Frequently asked questions

What does the Lake Como Wedding Planner do?

• Your Lake Como Wedding Planner will take you through every step of the wedding planning process. Working closely with you, your Lake Como Wedding Planner will:
• ° Convert your vision into a reality
• ° Ensure that your special day runs smoothly
• ° Be organized
• ° Manage suppliers, guests & all the details
• ° Respect your budget and help you save money
• ° Be a resource of knowledge, a sounding board for decisions, a mediator, a therapist, and a stress reducer!

Do I really need a wedding planner in Italy?

• Planning your wedding is a mammoth and stressful task. Few couples are able to spend the amount of time required to plan a wedding: on average, a wedding takes 300 hours to organize. Most of our Clients are busy couples who realise that our professional skills can help them create their dream wedding. Having a wedding planner means that you, your friends and family can relax and enjoy your big day without being stressed. Planning a destination wedding in Italy from thousands of miles away can be very challenging. We will determine together what type of venue, reception, flowers, music, photographer, etc. you would like for your ceremony. You can relax while your Planner handles all hiring, ordering and confirmations.

What information should I provide the Lake Como Wedding Planner with?

• We suggest providing the following information to your planner:
• ° a desired wedding date, month, or season.
• ° an estimated number of guests.
• ° a general idea of your wedding style.
• ° an estimated budget.

What will my wedding cost?

• We will work with you to plan your wedding based on your budget. Starting from this we can work together to add and delete selected items to finalize the budget. Our planners will help you get the best possible services within your specific budget, regardless of its size.

Will our destination wedding be a legal wedding?

• Yes, your wedding will be legal and recognized throughout the world.
  
  

Can I remarry in Italy if I have been divorced?

• You can have a civil ceremony in Italy although the bride must wait 300 days from the day of her decree absolute.
  You can have a religious marriage in church only after you have had your first wedding annulled by the Catholic Church in your own country.

When is the best time of year to get married in Italy?

• The weather in Italy is generally very warm from May to September. July and August can be very hot with temperatures of 30+° C. April & October are usually slightly cooler.
  
  

How soon before the wedding should we arrive in Lake Como?

• It depends on the town hall in which you are marrying but we strongly recommend you be in Italy for at least 2 full-working days before the wedding.

How long is a ceremony in Italy?

• Civil weddings usually take 20/30 minutes while Catholic ceremonies usually take 30/40 minutes.
  
  

Can we write our own vows for our wedding in Italy?

• Yes, of course. All of our officiants will be happy to allow you time during the ceremony to express your personal feelings to each other.

Will we need an interpreter?

• By Italian law, you must have an interpreter. We will arrange this for you. You can say your vows in English or Italian.

What about insurance?

• Ensure you have adequate travel insurance and a specific wedding insurance. Please, check out several different companies to find one that is suitable for you.

What does your full wedding planning service include?

• Our Lake Como wedding Dream full planning and coordination fee includes:
• ° Communication via email and skype throughout the entire planning process.
• ° Personalized and customized assistance throughout the planning.
• ° Customized assistance in creating a wedding theme.
• ° Full assistance with legal formalities, paperwork and documentation.
• ° Dealing with civil and religious authorities on your behalf.
• ° International valid wedding certificate.
• ° Personal assistance during location visit.
• ° Booking of your chosen ceremony and reception venues and all related services.
• ° Dealing with professional and trusted wedding service suppliers.
• ° Pre-wedding meeting with you soon after your arrival to go over everything before the big day.
• ° Personal assistant during wedding menu tasting.
• ° Our presence on the day to set up, coordinate and ensure everything runs smoothly (this could be one or more planners on the day depending on the wedding plan).
• ° Help to arrange any pre/post-wedding day events or dinners.
• ° Creation of personalized vows to be inserted in the civil ceremony.
• ° Concierge service: transfers, accommodation, activities for you and your guests.
• ° Legally valid contract to guarantee our services and all booked wedding services.

How can we trust your services?

• Our professional wedding planners always stipulate legally binding contracts will all clients. Contracts explain the details of the services we are providing, when we are providing them and how much we will be compensated for our services. With all this information, in writing, there should not be any questions or disagreements later about what was expected or promised.

Do you charge a flat rate, an hourly rate or a percentage of my overall wedding budget?

• We charge a flat rate for your customized wedding planning. A fee table will be tailored to your needs prior to signing a contract. Our initial consultations are complimentary as this is a chance for us to get to know each other.

What are your payment terms?

• Our payment terms are 50% upon signing the contract. The full balance must be paid 6 weeks prior to the wedding day.

Why do I need to pay a deposit and why is the balance due 6 weeks prior to the wedding?

• The deposit must be paid, as there are accounts that need to be paid in order to confirm some bookings (ceremony venue, reception location, photographer ….), and 90% of our time is spent working for you before the event. The full balance must be paid six weeks prior to the wedding because we need to be certain that the funds are in place before we can disburse them.

Does hiring your company mean we will lose control of the event?

• Our best weddings are a complete reflection of your vision, personal style, ideas and personality. We will work closely together to ensure you are involved in the planning and decision making every step of the way. Remember it is your wedding, so it is all about what you want.

I want to plan my own wedding but I would like some of your advice. Can you help?

• Yes, we are happy to organize elements of weddings and we work on a fixed fee for this service.
  
  

We are only a small group. Can you still help organize our wedding?

• We will cater for any size group. If you are planning to come alone, we can even help by providing witnesses!
  

Do you only organize weddings or can you help with other events?

• We can also organize parties, anniversaries etc. Send us a message with your requirements and we will reply to you with a proposal.

Can you assist us with flower, photography, transport, accommodation or guest activities?

• Yes, we are here to assist you with any aspect that can help you and your guests plan your trip to Lake Como. Please see the Services page for details.

How much communication will we have?

• We have a policy to respond to all emails and phone messages in a timely manner. We will respond to all messages within 24 business hours.

Will you be there on my actual wedding day?

• Absolutely! We will be at the wedding location before you arrive and we will be the last to leave.
  
  

How many assistants will you have on my wedding day?

• Usually, one wedding planner and two event assistants will be at your wedding. For larger weddings over 150 guests or weddings with complicated logistics, such as large distances between venues, we do require additional team members.

How many weddings or events will you coordinate per day?

• Lake Como Wedding Dream will only take one wedding or event per day.
  
  

When is the best time to select a Wedding Planner?

• We recommend that you hire your wedding planner as soon as you get engaged, and before you select your venue or suppliers. Most Brides and Grooms contact us approximately 12 months before their selected wedding date, to ensure they get the venue and the date they want.

I am planning my wedding in 6 months, is that too late to hire a Lake Como Wedding Planner?

• It’s really never too late or too early. We have planned elaborate weddings in less than 4 months, so it can be done. Symbolic weddings can be planned with very short notice. Civil weddings require at least four months in order to prepare the necessary legal documents.

How and when to select a Wedding photographer?

• We work with numerous photographers, each with their own style. We can provide you with samples of their work and relevant price lists. We recommend booking your photographer approximately 6 months before the wedding day in order to secure the services of your closer wedding photographer.

Which documents do we need?

• We will organize all the paperwork on your behalf and will let you know which documents you will be required to send us and when. For more information click here.