Is there a location more iconic than Lake Como, especially in September? A cool sixty-five degrees, gentle breezes, sun-drenched cerulean water, and still warm enough to take a refreshing dip or romantic cruise in a vintage Cadenazzi boat. Antonella and Aldo’s portraits on Lake Como flawlessly emulated the feeling of an elegant summer evening spent in the Italian north. Complete with a timeless wardrobe reflective of Lake Como’s natural landscape and a sunset cruise to the world-renowned Villa Balbianello, our time together seemed birthed from an Italian fantasy.
If you’ve followed my work for any amount of time, you know I live at the intersection of by-gone eras and modern flair. This session was no different. Our inspiration came from an Old Hollywood couple on European holiday—think the Baroness in The Sound of Music meets minimalism. A big, striking sun hat and silver Dissh slip dress for Antonella, a suave, deep blue suit with an undone collar for Aldo.
Natives to Italy, Aldo and Antonella’s love story is had a young beginning. “We actually met on my friend’s 18th birthday,” says Antonella. “He had been invited by my friend’s brother along with some other guys. We just introduced ourselves when I arrived at the party, and we hardly saw each other for the whole evening. Days went by, and my friend kept telling me that Aldo was asking her about me, but he was too proud to text me! He had intrigued me too (of course I stalked him on Instagram). I, too, was too proud to text him first. I don’t know what magic my friend did but he ended up texting me and we haven’t been apart since that day. Almost a year later, he proposed to me, and exactly one year after that, we got married!”
We met on the shores of Tremezzo, a charming, upscale portion of Lake Como for the first half of our time together. Clean, bright light bathed the landscape, amplifying our color palette all the more. A few minutes down the coast, we boarded the most beautiful vintage boat, serendipitously named “Aldo”.
Our captain piloted us to one of the most famous locations in all of Italy, Villa Balbianello. From Star Wars to James Bond, this picturesque villa has hosted many prominent events. As the sun dipped below the Italian Alps, Villa Balbianello served as an immaculate backdrop for the end of Antonella and Aldo’s portraits on Lake Como.
