A bold celebration of love at Villa Regina Teodolinda | Laglio, Italy
Queer Destination Wedding by Inclusive Wedding Photographers
A Wedding in Switzerland That Changed Our Own Story
We first met Alex and Josh while photographing another destination wedding in Zermatt, Switzerland.
They weren’t our clients; they were guests.
Like so many incredible wedding weekends, conversations unfolded naturally between events. Our group laughed together with the Matterhorn rising just over our shoulders, shared stories over meals, celebrated mutual friends, and slowly got to know two remarkable people. At the time, none of us knew we would see one another again.
A few months later, after we’d all returned home to Dallas–Fort Worth, an email landed in our inbox.
Alex and Josh had each secretly planned proposals of their own, unknowingly racing toward the very same question. Within weeks of one another, they’d both asked the other to spend forever together. Now they were planning a wedding on the shores of Lake Como, and they wanted us to tell their story.
That invitation remains one of the greatest honors of our career.
Not because it took us to Italy, but because it reminded us that relationships, not advertisements, algorithms, or social media, are still the most meaningful way our business continues to grow.
People first. Always.
Two Extraordinary Humans
The world is full of beautiful people with incredible stories. Sometimes, all you have to do is be willing to receive them.
Some couples radiate joy so naturally that everyone around them feels it. Alex and Josh are those people.
Alex experiences life with an openness that’s impossible to ignore. Joy seems to spill out of him. He embraces every moment with fierce gratitude, and after hearing his story, it’s easy to understand why. His journey of coming out ultimately led to something so many LGBTQ+ people quietly hope for but never take for granted: standing at the altar surrounded by parents, siblings, family, and friends who not only accepted him but celebrated every part of who he is.
Josh is the steady heartbeat beside him.
Quietly generous and endlessly thoughtful, he’s the kind of person who notices what everyone else needs before they’ve even asked. Throughout the wedding weekend, he spent hours driving guests, and yes, even us, to and from Airbnbs scattered across Lake Como so everyone could spend less time worrying about transportation and more time simply being together.
Neither of them seeks attention. Both of them create belonging.
Together, they laugh easily. Dream boldly. Love fiercely. And somehow make every person around them feel as though they’ve been part of the story all along.
Maybe that’s why this story could never begin with the scenery alone. Alex and Josh have a way of turning strangers into friends and unfamiliar places into home. By the time we reached the shores of Lake Como, that same spirit had already followed us across countries, through airports, and into the homes of people we had only just met.
There are thousands of destination wedding blogs on the internet that begin with breathtaking views of Lake Como.
Ours begins six days earlier.
The Journey
🇨🇦 Montreal, Canada
June 20–22, 2026
Never underestimate the power of a new friend and an epic side quest.
At 6:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, our eleventh wedding anniversary, Will and I boarded a flight out of Houston believing we’d be in Milan by Sunday morning. We had intentionally built several extra days into our travel plans: time to recover from jet lag, scout locations, adjust to the time change, and make absolutely certain we were fully present before the wedding festivities began.
That wasn’t accidental. It’s how we always approach destination weddings.
When a couple trusts us to cross an ocean to photograph one of the most important days of their lives, arriving “just in time” has never felt like enough. Flights get delayed. Weather happens. Luggage gets lost. Cameras need to be checked after long international travel. We believe our couples deserve photographers who arrive rested, prepared, and ready…not photographers sprinting off a plane and hoping everything works out.
We just didn’t realize how right that philosophy would prove to be this time.
As thunderstorms rolled through Montreal that afternoon, the departure board changed.
Then it changed again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
Every announcement pushed Milan a little farther away.
Somewhere in the middle of those delays, something unexpected happened: we started talking with the people sitting around us. One conversation became another. Another became five.
By the time midnight rolled around, fifteen complete strangers had somehow become our little airport community, sharing snacks, charging cables, travel stories, and cautiously optimistic predictions that we would all eventually make it where we were going.
At 1:45 in the morning, we finally boarded.
The cabin doors closed, and the seat belt signs illuminated. Will and I looked at each other with exhausted relief. We were finally back on our way.
Then the captain came over the intercom.
The flight crew would exceed their legal flight hours before reaching Europe. The flight was cancelled.
Within minutes, hundreds of passengers poured back into the terminal. Because ours was one of the final cancellations of the night, every nearby hotel room had already been claimed. Families pushed tables together into makeshift beds. Travelers stretched out on baggage ramps, stairwells, and airport floors. Even people who lived in Montreal struggled to get home, waiting in taxi lines for hours as the city tried to absorb thousands of stranded passengers.
It would have been easy to remember that experience for the frustration.
Instead, we remember the people.
The next morning, with our new flight still more than a day away, one of those airport-strangers-turned-friends called us. Not to talk about flights, but to invite us into their home.
Within hours, we found ourselves laughing around their kitchen table, attempting gymnastics in their basement with their kids, hiking to one of Montreal’s most iconic overlooks, eating our very first poutine (which, to this day, we believe deserves international recognition) and standing in line together at what they passionately insisted was the city’s best bagel shop.
Five people we had met less than twenty-four hours earlier turned an exhausting travel delay into one of the most unexpected highlights of our trip.
🇮🇹 Milan, Italy
June 23–24, 2026
Some cities welcome you with monuments. Others welcome you with old friends.
After multiple days of cancellations, rebookings, rerouted plans, and one unexpectedly adventure-filled side quest, we finally landed in Milan on Tuesday morning.
Waiting for us was another familiar face.
Our friend Bianca, an incredibly talented wedding planner from DFW who had recently moved to Spain, traveled to Milan simply to spend the day with us before the wedding festivities began.
We arrived in the middle of a historic European heat wave. The kind of heat that wraps around you the moment you step outside. The kind that sends everyone instinctively searching for shade, cold water, and any breeze they can find.
Together, we wandered through centuries-old streets, admired the Duomo, escaped the afternoon heat whenever gelato presented itself, and somehow still found room for pasta before the sun began to set.
Looking back, it’s funny. What could have become a story about travel delays and brutal heat became yet another story about friendship. And somehow, that feels like the perfect beginning…because friendship is exactly how this entire wedding came to be.
🇮🇹 Lake Como
June 25–27, 2026
Some destinations are beautiful because of the scenery. Others become unforgettable because of the people waiting there.
The heat followed us from Milan to Lake Como, where even the lake’s glittering blue water seemed to offer an invitation.
The day before the wedding, during a venue tour with Alex and Josh, Will and I casually mentioned that our one remaining Lake Como goal was to find somewhere local to swim.
Without hesitation, Alex and Josh smiled.
“Come to our place.”
Not, “Here’s a public beach.” Not, “You should try this pool.”
Simply, “Come spend the day with us.”
It wasn’t presented as a grand gesture or treated like a favor. To them, it seemed obvious—as though, of course, their photographers would be welcome to spend the afternoon swimming, laughing, and sharing lunch with the people they loved most.
That invitation changed everything.
The hours we spent floating in the pool, escaping the relentless Italian sun, laughing with their lifelong friends, meeting parents and siblings, and hearing stories that never would have fit into a wedding timeline gave us something photographs alone never could:
Context.
By the time everyone gathered for the rehearsal dinner later that evening; sharing creamy risotto, chilled Aperol Spritzes, and conversations that stretched long into the warm Italian night, we no longer felt like photographers who had flown in from Texas. We felt like friends who happened to have cameras.
And that changes everything. Because when people trust you, they stop performing. They simply become themselves.
The Wedding Day
The Wedding Morning at Villa Regina Teodolinda
After days of airports, rerouted flights, and unexpected adventures, the wedding morning finally arrived…almost quietly.
Lake Como had already awakened. The water shimmered beneath another cloudless sky. Boats carved gentle wakes across the lake while the surrounding mountains stood exactly as they had for centuries.
And the breeze? The breeze was perfect.
Every few minutes, it drifted across the lake carrying the scent of fresh water, cypress trees, blooming gardens, and warm stone. It offered a brief reprieve from the heat and a welcome reminder to slow down and take in exactly where we were.
Villa Regina Teodolinda already felt alive. Friends wandered through the gardens carrying handmade gifts for the couple. Family members peeked through open windows. Music floated softly through rooms that somehow felt both impossibly grand and wonderfully lived-in.
Nothing about the villa felt like a museum. It felt like a home that had simply learned how to host unforgettable celebrations.
From Behind the Lens
One of our favorite parts of destination weddings has very little to do with photography. It’s waking up in a completely unfamiliar place and watching it slowly come alive alongside the people who traveled across the world to celebrate someone they love.
For just a weekend, strangers become neighbors. Different languages blend together. Coffee turns into conversation. By the time the ceremony begins, it feels less like an event and more like a family reunion that simply happens to include passports.
As I spent the morning with Alex, laughter echoed through the villa. Across the property, Will was with Josh, surrounded by some of the people who had known him the longest.
There was excitement, a few happy tears, and plenty of jokes. More than anything, though, there was peace. Nothing felt rushed or performative. They were simply excited to marry their favorite person.
A First Look in the Villa Gardens
Nestled beneath the shade of the villa’s gardens, Josh waited with the kind of smile that quietly gives away every emotion before a single word has been spoken.
When Alex tapped him on the shoulder, the world seemed to shrink. Not because the villa or mountains disappeared, but because neither of them seemed capable of seeing anything except the person standing in front of them.
There were smiles that couldn’t be contained, laughter that interrupted tears, and the kind of embrace that doesn’t simply say, “You look incredible.”
It says, “We made it.”
For a few minutes, nothing else existed. Not the guests. Not the timeline. Not even us. Just two people finding one another before promising forever. Then, as I instinctively stepped backward to give them space, we all glanced toward the villa.
Standing quietly in an upstairs window was Josh’s mom.
She was simply watching her son, her hands resting gently on the windowsill as she became completely overcome with joy.
It’s one of those photographs that almost wasn’t made.
A tiny shift in perspective. One quick glance upward. A reminder that some of the most meaningful stories at a wedding unfold just outside the frame you’re already looking through.
Before the ceremony, another gift quietly appeared.
Alex and Josh are passionate art collectors. Not simply because they love beautiful things, although heck yes, of course they do, but because they love the stories artists tell.
Among the guests that weekend was an artist friend who had quietly slipped away the day before. He stood overlooking Villa Regina Teodolinda, studying the gardens, the lake, and the place that would soon hold one of the most important moments of Alex and Josh’s lives.
That evening, he returned to his room and painted it. He carefully dried and framed the hand-painted watercolor before presenting it to them the following morning as a surprise.
It wasn’t expected. It was simply someone saying:
“I saw this place, and I wanted you to remember how it felt.”
As we watched them unwrap it, it struck us that the painting was more than a gift. It was yet another act of love.
In so many ways, that’s what this entire weekend became: people finding deeply personal ways to tell Alex and Josh, “We see you, and we’re so grateful you’re here.”
The Wedding Worth Crossing an Ocean For
By the time guests began making their way toward the garden, it felt as though the entire villa had taken a collective breath.
The laughter that had filled the rooms all morning softened into anticipation. Conversations grew quieter. Final hugs lingered a little longer. Somewhere in the distance, another boat traced its way across Lake Como, leaving gentle ripples behind as though even the lake knew something extraordinary was about to happen.
This was it. It was finally time.
The Promises They Couldn’t Wait to Make
Some promises are so honest that they make it impossible to hide behind a camera.
Months before we boarded a plane for Italy, we asked Alex and Josh a question we ask every couple:
“What part of your wedding day are you looking forward to most?”
Neither of them mentioned Lake Como. Neither mentioned the incredible villa, the food, or the boat.
Without hesitation, they both gave the same answer:
“Our vows.”
Standing in the gardens that afternoon, surrounded by generations of family, lifelong friends, and the people who had walked beside them through every season of life, we finally understood why.
These weren’t simply vows. They were stories.
Stories of becoming. Stories of healing. Stories of choosing one another again and again, long before this day ever arrived.
Then Alex looked at Josh and said something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life:
“Not only would I refuse to sit at a table you weren’t welcome at…I’d be the one flipping tables for you.”
I’ve photographed weddings for nearly two decades. I’ve witnessed extraordinary vows, heartbreaking speeches, and parents seeing their children on their wedding day. I’ve documented quiet moments that have stayed with me for years.
But I had never cried during a vow exchange. Until that afternoon.
Standing behind my camera, hoping no one noticed me wiping away tears between photographs, I realized I wasn’t simply documenting beautiful words. I was witnessing two people promise to protect one another for the rest of their lives.
Not only in celebration, but through hardship. Not only when life was easy, but especially when it wasn’t.
And somehow, I think everyone gathered beneath those trees felt it too.
A Breath Between Chapters
Every wedding deserves a moment to pause; to step away from the celebration, breathe, and remember exactly where you are before returning to the beautiful chaos.
For Alex and Josh, that moment arrived aboard a classic wooden boat gliding across Lake Como.
As guests settled into cocktail hour at Villa Regina Teodolinda, Will joined Alex and Josh on the water while I remained behind to photograph the celebration unfolding at the villa.
It couldn’t have been a better reflection of how we work together. Two photographers. Two perspectives. One story.
Out on the lake, the relentless heat softened beneath cool gusts of mountain air. The same breeze that had become our quiet companion throughout the weekend danced across Alex and Josh’s jackets as they laughed together and took in the shoreline that had brought everyone they loved halfway around the world.
What I love most about those moments, though, isn’t the scenery. It’s that, for fifteen uninterrupted minutes, they simply got to be newlyweds.
No timeline. No expectations. No audience.
Just the beginning of forever.
As the Sun Began to Set
If the ceremony was the heartbeat of the day, the reception was its exhale.
As golden hour slowly gave way to evening, café lights flickered on overhead, casting a warm glow across long family-style tables filled with incredible food, heartfelt conversation, and the kind of laughter that comes from people who feel completely at home together.
Parents lingered over another glass of wine while old friends leaned closer across candlelit tables. New friendships formed beneath strands of café lights as conversations stretched long after dinner had ended.
Just beyond the open glass doors, another kind of celebration unfolded. Bursts of laughter spilled onto the patio as guests sang at the top of their lungs, danced until they were drenched in sweat, and celebrated with the kind of wholehearted abandon that only happens when everyone feels completely at ease.
Nothing about Alex and Josh’s wedding asked people to perform. It simply invited them to be fully themselves.
Some found joy on the dance floor. Others found it around the dinner table. Some celebrated loudly. Others quietly.
Every version was equally welcome.
That freedom felt deeply reflective of Alex and Josh themselves. They had created a space where everyone could celebrate in whatever way felt most authentic to them.
And then Alex found the dance floor.
If you’ve ever met him, this part won’t surprise you. Joy has always had a way of finding Alex…or maybe Alex has a way of finding joy.
At one point, he found himself on his knees in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by a circle of friends laughing, cheering, and singing with the kind of uninhibited joy that reminds you adulthood doesn’t have to mean taking yourself so seriously.
Looking around that dance floor, it became impossible to tell who was family, who had been friends for decades, and who had met only days before. It didn’t matter. For one evening beneath the café lights on the shores of Lake Como, everyone simply belonged.
And maybe that’s exactly what the very best weddings create.
Not perfect timelines. Not Pinterest-worthy details.
A place where every version of joy belongs.
The Ripple Effect
Long after the music faded, the café lights dimmed, and guests slowly wandered back to their villas, we found ourselves reflecting on the story that had brought us here.
It began more than a year earlier in Switzerland, where we met two people who were simply guests at another wedding.
It carried us through unexpected friendships formed on an airport floor in Montreal, a spontaneous day exploring Milan with one of our closest friends, and an invitation to spend an afternoon swimming with people who, only months before, had been strangers.
And it brought us to the shores of Lake Como, where we watched Alex and Josh promise to fiercely choose one another for the rest of their lives. Looking back, it’s tempting to say this story was about destination weddings, Italy, or even photography. But none of those things feel quite right. This story has always been about people.
The people willing to open their homes to strangers.
The people who drive wedding guests around a foreign country because they would rather spend more time together.
The parents who stand quietly in upstairs windows, watching their children become someone’s forever.
The friends who spend an evening painting a watercolor of a villa simply because they know it will mean something.
The people who choose one another.
Again and again.
That’s the ripple effect of a wedding.
It isn’t only two people beginning a marriage. It’s hundreds of tiny moments of generosity, belonging, and connection that continue long after the last dance.
Alex and Josh, thank you.
Thank you for inviting us halfway across the world. Thank you for trusting us with your story. Thank you for reminding us what hospitality looks like. And thank you for creating a space where there was room for every version of joy.
We’ll carry that lesson with us long after our passports have been tucked away.
Looking for a Dallas Wedding Photographer?
We’re Christina & Will, the husband-and-wife team behind The MacMeekens Photography.
We specialize in:
- emotive, cinematic storytelling
- vibrant documentary imagery
- letting the day unfold naturally
- creating a relaxed, stress-free photography experience
If you’re dreaming up a destination wedding, or looking for an inclusive photographer in DFW, we’d love to hear what you’re planning.
Let’s grab coffee (or espresso martinis) and talk it through.
Reach out here to get started →
LGBTQ+ Destination Wedding at Villa Regina Teodolinda in Lake Como, Italy
The Team Who Made it Happen
Bartending, Cake, Catering | Sunlake Catering
DJ | Blunotte Eventi
Florals | Mario Pirovano Floral
Live Painter | Martin Live Painter
Photography | The MacMeekens Photography
Planning | WeddingBox Lake Como
Venue | Villa Regina Teodolinda
Planning an Intimate Wedding at Villa Regina Teodolinda
Alex and Josh’s wedding was deeply personal, but many of the things that made their celebration feel so effortless can also help other couples planning a destination wedding on Lake Como.
After experiencing Villa Regina Teodolinda as both photographers and guests welcomed into the heart of the weekend, we came away with a firsthand understanding of how the property feels, how a wedding day moves through its different spaces, and what couples should consider when bringing the people they love to this part of Italy.
If you’re considering an intimate wedding at Villa Regina Teodolinda, here are a few things worth knowing.
What Villa Regina Teodolinda Feels Like in Person
Villa Regina Teodolinda is located directly on the shores of Lake Como in Laglio, Italy. The property offers the grandeur people often associate with a destination wedding in Italy—historic architecture, lush gardens, mountain views, and private access to the lake—without feeling cold or untouchable.
That distinction matters.
Some luxury wedding venues are undeniably beautiful but can make guests feel as though they need to move carefully through them. Villa Regina Teodolinda felt different. Its rooms were elegant yet comfortable. Windows remained open to the lake. Family members moved naturally between the villa and gardens while friends gathered wherever conversation carried them.
It felt less like entering an event space and more like being welcomed into an extraordinary Italian home.
From a photography perspective, that lived-in quality created space for the day to unfold naturally. The villa offered beautiful backgrounds without requiring Alex and Josh—or the people they loved—to perform for them. We could photograph the architecture and scenery while keeping the story centered on the people experiencing it.
Why the Villa Works So Well for an Intimate Wedding
Villa Regina Teodolinda is especially well suited to couples who want their wedding to feel immersive rather than enormous.
Because the celebration unfolds across several connected spaces, guests can experience distinct chapters of the day without ever feeling disconnected from one another. The villa, gardens, lakeside areas, terrace, and interior rooms each offer a different atmosphere while still feeling like part of one shared home.
That allowed Alex and Josh’s wedding to feel layered without becoming sprawling. Quiet conversations could happen around the dinner table while another kind of celebration unfolded on the dance floor. Guests could step outside for air, linger near the water, or move toward the music without feeling as though they had left the wedding behind.
For couples who care more about meaningful time with their guests than producing a massive event, that sense of closeness may be one of the villa’s greatest strengths.
How a Wedding Day Moves Through Villa Regina Teodolinda
With 37 guests, Alex and Josh’s celebration felt intimate without ever feeling confined. The property gave each part of the wedding its own atmosphere while keeping everyone close enough to remain connected to what was happening.
Both Alex and Josh got ready at the venue, but in separate areas of the villa. Josh spent the morning in Lake View Suite No. 1, while Alex got ready upstairs in Suite No. 4. This allowed them to enjoy the morning surrounded by their people without accidentally crossing paths before their first look.
It also allowed both of us to begin photographing at the villa. Christina could spend the morning with Alex while Will documented Josh’s experience elsewhere on the property, giving each of them room for a complete story rather than asking one photographer to move constantly between two suites.
The ceremony took place outside on the grass beside the pool and gardens, with Lake Como visible beyond them. Afterward, the celebration transitioned to the villa’s main outdoor patio for a family-style reception beneath the café lights.
The bar, DJ, and dance floor were located just inside the villa’s main gathering space. That indoor-outdoor arrangement gave guests the freedom to move naturally throughout the evening. Some stayed near the music and dancing, while others lingered outside over wine and conversation. Everyone could experience the reception in the way that felt most comfortable without becoming separated from the celebration.
For an intimate Lake Como wedding, this kind of natural flow is invaluable. Each part of the day feels distinct, but guests are not repeatedly transported between locations or pulled away from the people they traveled so far to celebrate.
Staying at the Villa Versus Nearby Airbnbs
Villa Regina Teodolinda can place a select group of people at the center of the wedding experience, but couples should also plan thoughtfully for guests staying elsewhere around Lake Como.
On the night of the wedding, Alex and Josh’s parents stayed at the villa alongside the two of them and both of us. The rest of their guests stayed in separate Airbnbs around the lake.
Having the couple and their closest family members on the property created a calm, convenient ending to the night. There was no need for Alex and Josh to leave immediately after the celebration, and the people closest to them could remain nearby once the final song ended.
For everyone staying off-site, transportation deserves early attention. Lake Como may look compact on a map, but traveling between villas, Airbnbs, and lakeside towns can take more coordination than couples initially expect. Keeping guests’ accommodations reasonably clustered—and creating a clear transportation plan before the wedding weekend—can help everyone spend less time navigating and more time together.
Wedding Portraits on a Classic Lake Como Boat
A private boat ride may be one of the most recognizable parts of a Lake Como wedding, but at Villa Regina Teodolinda, it can also fit naturally into the wedding-day timeline.
The boat collected Alex and Josh directly from the villa’s private dock during cocktail hour. They didn’t need to travel to a marina or arrange additional transportation before boarding. They could simply step away from the reception, walk down to the water, and return to their guests after a short ride across the lake.
Their fifteen-minute boat ride gave them a chance to breathe, enjoy their first few moments as newlyweds, and see the landscape from an entirely different perspective. It also created movement and variety within their final gallery without requiring an extended portrait session away from the people they had traveled to Italy to celebrate with.
Because Will accompanied them on the boat while Christina remained at the villa, Alex and Josh didn’t have to choose between documenting their portraits and preserving what was happening during cocktail hour.
Two photographers. Two perspectives. One complete story.
Transportation Around Laglio and Lake Como
One of the most important things couples should plan in advance is how everyone will move between the venue, their accommodations, and the airport.
Alex and Josh’s guests stayed in separate Airbnbs, but everyone remained within the Laglio area. Keeping accommodations geographically close helped limit unnecessary travel and made it easier for guests to spend time together throughout the weekend.
Even with everyone nearby, transportation required coordination. Parking at Villa Regina Teodolinda was limited, and Uber service around Lake Como proved too unreliable to depend on for time-sensitive wedding events.
Alex and Josh hired a private driver for most of the weekend, which became an enormous asset after both the rehearsal dinner and wedding celebration. Guests could enjoy the evening without worrying about parking, navigating unfamiliar roads, or whether a rideshare would be available when they were ready to leave.
Before the wedding, we stayed in an Airbnb closer to the marina. On the wedding night, we stayed at the villa before leaving for the airport at 3:00 the following morning. We reserved that airport transportation with a private driver well in advance—and at that hour, relying on Uber would not have been a realistic backup plan.
Our strongest advice is simple: arrange private transportation before arriving in Italy. Do not wait until the wedding weekend to figure it out. Lake Como is extraordinary, but moving between its small towns, villas, and airports requires more planning than the distance on a map might suggest.
Planning for the Summer Heat
Alex and Josh’s wedding took place during a historic European heat wave, and the midday temperatures were intense.
For couples planning a summer wedding on Lake Como, handheld fans are a small addition that can make an enormous difference for guests—especially those traveling from climates where they may not be accustomed to spending long periods outside without air conditioning. Many of Alex and Josh’s guests carried their own fans throughout the weekend, and we were incredibly grateful to have them.
The good news is that the temperature shifted noticeably as the day continued. The mountains cast their shadows over Laglio earlier than we expected, offering relief well before the sun had fully disappeared. By evening, the air cooled quickly enough for guests to enjoy dinner outside beneath the café lights.
The villa’s mixture of indoor and outdoor spaces also gave everyone opportunities to step away from the heat when needed. Guests could move between the gardens, patio, and interior gathering spaces rather than remaining exposed to the midday sun throughout the entire celebration.
If you’re planning a summer wedding at Villa Regina Teodolinda, consider guest comfort alongside the visual details: accessible water, handheld fans, shaded gathering areas, and space within the timeline for people to cool down. These may seem like small decisions, but they directly affect how present and comfortable everyone can feel.
Why Destination Wedding Photographers Should Arrive Early
We intentionally schedule our destination-wedding travel with several buffer days before coverage begins. Alex and Josh’s wedding demonstrated exactly why.
Our original itinerary should have placed us in Milan on Sunday morning. Instead, thunderstorms, repeated delays, a cancelled overnight flight, and multiple rebookings kept us from reaching Italy until Tuesday.
Because we had built additional travel time into our plans, we still reached Lake Como before the wedding festivities began. We had time to recover from the journey, check our equipment, become familiar with the area, tour Villa Regina Teodolinda, and arrive ready to be fully present.
International travel will always involve variables no photographer can control. What we can control is how much protection we build around our couples’ wedding days.
When hiring a destination wedding photographer, ask when they plan to arrive—not only which flight they intend to take. A delayed flight should be an inconvenience, not something that places your wedding coverage at risk.
Why Two Photographers Matter at a Lake Como Wedding
Having two photographers allowed Alex and Josh’s story to be documented simultaneously rather than sequentially.
On the wedding morning, Christina photographed Alex in Suite No. 4 while Will photographed Josh in Lake View Suite No. 1. During cocktail hour, Will accompanied the newlyweds aboard their classic wooden boat while Christina remained at the villa documenting their guests.
With one photographer, covering those simultaneous experiences would have required a compromise. Either part of the story would have gone undocumented, or the timeline would have needed to be rearranged around photography.
Instead, Alex and Josh could remain present while we divided naturally between the moments unfolding around them.
This is why every one of our full-day wedding collections includes both of us. Two photographers aren’t simply about producing more images. They allow us to preserve more of the relationships, reactions, and experiences that make the day complete.
Why Trust Changes the Photographs
The photographs we created for Alex and Josh were shaped long before the ceremony began.
They were shaped while sharing meals, touring the venue, escaping the heat in the pool, meeting parents and siblings, and listening to stories that never would have appeared on a wedding questionnaire.
By the time the wedding morning arrived, the people closest to Alex and Josh already knew us. We weren’t strangers entering the room with cameras. We were familiar faces who understood why these relationships mattered.
That trust gave everyone permission to stop performing.
It allowed laughter to remain laughter. Tears didn’t disappear when a camera entered the room. Quiet moments were given space rather than interrupted or recreated.
For us, documentary wedding photography isn’t simply a matter of standing back and observing. It begins by building enough trust that people feel safe being fully themselves—and then paying close enough attention to preserve what happens next.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lake Como Destination Weddings
Yes. Villa Regina Teodolinda worked beautifully for Alex and Josh’s intimate wedding of 37 guests. Its suites, gardens, lakeside ceremony area, outdoor patio, indoor gathering space, pool, and private dock allowed each part of the celebration to feel distinct while keeping everyone close together. The property feels elegant and historic without losing the warmth of a private Italian home.
Yes. Villa Regina Teodolinda has a private dock where a boat can collect the couple directly from the property. Alex and Josh stepped away during cocktail hour for a short ride aboard a classic wooden boat before returning to their guests. This created a memorable portrait experience without requiring additional transportation to a marina or taking them away from their celebration for an extended period.
Most of Alex and Josh’s guests stayed in separate Airbnbs within the Laglio area, while the couple, their parents, and both photographers stayed at Villa Regina Teodolinda on the wedding night. Keeping off-site accommodations geographically close made the weekend easier, but private transportation was still essential because parking was limited and Uber service proved unreliable.
Midday temperatures can be intense, so couples should consider accessible water, handheld fans, shade, indoor areas, and opportunities for guests to cool down. During Alex and Josh’s June wedding, the mountains cast shadows over Laglio as the day continued, bringing noticeable relief before sunset. By evening, the temperature had cooled enough for guests to enjoy dinner outside beneath the café lights.
Two photographers can document experiences happening simultaneously without asking the couple to rearrange their day around photography. While Christina photographed Alex getting ready, Will documented Josh’s morning elsewhere in the villa. Later, Will joined the newlyweds on their boat ride while Christina remained behind to photograph cocktail hour. The result is not simply more photographs, but a more complete account of the people and moments that shaped the celebration.
Absolutely. We are an LGBTQ+-inclusive husband-and-wife photography team based in Dallas–Fort Worth and available for destination weddings throughout Italy and beyond. Every full-day wedding collection includes both of us, allowing us to document the celebration from two perspectives with a candid, true-to-color, and people-centered approach.
WHAT A STUNNING DAY!
We are so happy to have been able to share Alex & Josh’s Wedding at Villa Regina Teodolinda in Lake Como, Italy with you!
Check out their engagement session and goodbye letter to Dallas here!