A Beautiful Wedding in Malcesine Lake Garda

A Beautiful Wedding in Malcesine, Lake Garda

When my brother first told me he was getting married in a castle in Malcesine, at Lake Garda, I was sceptical. I thought, being the cold-hearted cynic that I am, that this would be one of those ostentatious, we-can- keep-up-with-the-Joneses weddings. I thought it would become a financial burden to their guests, and cause more problems than the average, UK-based wedding would ever create.

How wrong I was. I should have known my brother better.

Undoubtedly, my brother’s wedding was simply stunning, and possibly the best I have had the honour of attending – perhaps even better overall than my own! The small selection of guests gave the wedding a tender intimacy, the weather encouraged good spirits and ensured the photos turned out beautifully, and the location with its majestic castle, lakeside restaurant and harbour side bars to end the evening simply made the day.

Malcesine Castle

Malcesine castle, proudly overlooking the lake, was the venue of the wedding. The sunshine beaming off the light stone, the cobbled steps and the impressive turrets helped produce the gorgeous photographs – although most of the credit needs to go to my sister-in-law! The castle provided panoramic views of Malcesine and Lake Garda, adding another stunning feature to the photographs.

Restaurant

My brother and his new wife generously treated their wedding party to a glorious 7 course meal and unlimited drinks (more fool them!), at a lake-side restaurant that proved perfect for paddling in after the banquet. Granted, I didn’t know what some of the food was, although all delicious, but the giant, classic tiramisu serving as the wedding cake was – as my personal favourite dessert - the highlight of the wedding breakfast.

Speeches

Following the wedding breakfast, my brother and sister-in-law surprised us all by announcing that the speeches were to take place on the lake, their announcement perfectly timed with the boat pulling gently into the harbour. On face-value, a wedding party of 22 drunken souls taking to the water may seem like a fete of madness, but the excursion was hilarious – not least because my brother, who hates public speaking at the best of times, had long-laboured over his speech only to produce his three pages from his pocket to see them be whipped away viciously by the wind and deposited carelessly in the water.

Accommodation

There is a good range of accommodation within Malcesine and the surrounding areas, from budget accommodation to extra-special, luxury board. My brother and sister-in-law, joined by my mum and step-dad, stayed at an all-inclusive, lake-side hotel they chose as part of their wedding package, while I opted, with my uncle and the best man, for a cheaper alternative just down the road that, despite the cheapness, was clean, beautifully decorated, and perfectly located (although not quite on the lake). The other guests dotted themselves around the town, but all accommodation was well-within walking distance of each other.

Activities Around Lake Garda

For work reasons, I could only spend a few days in Malcesine, but one of my favourite activities was hiring out a speed boat and exploring the lake James-Bond style! There is a whole plethora of water activities available on the lake, including kayaking, windsurfing, sailing and rowing, to name but a few! If you’re a land-lubber, there are plenty of hikes or gentle walks you can take around the area – I’d recommend a trip to the cable car – as well as horse riding and mountain biking, or perhaps a spot of golf or tennis on a fine afternoon?

Lake Garda is perfectly placed for a relaxing holiday in an area of outstanding beauty, which also makes it the ideal venue for a really special wedding.

To learn more, watch the video below!

Ella is a part-time English teacher, wife to Steve and mother to two little boys, Christopher, 6 and Harry, 4. Her family is her world, but she also loves having a life separate from marriage and motherhood. For her blog, Selfish Mum, she writes about anything and everything that comes to her that day, however trivial or bizarre, with posts ranging from informative articles about places to visit with your family, to her aspirations to have a body like Olympic gold medal winner Jessica Ennis, to her favourite things about China!

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