Lara and Qiao’s Villa Erba Wedding on Lake Como
Lara and Qiao’s wedding took place on 23rd August 2025 and was the main celebration in a three-day wedding weekend on Lake Como. The wedding day itself centred around Villa Erba, but the story started earlier that morning at Villa d’Este, where both of them got ready before making their way across the lake by boat.
It was one of those Lake Como days that reminds you why couples are drawn here in the first place. The light was beautiful, the water was a deep summer blue, and everywhere you turned there was another incredible backdrop. Even before anyone was fully dressed, the whole day already felt calm, stylish and full of energy.
A relaxed start to the day at Villa d’Este
The morning began at Villa d’Este, which is one of those places that feels luxurious without trying too hard. The boys made the most of the weather and headed down to the lake. They were diving from the jetty and swimming in the water with the mountains behind them. It gave the start of the day a really relaxed feel, which I always love photographing. Nothing forced, nothing overthought, just people enjoying where they are and soaking it all in.
Inside, Lara was getting ready with her bridesmaids, with hair and makeup underway and everything starting to come together. Before she got into her dress, we spent a little time outside with the girls near the Mosaic Garden. It gave us such a strong backdrop without needing to overcomplicate anything. The setting did a lot of the work on its own, so I could keep things natural and let the moments unfold.
A first look before the journey across the lake
Once everyone was ready, Lara and Qiao did a first look outside. That part of the day had a really calm feel to it. No rush, no big performance, just the two of them seeing each other properly before everything moved on. We kept the portraits there relaxed and simple, making the most of the setting and the light without pulling them out of the moment.
Crossing Lake Como by boat to Villa Erba
From Villa d’Este, everyone made their way to Villa Erba by boat. It felt like the perfect way to connect the two parts of the day. Lake Como always gives you something visually, but when you’ve got a traditional boat, summer light, blue water and that scale all around you, it becomes one of those transitions that genuinely adds to the story of the wedding. Villa Erba is one of the best known wedding venues on the lake, and you can see more about the venue itself on the official Villa Erba wedding page.
I photographed that part of the day as naturally as possible, just letting Lara and Qiao enjoy it together. There were some brilliant moments on the water. Being able to photograph the boat journey from the air gave the whole sequence even more context.
If you’re currently planning a wedding here, you can also have a look at my Lake Como Wedding Photographer page or my more venue-focused Villa Erba Wedding Photography page for a broader feel for how weddings at Villa Erba can look.
The ceremony at Villa Erba
When we arrived at Villa Erba, the atmosphere shifted in that lovely way it does before a ceremony. Guests were gathering outside, drinks in hand, chatting in the sunshine, and everything looked incredible. Ratti Flora had done such a strong job with the flowers throughout the day, and the ceremony setup was one of those designs that felt impressive without overpowering the setting.
Final moments before the ceremony
Before the ceremony, Lara went inside for the final touches. Her veil and jewellery were added upstairs while her bridesmaids helped her on the balcony overlooking the lake. Then came one of the standout visual moments of the day. Lara walked down the grand staircase at Villa Erba, which had been dressed with flowers and candles. It looked amazing in person and photographed beautifully too.
The ceremony itself took place outside with the lake beyond the guests and Villa Erba behind them. Qiao’s best man led the ceremony, which made it feel personal from the start, and one of the bridesmaids also spoke during it. That combination of a beautiful setting and a genuinely personal ceremony always works so well because it gives the day both scale and meaning.
Lara walked down the aisle with her mum, and from above the whole scene looked incredible. I loved photographing this part of the day in both colour and black and white. Each brought out something slightly different. The colour held all the atmosphere of Lake Como in summer, while black and white really stripped things back to the emotion and expressions.
Then came the confetti cannons at the end of the ceremony, which brought this huge burst of energy just as everyone started celebrating properly.
Aperol, hugs and a brilliant drinks reception
After the ceremony, the whole mood opened up into the drinks reception. This part of the day was full of hugs, congratulations, laughter and that sense of relief and excitement that comes once the ceremony is done and everyone can fully settle into the celebration.
Guests were outside with Aperol Spritz, the lake in the background, flowers all around them, and that very easy late summer atmosphere you hope for on a day like this. It felt elegant, but still warm and relaxed.
That’s always one of my favourite parts of a wedding to photograph. People naturally loosen up, conversations start flowing, and the best moments are often in the in-between bits rather than anything staged.
A short portrait session without overdoing it
At one point during the drinks reception, I took Lara and Qiao away for a short portrait session around Villa Erba. I always try to keep this part of the day brief and relaxed. The goal is never to make it feel like a separate shoot. It’s just a chance for the two of them to have a bit of space together while I document it.
We found some lovely light, used one of the staircases tucked away from the guests, and kept everything simple. No stiff posing, no dragging things out. Just enough time for them to breathe, enjoy being together, and have some photographs that still felt like them.
For couples who like this approach, my work generally sits somewhere between documentary and editorial. You can see more of that on my Italy Wedding Photographer page and my Destination Wedding Photographers page.
If you’re planning a wedding on Lake Como and want photography that feels relaxed, natural and true to the day, here’s the next step.
Dinner, speeches and a room transformed by flowers
Before guests moved in for dinner, I went into the reception room to photograph the setup. Again, Ratti Flora had completely transformed the space. Everything felt considered, elegant and in keeping with the day as a whole. Lara came in to check the room before everyone else, which gave us a nice quiet moment before things lifted again with the entrance. The whole day was beautifully planned by Wedding Italy, who brought everything together so seamlessly from start to finish.
The grand entrance had loads of energy to it, with guests welcoming Lara and Qiao into the room before speeches began. There were a number of speeches throughout the meal, including from the best man and maid of honour. They all had that same warm tone running through them. Plenty of stories, plenty of affection, and lots of genuine feeling in the room.
One thing I really liked was that Lara and Qiao spent time moving around the tables too, speaking to people and thanking them for being there. That always adds to the atmosphere because it keeps the whole meal connected and personal rather than feeling too formal.
There was also live music from Aston Band, who performed through dinner and helped carry the energy from one part of the day into the next.
Cake, fireworks and champagne tower
Later in the evening, Lara changed into a second dress and we made the most of a very quick portrait session inside Villa Erba. Just a few minutes on the stairs, nothing too heavy, then back into the flow of the day.
Once outside again, they cut the cake beneath the flower arch where they had been married earlier, but by now everything had shifted into evening. It was darker and more atmospheric. The confetti-style fireworks around the cake made that part of the night feel really dramatic in the best way.
Straight after that came the champagne tower, followed by fireworks by the lake. It all added to the sense that the wedding just kept building.
The first dance and evening party
Their first dance then took place inside the main hall at Villa Erba, with all the guests gathered around them. The lighting in there looked amazing and gave the first dance a lot of atmosphere without losing any intimacy. From there, the whole night opened into a properly energetic party, with Aston Band back on stage and everyone fully into it.
What I liked most about Lara and Qiao’s wedding was the balance of it. It had scale, style and some very big visual moments, but it still felt personal all the way through. The first look at Villa d’Este, the ceremony led by Qiao’s best man, the drinks reception outside, the short portrait sessions that never took over the day, and then the shift into a brilliant party at night all made it feel complete.
Villa Erba always gives you a lot to work with visually, but this wedding wasn’t just about the setting. It was about the people in it and the way the whole day unfolded around them.
If you’re planning a wedding on Lake Como and want photography that feels natural, calm and genuinely connected to the day, this is exactly the kind of celebration I love being part of.
You can also see another wedding story from this venue here: Luxury Wedding at Villa Erba on Lake Como. And if flowers are a big part of your plans, I’ve also written about working with Ratti Flora, who were incredible here.
If you’re getting married at Villa Erba, elsewhere on Lake Como, or planning a wedding in Italy, you can get in touch below.
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