Intimate Lake Como Wedding In The Most Picturesque Setting

Lake Como- now this is a wedding venue that became very popular after the famous Deepika Padukone- Ranveer Singh wedding, but we have to agree, it is one of the most gorgeous wedding locales that exist! With the majestic Swiss Alps in the backdrop, iconic fountains and stunning greens all around, is does make for a magical setting for a wedding. And here is a couple who got to say their ‘I Do’s’ after the pandemic in an intimate, beautiful way in this picture perfect setting. Rupal and Sai’s wedding was elegant and warm, and picturesque, just like how a destination wedding should be!

Meet Rupal and Sai

The first time Sai and Rupal exchanged glances was in the middle of a bridal party dance at their best friends' (Dinakar - Groomsman & Rashi - Bridesmaid) wedding. Several weeks went by when Rupal returned from a trip to Hawaii and posted a snorkeling photo, which Sai took a liking to. Several messages later facilitated by the best wingman of all time, Sai decided to change his travel plans and ask Rupal to go on their first date to a very special Italian restaurant in Philadelphia. A Pizza Hut commercial, trip to Italy, and the first weddings in both the Gudimella and Parikh families later, Sai whisked Rupal away on a trip to Hawaii to the beach where that first snorkeling picture was taken, got down on one knee, and asked her to spend the rest of their lives together.

Sangeet

Wedding

Reception

From The Bride:

We got married in Lake Como, Italy. We wanted an intimate wedding ceremony on the beautiful landscape of the lake with the Alps in the background. Despite having to navigate the pandemic at the time we finally got to exchange vows in front of our friends and family on September 21, 2021.

Vendor Reviews

Wedding Planning: Bespoke Unique Weddings

This luxury wedding planning company is based in Milan and specializes in destination weddings. Our planner was Valentina and she was nothing short of amazing! We originally met her for our venue sourcing in October of 2019. Given the original 2020 date, she worked with us to essentially re-plan our wedding for 3 different dates. She was always available by phone or video chat and supported us through the initial uncertainty around the pandemic. She and her team were exceptional in their level of organization and execution of our wedding events (pre-wedding photoshoot, welcome night/Sangeet, wedding, and reception). Her attention to detail and ability to represent us to our local vendors are just a few of her talents in addition to cultivating a friendship. Her and her team really made our dream wedding a reality and we could not be more grateful.

Photography: Lightyear Studios

This wedding photography and videography company is based in Philadelphia though their team does travel domestically and internationally for weddings, special events, and photoshoots. They also brought with them a drone photography/videographer as well. Nate and Thanh are very talented artists and they have an eye for photography and videography - whether it be guiding us through our photoshoot, selecting the locations for our backdrops, or creating a wedding trailer. In fact, we selected them after having seen their work at both of our respective sisters' wedding festivities. For a sneak peek of their talent, check out their instagram page (@lightyearstudio)!

Venue: Villa Geno

This wedding venue is located in the heart of Lake Como and is known for the iconic Como fountain that showers 30 meters up onto the lake. It is a historic (built in 1790!) but timeless venue, accessible by boat via which is how our guests arrived and how we did our Baraat and newlywed send-off. Not only that, but it is one of the few venues on the lake with a capacity to host a large wedding party. It is also perfect for a more intimate setting with an outdoor garden area as well as a beautiful 2-story villa with frescos! The area around the fountain just outside the villa is where we had our ceremony and it could not have been more perfect with the beautiful backdrop of the Italian Alps! They also have experience with hosting Indian weddings and linked up with a local caterer to serve a traditional Indian lunch after our ceremony. We picked this venue for its location, beauty, history, and capacity.

Vendors: Photography: Lightyear Studios; Wedding Planning: Bespoke Unique Weddings; Venue: Villa Geno; Makeup Artist: Marta Beauty; Wedding Decor: Event Couture; Groomwear: Silver Tulip; Wedding Cards: Soch Design; Bridal Mehendi: Aneeta Nashad; Sangeet Choreographers: Sonal Parikh; Pandit: Patrick Hoye; DJ: DJ BK