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Justin and Yedda met in ninth grade, where Justin remembers himself as shy and reserved – until Yedda entered his life. “Yedda helped me open up and dream big,” he shared. Her curiosity about the world, love of languages, and desire to travel left a lasting impression. After high school, the two attended the same university, later navigating a long-distance relationship when Justin moved to California, and Yedda remained in Canada. Even with new boundaries, they stayed deeply connected, prioritizing time together through travel whenever possible. By early 2024, the couple felt ready to step into their next chapter. Justin planned a January weekend trip to Montreal, Quebec, with a proposal in mind. When freezing temperatures made his original plan of proposing on the pier impossible, he pivoted to plan B: a private ride on the Ferris wheel. Under the guise of taking photos, Justin set up a tripod, then handed Yedda a pre-recorded video of him asking her twelve-year-old sister for permission to marry her. As Yedda dissolved into tears, Justin dropped to one knee.
Disillusioned by expectations and overwhelmed by a celebration shaped more by others than themselves, Justin and Yedda made the bold decision to cancel their plans and return to what they had always envisioned – an intimate wedding ceremony in a beautiful place. As lifelong Star Wars fans, one dream loomed large: Lake Como, the real-life filming location for Naboo. What once felt like a far-fetched idea – “It’d be nice to elope at Lake Como, but that’s crazy” – became their reality. They stayed at Relais Villa Vittoria in Laglio, a soft pink villa with terraced gardens and a private pier overlooking the lake. The couple described it as “absolutely romantic.” Their day was styled in a bright, joyful palette of peach, honey, basil, and lemonade. Choosing to travel lightly, they incorporated meaningful details from their thirteen-year journey together, including a ceramic jewelry dish with their initials and a small wooden sign bearing their names and ceremony date. A lake-view suite, simple florals, a berry cake, and music that reflected their love story were effortless decisions. Their morning unfolded with breakfast at 9:45, getting ready by 11, and vows shared with a sense of calm that Yedda says she’ll never forget. Their first dance took place to a violin rendition of “Would You Fall in Love With Me Again,” and, fittingly, their marriage documents were signed to the Star Wars score Across the Stars. As candlelight flickered across the terrace during dinner, Justin felt a wave of relief. “I was so thankful that everything went well and we finally got married,” he reflected. Their advice to other couples is simple: “You will never regret doing something you always dreamed of doing.”
Why Did the Couple Choose Lake Como for Their Elopement?
Justin & Yedda: We always had in our minds having an intimate wedding ceremony, in a beautiful and serene location. I’m a big Star Wars fan and I always wanted to visit the real-life planet Naboo location for Anakin and Padmés elopment, Lake Como. Over a decade ago, we both thought, “it’d be nice to elope at Lake Como like in the movie, but that’s crazy though”.
We visited Milan in 2018 while we were still students, but we weren’t able to make the trip up to Lake Como then. Yedda says we should’ve just eloped way back then. Hahaha.
While we were wedding planning, we almost went with the traditional way for Filipino Catholics. Feeling disillusioned, fed-up, and generally unhappy – we cancelled the party everyone else wanted and went with our original vision.
As her husband, I made it my mission to make Yedda’s dreams come true. I reached out to Peach Perfect Weddings to plan and manage our elopement in exactly the style we wanted.
What Makes Villa Vittoria Special for Elopements?
Eleonora, the planner: I love how this romantic villa on Lake Como feels intimate rather than grand or over-the-top like many of the more famous villas. It features beautiful spaces that are perfect for a more personal celebration, including panoramic green terraces, a grotto-style wine cellar, and a scenic pool garden right by the lake.
Can You Get Legally Married in Italy?
Yes, you can.
Justin & Yedda: We opted for a symbolic ceremony in Lake Como and handled the legal signing privately at home in Canada before heading abroad. We did the paperwork at home beforehand so we could enjoy our days after travelling Europe without worry. It didn’t feel real until we had our symbolic ceremony that we were really married.
Did the Couple Incorporate Any Cultural Aspects of Lake Como into Their Elopement?
Justin & Yedda: A small part – our officiant, Rita, was a Bellagio local, born and raised. We welcomed her to incorporate her personal Italian touches during our ceremony. We were pronounced husband and wife in Italian!
What Was the Couple’s Experience with Getting Married in Lake Como During May?
Justin & Yedda: Great weather and less crowds overall. You get the sunshine without the harsh summer heat. We didn’t want to feel uncomfortable in our formal attire outdoors.
In early May, we were fortunate to have less traffic, find parking, and avoid crowds, when exploring Lake Como.
Eleonora, the planner: The best time of day is in the afternoon, when the sun is brighter, or at sunset during the hottest days. The best times of the year are late May and late September.
What Are the Best Tips for Planning an Elopement in Lake Como?
Justin & Yedda: I would say, if you can, rent a car to get around Lake Como. One of my wife’s biggest worries was the logistics around transportation outside major cities, in this case Milan. We were debating whether to hire a driver or rent on our own, but my wife and I already had our International Driver’s permits, so we chose the freedom of driving ourselves. We picked up our vehicle at Milan Malpensa Airport and it was a 50 minute drive to Laglio.
Originally, we thought we could just leave the car at the villa and take transit around the towns. We learned the hard way, and from locals, about erratic bus schedules and the difficulty of getting ride-shares/Ubers when transit suddenly cancels and everyone is stranded. Thankfully, it was May so there was less traffic and parking was not too bad. So, if it’s off-peak season and you’re thinking of sightseeing in Lake Como before/after your ceremony, consider renting a car.
Other things we mulled over:
Plan how much luggage you want to lug around. It was cobblestone and stairs at our villa.
Plan how you will transport your wedding dress, and give it at least a day to let it breathe when you arrive.
Eleonora, the planner: Choose a venue that fits your guest count, and be sure to plan transportation to and from the wedding location for all your guests. Taxis around Lake Como are very limited, so it’s important to organize this in advance.
How Did the Couple Personalize Their Elopement?
Justin & Yedda: We chose warm and bright colours for our palette: Peach, Honey, Basil, and Lemonade. We chose a suite with a balcony view of the lake. Chose a berry chantilly cake with simple floral designs. Included music we loved.
Another highlight was the florals featuring pale orange and peach roses, lilac delphin flowers, and eucalyptus leaves – our theme shown through the gorgeous colours.
Since we travelled from Canada to Italy, we tried to pack as light as we could. We were able to bring some personal mementos with us – some photos from our last 13 years together, a ceramic jewelry dish with our initials, and a small wooden sign with our names and ceremony date.
Our first dance was to a violin rendition of “Would you Fall in Love With Me Again” from EPIC the Musical. It was cathartic, after 13 years together we finally got married!
What Challenges Did the Couple Face While Planning Their Elopement in Lake Como, and How Did They Overcome Them?
Justin & Yedda: The process was remarkably stress-free. We leaned heavily on our local wedding planner, who did all the heavy lifting. By providing our vision and input early on, we were able to step back and let them handle the logistics and vendor management.
What Advice Would You Give to Others Planning an Elopement in Lake Como?
Justin & Yedda: You will never regret doing something you always dreamed of doing.
Be realistic with your finances and check with yourself if you’re feeling good about where your hard-earned money is going.
A husband and wife are a team – remember you’re both on the same team while wedding planning!
Eleonora, the planner: I highly suggest having your guests stay in the village of Laglio or nearby areas to avoid long travel times and heavy traffic along the lake.
What Were the Most Memorable Moments from This Elopement?
Justin & Yedda: Yedda says she’ll never forget how relaxing the day was. We went down for breakfast at 9:45AM, relaxed on the patio at 11AM and started to get ready at 1PM. Her makeup artist, Oriana, was so cheerful, and funny – truly a joy to be around. Viviana and Andrea, our photographer and videographer were sweet and made us feel natural. We had complete faith in the planning and execution with Eleanora, our planner, and I’m so glad my wife can look back at the getting ready memory fondly.
We had a violinist during our ceremony, and Yedda walked down the aisle to “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. We signed our symbolic marriage papers to the “Across the Stars” Star Wars soundtrack. Having string music made the ceremony so much more emotional. Yedda started crying during the vows and said the music and looking into my eyes did it for her.
My favourite memory will be the candle-lit dinner on the terrace overlooking the lake. While enjoying the view and sitting with my new wife, a huge sense of relief washed over me. I was so thankful that everything went well and we finally got married!
Why Is Lake Como One of the Best Places to Get Married in Europe?
Justin & Yedda: It was everything we imagined it to be.
Truly elegant, serene, and the most romantic place we know of. Also, Star Wars fans all know how special this place is.
We loved our hotel venue, Relais Villa Vittoria, in Laglio. A classic pink villa with terraced gardens and pier on Lake Como. Absolutely romantic.
Is There Anything Else You’d Like to Share?
Justin & Yedda: As Canadians planning a destination wedding overseas, we were a bit hesitant about trusting someone we never met before. But Eleanora exceeded all our expectations. She made everything feel smooth and stress-free, guiding us through every detail with care and professionalism. On the big-day, everything came together seamlessly. Yedda was shocked at how relaxed she was from start to finish and that’s all thanks to how well everything was organized behind the scenes.
After our ceremony we spent a week travelling to other cities in Europe, similar to a trip we took years ago after Yedda’s foreign exchange semester. After Lake Como, we flew to Munich, then took a train to Salzburg. We took another train to Vienna, one of Yedda’s favourite cities. We then flew to Zurich and drove to Liechtenstein, Lucerne and Baden.
