A Love Story from Lake Como: Madison & Joshua’s Romantic Italian Wedding at Villa del Balbianello

Love Story

Josh and Madison met at Salesforce in 2021, their connection deepening when she joined his team in 2022. Though they tried to keep their romance a secret, their boss later admitted he knew. “We said ‘I love you’ at the same time on April 7th, and weeks later, we took our first trip together. Now, after nearly three years, we’ve visited 15 countries—and counting.”

On September 6th, 2023, Josh proposed in front of the Coliseum in Rome. Days earlier, Madison’s father had called to share his admiration for Josh—prompting her to do her nails, just in case. They celebrated in the Amalfi Coast, making Italy forever special in their hearts.

With 80 guests in attendance, Madison and Joshua crafted their dream wedding in just 10 months. The vision? "Classic Italian" style that let the stunning location—Villa del Balbianello in Lenno—take center stage.
"As traveling is so important to us (with Italy being one of our favorite destinations), we wanted to share a place that means a lot to us with our friends and family," Madison explains.

Their non-negotiables included a black-tie dress code, a green and white color palette, an outdoor ceremony, and an iconic location. The aim was to create an authentic experience, from guests arriving by boat to carefully selected Italian cuisine and a curated playlist that blended Italian classics with some Coldplay and Taylor Swift.

During the planning process, Madison found inspiration in a mix of sources. "I took a lot of inspiration (both dos & don’ts) from weddings I’ve attended in the past as well as Italian wedding magazines + Pinterest," she shares. However, wedding planning took an emotional turn when Madison’s father passed away from cancer. "It was also important to us that he be recognized in a special way. Our planners did a great job of this."

Morning details

Every detail of Madison and Joshua's wedding day was thoughtfully curated. Madison designed the invitations with a watercolorist in the US, sending pictures of the venue to be transformed into beautiful three-piece invitations.

For their wedding rings, Josh selected Madison's circle-cut diamond ring independently. They chose Josh's ring together—a Cartier Forever ring—while location scouting in Como in December 2023, taking a day to shop in Lugano. "On the day of my wedding, I wore a blue topaz ring which was my mom’s engagement ring to my dad," Madison shares. "I also wore a diamond tennis bracelet (a gift from my mom that was my Great Grandmother’s initially)."

The wedding stationery, designed by their planners at Benevent, included custom welcome signs, bar menus, table menus, custom tablecloths, and a bespoke floor carpet for the dinner and reception area.
"We loved working with our planners at Benevent," the couple raves. "They really understood our vision and helped bring it to life. We selected them for the bespoke touch they add to events - the color schemes, custom fabrics, etc… really make for unforgettable events."

Bride getting ready

Madison's search for the perfect dress was remarkably straightforward. She found "the one" at Bridals by Lori in Atlanta, Georgia—the famous boutique from "Say Yes to the Dress."

"My dress was designed by Rita Vinieris. The dress was called the “Remi” and was a part of the Rivini Fall 2024 collection which was perfect for our date," Madison details. "I ended up selecting the dress for its simplicity and elegance. I didn’t want the dress to be the star of the show; rather the person & the venue were my priorities," she explains. "My favorite part of the dress was how many different looks it supported. For the ceremony I wore the train long with custom buttons that went all the way down. Paired with my custom veil, it was a dream. Later for the reception, I pinned up the train and my tailor (Nina’s Couture in Atlanta) created a beautiful bow / ruffle to add drama to the back."

Madison prepared for her big day at Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, accompanied only by her mother. "My brother also came in a few times," she adds with a laugh, "primarily to deliver champagne when we were out!"

For her accessories, Madison chose bone white pointed shoes with a simple jewel strap for the ceremony, dinner, and first dance, changing into bedazzled white sneakers for the reception. She also had a custom romper made by Nina's Couture in Atlanta. "I wasn't planning to have a second look," she admits, "but I dropped the train of my dress in the lake getting off a boat for pictures… It was freezing cold & felt like it weighed 50 pounds, so I was glad I brought the romper just in case."

Her bouquet, created by Il Profumo Dei Fiori, was intentionally understated. "I actually didn't pick the flowers—I just left this up to my planners," Madison reveals. "The only direction I gave was that I wanted something on the smaller side; something that didn’t take away from my veil."

Groom getting ready

Josh's wedding day attire was a sophisticated blend of custom and designer pieces. His tuxedo featured Christian Dior pants paired with a custom jacket made by Q Clothier in Atlanta, Georgia, crafted from Loro Piana super 200 cashmere material. Like Madison, Josh prepared for the day at Villa Serbelloni, surrounded by close friends Billal, Jvonne, and Sean, as well as Madison's brother Dylan.

Ceremony

The ceremony took place outside, beneath the breathtaking three-arched loggia of Villa del Balbianello, with the stunning backdrop of Lake Como adding to the romance of the moment. Every detail was deeply personal, making it an unforgettable part of the day.

What many guests didn't know was that this was actually the couple's third wedding ceremony in 2024. "We held a small private ceremony on January 6th, 2024 as Madison’s dad was terminally ill & we were told he wouldn’t make it to October," Josh shares tenderly. "Our second wedding was on February 29th, 2024 (leap day!) when we went to the courthouse and signed our wedding certificate."

One of the most meaningful aspects was that Josh’s Nino (his uncle, Stephen Johnson) officiated both their first and third ceremonies. "We asked him to do this based on Josh’s admiration and adoration for his Uncle. We admire greatly how he fosters a relationship with his wife and kids. One we hope to emulate both on a spiritual and emotional level in our own marriage," the couple shares. While Stephen recited a traditional ceremonial script for their first wedding, his October script was hyper-customized to reflect positively on Madison and Josh—both as individuals and as a couple.

Another heartfelt element was the inclusion of family members in the processional. In the absence of bridesmaids and groomsmen, Madison and Josh wanted to highlight how important their families were to them. Josh ascended first, followed by his parents, Angela and Chris Hector, and several sets of aunts and uncles. Madison followed after her mother and brother, Kathleen and Dylan Norris, as well as her maternal uncle and aunt.

Josh walked down the aisle to "Sky Full of Stars" by Coldplay, while Madison made her entrance to "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" by Hillsong. As for their first moments seeing each other, Josh recalls, “I was just trying not to cry too hard. You looked beautiful and it was amazing to be there finally.” Madison had a similar overwhelming feeling of joy and gratitude: "WOW this is finally happening!! After months of planning and anticipating this day, I couldn’t have asked for anything more than to stand marry my best friend at the most beautiful destination, in front of all of our family & friends. Also WOW he has never looked more handsome, I am so incredibly lucky."

Josh’s vows were one of the most unforgettable moments of the day, leaving not a single dry eye in the audience. His heartfelt words captured the depth of their love and commitment, making the ceremony an emotional and cherished highlight of their wedding celebration.

Photoshoot after the ceremony

The unpredictable Italian weather intervened with the couple's post-ceremony photo plans. Originally scheduled to take place on a small Venetian-style wooden boat, the shoot had to be relocated when rain began pouring immediately after the ceremony. "We ended up deciding to skip the boat and primarily take photos under/around the three-arch loggia instead," they explain. Despite the change in plans, the resulting photos turned out to be nothing short of breathtaking.

What initially seemed disappointing turned out to be a blessing in disguise. "While the weather seemed to be a bummer as it eliminated the ability for a post-ceremony aperitivo in the garden, it ended up creating a very cozy / intimate setting in the dinner/reception area. The guests didn’t seem to notice or mind."

Wedding Venue & Decor

Villa del Balbianello, with its timeless elegance and spectacular views, served as the perfect canvas for Madison and Joshua's vision of a "Classic Italian" wedding.

"We chose the venue together after taking a trip to Lake Como in December 2023 and touring many venues," they recount. "As soon as we got off the boat at Villa del Balbianello, we immediately knew it was the venue for us. What stood out most identifiably was how beautiful the location was even in December."

The color palette remained true to their original vision—green and white, with various shades of green incorporated into the floral arrangements for dimension. "Given the nature of the venue, nearly every detail of our wedding was customized — from the candles individually strung from the ceiling to the carpet on the floor," the couple describes. "While Villa del Balbianello is a stunning venue, the dinner/reception area comes as practically a clean slate. We felt it was our duty to enhance the space while not taking away from the natural beauty of the location - hence the natural color palette."

A last-minute suggestion from their planners proved invaluable: "At the 11th hour our planners suggested we invest in blankets and umbrellas to make the experience of our guests better. Thank GOD we listened to them, as every item was used throughout the evening. It also added a bit of a personal touch - of course within the color scheme of the wedding."

Reception

The reception was a celebration for the ages, beginning with the couple's first dance to "Never Break" by John Legend. Despite months of practice with a choreographer, they nearly had a mishap. "The heavy rain made the floor so wet & slipper that Josh almost dropped Madison on the final dip, but he caught her quickly and they finished strong without skipping a beat!" they recall with laughter. The floating candles over the dinner tables further elevated the romantic ambiance, creating a magical atmosphere as the celebration continued into the night.

The dinner menu was a gastronomic journey through Italian cuisine, featuring dishes like Risotto Carnaroli with red salad, beetroot, potatoes, and leek cream; Tagliolini fresh pasta with black truffle and Toma Piemontese cheese; and options of Mediterranean sea bass, Piemontese scottana fillet, or baked eggplant pie for the main course. "We worked closely with Class Catering to create classic Italian dishes," they explain. The aperitivo alone featured 14 different gourmet offerings, including crispy biscuits with glazed foie gras, small tacos with chicken and paprika, and imperial prawns with zucchini flower.

A dessert corner satisfied every sweet tooth with white chocolate cream with mango, raspberry puree with panna cotta, traditional Italian tiramisu, fresh fruits, assorted candies, and espresso martinis. The wedding cake, a classic Italian Millefoglie, was crafted by Class Catering.

A standout moment of the reception was the prosecco tower. "This was so much fun & a great way to kick off the dancing portion of the reception!" the couple enthuses. Another highlight was the saxophone player during the aperitivo: "He was amazing! The life of the party."

But perhaps the most memorable moment came unexpectedly: "2 of our guests are world-renowned tattoo artists and we asked them (last minute) if they would bring their tattoo guns to tattoo our initials on each other’s ring fingers during the reception," they reveal. "Nothing spells forever like a tattoo!"

As Madison and Joshua danced into their new life together, surrounded by loved ones in one of the world's most beautiful settings, it was clear that their journey—which began with a simple work call—was only just beginning. Their Lake Como wedding was not just a celebration of their love but a promise of the adventures that await them as they continue to explore the world, hand in hand, as husband and wife.