An Eclectic, Fashion-Forward Destination Wedding at Italy's Villa Lario in Lake Como

For a couple all about spontaneity, it’s no wonder their first proposal was a spur of the moment. When Alejandro popped the question 11 months into his relationship with Taylor, it was at the Highland Park Village in Texas… without a ring. “[He] casually suggested we get married and then bought a ring at the first jewelry store we could find after I said yes. We later embarked on a one-year-long journey of designing my dream engagement ring together with [our] jeweler David Sachs,” Taylor says. Naturally, a second proposal had to follow once the dream ring was complete. This time, it was on a sunset sailboat cruise on the Hudson, where they had a civil ceremony in New York’s City Hall just a week later.

The celebrations didn’t end there, with the couple’s sights on a destination wedding at Lake Como. Taylor says of their choice, “We absolutely love the topography of Lake Como and wanted the backdrop of our special day to be set amongst the dramatic mountain peaks and serene water to create a really breathtaking scene our guests would remember forever.” Though they wanted personal touches to their day, putting Italy’s traditions and culture at the forefront was also key to their day. That led them to the “iconic and traditional” venue of Villa Lario, a beautiful space that needed little in the way of decor.

To match their spontaneous energy, Taylor and Alejandro chose a bold and eclectic color palette with darker shades of autumn hues, including emerald green, yellow, red and a moody fuschia. They hoped the hues would blend seamlessly into the autumnal environment at Lake Como while still bringing a pop of brightness to stand out. The aesthetic inspiration was a cool lounge bar, full of chic elements and an effortless feel. “I wanted to highlight flowers that were dainty, untethered and instead of putting them into one composition, I wanted them to be scattered throughout the space and almost feel messy and overgrown,” Taylor says.

And with these floral arrangements, the couple’s vendor team brought the boldness. Throughout the space, flowers were utilized everywhere—including in hanging floral “clouds” in the clear tented ceiling of the reception area. Complementing these bright displays were tall and low centerpieces in their autumn palette, adding height and vibrance with the burnt orange, mustard yellow and fuchsia shades.

This mix of personal touches followed throughout the decor, food and attire. Even Taylor’s diamond drop earrings were crafted using diamonds her father had gifted her mother over the years, and Alejandro’s silk pocket square was embroidered with a special message in his bride’s handwriting. Naturally, the two paired these custom accessories with the perfect wedding weekend looks. Starting the weekend off with a boat tour, Taylor wore a mini dress cut from her mother’s wedding gown. As for the bridal look, she chose a custom gown by Celia Kritharioti. The blushing bride says, “I knew I wanted Celia to make my dress after I saw Leonie Hanne walk the runway of her Paris Couture Week AW22 show in the most glamorous gown I have ever seen. It was just so refreshing to see such a fun and dramatic modern take on wedding wear.” As for her final look of the weekend, that included another mini dress, this time by Berta.

During the reception, 70 of their loved ones gathered under the clear tent for a menu of custom pizzas, local artisanal cheeses and meats, Northern Italian red and white wine and a traditional Italian wedding cake called a millefoglie. “[Everyone] getting to see what we’ve been working on and get to celebrate with us was incredible. We truly had so much fun dancing, laughing, and celebrating with everyone,” Taylor says.

The vibe of their celebration was music that kept guests moving and indulging in some of the best food the country had to offer. All of these personalized elements they handpicked came together to craft an unforgettable wedding day that the couple describe as a “labor of love.” One of their favorite parts of planning was getting to work together and collaborate on a project as a team. They add to any couple in the throes of wedding planning, “Do whatever you want! There is no mold that you have to fit into. Your wedding should be an expression of you and your partner and that looks different for everyone.”