What does this Journal cover?

Real wedding stories from Edinburgh, across Scotland, the UK and Europe, alongside notes on venues, seasonal light and digital and analogue photography.

Why write about film photography in detail?

Because most couples have never hired a film photographer and reasonably want to know what changes. Explaining the process is more useful than asking anybody to take it on trust.

Can I see a full wedding gallery rather than a highlights set?

Yes. Ask when you enquire and a complete gallery can be shared, which shows consistency across a whole day.

Where do I go if I want to book?

The enquiry page. Send your date and venue, and expect a reply within 24 to 48 hours.

Grand Hotel Tremezzo Elopement | Lake Como Film Photography

Velia and Dan travelled from Las Vegas to Lake Como to elope at Grand Hotel Tremezzo. Their day took us from the hotel gardens to the water, with sunshine for the ceremony and a traditional wooden boat for sunset.

I photographed it on digital, 35mm and medium format film. The bright Italian light was a good reason to bring out some of the discontinued Fuji Pro 400H I’ve been keeping in the freezer. Mackenzie Wedding Films joined us to make their wedding video.

Mountains and lakeside buildings reflected in Lake Como

A wide view across Lake Como towards the mountains

Velia sitting on the balcony before the elopement

The open balcony doors framing Velia and Lake Como

Velia looking over the balcony towards the lake

The floating pool at Grand Hotel Tremezzo

Velia adjusting her earrings in her wedding dress

Velia and Dan together beside a tree in the hotel gardens

The couple beneath a leafy tree overlooking Lake Como

Dan waiting in the shaded gardens above the lake

Velia and Dan facing each other beneath a tree

Velia and Dan holding hands in the garden

The couple sharing a kiss beside the garden railing

Velia and Dan during their outdoor elopement ceremony

Dan lifting Velia’s veil with mountains behind them

The couple exchanging vows in the sunshine

The garden ceremony overlooking Lake Como

Velia smiling as Dan places the ring on her finger

A close view of the couple during the ceremony

Velia and Dan walking hand in hand through the gardens

A black and white portrait of Velia in the garden

Velia standing in her wedding dress among the trees

Dan beneath palm leaves in the hotel gardens

A black and white photograph of the couple walking

A close black and white portrait beneath the veil

Velia on a garden path with the lake beyond

Velia beside the stone pool in the gardens

Velia looking back on the hotel staircase

The couple walking through the hotel’s light-filled interior

Velia and Dan holding hands on the lakeside terrace

Velia beneath the orange and white parasols

A bartender pouring a drink beside Lake Como

Drinks being prepared at the lakeside bar

A bartender presenting two orange drinks

Velia and Dan sharing drinks beside the lake

A close view of the couple raising their glasses

The floating swimming pool with Lake Como beyond

Velia and Dan standing on the wooden lakeside deck

A traditional wooden boat arriving at the jetty

The boat captain waiting to welcome the couple

The captain steering the boat across Lake Como

The boat’s wake stretching back towards the mountains

Velia and Dan seated on the boat with the hotel behind

The couple relaxing aboard the wooden boat

Velia raising her glass beside Dan on the lake

The couple looking out from the boat’s orange seats

Velia and Dan smiling at each other on the boat

The couple sharing a kiss aboard the wooden boat

Velia and Dan kissing with the shoreline behind

Velia looking towards a lakeside villa from the boat

The couple sitting together during their sunset boat trip

An elopement at Grand Hotel Tremezzo

Velia and Dan’s ceremony took place in the gardens, with Lake Como and the mountains behind them. The photographs move from Velia getting ready with the balcony doors open to the two of them exchanging rings outside. There was plenty of sunshine, and the trees gave us pockets of shade for portraits afterwards.

We spent some time around the gardens and inside the hotel before heading down to the lakeside. I liked the small details as much as the wider views: the ironwork on the balcony, the light through Velia’s veil and those orange parasols by the water. Then it was time for a drink together before the boat arrived.

Lake Como wedding photography on 35mm and medium format film

I worked with a mix of film and digital throughout the day. Digital helped me keep up with the movement, while 35mm and medium format gave me other ways to photograph the same light and surroundings. I wanted the finished gallery to feel like one day, with the different cameras contributing to it.

The sunny weather also meant I could shoot some of my frozen stock of discontinued Fuji Pro 400H on medium format. I’ve been saving those rolls for days when the light suits them. The greens in the gardens and the colour of the lake made this a good occasion to use a few.

If you’re interested in having real film alongside digital photographs at your wedding, there’s more about how I work on my analogue film wedding photography page.

A wooden boat on Lake Como at sunset

For sunset, we took a traditional wooden boat out onto the lake. Velia and Dan settled into the seats with their drinks as the hotel slipped into the background. Some of my favourite photographs are from that part of the day: a kiss on the boat, a glass raised above the water and the view back towards the shore.

The boat gave us time to keep photographing without rushing from one place to another. I could watch the light change and catch the moments between them, with the lake opening out behind us.

The elopement team

Venue: Grand Hotel Tremezzo
Wedding video: Mackenzie Wedding Films

Planning a Lake Como elopement?

You can also see Demi and Matt’s Lake Como elopement for another day I photographed in Italy on film and digital.

If you’re planning an elopement at Grand Hotel Tremezzo or a wedding elsewhere on Lake Como, get in touch with your date and plans. I’d love to hear what you have in mind and talk about photographing it on digital, 35mm and medium format film.