A moment during the ceremony
When Bryn and Jeremy, a French-American couple living between countries and cultures, first contacted me about their wedding at Relais La Foleia, I had never heard of this extraordinary place in northern Italy. Curious, I looked it up online and found images of an octagonal villa, a neoclassical pavilion and a private lake dotted with lotus flowers and water lilies. The gardens looked almost otherworldly, with lush greenery, romantic architecture and little boats drifting across the water. I remember wondering whether a place like this could really exist. I was immediately captivated.
From our very first conversations, I felt a strong connection with Bryn and Jeremy. Having lived in different cities around the world, they shared a love of travel, art and considered design. They had a wonderfully vivid vision for their wedding and knew that analogue photography was the right fit for the atmosphere they wanted to create. They weren't looking for perfection or a series of carefully staged moments, but photographs that would preserve the real textures, colours, light and emotions of the day.
I couldn't wait to experience La Foleia for myself. Every corner seemed to offer something unexpected, from its painted interiors and vintage furnishings to the expansive pond, enormous lotus leaves and charming little rowing boat. It felt like a photographer's dream, with an abundance of architectural details, textures and beautiful settings in which to tell their story.
The wedding guests at the pavilion overlooking the pond
An intimate destination wedding at La Foleia
With family and friends travelling from across Europe and the United States, Bryn and Jeremy always knew their wedding would be a destination celebration. They initially considered the south of France, where Jeremy's family lives, before discovering La Foleia and falling in love with its distinctive character. The venue's romantic atmosphere, eclectic furniture and lush gardens felt unlike anywhere else they had considered.
Rather than transforming the space with elaborate decorations, they allowed the setting to speak for itself. It was an approach I loved: the venue already had so much personality that the surroundings became an integral part of the celebration.
Once they booked, we began imagining how the day might unfold and how we could make the most of La Foleia's different spaces. The colourful, frescoed interiors of the villa offered a beautiful contrast to the greenery outside, while the garden and lake created a natural setting for quieter moments and portraits. A long pergola provided the backdrop for dinner and speeches, and a little glasshouse became the setting for the evening's music and dancing.
Although the grounds aren't enormous, the thoughtful way the day was arranged made each part of the celebration feel distinct. Moving between the interiors, gardens, lake and reception spaces gave the wedding a wonderful sense of discovery, as though we were stepping into a different world throughout the day.
La Foleia is particularly suited to couples who want an intimate, immersive celebration in which the venue itself plays a central role. Rather than a grand, sprawling estate, it offers a series of enchanting spaces that feel personal and full of character. For Bryn and Jeremy, that intimacy was exactly what they wanted: a few days spent bringing their favourite people together, with the wedding feeling more like a gathering of close friends than a formal production.
A detail of the water lilies in the pond
Photographing La Foleia on 35mm and medium-format film
I photographed the wedding using both 35mm and medium-format film, working in my usual documentary style and allowing the day to unfold naturally. La Foleia was a joy to photograph. Everywhere I looked, there was another beautiful composition, a reflection on the water, an interesting texture or a small detail that complemented the couple's story.
Bryn and Jeremy had chosen me because they connected with my approach to wedding photography: observant, relaxed and centred on genuine moments rather than constant direction. They also wanted portraits that felt playful and effortless, without losing the spontaneity of the day.
We spent time wandering through the rooms and gardens together, stopping whenever something caught our attention. They walked, sat, embraced and laughed, and I photographed them as they interacted naturally with one another and their surroundings. We'd discussed ideas and exchanged visual references before the wedding, so there was a shared understanding of the images we wanted to create, but nothing felt overly choreographed.
Some of my favourite photographs came from these simple, unhurried moments. The black-and-white portraits of Bryn and Jeremy rowing across the lake towards their wedding reception have a particularly timeless quality. I also love the portraits on the chaise overlooking the water, and the intimate photograph of them sharing a kiss on one of the venue's beds. Each feels like a little glimpse into their relationship rather than a pose created for the camera.
This is what I love about photographing destination weddings on film. The medium encourages me to be thoughtful about light, composition and the feeling of a moment, while the natural colour and texture of analogue photography complement places with such a strong sense of atmosphere. At La Foleia, the interplay between the architecture, greenery, water and changing light offered endless possibilities.
The couple crossing the lake in a little rowing boat
A wedding that felt like a fairytale
Looking back, what stays with me most about Bryn and Jeremy's wedding is how completely the celebration belonged to them. The setting was undeniably beautiful, but it was the combination of the place, their shared vision and the warmth of the people around them that made the day memorable.
La Foleia has a rare quality: it feels both grand and intimate, with a romantic, almost dreamlike atmosphere that doesn't need much embellishment. Its lotus-covered lake, charming architecture and carefully considered interiors make it an exceptional setting for couples planning a destination wedding in northern Italy.
This is one of those weddings I'll always remember, and the photographs remain a highlight of my portfolio. I'm delighted to be returning to La Foleia in 2027, and I can't wait to photograph another celebration there.
Italy has no shortage of beautiful wedding venues, but only a few have a character as distinctive as La Foleia. For couples dreaming of an intimate destination wedding surrounded by nature, architecture and thoughtful details, it's a truly special place to begin their story.
If you're planning a wedding at La Foleia, around Lake Maggiore or elsewhere in Italy, I'd love to hear about your plans. I photograph weddings primarily on 35mm and medium-format film, taking a documentary-led approach that combines honest storytelling with relaxed, considered portraits. My aim is to create photographs that preserve not just how your wedding looked, but how it felt to be there.
