Stunning Lake Como Elopement
Focusing on what was important to them as a couple, M & S chose to have a luxury Lake Como elopement and honeymoon. M & S’s highly personal wedding is a great reminder that the cost of getting married abroad is directly related to your individual priorities and what you are willing and able to spend.
M & S – Lake Como, Italy
As it was just the two of them, M & S wanted a very special setting for their wedding. They chose the exclusive locations of Villa Monastero for their civil ceremony and Grand Hotel Tremezzo for their wedding and honeymoon accommodation.
Set against the backdrop of Lake Como, Villa Monastero is one of the areas most important historical sites. With a magnificent ‘portico’ and stunning gardens that stretch for two kilometres along the lake’s edge, the villa is a magical location for an intimate civil ceremony.
The Grand Hotel Tremezzo is an iconic art nouveau masterpiece situated on the western beaches of Lake Como. With views of the crystalline waters and the Grigne mountains, the hotel is known for its luxurious accommodation and includes three pools, a lakeside private beach, and private park.
Below M & S share some valuable tips which are equally relevant to planning a larger wedding abroad as well as an elopement.
Pearls of Wisdom:
Prepare a short list and visit your potential venues well ahead of time. We found our on-site visits of potential venues, accompanied by our wedding planner, to be invaluable.
Take the time to enjoy where you are, both before and after your ceremony. We stayed in the area for a few days both before and after, why not make the most of a place that you picked for a reason?
If, as we did, you want an intimate wedding ceremony then we would strongly recommend you hold a celebration party when you get back. Those that couldn’t get to the wedding will really appreciate it, and if you can have some photos of the wedding made up for the party.
And finally, don’t ask a friend to do the party pictures. We did, and were disappointed. Always use a professional that is not a friend, just as we did with the actual wedding (Enrico Mocci at ortaweddingphotos.com was great).
Total Cost: €15,337 (including 7 night luxury stay) + £3,750 Home Party
Details
Location: Lake Como, Italy
Date: 7 September 2018
Number of Guests: 0
Ceremony Venue: Villa Monastero (Civil Ceremony)
Time of Ceremony: 4:00pm
Reception Venue: Celebrated with a private meal overlooking Lake Como, Grand Hotel Tremezzo
Number of Days at Wedding Location Prior to Wedding: 3
Number of Days at Wedding Location: 7
Pre Wedding Activity: Lake tour of Lake Como, private sea plane flyover of lake and wedding venue, spa sessions
Post Wedding Activity: Toured the local area and travelled on the Bernina Express in Switzerland
Planning Method: Wedding Planner – WeddingBox Lake Como
Planning Time: 9 months
Budget Breakdown
Ceremony Venue: €1200
Wedding Paperwork & Legal Fees: €1,400 (Italy) + £100 – Certificate No Impediment and statutory declarations (UK)
Celebrant: €220
Photography: €700
Wedding Flowers: €213 (bouquet, buttonhole and table arrangement at Villa Monastero)
Wedding Hair & Make-up: €350
Wedding Transportation: €315 for private water taxi to/from Villa Monastero
Pre & Post Wedding Activities: cost not available
Wedding Planning Fee: €2,196
Transport & Accommodation
Flights: Flights £148, airport parking £83, private taxi to/from Milan airport €288
Accommodation: €8,085 for 7 nights B&B at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo
Additional Information
Would you recommend your method of planning? Yes
What were you not willing to compromise on? Wedding location and our hotel. We wanted something very special.
Honeymoon & Home Party
Honeymoon Location: Lake Como
Did you have a Home Party: Yes
Cost of Home Party: £3,000 for venue (incl food and DJ, excl drinks and decorations) plus £750 for band.
Wedding Photography: Enrico Mocci – ortaweddingphotos.com
Understanding wedding abroad costs in more detail
Get a better insight into what it costs to get married abroad and how to breakdown your budget.
Watch the conversation I had with Destination Wedding Planner Nadia Wood from Amulet Events. We look at how as a wedding planner how she approaches the question “what does it cost to get married abroad”, the elements of a wedding abroad that will typically be your biggest spend and the best ways to maximise your budget.
Find out More
See more Real Wedding Budget Breakdowns or use our FREE Destination Wedding Cost Estimator to obtain a ballpark figure of what you can expect your Destination Wedding to cost.
