Beautiful Bellagio Wedding - Wedding breakfast at La Punta

This is the final blog on this beautiful Bellagio wedding, starting from our arrival back in Bellagio following the service in Varenna.

We all traveled back together on a chartered boat to Bellagio which gave the couple a chance to walk along the main street to an ovation of congratulations from passer's by.

It was a lovely relaxed day and what better way to spend the afternoon than on the waterfront terrace of the Metropole Hotel and having a few drinks.

Soon it was time to head off for a walk along the lake side to the restaurant for the wedding breakfast.

And other chance for our group to be the main attraction in Bellagio for a few minutes!

No one catches the eye in Italy like a bride on her wedding day and I loved catching these moments as our wedding party were applauded along by locals and visitors.

La Punta has a unique location in Bellagio, at the point of Bellagio where the lake splits in two is this lovely restaurant that was once just a little fisherman's trattoria. It still maintains all that charm and makes for the perfect location for an authentic Italian wedding breakfast.

Down at the lake shore we had a perfect spot for a little confetti before we got a few shots of our couple on their own again.

The day had clouded over a little now but the scenery was still just as dramatic.

And still plenty of snow on the alps!

As the afternoon came to a close we sat down for an exquiste meal followed by some heart felt speeches.

Everyone had a fantastic day and my work was nearly done, but for them there was the chance to spend one more night enjoying the nightlife of Bellagio.

The couple and their guests had made my day incredibly easy with their generosity and kind spirit. And their relaxed and happy manner made for some of my favorite wedding pictures.

As jobs go, 'Italy Wedding Photographer' is up there with the best. Stunning locations, a fantastic country and people, and with clients like this, a day's work is an absolute pleasure! 

This wedding was planned by Alexis Walker, wedding coordinator. 

Beautiful Bellagio Wedding - Ceremony in Varenna

What a way to arrive at your wedding ceremony!

Leaving Bellagio the wedding party headed across the lake to the beautiful village of Varenna where the wedding service was to be held. The bride's party followed on a few minutes later, and what a way to arrive! The skies were blue and the lake was as still as a pond as the bride's boat cut across the lake to Varenna.

Once safely on land the party then had to make their way though the little cobbled back streets of Varenna to reach the Villa Cipressi.

It's a great moment to capture as we all headed along to the venue.

And now we were almost there you can see the excitement and anticipation on everyone's faces.

The ceremony was set in the grounds of the villa, the setting was perfect. And before the bride got to walk down the steps to meet the groom she had a moment to take it all in.

Always one of my favorite moments of the wedding ceremony is the arrival of the bride, not just to see her expression but also that of the groom who's been waiting patiently for his bride to arrive.

And after a morning of avoiding each other finally the couple are back together to be married.

The service itself was a very intimate and beautiful moment. You could see what it meant to the couple and the setting just added a little bit of extra magic.

The weather turned out to be just perfect, blue skies, a little cloud to break it up for the pictures and lots of sun! A wedding photographer's dream!

And now you can see the incredible view that the wedding party had as a backdrop to the service.

But as beautiful as the setting was, it was all about the wedding.

And sealed with a kiss!

Once the rings were exchanged all that was left to do was to sign the register.

And to enjoy the view for a little longer.

After the ceremony, drinks and canapes were served in the garden of the villa.

Under the shade of the olive vines the wedding party enjoyed a beautiful array of canapes and had a well earned drink!

Wherever you are in the grounds of the Villa there is always an outstanding view to be seen.

And after they'd finished eating we took a walk through the gardens to photograph a couple of the outstanding views.

It's always nice to get a few shots of the couple on their own and it also gives them a few minutes together to take it all in.

And share a joke together!

It always pays to keep watching all around you as there's always something that can make a great picture when you're least expecting it!

In the final part of this blog I'll cover the rest of the day back in Bellagio.

This wedding was planned by Alexis Walker, wedding consultant.

Beautiful Bellagio Wedding - Preparations at the Metropole.

Bellagio and Varenna were the back drop for this beautiful wedding and the day had been planned to really maximise these unique locations. I'm going to cover this wedding in several blogs since each part of the day had it's own unique feel.

Both the bride and groom prepared themselves on the morning of the wedding in the Hotel Metropole. The hotel is right in the centre of the village and is the only hotel that is right on the lake side. Bride and groom were very careful not to meet in the corridors of the hotel as they both got ready and as I ran in between!

The couple had been in Bellagio for several days beforehand and were really great company. I joined them on a couple of occasions which really helped on the day as it meant that they, are their guests, had all met me and were comfortable having their photograph taken by me. It really helps to get pictures like the one below as it means everyone soon switches off to me being there and I can capture these lovely candid moments.

For the girls, there was a little treat after breakfast!

 And since the boys had to be ready earlier to get the boat to Varenna I stayed with the girls while they continued to prepare.

Personally I love these preparation shots, there's so much activity and everyone has that sense of excitement that the day has finally arrived.

 And of course children are never self conscious of the camera so they are always great for a candid shot.

By this time the men we ready and enjoying a few minutes in the sun before their chartered boat arrived to take them across the lake to their wedding venue.

The groom was relaxed though and everyone was ready for a really special day .

As a wedding photographer it's always nice to get a photograph that's a bit different, and I think this must be the first shot I've got of a groom with a suitcase! It was time to board the boat, complete with a suitcase full of essentials for Varenna (like sensible shoes for the ladies!)

The day itself had been planned by Alexis Walker, wedding consultant and planner.