A Lily of the Valley Wedding Reflected in Every Detail

A Closer Look

Lycoris and Dylan's Lake Como wedding was built around a single moment, a spring garden just after the rain, when puddles still reflect the sky and every bloom looks newly opened. Lily of the valley was its signature flower, and it took a new form at nearly every turn of the day. On the morning of the wedding, it was already on Dylan's lapel as a pearl brooch shaped like a sprig of it.

The ceremony unfolded in Villa Balbiano's lakefront garden, where WOW Wedding built a custom reflecting pond in front of the villa specifically for the ceremony. Clusters of tulips, lilac and garden roses sprang from its teal water, with stones gathered at their bases. Strips of mirror wound through the flowerbeds along the wavy aisle as rain puddles, and velvet poufs in sage, olive and teal served as seating. Every mirror held a piece of the lake's blue, and the whole garden looked freshly washed.

Lycoris stepped out of the villa in an ivory off-the-shoulder ball gown with a folded portrait neckline and fitted bodice. Tonal floral embroidery ran down its full skirt into a sweeping train, and a cathedral-length veil followed behind. Guests sat among the flowers, and a few watched from the open windows above. When the couple kissed at the water's edge, rainbow smoke flared between the stone spires behind them.

Cocktail hour shifted beneath the palms, to a wall lined with handcrafted Sicilian straw bags for guests to choose from. Each bag was trimmed with a small watercolor medallion of one of the wedding villas, embroidered lily of the valley, a bee or a ladybug, and the couple's monogram. Friends wore blush, butter yellow, cream and florals, and with a bag on one arm, they looked like part of the planting.

At dusk, the ceremony garden became the dining room. Long serpentine tables curved down the lawn where the aisle had been. Floating candles drifted in the reflecting pond, and vine-wrapped arches hung oversized lanterns shaped like lily of the valley blossoms over the guests. Pink and yellow tapers stood over cream linens, and each place held a custom porcelain charger hand-painted with lily of the valley. Lycoris changed into a nude tulle halter gown that moved like mist off the lake.

As the night went on, the band sang from the villa's doorway, a fire performer in red sequins worked the aisle between the tables. Lycoris finished in black satin with ropes of pearls, as the champagne sprayed and fireworks broke over the water.

Those chargers were the couple's parting gift. Each was finished in pure gold. All day, the garden's mirrored puddles had held a reflection of the sky, and every guest went home holding a reflection of the garden.