TOP WEDDING VENUES IN LAKE COMO

The destination wedding dream

A wedding ceremony in a prestigious Italian Villa on the edge of Lake Como is the ultimate way to celebrate your destination wedding. Arguably one of the most up and coming locations for planning a luxury destination wedding - think black tie and boat rides across the lake with dramatic mountainous views behind!

Lake Como is the third largest of the Italian lake and is shaped much like an inverted letter "Y". The northern branch begins at the town of Colico, while the towns of Como and Lecco sit at the ends of each of the bottom branches respectively. The small towns of Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna are situated at the intersection of the three branches of the lake with a triangular boat service operating between them.

Whether you are looking to host 500 guests or an intimate 50, Lake Como has it all to offer; as an experienced wedding planner we have created celebrations in exciting places all over the world and have selected our top 10 wedding venues in Lake Como that are worth considering.

1. Villa Balbiano

Villa Balbiano, is an iconic 17th-century villa complete with all of the fairytale vibes and is one of the grandest and oldest properties on the Western shores of Lake Como. Villa Balbiano has it all - with spectacular panoramic views of the lake and the surrounding mountains that can be seen from the immaculate lawns and famous aisleway - a Lake Como wedding planner’s dream.

Suitable for 200 guests outside with a more intimate indoor space, Villa Balbiano can accommodate a total of 30 guests throughout the estate for a minimum of 2 nights. The Villa can be rented for a wedding with or without the rooms and costs range upwards of €30k.

2. Villa Sola Cabiati

An artistic baroque villa located in the heart of Tremezzina, an area considered to be the ‘Riviera’ of Lake Como. Villa Sola has striking lake views and grand dining salons decorated with ornate stucco and frescos. Home to one of my favourite traditional Italian style gardens; the perfect area to host your cocktail party and dinner. The villa can also accommodate 12 guests in luxurious suites. 

3. Villa Erba

Villa Erba is one of the most well-known villas on Lake Como and you may recognise it from ‘Ocean’s Twelve’. The villa is situated in the chic village of Cernobbi complete with lavish interior, making it a jaw dropping setting for a luxury wedding. The lakefront property has an incredible botanical park, with the biggest highlight being its ancient boat house. Where the villa meets the water, it provides the perfect spot for a ceremony. There is no accommodation on site but max capacity is 300 (can be increased to 400 with a marquee).

4. Villa Pizzo

A Lake Como wedding planner’s dream; this luxurious lakeside villa dates back to the 15th century and boasts the longest lakefront garden. The sun-bleached, pastel-toned facade make it one of the prettiest villas on Lake Como. A ceremony (for up to 200 guests) on the ‘Darsena’ is unforgettable and alongside my favourite lake-facing courtyard for dining it is hard to turn down. In-season weddings are best at Villa Pizzo as there is no heating inside.

Photographer - Lilly Red

5. Villa del Balbianello

Not to be confused with Villa Balbiano, this villa is a showstopper in its own right with unique lake views on all sides making it one of the most scenic wedding locations. Villa del Balbianello is located on the western branch of Lake Como, about 30 km from the town of Como. This world famous venue has been home to elite weddings, fashion shoots and has been the backdrop for films such as James Bond and Star Wars in the past. The most recognisable spot is the arched loggia which is suitable for up to 75 guests. The only access to the villa is by boat, prepare for your guests to be wowed!

6. Villa d’Este

Perhaps one of the world’s most established luxury hotels, conveniently located near to the city of Como with good transport connections to Milan. Villa d’Este has historically hosted royals and upper classes but more recently it has evolved into a luxurious getaway along with being a fairytale wedding venue. When planning a wedding at Villa D’Este consider a ceremony in the Mosaic garden and utilise the many terraces, large windows, and stone balconies throughout. There are 152 rooms for guests along with private villas as part of the estate for more privacy during your stay. As you would imagine in a 5* hotel you are guaranteed exquisite cuisine and impeccable service and in addition you can party until 2am with no restrictions!

7. Villa PLiniana

Villa Pliniana is a place with 2000 years of history located just a few minutes from Como city, the oldest and largest villa on the lake with a really fascinating history. Its location is truly unique, set into the hillside with no neighbours - there is no setting more private on Lake Como. The Villa has beautiful architecture with high vaulted ceilings and is wonderfully furnished with masterpiece paintings throughout. One of the most impressive parts of this villa is the internal courtyard with arches framing the view of the lake complete with a waterfall that flows beneath the courtyard and through villa, and even passes through the master suite! There are 18 suites that can sleep around 40 people; when renting this villa for your wedding on Lake Como you are going to enjoy an exclusive Italian wedding and an extra luxury vacation with your family and friends.

8. THE Mandarin Oriental

No list of luxury wedding venues in Lake Como would be complete without the Mandarin Oriental, with 73 rooms and suites in the 2 private villas: Villa della Rocca and Villa del Lago it is the perfect place to host a luxurious Italian wedding. There are different areas around the resort that can be used for a weddings of up to 150 guests. As expected exquisite menus are prepared at the top-class restaurant of the resort so food is set to be one of the wedding day highlights for sure.

As you can see Lake Como is the perfect choice for an Italian destination wedding and there are some incredible properties for you to consider hosting your event at. We would always recommend hiring a wedding planner to help you with sourcing the best suppliers for your wedding and working on the logistics of your celebration.

Here at Rebecca Marie we plan considered and incredible events all over the world. Please get in touch and share your ideas and visions for your celebration, we can help bring your dreams to life and support you with planning a wedding in Italy.