Wedding Planning: Gionata Russo Weddings
Ok, ok, hold up! How did we get here? Let’s rewind and start with Ali and Rafique’s rehearsal dinner at Villa D’Este!
They tied the knot one glorious day of August, right after Italy opened its borders to foreigners and allowed events to happen again.
Their wedding weekend was planned within only 26 days and it was a dream.
It all began with Ali and Rafique’s arrival, with their 17 guests, in Lake Como. After a day of glamorous shopping, gelato on the shore of the lake, and some very enjoyable time at the spa, they reached the beautiful Villa D’Este by boat.
When I saw them reaching the dock, I was so excited to see how stylish their look was. Ali wore a black Matsouri designer dress with handsewn tulle flowers paired with Swarovski embellished Kate Spade’s block heels, and Rafique showed off a custom-tailored suit, designed by his father for his brand Jiwani Custom Clothiers.
We took a boat and took a romantic ride on the waters of Lake Como enjoying unparallel views and the whole majestic facade of Villa D’Este.
Rafique wanted to skipper and as soon as he was in control of the motorboat we had so much fun, enjoying some splashers and slowing down at times between one kiss and another, both bride and groom had a great time.
This was just the beginning of their romantic afternoon. Once back at the Villa, they took a romantic stroll around the opulent gardens and learned all about the “Lucia”. Lucia, the famous boat, that you can admire when visiting Villa D’este, takes its name from the main female character of the book “I promessi Sposi” – in English “The Bethrothed”.
The novel, written by renowned Alessandro Manzoni, deals with a variety of themes, but the striking foundation of the story is about the unwavering strength of love between Renzo and Lucia, and their struggle to finally meet again and be married.
With this knowledge in mind, and feeling blessed for such, they walked towards the dock where their guests arrived, welcomed by the melodic music of a violinist and cello duet.
The party began immediately with a sweet cocktail in the gardens, with the astonishing view of Lake Como and its sunset, and proceeded inside Villa D’Este for the formal rehearsal dinner.
Between one toast and another, they laughed and cried the night away, excited for the big wedding to come only a handful of hours later.
Curious to pick up where we left? See here the photos and story of their wedding day at Mandarin Oriental Lake Como.
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BEHIND THE LENS
Hi, I'm Jessica.
As an internationally-lauded wedding photographer with decades of experience, Jessica brings her signature timeless, editorial style and classic, romantic aesthetic to modern love stories.
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