Italy is synonymous with romance for many. Countless love stories are set in our country, and they continue to inspire couples from all over the world to come here and celebrate their most important day. Among the most popular locations is certainly Lake Como, a symbol of luxury, romance, and Italian charm: it’s been chosen by many filmmakers for their shoots and by numerous celebrities as a vacation destination, and it’s no surprise! However, many couples give up on the idea of getting married by the lake, fearing the potentially high costs of such exclusive and sought-after venues.
But don’t worry – thanks to our experience, we’ve picked up a few tricks to help you make your dream come true even with a limited budget. First, think about the formula: many couples prefer elopements or vow exchanges rather than a full-scale wedding. This definitely helps reduce costs since the guest list is minimal, and often you can opt for a single location rather than moving between churches, hotels, and restaurants. Another “smart” move is to hire only a good videographer instead of both a videographer and a photographer.
Many videographers offer packages that include a photographer, and beyond that, it’s possible to extract the most meaningful frames from the videos, which also make perfect photographs. And if you still want to keep things as traditional as possible, don’t worry – we locals know plenty of places that offer all the comforts and beauty of the most sought-after venues… at a fraction of the cost! In this article, we’ll tell you about these places, where you can keep the magic of your special day intact, without spending a fortune.
Read also: Love on the Como Lake: A Family Wedding in Bellagio
Villa Le Due Torrette
Between the two branches of Lake Como lies one of the oldest and most prestigious historic residences in Erba: Villa Le Due Torrette. This magnificent late 18th-century estate, easily accessible from Milan, Monza, Lecco, and Bergamo, enchants visitors with its timeless elegance and a history rich in illustrious figures. Originally owned by the noble Colombo family, the villa later passed to the Valaperta family, renowned Milanese silk merchants. During this period, the residence became a vibrant cultural hub, welcoming distinguished guests such as Alessandro Manzoni and the famous painter Francesco Hayez.
In the 19th century, the two characteristic watchtowers – which give the villa its distinctive name – were rebuilt before the estate was transferred to the Crespi and Giussani families. The vast park surrounding the villa creates an almost fairy-tale atmosphere, where the two iconic towers and a stunning orangerie stand tall against the lush green treetops. The panoramic terraces offer breathtaking views over Lake Alserio and Lake Pusiano, providing guests with an unforgettable visual experience and a spectacular setting for wedding photography and wedding video footage.
Since 2017, Villa Le Due Torrette has been one of the few venues officially authorized by the Municipality of Erba to host legally recognized civil wedding ceremonies, allowing couples to seamlessly celebrate both their ceremony and reception in the same location, avoiding inconvenient transfers. The villa offers maximum flexibility for events in spring, summer, and autumn, both indoors and outdoors, with no time restrictions. Every event enjoys exclusive use of the venue, ensuring that guests can fully experience every corner of the property.
For those who wish to extend their stay, the villa features elegant vintage-style rooms equipped with every comfort, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the historic charm of the residence. The villa’s dedicated team focuses on personalizing every detail, collaborating with top-tier vendors to create bespoke events tailored to each guest’s unique vision and needs. With its privileged location, rich history, and impeccable service, Villa Le Due Torrette remains one of Lombardy’s most prestigious venues for exclusive and unforgettable events, all while maintaining a surprisingly reasonable budget.
Villa Cipressi
If you dream of getting married on Lake Como but don’t want to empty your wallet, then you should know about Villa Cipressi. This historic villa is located in Varenna, a charming village on the shores of the lake. This wedding venue has two major strengths: a dreamlike location and pricing that won’t make you break into a cold sweat. So, what does it offer? A botanical garden that looks like something straight out of a Wes Anderson film (perfect for your wedding photos and video), historic rooms that combine vintage aesthetics with modern comfort, and a breathtaking view of the lake.
The villa was built between the 1400s and 1800s, and it still preserves the charm and architectural details of that era, making it a truly romantic and captivating place. Here, you can exchange your vows surrounded by walls that have witnessed centuries of love stories, sealing your promise of eternal love in a setting that stands the test of time. This venue is suitable for both ceremonies and receptions, accommodating medium-sized groups. It’s an ideal choice if you wish to spend a few days here before and after your wedding.
Versatile, comfortable, and elegant, it offers all the amenities you could want for your special day, without anything to envy from more expensive and renowned venues. Curious about the costs? Get ready for a pleasant surprise! A wedding here can be tailored to different budgets: if you choose to combine the ceremony with a lunch or dinner, the space rental remains under €2,000; if you prefer to hold only the ceremony in the charming gazebo area, the cost is €4,000. For those dreaming of a ceremony with a breathtaking lakefront terrace view, the exclusive venue rental is €8,000.
Villa Geno
If you are looking for a wedding venue with a story more captivating than a historical novel, Villa Geno is the answer. Located in the heart of Como, this villa has witnessed centuries of fascinating and tumultuous events. It is a place that has hosted religious orders, hospitals, noble families, and even historical figures such as August Strindberg, the famous Swedish playwright. A venue so rich in history could only become the perfect setting for the most important day of your life. The villa boasts an unmistakable neoclassical charm, with frescoed ceilings, grand decorated halls, and a location that rivals even the most expensive venues.
From a practical perspective, the venue can accommodate up to 180 guests outdoors and 140 indoors. In other words, there is enough space for all your guests, from distant relatives to your closest friends. Music is allowed until 11:30 PM outdoors and even until 3:00 AM indoors, perfect for those who want to celebrate all night long. The venue collaborates with top-tier partners, including Sunlake for catering and Blunotte Eventi for music entertainment. The rental cost for the villa is €5,000 + VAT, with catering services starting at €5,000 + VAT for 30 guests.
This means you will enjoy an event planned down to the finest detail without worrying about a thing, just focus on savoring your special day without necessarily needing a wedding planner to handle these aspects. At Villa Geno, you can say your vows right on the shores of Lake Como, offering your guests a truly unforgettable experience and creating lifelong memories in one of Italy’s most stunning and sought-after wedding venues, all while keeping your budget in check.
Read also: Villa Balbianello: How to Plan Your Event (ULTIMATE GUIDE)
Villa Regina Teodolinda
Villa Regina Teodolinda boasts a privileged location with direct lake access, nestled in the charming setting of Laglio, a small town on Lake Como. For years, this area has been famous as a vacation retreat for international celebrities, and rumors suggest that this very villa was the property George Clooney himself hoped to purchase but was unable to acquire. On spring nights, it is said that the scent of oleanders still fills the villa’s rooms, which once stood as a castle. The history of the property is as fascinating as its location: from 589 to 616, it was home to Queen Teodolinda, a beloved figure who was later beatified as a saint.
The queen married twice on this very lakeshore, making the villa a perfect choice for intimate and exclusive weddings. The spaces are designed for prestigious events: a large English-style garden with a counter-current swimming pool provides the ideal setting for lavish outdoor aperitifs. The refined indoor hall can accommodate up to 100 guests for dinner, while the six suites, each featuring two bedrooms, are elegantly furnished with period furniture, creating a cozy and romantic atmosphere. Unlike many other venues in the area, this villa stands out as one of the few on Lake Como offering a Bed & Breakfast service, available for both short and long stays.
The villa provides personalized services, including transportation, entertainment, and sports activities upon request. Its secluded location and lush garden make it perfect for exclusive ceremonies, private parties, or corporate events. The most precious feature of Villa Teodolinda is its ability to instantly become a home for its guests: a private, safe, and intimate place to spend unforgettable moments with loved ones.
Villa Monastero Pax
Surrounded by a vast park of centuries-old trees, Villa Monastero Pax is a place where time takes on a rhythm of its own. It is not just a wedding venue but a location that transports you through the centuries. The villa is exceptionally convenient, located just twenty minutes from Como and easily accessible from Milan via the highway. Yet, once you pass through its ancient walls, the modern world seems to fade away. Here, every stone tells a story: from the nuns and abbesses who first inhabited these spaces to the high-society ladies, artists, and adventurers who have passed through over the centuries. The spaces for your event have been designed to maximize every experience.
The park offers a panoramic area perfect for aperitifs, where the gentle sound of the lake’s waters blends with the conversations of your guests. In the area that once housed ancient Roman baths, there is now an elegant marquee that can accommodate up to 160 guests for lunch or dinner. For those wishing to celebrate their union here, Villa Monastero Pax offers the opportunity to host civil weddings or symbolic ceremonies in its enchanting garden or one of its elegant halls, with a fee of 1,500 euros. Every detail is meticulously curated. The villa collaborates with top-tier partners who take care of everything, from music to decor, floral arrangements to audio-video setups.
For a truly memorable entrance, you can rent vintage cars, boats, or even seaplanes. The catering service is entrusted to a renowned company, well known both in Italy and internationally, ensuring a high-level gastronomic experience with impeccable presentation. The private parking area accommodates about 50 vehicles, while a dedicated section of the park is reserved for entertaining younger guests. The lakefront belvedere offers a breathtaking natural spectacle, especially at sunset when the lights from the opposite shore begin to reflect on the water, making it the perfect setting for wedding photography and truly stunning video footage.
Villa Pietraluna
Imagine a place where the sky feels closer, and Lake Como stretches out at your feet like a living painting. Villa Pietraluna, a historic residence dating back to 1884, is perched at 960 meters above Bellagio, in the Piano Rancio-Civenna area, offering exactly this kind of experience. The history of this villa, formerly known as Villa Buttafava, is deeply intertwined with the surrounding land. Its name comes from a fascinating natural feature: the Pietra Luna, a glacial erratic boulder transported by ancient ice flows, engraved with a crescent moon, a symbol of a historic territorial dispute resolution between Magreglio and Bellagio.
The park surrounding the villa is an open-air botanical museum, where a majestic sequoia stands guard alongside evergreen fir trees. Graceful birches and towering beeches create a natural pathway, inviting guests to explore this enchanting place. Within the park, the small Madonna della Neve chapel adds an element of sacredness and romance to the setting. Villa Pietraluna is designed to host only one event at a time, ensuring complete exclusivity. The interiors are elegantly furnished, with large windows that allow natural light to flow freely, creating a seamless connection between the indoor spaces and the breathtaking landscape.
From the panoramic terrace, where wedding aperitifs are served, the view encompasses both branches of Lake Como, with mountains rising on the horizon. On the clearest days, the scenery extends all the way to the northern tip of the lake. What makes Villa Pietraluna truly special is the meticulous attention to detail in event planning. The villa is rented with a consulting service that includes partnerships with selected professionals for every aspect of the celebration: from choosing the perfect ceremony location to catering services and venue styling. Warm hospitality and a welcoming atmosphere are top priorities, ensuring that every moment spent here becomes part of an unforgettable memory.
Villa Cramer Tassera
Nestled on the hills of Brianza with a view of Lake Alserio, Villa Adelaide Tassera is one of the most prestigious and evocative venues to host your wedding. This nineteenth-century residence, also known as Villa Cramer, boasts a fascinating history intertwined with Italian nobility, having even hosted King Umberto I of Italy in 1890. The English Tudor-style architecture, designed by architect Luigi Chierichetti, offers truly unique settings for your celebration, as well as stunning opportunities for your wedding photos and video.
The villa stands out for its characteristic bow windows and typical Tudor home decorations, while the interiors retain a refined late nineteenth-century neo-baroque style, creating a perfect blend that gives the atmosphere a decidedly royal feel. The real gem of the property is the romantic 80,000-square-meter park, a natural theater offering endless possibilities for both the reception and ceremony. Winding gravel paths, bamboo forests, and ancient trees form unique natural backdrops, with the majestic cedar of Lebanon, which has watched over the park for 170 years, providing a spectacular setting for outdoor scenes.
The indoor spaces, with their finely decorated aristocratic salons, can host up to 140 guests in an atmosphere of luxury and elegance. The estate also features a charming chapel, the Chapel of Santa Maria della Neve, adding a touch of sanctity for those wishing for a religious ceremony. Every corner of the villa tells a story: from the ancient stables to the Tudor-style outbuilding, to the salons that still preserve the guest registers with signatures of distinguished visitors. For videographers, Villa Adelaide Tassera offers a unique opportunity to create a visual narrative that weaves your love story with the grandeur of a place that defies time and space.
Wedding Videography: A Bridge Between the Past and the Future
A wedding video is much more than a simple recording of events: it is an emotional bridge that connects the present to the future, transforming fleeting moments into tangible and eternal memories. Over the years, this art form has evolved from basic amateur footage to full-fledged cinematic productions, where every shot, movement, and transition is carefully crafted to tell a unique love story: yours. The magic of video lies in its ability to capture not only images but also sounds, voices, and atmospheres: the tremor in the tone during the exchange of vows, the spontaneous laughter during the reception, the music of the first dance, the heartfelt speeches from friends and family.
These sound elements, combined with the images, create an immersive experience that allows you to relive the emotions of your big day with extraordinary intensity. With the evolution of technology, modern videographers have access to increasingly sophisticated tools – from drones for aerial shots to gimbals for smooth movements – enabling them to elevate the visual storytelling to new artistic heights. However, the true essence of a wedding video lies not in technical perfection, but in its ability to preserve the authenticity of the moments.
Over time, these images gain priceless value, becoming not only a personal memory but a true emotional legacy to pass on to future generations. Children and grandchildren will one day be able to see how it all began, hear the voices of their grandparents, and feel the energy of that special day. The couple will be able to revisit the memories of Italian beauties and their most special day in the years to come, to say “I do” again every day and witness the love and life that continue to unfold.
