Lyndal and Lachlan at Lake Como

Lyndal and Lachlan embracing beside a stone balustrade and flower-filled urn at Villa del Balbianello, with the lake and mountains behind them, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Eloping at Lake Como can feel like stepping into a different rhythm. The mountains rise straight from the water, boats pass between the villages, and a journey to your ceremony becomes part of the celebration. For Lyndal and Lachlan, that meant a day on the lake with The Elopement Collective: getting ready in Tremezzo, vows above the water, and portraits in the gardens and aboard a boat.

It was beautiful in the way a small wedding can be. A few people close by, room to laugh, and time to enjoy where they were. Lyndal’s white halter dress and Lachlan’s black tuxedo suited the setting, but the photographs tell a story that goes well beyond how everything looked.

A morning in Tremezzo

Their day began at Hotel Villa Marie, overlooking the lake in Tremezzo on its western shore. There were quiet moments on the balcony, a dress hanging beside the window, and the finishing touches before everyone made their way to the boat.

Garden of Love created a bouquet of sculptural white blooms with trailing greenery. The flowers brought a little movement to Lyndal’s bouquet and carried through to Lachlan’s boutonniere, sitting beautifully against the green gardens they would arrive in later.

Travelling by water gave the day its own sense of occasion. Lyndal and her guests could take in the shoreline, sunglasses on and bouquet in hand, before the villa came into view on its wooded peninsula.

Vows at Villa del Balbianello

The ceremony was at Villa del Balbianello, near Lenno in Tremezzina. The historic villa and its terraced gardens look out across Lake Como; its ivy-covered loggia makes a remarkable place to stand together, with the lake framed by the arches.

Josh Withers led Lyndal and Lachlan’s ceremony, with their guests seated close enough to share in it. A harpist played beside them. There was laughter, hands held, rings exchanged and a kiss, all with the mountains and water just beyond the balustrade.

That is what we love about an intimate elopement in Italy. An extraordinary setting can hold a very personal moment. The ceremony remains the centre of the day, with the place adding something you will remember whenever you think about it.

Gardens, boats and time together

After their vows, Lyndal and Lachlan wandered through the villa’s gardens: along garden paths, beneath the ivy-covered arches and past the sculpted trees. There was time to stop beside the lake before heading back onto the water.

The boat portraits feel like a celebration of their own. A toast with the mountains behind them, a kiss, shoes in hand, and the shoreline slipping past. They had time to enjoy being married in the place they had chosen.

George Bowden photographed the day on digital and film, bringing both into the story below. Wed Content Creator Como joined the collective to capture the day in motion, with their reel beside the team credits.

Britt Withers brought the plans and people together. With our Australian team and trusted local suppliers, eloping in Europe can feel personal from the first conversation through to the boat ride after your vows.

Explore our European elopements, or tell us about the Lake Como elopement you have in mind.

Blue water, wooded mountain slopes and a lakeside village seen from across Lake Como, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Hotel Villa Marie’s pale facade, balconies and palm trees beside the road in Tremezzo, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Three men in black tuxedos descending an ornate staircase with a patterned red carpet at Hotel Villa Marie in Tremezzo, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal seated on a balcony chair while getting ready at Hotel Villa Marie in Tremezzo, with palm trees and the lake behind her, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Cream pointed heels with jewelled buckles, sunglasses, rings, jewellery and perfume arranged on a chair at Hotel Villa Marie in Tremezzo, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Black and white photograph of Lyndal holding a glass on the balcony at Hotel Villa Marie in Tremezzo, with the hotel facade, lake and mountains behind her, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

White calla lilies, heart-shaped white blooms and trailing greenery by Garden of Love arranged with an embroidered veil, pleated fan, shoes and jewellery, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal’s white wedding dress hanging from a wooden hanger beside a balcony window at Hotel Villa Marie in Tremezzo, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Close view of Lyndal lifting her white dress and train above a pointed heel beside the curtains at Hotel Villa Marie in Tremezzo, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal holding a bouquet of white calla lilies, heart-shaped white blooms and trailing greenery by Garden of Love against her white dress, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal and two guests smiling and raising their hands aboard a boat, with her white bouquet by Garden of Love and the shoreline behind them, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal seated on a boat in her white halter dress and sunglasses, with a bouquet by Garden of Love on her lap and the wake behind her, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Villa del Balbianello seen from the water on its wooded peninsula, with the mountains rising behind it, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Villa del Balbianello’s lakeside loggia and gardens above a boat’s wake during the approach by water, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Low view of Villa del Balbianello’s ivy-covered loggia, carved stone balustrade and cypress trees beneath a blue sky, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

A classical statue and stone balustrade on a terrace at Villa del Balbianello above deep blue lake water, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal walking along a garden path at Villa del Balbianello with her white dress and veil trailing behind her above the lake, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lachlan in a black tuxedo and black bow tie beneath Villa del Balbianello’s ivy loggia, wearing a white calla lily boutonniere by Garden of Love, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal and Lachlan standing with celebrant Josh Withers beneath Villa del Balbianello’s ivy-covered arches, with the lake behind them, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal and Lachlan standing together beside a harpist playing beneath Villa del Balbianello’s ivy-covered loggia, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Black and white wide view of Lyndal and Lachlan’s ceremony with Josh Withers, a small group of seated guests and mountains beyond Villa del Balbianello’s loggia, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal reading from a vow book while holding Lachlan’s hand, with guests seated close by beneath Villa del Balbianello’s ivy-covered loggia, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lachlan placing a wedding ring on Lyndal’s hand beneath Villa del Balbianello’s loggia, with his white calla lily boutonniere by Garden of Love visible, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal and Lachlan kissing during their ceremony beneath Villa del Balbianello’s ivy-covered loggia while their guests look on, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Black and white photograph of Lyndal and Lachlan kissing beneath Villa del Balbianello’s ivy-covered loggia, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal and Lachlan smiling together beside an ivy-covered wall at Villa del Balbianello, with a white bouquet and trailing greenery by Garden of Love, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lachlan embracing Lyndal as she lifts the edge of her embroidered veil beside a carved stone balustrade on Villa del Balbianello’s lakeside terrace, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal and Lachlan walking along a garden path and steps at Villa del Balbianello, carrying a white bouquet by Garden of Love, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Villa del Balbianello’s pale buildings, rounded hedges and terraced gardens beside the lake, with mountains across the water, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Black and white photograph of Lyndal and Lachlan walking along a garden path beneath sculpted trees at Villa del Balbianello, with shadows across the lawn and lake views beyond, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Villa del Balbianello’s pale facade, stone parapet and garden hedges seen from below against a blue sky, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

A large sculpted tree with an umbrella-shaped canopy on the lawn at Villa del Balbianello, with cypress trees and the lake beyond, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal and Lachlan standing beside a sculpted tree and garden balustrade at Villa del Balbianello above the lake, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

White calla lilies, heart-shaped white blooms and trailing greenery by Garden of Love resting on a carved stone balustrade at Villa del Balbianello above the lake, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal and Lachlan walking along a path between clipped hedges, palms and cypress trees at Villa del Balbianello, seen through soft red flowers in the foreground, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Wide view of Lyndal and Lachlan framed by Villa del Balbianello’s ivy-covered arches and carved stone balustrade beneath a blue sky, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Black and white photograph of Lyndal and Lachlan kissing aboard a boat, wearing sunglasses with her white bouquet by Garden of Love in the foreground, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal and Lachlan kissing on a white boat seat beside a polished timber rail, with a lakeside villa and the boat’s wake behind them, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Black and white photograph of Lyndal and Lachlan raising champagne glasses aboard a timber boat, with mountains behind them, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Close view of Lyndal and Lachlan holding hands on a boat, with Lyndal carrying her white heels in her other hand, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Black and white photograph of Lyndal and Lachlan smiling together on a boat, with a lakeside building and mountains behind them, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

A grand lakeside building, palm trees and steep mountain slopes seen across the blue water, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Lyndal facing Lachlan during their ceremony beneath Villa del Balbianello’s ivy loggia, with a harpist seated nearby, at Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy, for an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

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