RELAIS VILLA VITTORIA PHOTOGRAPHER

WEDDINGS AT THE RELAIS VILLA VITTORIA

Laglio, Lake Como

If you have been studying the map of Lake Como, you will have met the celebrated names already. Laglio is a small village with a quieter fame — one of the most famous retreat corners in the world — and it keeps a place that feels like a film set while being entirely real: Relais Villa Vittoria.

Relais Villa Vittoria is a historical villa transformed into a charming boutique hotel: a natural choice for your wedding celebration, for a private getaway on the calm waters of the lake, and for special events of every intimate kind.

In these lines you will find practical knowledge about this spectacular place, set on the shore, invisible from the road, yet open to direct, unhindered views of Lake Como from its private grounds. Falling in love with her after a visit is easy — and my words and photographs will bring you close before you ever arrive.

After my chapters and my images of the celebrations held here, you will read two interviews with people who know the villa at first hand: a member of the family who owns her, and a bride who celebrated her wedding within her walls.

Relais Villa Vittoria is noted year after year among the finest wedding locations on Lake Como. My reasons for telling you more are concrete: I have carried out numerous projects here, I know the owners and count them as friends — which becomes, for you, local knowledge, direct contact and first-hand advice. Relais Villa Vittoria is a top-quality host: staying or dining here, you cannot go wrong.

This charming villa perfectly suits those who wish for a privately held wedding celebration. Delightful rooms of ancient taste with the luxury of modernity, and the services of a boutique hotel all around them.

You will not be organising the wedding alone. For a celebration spread over several days, the villa can secure the best external providers on request; and the house has its own wedding planner service at your disposal. The forms a celebration can take here run from a small circle of family and friends, to an intimate ceremony, to the fully dreamy wedding.

For me as a photographer, the villa is spectacular architecture, tasteful interiors and a marvellous garden surrounded by the waters and views of Lake Como. I already know the best hours for photographs here, and the corners made for a couple photoshoot. The next images take you inside Relais Villa Vittoria.

Choosing a single day for your wedding ceremony is a good choice — but the weather is not always a friend of ours. Knowing this local nuance, Villa Vittoria is ready to host the celebration indoors as well as outdoors, plan ‘B’ included.

From what my wedding couples have taught me, the celebration spread over several days is the best solution: you gain the time to enjoy this spectacular corner of Italy and to gather peaceful, joyful memories — and if rain claims one of the days, nothing is ruined: the good days remain.

Lake Como has a microclimatic system of its own: even this far north of Italy, the climate is humid and Mediterranean — a blessing for the plants and flowers that thrive most of the year, and the reason a shower can arrive unannounced. Knowing this, you are ready to enjoy the place at its best: planning the wedding as a combination of indoors and outdoors is, here, simply local wisdom.

And since we are in Italy, the wine must be mentioned: a production of luxurious labels, to purchase and to offer. One fine curiosity, and a special treat of the house: the wine cellars too are at your disposal — and one of them turns into a dance floor.

Another reason to stay at Villa Vittoria is the relatively short distance from the airports of Milan (Italy) and Lugano (Switzerland). Take a private transfer, or ask the villa to organise your transport: you will reach the house in about an hour and a half, without inconvenience. The lake is full of famous places, yet its public transport is not its strength — and surprises of that kind are better avoided.

Water is another way to travel. Ferries and private water taxis connect the petite villages and towns of Lake Como: sightseeing, local delicacies and the company of your family and friends, from the most beautiful vantage point there is.

With me as your photographer, you gain a local ally: I put you in touch with trusted providers and point out the most beautiful places for your images — before the wedding, during it, or as the closing chapter of your celebration days. Which parts I am to preserve is your choice; my interest never changes: happy guests, a smooth and enjoyable photographic process, and you at your ease.

Now see it in practice: one full wedding celebration, told day by day — followed by first-hand opinions on this boutique hotel.

RELAIS VILLA VITTORIA: THE FOUR-DAY WEDDING PHOTOSHOOT

Day One: welcome dinner, August 2nd

The first meeting with the guests at the relais, then dinner in a small restaurant close to the harbour.

Day Two: Relais Villa Vittoria, wedding day, August 3rd

Their Big Day at the villa.

Day Three: discovering Lake Como, August 4th

A half-day boat ride with brunch — a memory made on the most beautiful of the Italian lakes.

Day Four: couple photoshoot, August 6th

Their duet in the old city of Como and at Villa Olmo — the place where they first met.

Interview with Kelsey Doren Roth, who celebrated her wedding at Relais Villa Vittoria, Laglio

Let's hear from someone who has lived Relais Villa Vittoria at first hand. Here we go!

→ Can you tell us something about yourself, Kelsey?
I’m an attorney who lives in Louisville, Kentucky with my husband, Joe. I’m originally from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Joe and I met while attending law school in North Carolina. In my free time, I enjoy reading and watching basketball games.

→ Every year, many couples from the United States cross the ocean to celebrate their wedding in Europe. You chose Italy. Why Italy — and why Lake Como?
Joe and I had dreamed of visiting Italy since we first started dating. When we got engaged, we started to plan a traditional wedding. However, we finally chose to elope in Lake Como because of its breathtaking beauty. We both love being near water, and there is no place more serene than Lake Como.

→ That is true. Were there other destinations you considered for your wedding?
When we were deciding where to elope, we briefly considered Positano, Southern Italy, but as soon as we saw pictures of Lake Como we just knew that was where we had to exchange vows. Then we started to research local providers to make it all happen, and we also found Relais Villa Vittoria.

→ Why did you choose Relais Villa Vittoria to celebrate your wedding?
Our wonderful photographer, Luca, had recommended Relais Villa Vittoria to us from the very beginning. When we looked it up online, we immediately fell in love with everything the hotel had to offer. Its location, the spectacular grounds, the private gazebo for dinner, the gorgeous rooms and beautiful decor, everything about the hotel was perfect and everything we were looking for in a wedding day hotel.
Just as we had envisioned, our time spent at Relais Villa Vittoria was the most incredible of our trip. The hotel was phenomenal and we had the most breathtaking views from our balcony overlooking the lake. Everyone was so accommodating, helpful, and kind. We can’t wait to visit again for a future anniversary.

→ After such a celebration, you speak with the voice of experience: what is your most important suggestion for those getting married on Lake Como?
I would recommend renting a private boat for the day. There is nothing more romantic than touring the lake with your new spouse by your side on a private cruise with a glass of Prosecco in hand. We will always cherish our time spent on the lake after our vows, admiring the landscape and architecture of the towns from the water.

→ You also visited another important villa on Lake Como to exchange your vows. Why Villa del Balbianello?
When we were looking to get married in Lake Como, one of the important destinations that came to mind was Villa del Balbianello. It’s a stunning location and grounds that are incomparable to any wedding venue I’ve ever seen. Plus, when you have the opportunity to get married on the same balcony where the wedding scene in Star Wars takes place, you can’t pass up that opportunity.

→ As an integral part of your celebration, you entrusted Luca Rajna with your wedding photography. How would you describe the work, and the images you received?
I cannot recommend Luca Rajna Progetti Fotografici enough. We would have been completely lost without Luca. When we decided to get married in Lake Como, we had no idea how to start planning the day. Neither of us had visited before and there are so many potential places to stay and exchange vows. Luckily, Luca went above and beyond, generously taking on the role of photographer and, at times, planner.
We couldn’t be more grateful. He made wonderful suggestions on how to spend the day and put our minds at ease. When we finally met in person, he was the kindest person with such a warm and relaxing disposition.

→ And how did it feel to be photographed?
We were so comfortable shooting photographs with him and he took us to so many beautiful locations, just as showing us his home. He even graciously spent additional time with us when we were running a bit behind schedule. We would not have had such an incredible and memorable elopement if it hadn’t been for Luca.

Thank you so much, Kelsey, for your kind words. May your memories of Lake Como stay bright — and maybe, ci vediamo again!

From Kelsey’s elopement wedding:

Interview with Laura Radrizzani, member of the family owning Relais Villa Vittoria, Laglio

Thank you so much, Laura, for taking the time to answer our questions about Villa Vittoria and Lake Como — and for the valuable information!

→ Can you tell us about a quality of Relais Villa Vittoria that is a little hidden?
The Relais Villa Vittoria is a pearl of elegance and charm: historical, ancient and unique. During the second half of the nineteenth century, its mulberry garden was used for the breeding of silkworms — the source of the precious silk that has made the area of Como so famous throughout the world.

→ Many buildings around Lake Como once served different purposes from today’s. This is also the case with the Relais Villa Vittoria.
Yes, it is true. In the past the villa was used as a summer residence by a Milanese family, and today it has been transformed into a hotel while maintaining the charm of the past. Once breeding silk; today, breeding love stories to come.

→ What are, in your opinion, the top qualities of the villa?
Elegance, exclusivity, the villa’s romantic spots, the views from its alleys, history and tradition are surely the main aspects.
On the practical side — last but not least — the easy connection with all the airports, which is essential when hosting many international guests. We also have a strategic position with regard to the towns of Lake Como — Como, Lenno, Bellagio — with most of the historical villas, the famous Villa del Balbianello and Villa Melzi nearby.
As for the special events we host, ceremonies — the civil one included — can be carried out right on the premises.

→ The villa is a place filled with charm — but is it also possible to have good fun there during a wedding celebration?
Of course! A small private disco can be set up in two typical, original Lario grottoes in the villa’s basement. It is one of the few villas offering even small groups an exclusive place just for them.

→ Is there something you always recommend to the guests of the Relais Villa Vittoria?
I do. I usually recommend that our guests use their time to enjoy the beauty and the special places of Lake Como. It is best to be guided by professionals of the area, who take guests to the important spots and show them the best of it. Seeing the lake from the water is a must: at least a short boat tour — or a full-day one — is a great thing to do. This way you can see magnificent corners of the lake that you could never see from ‘land’.

→ How much time should one allow to explore the lake?
If you want to visit only one place — a village or a villa — you can agree on it with your local photographer or the captain of the boat. If you would like to explore a few spots, or to be led by a photographer or captain, it can take longer. In my opinion, the absolute minimum to comfortably see the most beautiful things is two hours. For complete excursions, or to go deeper, it takes from three hours up to a whole day. So whether you have a couple of hours or the whole day, from morning until dusk, it is always spectacular.

Lake Como: a fairy tale that began a thousand years ago

Along the Roman street to a medieval pilgrims' hospital

The central part of the lake offers incredible spots.
You can even have your photoshoot in an ancient village founded by the Celts, along the original Roman street built in the age of Julius Caesar.
Local photographers know where to take the best pictures.

RELAIS VILLA VITTORIA: THEMATIC PHOTOGALLERY

SURPRISE PROPOSALS

Take note, please. The most common way proposal photographers work is to find a spot where they can wait without being noticed, ready to catch the best candid frames possible.

After the proposal, the photographer takes some further images — just like any other ‘conventional’ photoshoot. Unfortunately, this is what usually happens:

– Her make-up and her dress are not at their best, since she is not prepared for a photoshoot.
– During the proposal, the frame is unlikely to be the best: the photographer, of course, cannot lead the situation and place the couple in the right spot.
– Unwanted objects appear in the frame — or people walking by, or watching the event in the background. It happens very often.
– She bows her head, and her hair may cover the expression on her face.
– She cries. The photoshoot that follows the proposal is taken with her eye make-up washed away and her nose a little red.

Not a high standard of the art.
The good news: there is a much better way to do all of this. But I cannot be more explicit about my own method here — it is reserved for my clients.

Weddings: Getting ready

The bride’s getting ready is a substantial part of the wedding day you are going to live: it takes hours, spent in a very particular condition — emotional, intimate and enjoyable.
From a photographic point of view: the occasion for images unlike anything else in your Big Day.
In the bigger image, a bridal portrait taken just after her first look, in the adjacent villa. You can indeed ask the owners of the Relais Villa Vittoria for a second villa — made for those intimate moments of the day that ask to be lived far from the guests’ view.

OUTDOOR WEDDING CEREMONIES

Outdoor wedding ceremonies at Villa Vittoria. Lake Como is entirely ringed by mountains, so every single venue has its own hour before the sun fades away — and Villa Vittoria has hers.
Planning the right timing is essential. Once you have entrusted me with the commission, my knowledge of light and time is at your disposal.

RAINY DAY WEDDINGS: PLAN "B" CEREMONIES

In the bigger image: an elopement wedding ceremony in the main hall, on a rainy autumn day. Very romantic.
In the sequence of four: a wedding ceremony held in the Veranda — a plan B with a full lake view, for the cold season.
Backup options of this quality are almost unique for a villa on Lake Como.

INTIMATE CEREMONIES UNDER THE GAZEBO

Villa Vittoria is a must for elopements and intimate weddings: there is nothing quite like her around Lake Como. Do not miss her.

TAXI BOAT RIDE PHOTOSHOOT

Lake Como is also the Lake Country of Naboo, one of the fictional planets of the Star Wars universe. In the main image you can easily recognise the famous balcony where the wedding of Anakin and Padmé took place.

With my planned itineraries we can reach both secret ancient spots and famous villas.
My couple got married at Villa Vittoria — you can see two frames from their celebration in the Outdoor Wedding Ceremonies section

of this post — then we visited an ancient village with the help of a local tourist guide.
After this, a taxi boat ride including the couple photoshoot at Villa del Balbianello, the Star Wars villa.

For all the Star Wars fans, the wedding scene from Episode II — Attack of the Clones (2002):

BOOKING THE RIGHT BOAT

The wrong boat won't even let you take pictures

Please read carefully: I am not speaking of a ‘challenge’ — it could become a real problem.
A boat with the passenger seat just behind the captain’s makes it impossible to frame the subjects and the backdrop together.
Another problem is any kind of barrier between the driving position and the passenger area — roofs, awnings, glass panels or cabins.
And the right boat has no barriers behind the passengers either.
Ignoring these factors could mean the failure of our photoshoot on the boat.

Nor is it only a matter of design: we will also need a collaborative captain. We will be on board to get the best, not to save on fuel.

The image below shows the right outcome — and you can also see how a fine colour contrast works.
The picture is taken at a distance from the couple, and the view is free, with a wide landscape in the background.
Our photoshoot on the boat must be a creative and emotional documentation of the relationship between you and the beautiful surroundings — not a portrait session taken in an undefined space.

Uncooperative taxi boat companies can create serious problems during a photoshoot

Touring the lake with an uncooperative captain can seriously compromise the quality of the photoshoot, reducing the storytelling to nonsense.
Once the photoshoot is booked, you will receive a link with my instructions about photography — including the list of the companies that are not welcome.
As I love my work, and always strive to be a conscientious professional, I will be obliged to cancel your booking should you hire one of these companies — with a full refund, of course.

REACHING GEORGE CLOONEY'S VILLA

We cannot fail to mention Villa l’Oleandra (also known as Villa Oleandra), in Laglio, not far from the Relais Villa Vittoria.
If you are a fan of George Clooney, this is the perfect occasion to see his villa: it cannot be seen from ashore, protected as it is by its architectural and botanical barriers.
Reaching her is simple: we add this venue to our taxi boat itinerary.

JUST FEELING

Well-framed, balanced candid images are the central pillar of wedding storytelling: classic wedding photojournalism is an evergreen style.

DINNER FOR TWO

In the main image… yes, it is me — or better, the two of us: me and my wife Maria Rosa, celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in 2021.
The Relais Villa Vittoria offers several corners for romantic candlelight dinners — with a plan B for the cold season.
These enchanted lake-view spots suit every kind of intimate occasion: anniversaries, marriage proposals, intimate weddings, renewals of vows…

VIEW MORE JACKETS

And… here is where my jacket comes from: Larry!
He is the designer. He got married at Villa Vittoria, he was fascinated by my art — and we are still in touch.

OUTDOOR WEDDINGS IN THE EVENING

The blue hour and the evening are precious moments, with a light all of their own.
But low light demands real technical skill — not the easy solution of flashes and spotlights.
You are booking a photographer to preserve how you lived your Big Day, not to fabricate an atmosphere that never existed.
All of my images are taken exclusively in available light, without adding any: the one way to guarantee, from an artistic point of view, the true and faithful documentation of your time at the venue.

DANCING

Yes, it is Larry again!
Dances are welcome at Villa Vittoria: the ‘disco’ and its dedicated bar are in the wine cellar area, partially carved into the rock, according to the local tradition.

INVESTMENT GUIDE

Every commission begins with the same two questions — even when they remain unspoken: ‘Is it worth it?‘ and ‘What if the final images fall short?‘
Both are perfectly legitimate, and both deserve a clear answer before any figure appears.

Let’s take the second one first. A fine image is never a happy accident. It is the result of a method: the frame built with care, the light anticipated, the direction quiet but precise. Posing requires no talent on your side — give me two minutes, and I can make even the stone columns of the villa pose with ease.

As for the first question — consider what the investment actually opens. Not simply hours of shooting, but a complete creative work: the conception, an itinerary drawn around the path of the sun, representative and photogenic places my colleagues keep overlooking, the session itself, the meticulous post-production, and a final sequence edited as one coherent story.
This is why my projects are not priced by the hour. The investment reserves your day and opens a project. Each formula has its own ceiling of hours — a one-hour session and a five-hour session carry the same investment. This choice also sets aside a habit of the trade: sessions so brief that the chosen settings can never be told in full. When I photograph, I am serene: I enjoy myself — we enjoy ourselves together. I love photography, and I am in no hurry to go home.

One further truth, and it matters here more than anywhere: the Lake Como of the travel guides is only a fraction of the true Lake Como, with its history and its meaning. Publishers print what sells — the same few celebrated, crowded places — and blogs tend to follow the popular, and whatever makes them surface in the search engines, rather than what is genuine. A narrative project takes you beyond the guidebooks and leaves you with a story that outlasts the journey itself. You will discover more than you would on your own: the lake will not be a mere backdrop — you will be protagonists within it, and you will come to understand it in its essence.

Two assurances, before the numbers.
Subject to my availability, I offer a ‘Weather Insurance‘: if rain is forecast, we simply move the session to a drier day. Allow a stay of at least four days — the minimum needed to visit and understand the lake, its mountains included — and book the session on the first of them.
And the full-day project — recommended below — can be divided into two half-days, the better to follow, for each chosen place, the light wherever it is most generous.

Couple and family photoshoots

Full-Day Narrative Photography Project — €1,670 (recommended)
I am at your disposal for up to ten consecutive hours, during which you may also decide to take breaks, or to change outfits.
200 or more post-produced images, emotionally edited into one coherent visual story — skin colour correction and retouching included, along with the careful de-wrinkling of clothing.
The itinerary moves from the villa to the lake around it, reaching representative, photogenic spots my colleagues keep missing — a full day, without haste.
Images delivered straight to your email within ten days.

Half-Day Narrative Photography Project — €1,270
Up to five consecutive hours of availability.
120 or more post-produced images, edited with the same artistic care and the same meticulous post-production as the full-day project — skin colour correction and retouching included, along with the careful de-wrinkling of clothing.
Images delivered straight to your email within ten days.

Surprise Proposal Narrative Photography Project — €570
As with every project of mine, complete planning assistance is included — and at the villa, the gazebo has already witnessed more than one ‘yes’.
Beyond documenting the proposal itself, I am also available for a couple photoshoot.
Up to one hour of availability from the appointed time, with a visual story of 30 edited and post-produced images.
Skin colour correction and retouching included, along with de-wrinkling of clothing.
Images delivered straight to your email within five days.
Extra for next-day delivery, subject to availability: €220.

Exclusively for the guests of the villa
The two formulas below are a courtesy reserved for those staying at Relais Villa Vittoria on the day of the session — they cannot be booked from outside. Their purpose is simple: to let you take home a beautiful memory of your days here. These are, by design, my simplest formulas: to keep the investment low, the post-production is streamlined — the skin is softened and its contrast finely controlled, rather than fully retouched. Simplest for my studio, however, does not mean simple: every image still receives an individual edit, well above the standard the market usually offers for sessions of this length.

One-Hour Photosession for couples and families — €470
20 high-resolution post-produced images, taken within the villa and her grounds.
Images delivered straight to your email within five days.

Two-Hour Photosession for couples and families — €670
30 high-resolution post-produced images.
One change of location: the second part of the photoshoot can, if you wish, move to an ancient lakeside village founded by the Celts, along the remains of the Roman street.
With more time for poses and direction, the quality of the images gains over the one-hour formula.
Images delivered straight to your email within five days.

A note on families — and why I do not count heads
You may have noticed that every formula above carries one price, whether it is for a couple or for a family. Allow me to point out what this means in practice: working on skin tones and clothing for two people is less work than doing the same for a family — you are simply more. Yet I keep the price identical, and I do not look at the number of people.
This is a conscious choice, and it reflects my person and my ideals: I want to encourage and support the concept — and the role — of the family.
One clarification, for fairness: this principle applies to the photoshoot of a single family. Family reunions, which bring several households together, follow their own formulas below, where the size of the group does count.

Confirmation deposit
50% of the total amount, as set out in the contract.

Weddings

Elopement, with any exchange of vows, blessing or wedding ceremony (‘the two of you’) — full day, €1,970
I am at your disposal for up to ten consecutive hours, guided throughout by my direction — from six to ten hours, as you prefer.
An emotional narrative sequence of 300 or more post-produced images — skin colour correction and retouching included, along with the careful de-wrinkling of clothing.
We will even reach some spots still ‘secret’ to my colleagues.
Images delivered straight to your email within ten days.
Priority delivery within 48 hours, subject to availability: €900.

Elopement, with any exchange of vows, blessing or wedding ceremony (‘the two of you’) — half day, €1,570
Up to five consecutive hours of availability, with my direction throughout — from one to five hours, as you prefer.
200 or more post-produced images, with the same retouching and the same care.
Images delivered straight to your email within ten days.
Priority delivery within 48 hours, subject to availability: €900.

You and the witnesses (‘the four of you’) — full day, €2,470
Up to ten consecutive hours of availability, with my direction throughout.
300 or more post-produced images — retouching and de-wrinkling included.
Some ‘secret’ spots of the lake are part of the itinerary here as well.
Images delivered straight to your email within ten days after the Big Day.
Priority delivery within three days, subject to availability: €900.

You and the witnesses (‘the four of you’) — half day, €1,970
Up to five consecutive hours of availability, with my direction throughout.
200 or more post-produced images — retouching and de-wrinkling included.
Images delivered straight to your email within ten days after the Big Day.
Priority delivery within three days, subject to availability: €900.

Intimate weddings (from five up to twelve guests) — €2,570
Up to ten hours of continuous narrative photography, a minimum of 300 post-produced images — skin colour correction and retouching included, along with the careful de-wrinkling of clothing.
Extra hours on request: €200 each.
Images delivered straight to your email within three months after the Big Day.
Priority delivery within one week, subject to availability: €1600.

Small weddings (from thirteen up to thirty guests) — €2,970
Up to ten hours of continuous narrative photography, a minimum of 400 post-produced images — skin colour correction and retouching included, along with the careful de-wrinkling of clothing.
Extra hours on request: €200 each.
Images delivered straight to your email within three months after the Big Day.
Priority delivery within one week, subject to availability: €1700.

Weddings with over thirty guests — €3,470
Up to ten hours of continuous narrative photography, a minimum of 500 post-produced images — and two photographers. Skin colour correction and retouching included, along with the careful de-wrinkling of clothing.
Extra hours on request: €300 each.
Images delivered straight to your email within three months after the Big Day.
Priority delivery within one week, subject to availability: €1800.

Family reunions
When several households gather in one place, the group size does count — unlike the single-family formulas above — because every face receives the same individual care.

Family reunions up to twelve people — €1,970
One price from one to five hours of availability. Extra hours: €200 each.
200 or more post-produced images — skin colour correction and retouching included, along with the careful de-wrinkling of clothing.
Images delivered straight to your email within one month.
Priority delivery within one week, subject to availability: €1200.

Family reunions over twelve people — €2,470
One price from one to five hours of availability. Extra hours: €240 each.
300 or more post-produced images — skin colour correction and retouching included, along with the careful de-wrinkling of clothing.
Images delivered straight to your email within two months.
Priority delivery within one week, subject to availability: €1400.

Confirmation deposit
50% of the total amount, as set out in the contract.

THE END

Thank you for reading!

Thank you for reading!

If my style speaks to you, there is a dedicated post with advice for couple photoshoots on Lake Como: https://www.progettifotografici.com/lake-como-photoshoot-guide/

This other post is about Venice, but I recommend it because it explains how to dress for a photoshoot — together we can apply the same principles to the colours of Lake Como: https://www.progettifotografici.com/venice-photographer-photoshoot/