Classic Beauty and Intimate Vows in the Hills of Lake Como at Villa Balbiano

[section title=”The Planning”]
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[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]

Martin and Nicole wanted their colors to complement the beautiful landscape and villa. White and olive green were their primary colors to match the scenery of the lake and lush green mountains. They added a pop of blush pink to complement the green.

The overall vibe of the wedding was timeless, elegant, and classic. They focused on complementing the vintage pieces that Villa Balbiano offered. Since it was just the two of them, the design was kept minimal to keep the center of attention focused on celebrating their love and their marriage.

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[field title=”Proposal Story”]

Martin and Nicole are high school sweethearts who dated for 11 years before their engagement. Martin knew he wanted to make it a big moment to celebrate their storybook love story. He had been secretly planning Nicole’s proposal for a year, recruiting Nicole’s closest friends and family to orchestrate the day. He asked her friends to distract her while he and his family set up roses and candles at the iconic Palace of Fine Arts, Nicole’s favorite place in San Francisco. Nicole has always been keen on figuring out surprises, so Martin threw her off with decoy events in the upcoming months. As the end of 2022 neared, Nicole was discouraged that she would see a proposal that year. But on December 21, Nicole went to brunch with her best friends for their quarterly “girls’ day.” After brunch, the girls suggested they hang out and take pictures to enjoy the unusually sunny weather in December at the Palace of Fine Arts. Little did Nicole know that Martin was there waiting for her to arrive. As Nicole pulled into the Palace of Fine Arts, her eyes were drawn to a large crowd standing in front of the main fountain. An aisle lined with white roses and candles was set up, and at the end of the aisle stood Martin, smiling at her. In shock, Nicole made her way to the fountain where Martin proposed with the beautiful Palace of Fine Arts architecture gleaming in the sunset. Afterward, they took engagement photos and went to dinner where 50 of their closest friends surprised them with an engagement party filled with great food and drinks, and, of course, love for the newly engaged couple.

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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Portraits”]

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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”]Nicole chose a wedding dress designed by Anne Barge. Her maid of honor, Sofie, and her mom, Myrna, joined her in Los Angeles at Jaxson James Bridal Salon during their trip to Los Angeles. What she loved most about the dress was the corset top, classic satin material, and the buttons that ran down the full train of the dress, adding a beautiful classic detail. She also added a couple of customized touches, including lowering the back of the dress and extending the train by an extra three feet. Nicole also added a side slit to the dress during alterations at Creative Alterations in Lafayette, CA, for a touch of sexiness.[/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”][/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”][/field]
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[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]

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[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]

Nicole and Martin love food and it has become a staple of their relationship. Some of their most cherished memories together are conversations over good cocktails and delicious food. For their private dinner, Martin and Nicole enjoyed a 7-course tasting meal crafted by Chef Manuele Pirotta, highlighting their favorite foods and drinks. They started with signature cocktails– a Manhattan for Nicole, and a martini for Martin. Then began the feast! For starters, they enjoyed beef tartare and truffle, a taste of Italian caviar, and oysters with green apple. The first course was lobster with celery and white butter sauce. Martin and Nicole had to incorporate pasta into the menu and enjoyed lobster with celery and white butter sauce. The main dish was a beef filet with red wine sauce and soft potatoes. For dessert, they enjoyed a classic Italian mille-follie cake where they were joined again by their wedding team. They popped open a bottle of champagne and had a tearful toast to celebrate the perfect day. A funny story they’d like to share: the portions were so hearty that Nicole changed out of her wedding dress back into her sweatpants to make room for the amount of food!

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[field title=”Florals & Decor”]Their florals were designed by Bloom Ministry. They had four beautiful rose arrangements on pedestals framing Martin and Nicole against the beautiful lake and scenery. Bloom Ministry also created an aisle lined with roses framing the couple. During pictures, their planners moved the vases from the ceremony to the villa to be the perfect backdrop for their first dance and private dinner, making extra use of the ceremony decor. Giving even more utility, after the wedding they saved the flower arrangements and used them the next day at their small reception dinner with family and friends. Nicole’s bouquet was a simple arrangement of white reflexed roses with stems wrapped in white chiffon ribbon.
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[field title=”Wedding Cake”]

Instead of a traditional wedding cake, they indulged in an Italian mille-follie cake to celebrate their wedding with a classic Italian dessert.

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[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]

The ceremony was officiated by Lake Como Officiant, Fabio, who is incredibly loving and warm. Their intimate elopement focused on their growth as a couple and celebrated how far they’ve come in their relationship. Nicole walked down the aisle to “Yebba’s Heartbreak” by Drake, an interlude symbolizing their unconditional love for one another and taking the next step in their relationship by saying “I do”. Fabio gave a special reading for them, “What is a Soulmate” by Emily Matthews. The highlight of the private ceremony was sharing their vows. It was a priority of theirs to be able to privately pour their hearts out and freely express their love for each other, the obstacles they’ve overcome, and the funny inside jokes only they understand. It was beautifully intimate, and they both laughed, cried, and shared memories of their 13-year love story. In the end, they walked out to “Love on Top” by Beyoncé, a joyous song marked by serendipity and celebration. Their planners were so cute and rushed over to them to throw rose petals in the air as they walked up the aisle. At the very end, Martin dipped Nicole down for a congratulatory kiss!

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[field title=”Special Detail #1″]

After their ceremony, Nicole and Martin boarded a private classic Italian wooden boat to enjoy some time on what makes Como so special, the lake! They sipped champagne and celebrated their nuptials in true Lake Como fashion. It was a unique experience and a highlight of their day. Although the ceremony was private, Nicole and Martin were joined in Lake Como by 11 of their closest friends and family. They had an intimate welcome dinner in Bellagio at Dispensa 63, where they enjoyed a family-style dinner and cocktails highlighting the fresh, local ingredients of Lake Como. On the day of the wedding, Nicole was surrounded by her closest family and friends in their lake-view hotel room while she got her hair and makeup done by The Studio Como. Nicole chose a soft glam bridal makeup and a slicked-back ballet bun to complement the timeless, classy vibe of their wedding. Before jetting off for their private ceremony, Nicole and Martin took group photos with the wedding party at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo. Nicole and her mom are very close, and she wanted to share some special moments, even though the ceremony was private. Villa Balbiano granted special permission for Nicole’s mom to join them at the villa to help her change into her wedding dress and place the veil on her head. The day after the wedding, they celebrated with a beautiful reception dinner at Aquadolce, where they dined on a 4-course tasting menu. At the reception, Nicole wore the Leila Satin Corset Maxi Dress from Meshki in Ivory, and her hair was done by her older cousin, Candice. Candice had done Nicole’s hair and makeup 13 years ago at Nicole’s first prom with Martin, and doing her hair for her wedding was a touching full-circle moment for the two.

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