An Intimate Swiss Island Wedding with Mariachi and Lakeside Vows
Dionne (she/her) and Ashley’s (she/her) wedding day on Brissago Island carried far more than beautiful views. Their Switzerland celebration was shaped by resilience, deep family love and the quiet strength they found in each other through heartbreak and healing. After facing repeated no’s from Italian venues simply for being a lesbian couple, they discovered Villa Emden, a place that met them with acceptance and calm. With just eighteen guests, lake light, mariachi songs that honoured Ashley’s father and a waltz practiced until two in the morning, their day became exactly what they needed intimate, grounding and sincere.
How did your relationship begin?
We met in 2018 and connected instantly. What started as a friendship quickly grew into something deeper, shaped by laughter, trust and showing up for each other every step of the way. Over the years we pushed each other’s potential, backed each other’s dreams and built a love that kept getting stronger.
Dionne proposed when she realised she couldn’t imagine life without Ashley. Later, Ashley surprised her with an underwater proposal while scuba diving. It was unexpected, emotional and so perfectly us. We were legally married at the Laguna Beach Courthouse, a place that felt right for us in every way.
When we began planning a destination wedding, we initially dreamed of a castle in Tuscany. After repeatedly receiving no responses or outright no’s once we shared that we were a lesbian couple, we shifted our search. That disappointment ended up guiding us somewhere even better.
Finding Villa Emden on the Isole di Brissago felt like destiny. Surrounded by water, gardens and stillness, it held everything we wanted. What started as a hurdle in Italy led us to the perfect place to celebrate our story: romantic, intimate and exactly where we were meant to be.
How did you approach planning the wedding, staying organised, and sharing the workload?
Planning a destination wedding in Switzerland was exciting and meaningful, but it definitely came with a lot of moving parts. We tried to stay present through it all and not let the details take over.
To stay organised, we relied on a shared Google Sheet for our budget and timelines, monthly checklists, and a shared folder where we kept inspiration, contracts and ideas. Pinterest and Instagram were constant sources of inspiration.
We divided tasks based on our strengths. One of us handled logistics and vendor communication, while the other focused on décor, music and the overall guest experience. Splitting things up kept us grounded and made the whole process feel like a real team effort.
How did you approach choosing your vendors?
We were really intentional about choosing our vendors, especially since we were planning from abroad. We spent a lot of time researching on Instagram, wedding blogs and reading recommendations from couples who also married in Switzerland.
The first thing we locked in was Villa Emden. The venue set the tone for everything else, from our colour palette to the photography style we were drawn to. Once we had our date, we prioritised booking our photographer and videographer because capturing the day authentically was so important to us.
We chose Sabrina Bartal Photography (with Claudia Zender as second shooter) for photos and Desidero Weddings for video. After that, we built the rest of our team around that foundation. Our florist Miss Deco, hair and makeup artist Nicha Makeup, makeup artist Samuela Imperiali, dress boutique Cherie Amor, cake creator More Sweet Cupcakes and everyone at the venue helped bring everything together beautifully.
We looked for vendors with beautiful work, of course, but also people who felt kind, communicative and genuinely aligned with our vision. Working with people who cared about our story made the whole experience feel effortless.
What helped you manage the budget and stay on top of expenses?
Our biggest advice is to be honest about your priorities, track everything no matter how small and keep the communication open. Planning together made the financial side feel less overwhelming and more like a shared project we were building side by side.
Did you write your own vows?
We chose to write our own vows, and it ended up being one of the most emotional parts of planning. We took our time, giving ourselves a few weeks to reflect on our relationship, the promises that mattered most and everything we had grown through since meeting in 2018. Writing them felt like revisiting every chapter that led us to becoming wives.
Walk us through the wedding day. What moments stand out most looking back?
Our wedding at Villa Emden on the Isole di Brissago was everything we hoped for. With only eighteen guests, it felt intimate and emotional, surrounded by the lake and the people closest to us.
The ceremony took place outdoors with soft dusty blue tones and the shimmer of Lake Maggiore behind us. We exchanged our handwritten vows in a symbolic ceremony filled with tears, laughter and so much gratitude.
Afterward, a live mariachi band played our favourite songs, including many that Ashley’s father loved. His presence was felt in every note. Guests enjoyed aperitivos and champagne by the water before a terrace dinner. Later, a jazz band set the mood for our first dance, a waltz we had practiced for weeks. We had even stayed up until two in the morning the night before rehearsing one last time.
By the time we stepped onto the terrace to dance under the stars, everything else fell away. The whole day felt romantic, personal and unforgettable.
Were there any non-traditional choices you made for the day, and what inspired them?
We wanted the wedding to feel intimate and personal, so we chose a destination celebration in Switzerland with just eighteen guests. Keeping it small made every moment feel meaningful.
One of our favourite choices was walking down the aisle at the same time. I walked with my mother and Ashley walked with her best friend, meeting in the middle to start the ceremony together. It felt powerful and perfectly reflected the equality and balance in our relationship.
Were there any vendors who truly stood out during the planning or on the day?
We were lucky to have an incredible team. Our photographer, videographer, florist, musicians, planner, stylist and the venue staff all went above and beyond and made everything feel effortless.
If we had to single out one person, it would be Laura from Villa Emden. Her organisation, calm energy and guidance shaped the entire planning process and the wedding day itself. We genuinely feel the day wouldn’t have been the same without her.
Photography by Sabrina Bartal Photography & Claudia Zender (Second Shooter)
Cake More Sweet Cupcakes
Ceremony Venue Villa Emden
Dress Cherie Amor
Engagement Rings Tiffany & Co.
Florist Miss Deco
Hair Nicha Makeup
Makeup Artist Samuela Imperiali & Nicha Makeup
Shirt Cherie Amor
Suit Designer & Pants Suitsupply
Videographer Desidero Weddings
