Villa Balbiano is truly an awe-inspiring Italian jewel, so Sogol and Jad made the perfect decision to host their wedding at one of the most glamorous locations on Lake Como. As they come from two different backgrounds, The Lake Como Wedding Planner worked with the couple to uniquely plan and design this amazing event that embraced both their traditions. Ratti Flora worked her magic to display the most eye-catching purple wisteria which hung over the reception. One word to describe this celebration? Magical. Fall in love with the full gallery of images, captured amazingly by Manisol Wedding.
From Manisol Wedding… This is a two-day Wedding in Villa Balbiano, Lake Como. The couple, Sogol and Jad, live in Dubai but have Iranian and Lebanese heritage, respectively: therefore, they decided to have a two-day Persian-Lebanese Wedding (with a twist!) to embrace both their traditions. Rachel Birthistle and her team, The Lake Como Wedding Planner, took care of organizing and designing this amazing event in the perfect setting of Villa Balbiano. Built by the end of the Sixteenth Century, Villa Balbiano is the perfect venue for a large destination wedding, its garden is perfect for a big tensile-structure or open-air dinner! In this case, the couple used the symmetrical lakeside garden for the first part of the wedding (the traditional Sofreh), and the front of the villa for the second part (the Wedding ceremony called Zaffa). On the first day, Sogol and Jad had the Iranian ceremony of the Sofreh.
During the Sofreh, the bride and groom sit in front of a table filled with symbolic items and exchange their rings and vows, while their female best friends read love poems and thoughts to them. Sogol and Jad wanted something a little different here, so Rachel and her team designed a modern take on the traditional setup. Using monochrome colors and perspex plinths to display the items. Every item on the table has a specific meaning: the mirror represents bringing light and brightness to the couple’s future, the spices represent protection against bad luck, the almonds represent fertility and prosperity, and so on. The ceremony took place in the lake-facing garden of Villa Balbiano. All the guests, and the spouses, arrived there by water taxi and enjoyed an Italian-style aperitif afterward. In contrast to the decor of the evening, wedding guests were asked to wear light-colored dresses and suits; whilst Sogol wore a stunning Victoria Beckham white jumpsuit while Jad rocked a black and white suit. The day ended with a big pre-wedding party with DJs and live musicians in the halls of Villa Balbiano.
The second day was the actual wedding and seated reception. Sogol and Jad got ready in the amazing rooms of Villa Balbiano, while the team of The Lake Como Wedding planner and Rattiflora were preparing one of the most beautiful set-ups we had ever seen: three open-air imperial tables with small gazebos above that were filled with rich colored flowers and purple wisteria hanging over them. Which by night created the most beautiful glow above the guests. Sogol and Jad’s wedding ceremony followed the Lebanese tradition of the Zaffa. The Zaffa is an ancient wedding march in which the groom and his friends, accompanied by Arabic drummers and dancers, walk towards the wedding ceremony. It is somehow similar to the Indian Baarat. Jad had one – and it was really impressive and exciting! – walking into the backyard garden of Villa Balbiano. Once Sogol stepped out of the villa, holding hands with her mother and father, the music changed to violins and a romantic first kiss proclaimed them Husband and Wife. After the ceremony, we shot some couple pictures inside the halls of Villa Balbiano and then headed to the dining area. The dinner was accompanied by three Italian tenors singing and preceded by speeches served by the couple’s best friends. After the dinner and cutting cake in front of the lake, the party started: there were DJs, live music, and even a full casino (with S&J branded dollars!) to celebrate the night away. It was a stunning wedding that will always be in our hearts. Some words from the bride: “Magic was a word I so often heard but never encountered until I got to Lake Como. I decided that day if I were to ever get married this is where it had to be. A few years later I was back at lake Como celebrating my wedding. I so often go back to the pictures that my wonderful photographer took, capturing the essence of that weekend. The air was fresh, the lake sparkly and the music and laughter of my guests filled the space. I fell in love over and over again. My husband and I couldn’t have picked a better destination to celebrate our love or a more perfect and impeccable team behind us. Thank you Lake Como Wedding Planners for introducing us to the best teams out there️ – we cannot wait to have our anniversary there this time with our little boy Noah!
From the planners… We had such a wonderful time planning and designing this wedding with the mix of traditions that made it really special and unique to Sogol and Jad. We loved the fact that they were open to doing something a little less traditional to reflect their personal style. The glycine over the tables really reflected the local area which during spring becomes full of the stunning flowers cascading all around the lake. We love to bring all these elements together, the location, the traditions, and the tastes of the clients that really make a wedding unique.
From the Photographers and Videographers… Sogol and Jad’s wedding was simply amazing to witness. The love they share between each other and with their friends and families from all over the world filled the days with magic. Villa Balbiano is an amazing venue to shoot at and the whole mood of the wedding was the definition of Beauty. It is definitely one of the weddings we remember with the highest joy!
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Photography: ManiSol Wedding | Cinematography: ManiSol Wedding | Event Design: The Lake Como Wedding Planner | Event Planning: The Lake Como Wedding Planner | Floral Design: Ratti Flora | Wedding Dress: Carolina Herrera | Wedding Dress: Victoria Beckham | Bride's Shoes: Aquazzura | Catering: Visini | Entertainment: Blunotte Eventi | Wedding Venue: Villa Balbiano | Beauty: Cherie Spisso | Rentals: The Como Collection