01. When should we hire a wedding planner in Italy?
Before you sign with a venue. The venue sets your date, catering minimums and vendor rules, so it’s easier to choose once your planner knows your guest list and budget. For a summer weekend on the lake, twelve to eighteen months ahead is a comfortable start.
02. Why choose Lake Maggiore for a destination wedding?
Lake Maggiore has a more dynamic feel than many Italian wedding destinations. Your guests can move from a lakeside hotel to an island dinner, a villa ceremony and a waterfront brunch without spending the weekend in cars. Around Stresa, everything stays close, much of it within walking distance or a short boat ride, while the setting keeps changing around you. Add the Borromean Islands, Belle Époque hotels and easy access from Milan Malpensa, and it works especially well for a multi-day destination wedding
03. Do you take on multiple weddings in a day or weekend?
No. I take one wedding per weekend, and I’m there in person for all of it.
I keep a small roster on purpose, so your planning has my full attention in the months before, too. By the time your weekend arrives, I know your families and every line of the schedule, and that only works when I’m with one couple at a time.
04. How do you work with American couples planning a wedding in Italy?
I manage the planning process in a way that makes sense for an American couple planning an Italian wedding. My operational base is in Stresa, on Lake Maggiore, while VB Wedding Studio is registered in the United States, offering a familiar structure for American clients. Italian venues and vendors often work differently when it comes to response times, contracts, deposits, taxes, and decision-making. I explain those differences clearly, set expectations for each stage, and keep track of follow-ups, deadlines, and details so you do not have to. You always know what is happening, what needs your attention, and what comes next, saving you time and reducing the stress of managing unfamiliar logistics from afar.
This keeps decisions organized, responsibilities clear, and the planning process moving forward without unnecessary back-and-forth. With a consistent support behind the scenes, you can make decisions with confidence and enjoy the experience.
05. Can you plan the entire wedding weekend, not just the wedding day?
Yes. Planning the whole weekend is the core of my work. When your guests cross an ocean to be with you, it makes sense to give them more than one evening together.
A weekend usually opens with a welcome evening when guests arrive, and ends with something relaxed before everyone flies home, like a long lunch or a day on the lake. I plan every event within one timeline, so the days connect and nobody has to wonder where to be next. My rule for timelines is that the perfect one is the one nobody notices.
06. Do you help our guests with travel, accommodations and things to do in Italy?
Yes, through Concierge, a service I offer alongside full wedding planning.
Concierge looks after your guests, so you don’t end up answering their travel questions for months. I manage guest accommodations, organize transfers between the airport, the hotels and each event, and plan activities for the days around the wedding, such as a boat tour or a wine tasting.
It comes in two versions, basic and full week, and it’s quoted separately from the planning fee.
07. How transparent are you about budgets and vendor costs?
From day one, you know where your money goes.
We start with a realistic budget based on what things cost in Italy today, so you make decisions with real numbers in front of you.
My fee is a percentage of your total wedding budget, set according to the scope of your celebration. The percentage we agree on at the start stays the same until the end. It changes only if the scope changes, and that’s written into the contract.
I don’t accept commissions or kickbacks from vendors. Every vendor I recommend is there because they’re right for your wedding
08. Do you work throughout Italy, or only in specific areas?
Lake Maggiore is my home base. I’ve lived here for more than a decade, and it’s where I do most of my work. I know the venues and the vendors personally.
If you’ve chosen another region, I plan weddings across Italy with a network of partners I trust. The way we work together stays the same, wherever you decide to get married.
09. Are you available to plan weddings and other celebrations in the United States?
Most of the weddings I plan take place in Italy. If you’d love a wedding at home with Italian flair, I can bring it to you in the United States, with the food, the design and the pace of an Italian celebration.
I also plan smaller celebrations in the US, like bridal showers, bachelorette parties and family reunions, with travel billed at cost.
10. How do we start?
Send me a short inquiry with your date, guest count and the kind of weekend you have in mind. I review every inquiry personally and reply within one business day. If it looks like a good fit, I’ll invite you to a private consultation.
tell me about your wedding
Share a few details about your plans. If it looks like we're a good fit, I'll invite you to a private consultation.
