COVER STORY
Inside Lara and Jakob’s Three Day Lake Como Celebration
With
The Bridal Journey
Late spring on Lake Como set the tone for Lara and Jakob’s wedding weekend, a gentle haze over the water, roses in full bloom, and the kind of light that makes everything feel cinematic. What unfolded was an intimate, fashion-led celebration that felt like a chic garden party at a private home, anchored by personal ritual and a rose-scented dreamscape.
Photographer The Saums / Planner Kim Dahlem
The Proposal
They met in dental school in Germany and moved to Zurich soon after. Jakob proposed on New Year’s Eve 2020 at the Baur au Lac, in a room strewn with baby pink and burgundy petals as fireworks burst outside. He designed the ring with friends at Leo Mathild, sourcing an oval stone and a rare three-row setting crafted in Antwerp. “From the beginning, everything felt clear and effortless,” says Lara.
The Setting
The weekend unfolded across three iconic addresses.
Welcome party on the vintage steamship Milano, an old-world glide past Como’s storied villas so guests could experience the lake from the water.
The wedding day took place at Villa Regina Teodolinda, chosen for its scale and authenticity. Think whimsical gardens, creeping greenery and just the right intimacy for 75.
Private vows at Passalacqua, serene and secluded and deeply personal, with a Riva ride and a spontaneous dive to close the chapter.
LARA & JAKOB (1)
Photographer: The Saums
Creative Direction
The brief was timeless, romantic and unmistakably them.
Motif: a wildly grown rose garden in baby pink and burgundy, threaded with greenery, pears and grapes.
Scent: Diptyque Rose as the signature fragrance across spaces.
Palette: creams and greens with accents of baby pink and deep berry.
Details: handwritten fans, hand-painted rose place cards, personalised letters at each setting, a berry pyramid in vintage silver cups in place of a champagne tower, and a custom illustrated cardplay that doubled as favours.
Planner Kim Dahlem refined the couple’s strong vision, balancing aesthetics with seamless logistics.
Fashion Notes
Lara’s wardrobe steered the entire design direction.
Couple shoot at Grand Hotel Tremezzo: white Chanel mini, forest-green Amina Muaddi Camelia heels, Loewe sunglasses.
Welcome party: printed Oscar de la Renta strawberry dress, a wink to La Dolce Vita and the weekend’s playful strawberry thread.
Ceremony: Danielle Frankel Noa, elegantly draped, paired with a simple tulle veil and Manolo Blahnik x Danielle Frankel Carolyn heels in matching fabric.
Party look: baby pink Giambattista Valli bow dress with Amina Muaddi Rosie pumps.
Private vows: hot pink Bernadette Antwerp in the garden, then a lace-trim Prada nightgown with white satin Miu Miu flats for the Riva.
Jewellery stayed meaningful and minimal, diamond studs, her oval Leo Mathild engagement ring and two bands, including a heart-shaped eternity with 13 hearts, her lucky number.
Jakob kept it classic in custom looks cut from Loro Piana fabrics. A blue double-breasted jacket for the boat, a black tuxedo with velvet slippers by Dolce & Gabbana for the ceremony, and his civil-wedding navy suit for vows at Passalacqua. He skipped a watch on the wedding day, “I didn’t want to see time fly.”
The Ceremony
A modern Jewish ceremony honoured heritage while staying personal. The couple wrote their own seven blessings that reflected shared values and future hopes. After Jakob broke the glass, guests rose to a hora that moved effortlessly into the party.
Processional: “To Our Daughter” by My Best Friend Jacob
Ceremony moment: “I’m With You” by Vance Joy
Recessional energy: Eytan Masuri’s hora medley
Reception Style
Tables were light and layered, featuring roses, peonies, hydrangeas, tulips, pearls, and bows, punctuated by grapes and pears, candles, and table lamps. Greenery wove between ceremony chairs for an organic feel. Thousands of fairy lights laced the trees for an after-dark glow. Guests waved napkins to “Volare” as the couple entered for dinner.
The Menu
Italian comfort at its most elegant.
Welcome night: a classic buffet of bruschetta, olives, cheeses, breads and sauces with a Capri-inspired temptation room, berries, bow meringues, pistachio-raspberry tarts, orchid-topped cakes, Madeleines and Parmesan with grapes. A strawberry-forward bar installation and Lara’s daily matcha favourite from Zurich were runaway hits.
Wedding day: canapés post-ceremony, then another Italian spread with Parma ham, local cheeses, breads, honey, and fruit. A gelato cart served pistachio, chocolate and lemon in cups branded with the couple’s monogram.
Dinner: burrata-filled ravioli with tomato and basil, followed by a choice of beef filet with vin santo and acacia honey, sea bass with prosecco and herbs, or a zucchini pie with tomato, thyme and olives.
Cake: vanilla with lemon cream and lavender, cut under the garden pergola, the weekend’s most talked-about bite.
A surprise millefeuille show-cooking, dusted with raspberries and sugar, to Raffaella Carrà, kept the party buzzing. Espresso martinis did the rest.
LARA & JAKOB (1)
Photographer: The Saums
Standout Moments
The Milano drifting past during the blessings felt “like a film cue from the lake itself.”
A veil caught on the villa’s stone staircase became a lighthearted pause before the aisle.
Private vows at Passalacqua moved even the photographers to tears.
A spontaneous jump into the lake after the Riva ride sealed the weekend with joy.
Advice from the Bride
“Choose vendors who feel like your people. Visit your destination, make memories along the way and let the design reflect you, not trends. You are getting married for love, not social media. It is about how it feels.”
