Vendors
Photographer — Matteo Rossi
Venue — Villa Rusconi-Clerici
Wedding Planner — Wanderlust Events
Bride’s Dress — Nicole Milano at Bruidspaleis
Groom’s Tuxedo — Michael Giso
Catering — Le Muse Banqueting
Flower Design — Fiori Quotidiani
Maria Grazia and Stephan, a Dutch - Italian match
Maria Grazia and Stephan’s story begins when they were in their twenties. Grazia, half Italian - born and raised by Lake Maggiore, had just moved to Middiddelburg, the Netherlands from Brussels, Belgium and just like every fairy tale, when she met Stéphan she thought he was the most handsome guy she had ever seen. Stéphan, on his side, was determined to end up with her.
Their love grew strong but they didn’t want to rush things. Finally, on 11 August 2021 (11 years into their relationship) Stéphan proposed on Isola Bella with the view on Isola dell’Amore, one of the most breath-taking scenery on Lake Maggiore. This was such a hit! Stephan knew how often Grazia gets homesick and he choose to pop the question on her beloved lake.
She had been hoping for a proposal for so long, and she knew they would get married at some point, and once he proposed she was overwhelmed with happiness. They were so happy that they had to called their family and friends right away in the garden of Isola Bella! What Grazia found out was that Stephan did everything the right way: he went to Grazia’s mother to ask for her hand. She had known all the time and she was able to keep it a secret.
Choosing a wedding venue and planning a wedding on Lake Maggiore
When the time to start planning came, they had no doubts on the location: Lake Maggiore. They had seen Villa Rusconi-Clerici a year before getting engaged and fell in love with it as it is the typical Italian villa and directly by the Lake.
For the ceremony they chose the Basilica di San Vittore. Grazia’s parents got married in the same church and later she and her sister and got baptised there. This is a special place also because her parents got married there and she dreamt of walking down that island ever since! Grazia holds so many memories there that a different location was not even an option.
Helping the couple with planning was Rose from Wanderlust Events. Grazia already followed Rose on social media as she liked her style. When it came to the point that they needed a wedding planner, the match was already set to be. Not only they liked her style, but she is Dutch too which means that Stéphan could easily communicate with her and take an active part in the planning and design process.
With Wanderlust Events, they created an Italian wedding, with a modern touch. Grazia wore a white tulle dress by Nicole Milano (via Bruidspaleis) embellished with an embroidered bustier. Stéphan, on the other hand, opted for a tailored tuxedo by the artisans at Michael Giso. They only had 50 guests and invited only those who are very close to them. It made it very intimate and unforgettable. After the ceremony, Grazia and Stéphan took a little time fo themselves and arrived at the venue by boat. The atmosphere got even more special during the al fresco dinner catered by Le Muse Banqueting. Fiori Quotidiani took special care of the flower design creating timeless and elegant flower arrangements that perfectly complemented the venue and the church.
What was so personal in this wedding was that every choice brought back to the couple: the villa by the lake, the church, the wedding date - 11/08/2022 was the same as the proposal date 11/08/2021. They also threw a welcome party in the village they used to have our holiday home for years after moving away from Italy. They really tried to link everything to deeper memories and make something everlasting.
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