Jacquelyn & Nick's Timeless Gatsby-Inspired Wedding at Villa Erba

Love Story

Jacquelyn and Nick's love story began in the sun-drenched halls of the University of Miami, where two college students met and began a journey that would last 14 years. By the time their wedding day arrived at Villa Erba overlooking Lake Como, they had spent over a decade creating memories, traveling the world, and dreaming of the perfect celebration that would reflect their shared aesthetic and deep connection.
"Nick was originally planning to propose in Lake Como, but because of COVID, the trip was cancelled," Jacquelyn recalls. In the summer of 2020, the pandemic forced them to cancel their Italian adventure, bringing an unexpected change of plans. Instead, Nick proposed in New Jersey, where Jacquelyn grew up, turning a disappointment into an intimate moment in her hometown. When restrictions eased, they decided to hold their wedding at Lake Como. What was once meant to be the backdrop for their proposal became, two years later, the stunning setting for their celebration—a beautiful full-circle moment that made their Lake Como wedding even more meaningful.

About Your Wedding

Jacquelyn and Nick envisioned a combination of Ralph Lauren, Gatsby, and timeless Italian classics for their wedding: stylish, elegant, and timeless. Their vision guided every decision during two years of planning, and the extra time from COVID delays allowed them to perfect each luxurious detail.
The couple drew inspiration from their own sophisticated taste and experiences gathered through years of international travel. "Our own taste and experience gathered through years of travel and our vision for a timeless, elegant, Gatsby-style event" is what inspired them most during preparation. The result was a black-tie celebration featuring a refined neutral color palette – light pinks, whites, and golds with strategic hints of cerulean blue woven throughout the design.
Behind the scenes of this meticulously planned celebration was Elena Pensini Events, the wedding planner who brought Jacquelyn and Nick's vision to life. Over two years of planning—extended by pandemic delays—Elena worked closely with the couple to perfect every detail, from coordinating the rehearsal dinner at Villa d'Este to orchestrating the flawless execution at Villa Erba. Her expertise in Lake Como venues and relationships with Italy's finest vendors proved invaluable in creating the "Ralph Lauren meets Gatsby meets timeless Italian" aesthetic the couple envisioned. Elena's calm guidance and meticulous attention ensured that Jacquelyn and Nick could fully immerse themselves in their celebration, trusting that every element—from timing to logistics—was expertly managed.
One hundred and twenty guests traveled to Lake Como to witness their celebration, gathering for what would become an unforgettable weekend of Italian elegance and glamorous festivities. The couple's attention to detail extended beyond the wedding day itself, with a rehearsal dinner at the legendary Villa d'Este setting the tone for the sophisticated celebration to come.

Morning Details

Bride Getting Ready

The morning of August 13, 2022, began in the Presidential Suite at Villa d'Este, where Jacquelyn prepared for her wedding day surrounded by elegant details that perfectly captured the aesthetic she and Nick had envisioned. The suite's historic grandeur provided a stunning backdrop for getting ready photos, with morning light streaming through windows overlooking the famous Italian gardens.
"I tried on many dresses at about 6 boutiques until I found the one that I loved," Jacquelyn shares about her journey to finding the perfect gown. Her search led her to Mark Ingram Atelier in NYC, where she discovered her dream Mira Zwillinger creation. "The bolero with the mock neck was custom-made," she notes – a bespoke addition that elevated the already stunning dress into something truly unique and perfectly suited to their timeless Italian aesthetic.
The bride completed her elegant look with carefully chosen accessories: a classic veil, Dior heels that combined luxury with comfort, and delicate pearl drop earrings that added just the right touch of understated glamour. Her simple white bouquet, created by Figli dei Fiori, embodied refined elegance – allowing the dress and the stunning Italian surroundings to take center stage.
Momental Designs created all the wedding stationery, from the invitations to menus, place cards, itineraries, and welcome cards tucked inside guest welcome boxes. Every paper detail reflected the couple's sophisticated aesthetic, setting expectations for the timeless celebration ahead. Meanwhile, Jacquelyn's bridesmaids prepared in Marchesa gowns, their elegant designs complementing the bride's look while maintaining the day's refined aesthetic.

Groom Getting Ready

While Jacquelyn prepared in the Presidential Suite, Nick and his groomsmen got ready in other suites throughout Villa d'Este, the property's various locations providing diverse backdrops for getting-ready photos. The groom chose a Tom Ford tuxedo – a choice that perfectly embodied the sophisticated, timeless elegance the couple envisioned for their celebration.
Nick, a real estate developer with a passion for aviation, food, and wine, spent the morning with his closest friends, including his brother Eric, who would serve as best man and ring bearer at the ceremony. The anticipation built as the morning progressed, with the group taking advantage of Villa d'Este's stunning grounds for portraits before heading to Villa Erba for the ceremony.
The groom's preparation captured the masculine elegance of old Hollywood glamour, with crisp tailoring and classic styling to complement Jacquelyn's Mira Zwillinger gown. As someone who appreciates the finer things in life – from excellent wine to gourmet cuisine – Nick ensured every wedding-day detail reflected the same level of sophistication and attention to quality that defined their celebration.

First Look

"The staircase in the hallway of Villa d'Este" became the setting for one of the day's most emotional moments – Jacquelyn and Nick's first look. The historic villa's elegant architecture provided a timeless backdrop as Nick turned to see his bride for the first time, fully prepared for their wedding ceremony.
"She looked stunning," Nick recalls of that first moment. For Jacquelyn, the experience was "Emotional, exciting, beautiful, and filled with anticipation." After 14 years together, seeing each other in this moment – she in her custom Mira Zwillinger gown, he in his impeccably tailored Tom Ford tuxedo – still took their breath away.
The Villa d'Este staircase, with its classical Italian architecture and soft natural light, perfectly framed this intimate moment before the larger celebration began. It was a private pause amid a momentous day, allowing the couple to connect and absorb the magnitude of what was about to happen before joining their 120 guests for the ceremony.

Photoshoot Before The Ceremony

After their first look, Jacquelyn and Nick transitioned into an extensive photo session that made the most of Lake Como's legendary beauty and their venues' stunning architecture. They explored the entire Villa d'Este property and later boarded a Riva boat for photos around the lake, capturing the essence of Italian luxury and romance that initially drew them to this destination.
The iconic Riva boat – a symbol of Lake Como elegance since the 1950s – carried them across the glittering water, with photographers from Bottega 53 capturing the couple against a backdrop of Italian villas, Alpine foothills, and the lake's impossibly blue waters. These images embodied the sophisticated, timeless aesthetic Jacquelyn and Nick had dreamed of – equal parts classic Hollywood glamour and authentic Italian romance.
Later, they continued photographing at Villa Erba itself, their ceremony venue. "Throughout the villa, there were beautiful photos on terraces, in the hallways, staircases, and the grand foyer," Jacquelyn notes. Every corner of the magnificent historic property offered another stunning backdrop, from sun-drenched terraces overlooking the lake to the villa's elegant interior spaces with their period architecture and timeless beauty. These pre-ceremony portraits captured the couple in a state of joyful anticipation, documenting not just how they looked but how they felt – excited, in love, and ready to celebrate with everyone they cherished most.

Ceremony

As guests gathered on the manicured lawn of Villa Erba, the ceremony setting took everyone's breath away. "Outside on the lawn of Villa Erba overlooking the lake," the couple exchanged vows with Lake Como stretching behind them and the Italian Alps rising in the distance – a view that epitomized the romantic grandeur they'd envisioned for this moment.
Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love" played as Jacquelyn walked down the aisle, the song's timeless lyrics perfectly capturing the inevitability and depth of their 14-year love story. Nick's brother Eric stood beside him as best man and ring bearer, while the ceremony included "special readings from Jacquelyn's brother Ryan and one of the bridesmaids, Jill," adding deeply personal touches to the formal celebration.
The black-tie ceremony reflected the couple's vision of classic elegance – 120 guests dressed in their finest, the bride stunning in her custom Mira Zwillinger gown, the groom impeccable in Tom Ford, and the setting so breathtakingly beautiful it needed almost no additional decoration. The neutral color palette of light pinks, whites, golds, and hints of cerulean blue woven throughout the floral arrangements by Figli dei Fiori complemented rather than competed with the natural splendor surrounding them.
As they exchanged vows overlooking the legendary Italian lake, Jacquelyn and Nick weren't just getting married – they were fulfilling a dream that began when Nick first planned to propose in this very location, a dream that had been delayed but never diminished by the pandemic. Standing on Villa Erba's lawn, they transformed what had been a cancelled trip into something even more meaningful: the beginning of their married life together.

Photoshoot After The Ceremony

As the ceremony concluded and the golden hour approached, Jacquelyn and Nick returned to the water for what would become some of their most treasured images. "Riva boat around the lake. Beautiful golden hour photos with the hills/mountains in the background right before sunset," Jacquelyn describes. This post-ceremony photo session captured the couple in a state of pure joy and relief – officially married, surrounded by beauty, and bathed in the warm, flattering light that photographers dream of. The timing was perfect: late summer in Lake Como meant an extended golden hour, with the sun low over the mountains, casting everything in a romantic amber glow.
Against the backdrop of Alpine foothills and historic Italian villas dotting the shoreline, the newlyweds posed on the classic wooden Riva boat, its vintage elegance perfectly complementing their timeless aesthetic. These images embodied everything they'd envisioned when they first chose Lake Como as their wedding destination – sophisticated European romance, natural beauty, and that intangible quality of timeless elegance that would ensure their photos never felt dated. The water-based shoot also provided a peaceful interlude between the ceremony and reception, allowing them to catch their breath, be alone together for a few precious moments, and truly absorb that they were now married before returning to Villa Erba for the celebration that awaited them.

Wedding Venue & Decor

Choosing Villa Erba was perhaps the easiest decision in the entire planning process. "Visited a few venues and villas in Lake Como. Villa Erba was the most impressive in terms of beautiful architecture, historic Italian elegance, and prestige. We immediately fell in love," Jacquelyn recalls. Built in the late 19th century, Villa Erba combines neo-classical architecture with Liberty-style elements, creating a setting that feels both grand and intimate. For Jacquelyn and Nick, seeking that "Ralph Lauren meets Gatsby meets timeless Italian" aesthetic, Villa Erba delivered on every level.
The couple's décor vision enhanced rather than overwhelmed the venue's inherent beauty. Their color palette of "light pinks, whites, golds, with a hint of cerulean blue throughout" created a soft, romantic atmosphere that complemented the villa's classical architecture. Figli dei Fiori created floral arrangements that felt both luxurious and natural, while Blunotteventi handled music and technical elements. From the grand foyer to the terraces overlooking the lake, every space within Villa Erba offered another stunning setting, allowing the couple to keep their décor relatively restrained and let the architecture's inherent beauty speak for itself.

Reception

As the evening began, Jacquelyn and Nick took to the floor for their first dance as husband and wife, moving together to Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon." Sunlake Catering created a menu that celebrated Italian culinary traditions – "assorted hors d'oeuvres, ravioli filled with burrata, fresh tomato sauce and basil, beef fillet with milk and truffle cream, duck foie gras mousse" – perfectly balancing local flavors with refined preparation.
But the evening's most magical moment came during the cake cutting. "The perfect way the fireworks were timed right as we cut the cake and the Italian slow version of 'Volare' playing in the background," Jacquelyn recalls. "The song flowed into Lana del Ray's 'Young and Beautiful' while all our guests watched from above on the stairs and we slow danced impulsively." This unscripted moment – fireworks exploding overhead, romantic music flowing, their 120 guests watching from Villa Erba's elegant staircase – became the defining memory of their celebration. As the evening progressed, authentic Venetian masks made for the dance party transformed the floor into something magical, adding theatrical fun to the sophisticated celebration.
The evening's seamless flow—from cocktail hour through dinner to dancing—was coordinated by Elena Pensini Events, who worked with Sunlake Catering, Blunotteventi, Memorable Rentals, and the vendor team to ensure timing ran smoothly while maintaining the relaxed, elegant atmosphere the couple desired.
"All of our vendors were amazing. We loved working with everyone and had no complaints," Jacquelyn reflects on the team that brought their Lake Como dream to life.