It was the early 2000s when Lake Como started becoming one of the most desired destinations for couples from all over the world.
Iconic hotels like the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio or the Grand Hotel Tremezzo opened their doors to elegant weddings, overlooking the lake and mountains, bringing a new era of love stories to life.
Among those early couples were Lisa and her husband, pioneers of the destination wedding in Italy trend. They chose Bellagio before it became famous, and celebrated their love with a lakeside ceremony that would remain in their hearts for decades.
A return to Bellagio: 20 years of love
I wasn’t there twenty years ago—I was probably just learning how to hold a camera—but recently Lisa wrote to me.
She and her husband were coming back to celebrate their anniversary in Bellagio, at the exact same hotel: Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni.
They were still deeply in love, just like the first day.
So we met, and I had the honor of documenting their second chapter, exactly where it all began.
Anniversary photoshooting in the garden of the Grand Hotel
We walked through the lush gardens of the hotel, retracing the places that held their memories:
the ceremony spot with its panoramic view, the bench at the end of the park, and every corner where they had once laughed, kissed, and promised each other a lifetime together.
And then came the surprise.
The hotel manager, who had been there on their wedding day, found the original reception menu from their wedding in the archive system.
He printed it and presented it to them as a gift.
They were speechless.
A quiet moment passed, and you could feel just how much this place still meant to them.
As a Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni photographer I had the luck to be there.
Why Bellagio is perfect for an anniversary
Bellagio, often called the “pearl of Lake Como,” is more than just a beautiful village—it’s a place where time seems to slow down.
Its historic villas, romantic gardens, elegant lakefront promenade, and narrow cobblestone alleys make it one of the most iconic and intimate destinations in Italy.
Celebrating an anniversary in Bellagio means walking hand in hand through timeless views, enjoying an aperitivo at sunset, and retracing memories in a setting that feels suspended between luxury and authenticity.
Whether it’s your first year or your twentieth, Bellagio has the rare ability to make every couple feel like they’re experiencing their love story for the first time—again.
