lake Como. H&J could not think of a more intimate and beautiful way to celebrate their wedding, than by being in such beautiful surroundings on Lake Como with the people they love most.
As art lovers themselves, they wanted their Lake Como wedding at Villa del Balbianello to feel editorial and artistic, which is why they opted to hire me as their Lake Como film wedding photographer. I'm going to share how their day unfolded, and what to know if you want your own Lake Como wedding to feel less effortless, and more like a fashion editorial.
Getting ready at Hotel Royal Victoria in Varenna
Hanna and Justin got ready in Varenna at the Hotel Royal Victoria hotel, a short boat ride from Villa del Balbianello. They also chose Varenna for its beautiful pastel buildings and because it's one of the most scenic locations on Lake Como.
The morning of a wedding during the getting ready is where I slow down. Morning light comes off the lake and bounces around the room, silk and lace catch it, and the details start to look like they belong in a magazine spread. I shoot these hours the way I shoot everything: on film, a little imperfect, with the odd frame thrown in just because the moment looked good. This wedding morning on Lake Como was slightly cloudy - and unlike on digital where overcast photographs beautiful, film flourishes with light. So in my film photography practice, I am intentional about what kind of light I need. And this is where I add flash, because flash is what turns a bit of gloom into something that feels slightly editorial. Flash is direct, slightly unruly, a bit of 90s glamour. If you want a getting ready chapter that feels more Vogue than catalog, this is the part of the day that sets the tone.
If you are planning a Lake Como wedding, getting ready on the water is worth the logistics. A lakefront hotel gives you a view in every direction, the most beautiful view as you sip your morning coffee, and of course, the dreamy Lake Como backdrop of detail shots as well as bridal portraits alike. And these type of details photograph particularly beautifully on film photography.
During the getting ready shots is where I use the most medium format film (in addition to 35mm film photography), before the day fully begins, this part of the wedding gives the space to be slow and intentional, and really take advantage of where medium format film photography shines.
Arriving by boat: Villa del Balbianello is a water-only entrance
Here is the detail that makes Villa del Balbianello different from almost any wedding venue in Europe: you arrive by boat. The villa sits at the tip of a wooded peninsula on the western shore of Lake Como. There is a footpath from the village of Lenno for day visitors, but on a wedding day the way in is across the water.
For a film wedding photographer, that is a gift. The boat ride is its own chapter of the wedding, and a stunning backdrop for candid and editorial wedding photography. Wind in the veil, spray off the wake, the shoreline sliding past in slow, saturated color. A tuxedo, a ball gown and a wooden motorboat is about as cinematic as a Lake Como wedding can get. These are the frames couples tell me they keep coming back to, because nothing about them is posed. The lake is moving, the boat is moving, and so is everyone on it.
If you are searching for a Villa del Balbianello wedding photographer, this is the part to ask about. Shooting from a moving boat, in changing light, with a bride in a long veil, takes experience with film and with the way water behaves. My biggest recommendation is to build extra time into your timeline for the boat crossing, to have some extra time for the in-between moments, here because you can expect some of the best images of the day to happen between the dock on Lake Como and the Villa del Balbianello villa gates.
Wedding portraits at Villa Del Balbienello
Perched on a lush peninsula overlooking the waters of Lake Como, Villa del Balbianello is one of Italy’s most iconic wedding venues. With its historic architecture, beautifully manicured gardens, and sweeping views of the lake and surrounding mountains, the villa offers an extraordinary setting for destination wedding photography. For Hanna and Justin, who envisioned an intimate and romantic celebration in Italy, it was the perfect backdrop for their wedding day.
Hanna and Justin's Villa del Balbianello wedding portraits were captured entirely on film photography, a medium that felt especially fitting for the timeless beauty of this historic Italian villa. There is something about Lake Como that lends itself naturally to analog photography. The soft Italian sunlight, warm tones of the villa’s stone architecture, rich greenery of the gardens, and delicate blues of the lake create a beautiful palette for film. Its organic grain, gentle contrast, and nuanced rendering of colour complement the landscape without overpowering it.
What makes film wedding photography particularly beautiful in a setting like Villa del Balbianello is the way it captures both the grandeur of the surroundings and the intimacy of the moments within them. The villa is undeniably spectacular, but Hanna and Justin's portraits were never simply about showcasing the location. They were about capturing the two of them within it, the quiet exchanges, natural movement, and fleeting moments of connection against a backdrop that feels almost cinematic.
Film has a softness and depth that feels especially romantic in this environment. Rather than rendering every detail with clinical precision, it interprets light and colour in a way that can feel nostalgic yet remarkably alive. The subtle texture of the photographs, the richness of the greens, and the delicate transitions between sunlight and shadow lend the images a timeless, editorial quality. Against the villa’s ornate loggia, winding stone pathways, and expansive terraces, film creates photographs that feel as though they could belong to another era while remaining unmistakably contemporary.
For Hanna and Justin, choosing film photography for their Lake Como wedding, was also a beautiful way to preserve the atmosphere of the day. Film wedding photography in Lake Como encourages a thoughtful approach to image-making, with an emphasis on composition, light, and anticipating meaningful moments. The result is a collection of film wedding portraits that balances carefully considered editorial imagery with natural, unscripted emotion.
There is an effortless elegance to weddings at Villa del Balbianello. Despite the scale and grandeur of the property, its secluded location and intimate gardens create a sense of privacy that is rare for such a celebrated destination. Hanna and Justin's portraits reflect that contrast beautifully, romantic and intimate, yet surrounded by the extraordinary beauty of Lake Como. Captured on analog film, their wedding photographs are a celebration of timeless Italian romance, thoughtful artistry, and the kind of beauty that never goes out of style.
The intimate ceremony
Justin and Hanna’s Villa Del Balbianello wedding ceremony was small and personal, with family and close friends gathered under a wall of ivy. When a guest list is this intimate, I stay close and quiet. The vows, the glances, the half-smiles before the tears arrive. That is the type of texture that film photography was made for. If the weather is not perfect on your wedding day, do not panic. Lake Como in moody light is gorgeous, and film loves it.
Why film photography and flash make Lake Como feel like an editorial
Lake Como is already beautiful. The challenge is making it feel like your wedding day, specifically, not like every other wedding photo you have seen of it. That is why I shoot film for Lake Como weddings.
Film photography gives the lake depth and color that digital often flattens: deep greens in the hills, a milky, blue-gray haze over the water, skin tones that look like skin. And the grain gives the images texture. Motion blur and imperfect focus keep them from feeling stiff. And flash, used on purpose, adds the fashion energy that natural light alone can’t. Evening reception frames, close detail shots, and dancing all get that slightly unruly, editorial glow.
The approach I use for fashion forward Lake Como brides is simple:
• Natural light for the soft, romantic moments
• Direct flash for the details and the energy, the frames that feel like a campaign
• Film for everything, so the whole gallery feels like one continuous story (digital reserved for moments with less light, as needed)
• Candid direction, so you look like yourselves and not like models
The result is a gallery that reads like an editorial spread from a wedding magazine, but with the warmth of a real day.
If you'd like to learn more about my film photography practice and why it's my favorite medium, you can see more of my film work here.
What to know when planning film photography for a Villa del Balbianello wedding
A few things I recommend, as a Lake Como wedding photographer, for future couples planning a wedding in Lake Como or at Villa del Balbianello:
- Build buffer into your wedding timeline. When the transport involves boats (which can be affected by weather), transfers take time, so leave generous buffers between getting ready, the crossing, the ceremony and portraits as one thing running over in a tight schedule can be the difference between a relaxed amount of time to take portraits, vs. a rushed 10-20 minute window.
- It's your Lake Como wedding day - so it can everything you want, and nothing you don't. You can be as out there or non-traditional as you would like. If you want to do private vows, getting ready together with your partner, don't feel pressured to follow traditional wedding norms.
- If you're looking for Lake Como wedding photos that don't look traditional, you can't hire someone who doesn't traditional wedding imagery. I regularly photograph fashion work, Paris fashion week, fashion-forward elopements in Paris, and couples who adore film photography. I love approaching weddings with an editorial, fashion-forward eye, focused on film photography.
- Hire a Lake Como wedding photographer who is comfortable working in different lighting scenarios and in motion. Boat portraits and garden walks are the heart of this venue, so being able to adjust quickly, but also to fast changing lake weather, is essential.
Looking for a Lake Como wedding photographer with a fashion eye?
If you are looking for a Lake Como film wedding photographer who shoots like an editorial photographer, flash, motion, texture and all, I would love to hear about your day. I am based in Paris, but regularly travel for weddings, elopements and portraits across Europe. Most of my couples are planning destination weddings from the US and beyond, and I am happy to help you think through timelines, locations and the details that make a Lake Como wedding feel like yours.
Inquire through my contact page to check availability for Villa del Balbianello and other Lake Como wedding venues.
Or if you'd like to learn more about my Paris wedding photography work, you can learn more here.
