Lake Como Wedding Photographer

Be ready for straight sun. There aren’t many trees on the shore, and villa terraces are typically open, with no shade. At Villa Monastero, the ceremony was in full sun from the side, even under the terrace roof: hot, but short, so it was fine. The best light on the water comes after the ceremony, around 5, 6 or 7 p.m., and the later the better as the sun sets. Midday is the easiest time to slip away from your guests, but 30 minutes on the water in the evening light is worth planning for.

The public ferries link Varenna, Bellagio, Menaggio and Cadenabbia through the day, and they are part of the fun for guests. For the two of you, a private boat is the better plan: it takes you straight to the villa’s dock and doubles as the portrait session. We used Menaggio Water Limousine for Arta and Edgars. A vintage boat costs about €500–600 for an hour, and up to €1,000 is enough for the iconic Como photos; bigger, newer boats run €1,500–2,000. Thirty minutes covers photos, video and drone, and the aperitivo is the best time to go. A taxi from Bergamo airport to Varenna is about €180.

Villa Monastero is a public garden with a ticket gate, so your guests share the paths with visitors until the terrace, which is yours. The terrace hosts a ceremony of about 30 people, and there is a room right beside it you can rent for getting ready. It’s strict: no confetti, and your time on the terrace is short. Other villas on the lake are more flexible, and confetti and some music are usually fine. Drones are a different story almost everywhere: Como is a restricted area, so a drone needs insurance and an agreement with the venue. Make sure that paperwork is done, or there will be no drone photos. For wedding questions, the villa answers at [email protected] or +39 0341 295450.

The one mistake I see at Como: guests arriving by public ferry or the shuttle boats that cross from one shore to the other. If it isn’t a private boat, be early. The boats fill up, parking near the piers is tight, and looking for a space can cost you the boat you need, especially if your hotel is on the other shore. Summer traffic gets busy. So come early, enjoy the view, have an Aperol spritz or a glass of champagne, and walk into the ceremony relaxed. Nobody wants to miss the wedding.

Villa Monastero is a public park along the shore: gardens, trees, stairs, old houses and some of the iconic Como views, so there are loads of spots for portraits. It’s also busy with tourists, so if privacy matters to you, choose another villa for the ceremony. It works the other way too: if you’re marrying at a smaller venue, Monastero is a good place to go for the portrait session. At the big villas, Balbianello and the like, you don’t need to go anywhere; the iconic views are on site. Your guests only need a regular ticket (€13 for the whole botanical garden; buy it online here), but that ticket doesn’t cover a wedding shoot. The villa sells photo-shoot slots (€300 per hour in 2025, minimum one hour, the two of you and the photographers included), booked at least 14 days ahead, and decorations and music aren’t allowed. Drones need extra paperwork with the Province of Lecco.

Enjoy the wedding – now or never!