From High School Friends to Forever: Vanessa & Lorenzo's Wedding at Villa Durazzo, Portofino
- Author: Natali Grace Levine
- Wedding date: 06/01/2025
- City: Genoa
Love Story
Lorenzo and Vanessa had known each other since high school - the kind of friendship that exists quietly in the background for years, comfortable and constant, without either of them rushing it toward anything more. They moved in the same circle, shared the same friends, and kept things exactly as they were.
It was February 2021 that changed everything. Vanessa was going through one of the hardest periods of her life, feeling completely lost - and Lorenzo showed up. Not with grand gestures, but with presence. “He helped me heal, rebuild, and find myself again,” she says, and in that sentence is the whole foundation of everything that followed. What had been a long friendship became, naturally and inevitably, something much deeper.
By 2022, they had moved in together, and that same year, they launched Vigneul - a skincare brand built from upcycled winemaking byproducts, created and run entirely by the two of them. In 2024, they married in a civil ceremony. And then, because a legal signature was never quite enough, they planned the celebration they had always wanted - in Portofino, the first place that had ever truly felt like theirs.
The proposal had come on Christmas Day 2023, with the sweetest possible accomplice. Amira - originally Vanessa’s dog, naturally wary of strangers, particularly men - had chosen Lorenzo from the very first moment they met. On Christmas morning, Vanessa was playing with her, completely unaware, when she turned around and found Lorenzo on one knee. “I instantly burst into tears, overwhelmed with joy and emotion.”
About Your Wedding
A year and a half of planning, 75 guests, and a vision that never once wavered. Vanessa knew from the beginning what she wanted - something intimate yet truly special, like stepping into their own private world. “I imagined a small, enchanted garden, a private corner that felt magical and timeless, where every detail reflected us and the love we share.”
The concept was flowers - flowers everywhere, in every direction, in every shade of blush, ivory, nude, and soft lilac. A lush, blooming atmosphere that felt romantic and alive, elevated with the kind of effortless Italian elegance that doesn’t announce itself. The Dolce Vita spirit ran through every choice they made: the beauty of simple yet meaningful moments, the joy of being surrounded by the right people, and that particular lightness that comes when everything feels completely, exactly right.
“We wanted to create something special, fun, and full of life together.” - and a year and a half later, that is precisely what they built.
Morning Details
Pearl earrings from her mother. A diamond tennis bracelet from his parents. And for the evening, a family pearl necklace that had once belonged to Lorenzo’s great-aunt was lent to Vanessa for the party, worn with the quiet awareness of everything it carried. Three generations were present before the day had even properly begun.
The wedding rings were made by the same jeweler who had designed Vanessa’s engagement ring, gifted by Lorenzo’s parents - a thin rose gold band for him, the same design with delicate diamonds for her. Simple, classic, and chosen with meaning rather than impulse.
Every paper detail - invitations, animated save-the-dates, menus, place cards, monogram - was handled by Giuseppe Sindoni of Giuseppe Sindoni Design, whose work tied the wedding's visual identity together with a refined aesthetic that felt entirely in keeping with the rest of the day.
Bride Getting Ready
Vanessa got ready in the Ava Gardner Suite at the Belmond Splendido Mare in Portofino — a setting that required no further justification. Her best friend and bridesmaid Alice, her parents, and makeup artist Shahin Hosseini were there with her, and the morning was, by her own account, both emotional and beautiful.
The dress was an Elie Saab — French lace, entirely found at Rebecca La Sposa in Milan after a single visit and a single try-on. "I visited just one atelier, tried it on, and instantly knew it was the one for me. It perfectly reflected what I had in mind — romantic yet classic at the same time." Her veil was by Zuhair Murad, delicate tulle and French lace embroidered with their initials, LV. Her shoes — Amina Muaddi in white, adding a modern edge to a look that was otherwise pure romance. For the party, she changed into a Vivienne Westwood Bridal dress — more contemporary, more iconic, and exactly right for the shift in energy that followed.
Her bouquet was a joint creation by Marta Bixio Flowers and Orazio of Arte Floreale — a composition of white and nude roses paired with white orchids, elegant, refined, and in keeping with the same palette as every floral arrangement throughout the day.
Groom Getting Ready
Lorenzo got ready at the Hotel Continental in Santa Margherita Ligure with his parents and his sister, Francesca. His tuxedo was by Sartoria Deplano - bespoke, precise, and entirely in keeping with the occasion's elegance. The kind of morning that belongs to the people in the room: unhurried, warm, and weighted with the particular significance of what comes next.
Across the bay, at the Belmond Splendido Mare, Vanessa was still getting dressed. He hadn’t seen the dress. He wouldn’t until the church.
First Look
There was no first look outside the church, no private moment staged before the ceremony. Instead, the first time Lorenzo saw Vanessa was when she walked toward him down the aisle of Chiesa del Divo Martino - and the photographs show exactly what that moment was.
“It was incredibly emotional for both of us = you can even see it in the photos, with tears in our eyes,” Vanessa recalls. Lorenzo was overwhelmed the moment he saw her - “a mix of love, admiration, and that quiet realization that the moment we had been waiting for had finally arrived.” She felt the same. “Seeing him there, it all became real in that instant.” No staging, no rehearsal - just the church, the flowers, and two people completely undone by the sight of each other.
Ceremony
Chiesa del Divo Martino sits right in the heart of Portofino - small, ancient, and entirely out of a dream. 75 guests filled it on the first of June, and a string quartet played Can’t Help Falling in Love as Vanessa walked down the aisle toward Lorenzo.
The ring bearer was Stefania, a longtime friend of Vanessa’s, married to her cousin Simone, who was also her best man. The kind of detail that only makes sense when you know the people involved, and that made the ceremony feel exactly as personal as everything else about the day.
The moment they’ll carry with them most wasn’t the music or the setting - it was simpler than that. “One of the most special moments was the exchange of the rings - a simple gesture, yet so full of meaning, marking the beginning of our life together.”
Photoshoot After The Ceremony
After the church came the boat. A traditional Ligurian gozzo called Portofino carried them through the waters of Portofino - “which added such an authentic and romantic touch to the setting,” Vanessa says - before the afternoon moved on to Villa Durazzo, where the gardens and the light were waiting.
Married now, with the Ligurian Sea as their witness.
Wedding Venue & Decor
“We were looking for a venue with a sea view that still felt classic and timeless, and Villa Durazzo was absolutely perfect for us. It combined elegance, history, and breathtaking views, exactly matching the atmosphere we had in mind.”
Villa Durazzo, a 17th-century estate above Santa Margherita Ligure, is the kind of venue that arrives already knowing what it is. Vanessa’s instinct was to let it lead - and the palette she built around it, blush pink, nude, ivory, pastel lilac, and soft hydrangea pink with touches of green, felt less like decoration and more like something that had always been there. Marta Bixio Flowers carried the concept through every arrangement, every table, every corner of the property, creating what Vanessa had always imagined: an enchanted, blooming garden, elegant yet entirely alive.
For guests, there was one detail that went beyond florals and candlelight - a bespoke perfume bar where each person could create and choose their own fragrance to take home. The kind of gesture that turns a beautiful wedding into an unforgettable one.
Couple's Advice
“Our advice would be to truly embrace the beauty and atmosphere of Portofino and Santa Margherita instead of overcomplicating things. These places already feel magical on their own, so focus on creating an experience that feels authentic, relaxed, and full of emotion.
We would also suggest planning moments that let guests enjoy the real Italian lifestyle: long aperitifs, beautiful views, incredible food, music, and time together. That effortless Dolce Vita feeling ended up being one of the most special parts of our wedding.”
Reception
No first dance - instead, the band sang You Are the Reason by Scott + Lewis as Vanessa and Lorenzo made their entrance for the cake cutting, and the evening announced itself on its own terms.
The aperitivo was a journey in itself: live cooking stations, fresh raw seafood, a lobster bar, guests moving freely between flavors and conversations in the warm June air. Every glass of wine poured throughout the evening was Tenuta Montemagno, the Piedmontese winery belonging to Vanessa’s family - a detail that made the whole reception feel, quietly, like home.
And then the band took over. Gruppo Arechi had been booked to play, and what followed was the detail that surprised everyone most, including the couple. “The entertainment ended up mattering much more than we expected - the live band truly elevated the entire reception. The energy, the atmosphere, everything felt more vibrant and unforgettable.”Working with the vendors, Vanessa says, was genuinely enjoyable from start to finish - “not only stress-free, but also genuinely fun - we shared the same vision.” That alignment showed in every corner of the day, and it showed most clearly when the music started and nobody wanted it to stop.
Wedding Team
- Planner @carolina.gianuzzi
- Venue @villadurazzo
- Photographer @giacomoterracciano_studio
- Videographer @mieleweddingfilms
- Catering @lovisolo_ricevimenti
- Flowers @martab.floraldesigner @artefloreale_orazio
- Stationery @giuseppesindoni_creativedesign
- Entertainment @gruppo_arechi_music
- Dresses bride @eliesaabbridal @rebeccalasposa
- Suit groom @sartoria_deplano
- MUAH @shahin.hairmakeup
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