Lake Como · Villa ErbaMaria
Maria, Grégoire and I met through a chain of word of mouth — a particularly short one, in this case: I had already organised the wedding of Maria’s sister and, when her own turn came, it felt natural to her to ask me to be beside them.
After a first call to set our bearings, I began looking for the venue that would become the setting of their wedding. I still remember the day of the first site visit, when I finally met Grégoire in person too.
Maria and Grégoire were living in London and we organised almost everything from a distance. When there is such strong trust underneath, though, even a complex journey can unfold surprisingly naturally.
The guests would arrive from every part of the world, bringing with them different languages, cultures and habits. The challenge was to make them all feel welcomed and involved, creating a shared experience without losing the identities that made that group so special.
So we thought of every moment of the weekend as a meeting: between different nationalities, between elegance and fun, and between the international character of the couple and the deeply Italian beauty of Lake Como.
After exploring several possibilities, we found in art the thread able to give coherence to the whole project. We started from the couple’s own passion and chose a universal language, understandable to everyone, using it also to bring a touch of Italy into the event.
The palette came almost naturally: burgundy, white and shades of pink, chosen to speak with the already rich and preciously decorated halls of Villa Erba.
The graphic design began with an animated save the date, through which the guests could discover Maria and Grégoire’s story: from their first meeting in Hawaii to Lake Como, chosen for the wedding.
The story then continued in the invitations, sealed with burgundy wax, and in the menus. The courses were printed on cards in several languages, covered by a sheet of tissue paper carrying the work of art that gave the table its name. Each table was in fact paired with a painting, and each menu took up its image.
We thought of every moment of the weekend as a meeting.
The guests discovered their table as soon as they arrived at Villa Erba. On a large tableau de mariage there was a named envelope for each of them, and someone was there to open it with them. Inside they found their seat and a few things designed to make meeting the other guests easier, and more fun.
Among them, bracelets with the flags of the languages each of them spoke: an immediate way of knowing with whom conversation would flow more easily, at a wedding that brought together people from truly every part of the world.
The envelope also held a «passport of good taste», created to turn the aperitivo into a game. Guests were invited to try every proposal from the catering, with particular attention to the Italian specialities, and to have their passport stamped at each buffet.
At the end of the aperitivo we counted the stamps collected. The three most curious guests received a personalised kitchen apron and, for the winner, a whole wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano. The prize-giving, led by the couple themselves at the end of dinner, became one of the most entertaining moments of the evening.
The weekend began on the Friday at Terrazza Olmo, in Cernobbio, with an evening played on white, light blue and blue: the colours of the lake that was welcoming the guests, and also those of the Dolce & Gabbana dress Maria had chosen for the first night.
The following day Villa Erba hosted every moment of the wedding, from the preparations to the aperitivo and on to dinner in its majestic interiors. The cutting of the cake was the only exception: we imagined it in the boathouse, accompanied by the voice of Pavarotti — a true hymn to Italy and to the beauty of the place.
For the party both bride and groom changed outfit and surprised the guests with a rock dance of a decidedly French character, a tribute to Grégoire’s origins.
The next day we gathered for one last moment together, more relaxed and informal: a pool party at the bride’s house, with ice cream, pizza made on the spot and a strictly Hawaiian dress code, so as not to forget the place where their love story had begun almost by chance.
Behind the ease of those three days there was a long work of listening, coordination and attention. From the different languages spoken by the guests to the making of the «passport of good taste», from the animated story of the save the date to the choice of a specific work of art for every table: each element was designed to create connections, and to make sure that no one felt a stranger.
Already knowing the family, and having the couple’s full trust, made everything even more special. Knowing that every piece of advice was received with the certainty that it was given only for the good of their day allowed us to work with great serenity, and to push together towards more personal choices.
A serene journey, built on mutual esteem and trust.
Of this wedding too it is impossible to keep a single memory. I remember how beautiful Maria felt on the first evening, in her Dolce & Gabbana dress, and how moved she was at the thought that they were about to live one of the most beautiful weekends of their lives.
I remember the dancing during the aperitivo on the terrace of Villa Erba, with Maria and Grégoire surrounded by their friends and by the music of the roving band. And I remember Maria’s words of gratitude at the end of the third day, when everything was over.
Having already been beside her family at another important moment, I lived this wedding even more closely. It was a serene journey, built on mutual esteem and trust, and it ended with the awareness of having created something that truly spoke of them. I could not have wished for a more beautiful ending.
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