“Something fun and colorful yet elegant and intimate.”
That was the phrase that Angela + Yangda used as inspiration as they planned their Lake Como, Italy destination wedding at Villa Gastel. The couple has lots of fond memories of parties with friends in New York City, and now that many of their loved ones are married with kids, they wanted to use their wedding to recreate some of the fun and excitement of those NYC get-togethers. The couple planned an adventurous wedding weekend in Lake Como for their guests full of drinks at Hotel Imperiale and ferry boat rides on the lake, all culminating in the couple’s wedding.
The design vision for the big day was romantic and a little whimsical, and Angela + Yangda collaborated with planners and event designers from Design Anarchy to pull it off. Soft pastels and floral patterns gave way to unique and unforgettable details like a ceremony backdrop made of giant flower sculptures and a wedding dress with muted blush and lavender tulle accents for the bride.
We are loving every delicate and fanciful detail of Angela + Yangda’s Italian villa wedding day, and we’re so glad that Lilly Red was there snapping gorgeous pictures the whole time!
Bride Angela fell in love with the Luisa Beccaria wedding gown that Italian actress Nicoletta Romanoff wore at her wedding the moments she saw it. She knew there was no other dress for her.
“It was like love at first sight – I became completely obsessed with it!” says Angela. We cannot get enough of the soft blush and lavender tulle accents that make this gorgeous gown more than just your everyday white wedding look.
Check out our favorite blush and pink wedding dresses as well as our favorite purple wedding dresses to add some of these dreamy colors to your bridal look.
So stunning! Explore our lists of the best mother of the bride dresses and best mother of the groom dresses to make sure the special women in your life have a look they love for your big day!
The Ceremony
Furniture rentals from Oltre il Giardino transformed the villa’s sprawling lawn into a fanciful spot to sit and witness Angela + Yangda ceremony.
Snag a similar set of velvet upholstered poufs in dark pink from Target to recreate this plush, pink guest seating!
“This venue, with its yellow walls, blue shutters, and ivy, epitomizes historic Italian architecture,” says photographer Elisabetta of Lilly Red of Villa Gastel.
Believe it or not, this jaw-dropping venue is a vacation rental!! Check out our collection of the most wish-listed Airbnb’s in every state to find a dreamy stateside property where you can tie the knot!
We are absolutely obsessed with these towering handmade flowers from Fiori Giganti Decor!!
Florist Chiara Sperti Floral Events utilized tons of baby’s breath and pastel roses to lean into the whimsical romance of this ceremony backdrop installation.
Angela’s timeless low bun and soft pink makeup look were created by Reina Kim.
This pearl-embellished veil and floral hairpiece added even more ethereal elegance to Angela’s look!
Check out our collection of the best wedding veils for every style if you’re narrowing down the right veil look for you.
How sophisticated does Yangda look in his classic black Tom Ford tux??
Paper parasols are such a chic and playful way to keep your guests out of the sun at an outdoor celebration.
Our Musical Choices Processional: Music from the "Once Upon a Time In the West" soundtrack by Ennio Morricone
Recessional: "Volare" by Dean Martin
First Dance: We didn't have a first dance.
Our Advice To Those Planning Now Hiring an experienced and reputable local wedding planning team is essential, especially for a destination wedding as a foreign couple. They will assemble an 'Avengers' team for your special day!
They put a ring on it!! Explore our guide to how much should you spend on your wedding ring if you need some help making room for wedding bands in your wedding budget.
Take a look through our favorite fairytale princess wedding gowns if you’re loving Angela’s full-skirt look and need even more dreamy dress moments.
The Reception
We LOVE a glittery reception dress!! Angela’s sparkly v-neck column gown by Costarellos got the party started!
A marquee is such a fun way to introduce yourselves as brad new newlyweds at the reception!! You can create a similar moment with wedding marquee lights or a custom wedding neon sign!
Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding First kiss and grand entrance as husband and wife with champagne trains.
The soft florals of these tablecloths added so much magical garden party romance to the reception. Shop the Piper Floral Tablecloth from Pottery Barn for a similar look!
Brushed gold flatware like this set from CB2 is great way to add some modern metallic touches to your place settings.
We still can’t get over the fact that this Italian villa venue is an Airbnb. Look through our list of the 21 best luxury vacation rentals to daydream about other rentals like Villa Gastel where you could say “I do.”
Love the way these light wood cane chairs add a kind of cottagecore warmth to this romantic reception.
Is there anything better than a twinkly string light?? Check out these fairy light wedding ideas that will make you swoon.
Congratulations, Angela and Yangda! Your romantic Italian villa wedding was a whimsical dream! All the very best from GWS!
photography: Lilly Red // venue name: Villa Gastel, Cernobbio, Como, Italy // event design: Design Anarchy Studio // planning: Design Anarchy Studio // florals: Chiara Sperti Floral Events // wedding dress: Luisa Beccaria and Costarellos // hair stylist: Reina Kim // makeup artist: Reina Kim // groom attire: Tom Ford // videography: Waterfall Visuals // furniture rentals: Oltre il Giardino // giant flowers: Fiori Giganti Decor
What a whimsical dream! Expect nothing less but incredibly photography from Lily Red.