Leah & Lawrence: A Lake Como Love Tale at Villa Pizzo

Love Story

Once upon a time, in the bustling Bronx of New York City, Leah and Larry's eyes met on the picturesque campus of Mount Saint Vincent University. It was the year 2008, and they were both wide-eyed freshmen, ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery. Little did they know that their paths would intertwine in a way that would redefine the meaning of true love.

As Leah recalls with a nostalgic chuckle, "Larry was immediately in love!" Their connection blossomed into a beautiful relationship, one that has spanned nearly 16 years, weathering life's storms and celebrating its triumphs together. "There has been so much growth between the two of us over the years, allowing us to always focus on strengthening our bond and commitment to one another," Leah muses, her eyes sparkling with adoration. "We are the best of friends and absolutely love every moment together!"

Speaking about the proposal, Leah shares, “At the time, after 15 years together, it definitely was unexpected—we haven't always been a typical couple, and I am in no way a traditional bride, so I perhaps thought we might plan that next step together, or that I would likely be in tune enough to know when it would be coming. So, I was in complete shock when Larry surprised me and my family in Disney World, on a private boat ride, watching the fireworks over Magic Kingdom! I mean, I should have guessed...alas!" Leah exclaims with a laugh. "And, listen, Larry and I both love a good Disney movie and experience, but we are in no way 'Disney adults' (this was only our first trip to Disney World together!), so I think he knew this was his chance to totally catch me off guard, which he did...and let's just say it took a few moments at first for my bewilderment to simmer down into excitement."

They were actually there to celebrate their niece's 10th birthday, and Leah never for a moment imagined that Larry would shift the spotlight to celebrate their own engagement. "Don't worry, my niece and her family knew all along—and we made sure her special day/week/vacation remained about her!" Leah assures us.

With Lake Como, Italy, as their chosen destination, Leah and Larry's vision for their dream wedding was one of the unforgettable moments shared with their closest loved ones. The intimate guest list numbered 50 of their dearest family and friends.

How long did it take to plan this Italian dream? "Once we decided on Lake Como and found our lovely wedding planner, it only took a couple months to secure all of the details," Leah shares. "We're very relaxed and casual with planning, but we knew we were in good hands and we just love living in the moment and going with the flow!"

What was the vision for their dream day? "I had actually not ever dreamt of my wedding!" Leah admits with a radiant smile. "I never envisioned certain elements, designs, styles, themes...I'm very artsy and quite creative, so I always found myself focused on projects and events right in front of me, not those in the future." When Larry popped the question, Leah found herself at a brief crossroads. "So, when Larry proposed and it was time to explore what the "dream" would be, I actually wasn't sure," she confesses. "I think Larry had more ideas of what he had dreamt up in his life for what the wedding would be!"

However, they quickly aligned on their deepest desire: "We both agreed on and knew the most important thing: we wanted to be together and to celebrate our union with our closest family and friends. We also knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not just have a local party for a few hours, but to plan a vacation for those we love in one of our favorite locations: Italy."

After exploring enchanting Italian cities and towns, they found their dream destination. "We took off to Italy to explore new cities and towns, immediately falling in love with Lake Como and realizing it was the perfect spot for us. From there, the vision was set—an unforgettable vacation in Lake Como, with those dearest to us, and, hey...while we were there we figured we'd get married!"

The style and concept drew from their shared aesthetic passions. "We didn't want to rethink what we already know about ourselves, our relationship, and our style, so we tapped into elements we already love—a fusion of modern and vintage, with dynamic natural backgrounds and foundations readily enhanced by monochrome accents," Leah describes. The breathtaking Villa Pizzo provided the perfect backdrop for their unique vision. "One could do nothing and still leave their guests speechless, just by the sheer beauty of the estate. We wanted to capitalize on this romantic villa, built between the charming villages of Cernobbio and Moltrasio, by only letting subtle elements of our style pop, while the breathtaking beauty of Italy naturally infused itself into the experience, bedazzling all of our guests."

What inspired them most during the preparation was the journey itself. "We were thrilled to be planning a party for both of our families abroad, on the trip of a lifetime," Leah gushes. "With our siblings, our parents, all of our nieces, and even Larry's grandparents, we were just so ecstatic to be able to coordinate every last detail for the perfect vacation for those we love. Knowing we would have those closest to us traveling so far was unbelievably inspirational in setting the tone for our wedding."

Of all the magical moments, one stands out as Leah's most cherished memory. "The most memorable moment was how peaceful, calm, and comfortable we felt with each other as we vowed our love to one another. That feeling—a feeling of utterly contagious joy and happiness—radiated across Villa Pizzo, across Lake Como, for those many hours, captivating us and our guests."

Bride getting ready

For her breathtaking bridal look, Leah turned to the iconic Oscar de la Renta. "So many of Oscar de la Renta's collections are distinctly modern, yet they also possess a romantic, feminine quality, reflecting both American sportswear and European couture. This style aligns with my own personal look, so when I browsed their bridal collection online I immediately came across the dress for me from their Spring 2023 collection—it was the first dress I tried on and, of course, the dress I ended up choosing!"

On the morning of her wedding day, Leah was surrounded by the warmth of her closest loved ones at Villa Pizzo. "I invited my mom, mother-in-law, both sisters-in-law, my preteen niece, Larry's grandmother, and two of my closest girlfriends to get ready with me," she shares. The venue graciously opened its doors to the hair and makeup teams, "making our morning not only that much more special, but that much more convenient."

True to her daring spirit, Leah's accessories made a bold statement. "I sourced vintage Dolce & Gabbana black and white (of course!) patent striped platform wedge sandals (because, why not!?) to complete my look. Those shoes made me smile every time they popped out from under my dress!" Instead of a traditional veil, she let her dress's oversized tulle puff shoulders steal the spotlight.

Leah's makeup look was equally daring, causing a brief moment of panic. "I did cause my makeup artist a bit of panic when I excitedly proclaimed I wanted to infuse blue eyeshadow into my look..." she laughs. "The color worked perfectly to tie together my look!”

Completing her bridal look was a romantic bouquet from their talented florist. "Rattiflora gifted us the bridal bouquet—a simple, yet free-form collection of long-stem white roses."

Rather than having traditional bridesmaids, Leah and Larry chose to honor all their guests. "No bridesmaids! Everyone who made that trip was essentially part of our wedding party, just by being at our wedding. Larry and I wanted our guests to enjoy every moment and not feel any added stress, so we knew that we just needed each other standing up there, with everyone else surrounding us with their love."

First Look

Eschewing traditional norms, Leah and Larry chose to meet at the top of the aisle, in front of their cherished guests, and proceed down the aisle together.

Larry's first thought upon seeing his radiant bride? "Absolutely beautiful!" he declares, his voice brimming with love and pride. For Leah, the moment was one of pure, blissful happiness, a feeling that would radiate across Villa Pizzo and captivate all in attendance. “Coming together with Larry right at the start was so special and so us,” she adds.

Photoshoot before the ceremony

Rather than a traditional pre-ceremony photoshoot, Leah and Larry savored the anticipation and excitement of the day, taking a stroll through the villa's gardens. “We took the long, scenic walk to the ceremony, looking out over the lake and weaving through the gardens of the villa, with photos and videos to capture the stroll. We didn't use time before the ceremony for an additional photoshoot, we just enjoyed the excitement (and the nerves!) of the preparation.”

Ceremony

The breathtaking Villa Pizzo set the scene for Leah and Larry's deeply personal ceremony. "The ceremony was held at Villa Pizzo, on their spectacular lakeside stone patio, perfectly framing the tranquil waters and dramatic mountain scenery," describes Leah.

As Leah made her way towards Larry, a string trio serenaded the couple with the haunting notes of "Clair de lune." The ensemble, which featured Leah's brother, transformed into a quartet as the newlyweds walked back down the aisle together to the romantic strains of "La Vie en Rose." In a touching moment, Larry surprised all in attendance by reciting his vows—a translated version of Leah's own words—entirely in Italian.

Adding to the enchantment were the couple's three nieces, who served as the angelic flower girls. "They all wore matching dresses, featuring enchanting tulle enhancements, just like the bride," Leah shares. Instead of a traditional ring bearer, the couple simply handed the ring box to a dear friend until it was time to exchange their bands during the ceremony.

Photoshoot after the ceremony

With Villa Pizzo's stunning estate as their backdrop, Leah and Larry embarked on a photoshoot that captured the magic of their union. “We also spent time on a classic wooden boat, getting photos from all the way across the lake and back,” the bride adds.

Reception

As the evening unfolded, Leah and Larry took to the dance floor for their first spin as newlyweds to the eternal classic: Shania Twain's "You're Still the One."

In keeping with their Italian destination, the culinary offerings honored regional traditions. "We wanted a traditional Italian wedding, including food and drink specific to the region, so our menu highlighted such selections. Pesce tutta la vita!" Leah exclaims.

Their catering company, AFM Banqueting, created a towering masterpiece. "As the first tier was complimentary, we decided to keep it simple with one tier of pan di spagna profumato al limone con farcitura di crema chantilly e frutti di bosco (lemon sponge cake with chantilly cream and wild berries filling)," describes Leah. "However, we didn't realize that a standalone tier would be quite large, so we had the best time cutting into such an amazing, gigantic, absolutely delicious cake...and our guests couldn't stop talking about it!"

Looking back, Leah and Larry have nothing but effusive praise for their wedding vendor team. "Unquestionably fantastic! Each and every vendor felt like family, but, most importantly, they treated me, Larry, and our guests, like family. They spent quality time with us during our special day and made us feel comfortable, attended to, and just truly happy!"