Weddings: how I turn your wedding into a party (post-Covid)

We interviewed Manuela di Quirico, who together with her colleague Lorella Ferrazza founded the wedding planning company Le Donne del Lago. 

What could be better than a dream wedding in the setting of Garda Lake? We’re talking about Le Donne del Lago, they have chosen the Benaco as the perfect location for the many weddings they have been organizing for foreigners and Italians for years with passion and professionalism. 

Manuela di Quirico, one of the founders of the company together with her colleague Lorella Ferrazza, tells us how the world of weddings has changed since Covid and what the trends are for 2023. 

Post-Covid marriages: how has this market evolved?

The world of weddings has restarted somewhat quietly after Covid. It is certainly one of the sectors that has suffered most from the forced stop. 

Finally after last year’s limitations, we can say with certainty that this year and next year the wedding market is growing and will grow exponentially. Although there is great enthusiasm, we can say that nothing is the same as before. Covid has definitely left its mark on our lives and this also has an impact on the choices of future brides and grooms.

Can you explain better what you mean?

We have noticed that the very way in which marriage is conceived has changed. 

Until a few years ago we were often asked for intimate weddings, with a few selected guests, now we notice a greater preference for a more festive ‘big day’. The future bride and groom ask us for a nice party, the so-called wedding party. 

As a result, the attitude towards guests has also changed; they are treated with great care and attention, I would say pampered. 

What kind of weddings do you organize most?

We work mainly with foreigners and organize destination weddings, where our guests can experience a weekend away, in a dream location such as Garda Lake, Valpolicella or Trentino Alto Adige, where the wedding is the highlight of several days.

As part of the program we organize the so-called wedding chapters: on Fridays the pre-wedding dinner, on Saturdays the wedding and party and on Sundays a brunch or a barbecue to say goodbye before departure. We also include experiences such as a wine tasting. 

Who chooses Garda Lake as a destination?

Those who get married on Lake Garda love the relaxing and sometimes somewhat melancholic atmosphere of the Benaco, its mild climate and Italian style, especially if the bride and groom-to-be are foreigners. 

Those who come to us are, on average, from a medium-high spending target group, who already have a fair knowledge of our culture and who demand genuine food, good wine and above all our typical Italian touch of elegance and cheerfulness. 

What are the locations of your weddings?

Our customers often choose lakeside villas that are unique for their location and historical value, but also more bucolic and naturalistic settings such as a farmhouse or private villas in the middle of the Valpolicella vineyards. What they no longer ask for are hotels, which are considered anonymous and lacking in warmth. 

What are the main trends for the coming years?

I would say first of all, attention to the person, care for the guest and their comfort. Secondly, the use of increasingly green choices, from the paper for invitations, to the food, to the choice of plants for the table centerpieces and not cut flowers. 

Finally, the desire to organize a party with lots of creativity: for this we often resort to fireworks, fountains of light, strobe balls reminiscent of a 1970s disco, or fluorescent make-up for the evening. There is also no limit to creativity in the use of islands with vintage carpets and furniture or flashy chandeliers. 

Who is a wedding planner?

He is definitely a creative and multi-tasking person, who has an idea of what project management is, who also knows how to put a bit of psychology into the management of future brides and grooms, and above all a professional. We are not allowed to make mistakes or repeat ourselves, so we must have a great spirit of reliability, problem solving and transparency. 

Unfortunately, in Italy, compared to other countries, this profession is still little recognized. 

How did Le donne del Lago come about? 

Lorella and I met at the wedding planner course. And during this training experience our colleagues called us The Women of Garda Lake, because we both lived here. When we decided to embark on this professional adventure together, we thought this nickname suited us perfectly, as well as being easy to remember. So, we have been calling ourselves that way ever since.