Malcesine, Lake Garda – Where I got Married

For anyone who knows me, they will know how much of a fan I am of Italy. This is deep rooted in my family with our love for pasta, pizza and wine. I am also a huuuge fan of the sexy singsong language. If you’re Italian I want to be your friend (please). I chose to get married in Malcesine Castle in Lake Garda after very little thought on the matter. I knew I wanted Italy, and a previous colleague of mine suggested Malcesine. One look at the Castle and I’d booked it in my mind. The reality is it only took me a few days to have it booked, deposit paid, colour schemes picked, menus, etc etc. I was not a picky bride.

If you’ve visited the Lakes in Italy, you’re probably picturing George Clooney in Lake Como, or the exotic plants in Lake Maggiore. Lake Garda is green and lush, the freshness of the air is crisp and clear. Whilst some of these pictures are incredibly beautiful (thank you to my dear friend Royce) Malcesine doesn’t always look like this. It can be rainy and clowdy due to the climate around the Lake. My wedding day began with a huge downpour of rain and even a bit of thunder. By the afternoon I had bright sunshine, so it can be a little unpredictable.

The town itself is beautiful. With each twist and turn of the cobbled streets you’ll find gelato bars, glimpses of water and plenty of people sat drinking Aperol Spritz in an afternoon. It is the ultimate place to people watch.

You can reach Malcesine by flying in Verona, Milan or Venice. Verona is my preferred as it’s much closer (approximately 1 hr drive). I had friends come in from all over though as the public transport in Italy is cheap and easy. Bravo Italia.

I booked my wedding late July, and flew out of the 27th. The weather was beautiful, on hot days, very hot and humid. After a casual storm, it was perfect. The sun rises early and sets late in the evening. There is a warm glow that surrounds each boat bopping along on the bottom of the beauty briny sea on the lake.

Malcesine’s most famous site, Castello Scaligero was the location of my wedding. With its 13th-century fortifications and an older medieval tower in white natural stone it is a must visit site for any history lover. I won’t give too much away about this site, but it has a wonderful Museum inside that tells you the towns history.

Did I mention its a stunning place for wedding ceremonies? Oh I did?

Okay okay sorry just an excuse to reuse some of these images.

One of the best things about Malcesine is the individuality of each bar and restaurant. My favourite place we ate was Ristorante La Pace. A beautiful little place sat between the old town and new. It has it’s own enclosed area for the Lake so you can sit and watch speed boats go by.

If you’re into water sports, you can para glide, water ski, paddle board, jetski and speed boat till your heart is content here. Me and Joe rented a speed boat the day after our wedding and it was AMAZING (and pretty cheap!)

If you’re interested (why wouldn’t you be?) My swimsuit is from Asda and I wrote a post on it here.  Gimmie more incredible prints/patterns this year please brands!

Malcesine will always hold a special place in my heart for obvious reasons, but it holds a much better place in my stomach. The food was incredible…