A Luxury Italian Garden Wedding at Villa Balbiano, Designed As an Ethereal Floral Masterpiece

Liz Inglisa and Kraeton Moll met during their senior year of high school in 2015. It was a simple and unassuming moment – just a quick conversation while walking out of school one day.

“Neither of us could have predicted then how much that small exchange would change our lives,” says Liz. “But from that moment on, we never stopped talking. Our connection was immediate, easy, and magnetic.”

Over the past decade, the couple has grown up together while sharing countless milestones including going to college at the University of Missouri, building their dream house, and adding a dog to the family. 

The proposal took place in September of 2022. During a private sunset boat ride in Positano, Kraeton got down on one knee and asked Liz to marry him. 

“We felt so lucky to be surrounded by all of our friends and family that flew across the sea to be there to celebrate us.”

“Afterwards,” Liz shares, “we had dinner at a beautiful restaurant with a view of the coastline and the twinkling lights of Positano. It was truly magical. Ever since that night, we knew Italy was where we wanted to say, ‘I do.’”


A Luxury Italian Garden Wedding at Villa Balbiano

Having visited Lake Como in 2017, Liz and Kraeton immediately decided to host a destination wedding in Italy. After falling in love with Villa Balbiano, the couple worked with their planner, Oana, to create a wedding vision inspired by a luxury Italian garden.

“Every detail was carefully thought out and rooted in our personal style,” Liz adds. “We didn’t want a day that just looked beautiful, we wanted a day that felt like us. When it came to designing our ceremony, we knew we wanted to create something that had never been done before. Villa Balbiano already offered a breathtaking natural backdrop, and we wanted our florals and layout to complement and elevate that beauty. Our inspiration came from the famous Italian garden of Giardini Pellegrini, which we tried to replicate in our ceremony design. But we couldn’t have brought that vision to life without our wedding planner, Oana, and our incredible florists, Lake Como Florist. Their ability to bring ideas to life surpassed every expectation.”


The couple’s wedding décor vision carried over into the reception, where they wanted guests to feel like they were “dining inside a blooming floral masterpiece.” 

“I always envisioned an explosion of pinks, greens, and whites that would feel ethereal but grounded in nature,” Liz explains, “like you were still sitting in a garden, but one that took your breath away. Lake Como Florist gets all the credit for our chandeliers, which became one of the most talked about design elements of the evening. We wanted something unique, and they created floral chandeliers that looked like blooming flowers suspended above the tables. The tablescape was equally thoughtful, with grapes delicately placed along the florals, bow-tied candles, and circular menus that fit perfectly into each plate – small touches that made a big impact.”

Married in Lake Como

The bride and groom’s Lake Como wedding experience started on a fashion-forward note, as they enjoyed a pre-wedding photo session with a vintage 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster. It was the perfect way to add a touch of old-world glamour to the weekend.

To calm their nerves before the wedding ceremony, the couple decided early on to have a first look as well. Spending that time together and exchanging private vows turned out to be one of their favorite moments of the day.


“It felt so intimate and special to have a few moments together,” Liz describes, “just the two of us, before the next chapter of our life officially began. During the ceremony, our officiant, Fabio, built in a moment of silence. It gave us time to truly be present, to look out at our friends and family and just take it all in. I truly had to fight the tears back. We felt so lucky to be surrounded by all of our friends and family that flew across the sea to be there to celebrate us. One more aspect of our ceremony that we loved was that we put our printed vows in a box with a nice bottle of wine to open up on a milestone anniversary of choice (10 years).”

Dinner consisted of a three-course dining experience, starting with seared scallops with buffalo mozzarella. Next was a rich truffle brown butter pasta, followed by a bacon-wrapped filet. For dessert, the bride and groom turned their cake cutting into a show by participating in the building of their own wedding cake. With the help of the team from Sunlake Catering, they constructed a traditional Italian millefoglie, while also treating guests to a full dessert table. As a late-night snack, the couple surprised everyone with a pizza truck serving fresh, wood-fired pizzas to cap off an incredible Lake Como evening.

“From the very beginning,” says the bride, “I shared the planning process on TikTok. What started as just wanting to document this chapter turned into something so much more. The love and interest from people all over the world truly made the experience feel even more special, and it brought a new kind of excitement to every planning milestone. Looking back, we wouldn’t change a single thing. Our wedding felt like a true reflection of who we are, and it was the best day of our lives!”

The Honeymoon



After the wedding, the newlyweds set off on the most incredible honeymoon, traveling to the Maldives, Qatar, Greece, and Belgium.

“Each destination brought something new, relaxation, culture, exploration, and incredible food,” says Liz. “We felt so present and grateful the entire trip.”


WEDDING TALENT

Location: Villa Balbiano, Ossuccio, Como, Italy; Planning & Event Design: Oana Events, Italy; Floral Design: Lake Como Florist, Como, Italy; Rentals: Latini Design; Vintage Car: Vague Luxury Rentals; Catering: Sun-lake Catering, Como, Italy; Celebrant: Como Lake Celebrant, Como, Italy; Lights & Sound: Blunotte; Entertainment: Blunotte Show Band; Wedding Dress: Kim Kassas; Hair & Makeup: The Studio, Lake Como, Italy; Photography: Matteo Coltro