Lake Como is the perfect spot for an idyllic, traditional wedding, with acres of flowers, a big white dress and hundreds of guests… except Brooke and Brandon wanted to do things their way. They explained, “We chose our venue based on Episode 2 of Star Wars. Our inspiration came from the scene where Anakin and Padme got married.”

The American couple met at a car show in Austin, Texas, and decided a destination wedding was the ideal choice for them, opting for Lake Como in Italy, as a nod to Brandon’s love of Star Wars. Planning a destination wedding in the middle of a pandemic may have presented a challenge, but Brooke told us, “We had an incredible wedding planner, honestly, everything we did and went through was easy.”

In a step away from tradition, Brooke chose a black wedding dress, however they opted for a more traditional ceremony. Brooke explained, “It was very small and intimate. We decided to go with traditional vows and having a violinist was very romantic. Everything was perfect! We would not have changed a thing!”

With a small wedding, the couple could enjoy everything without having to deal with hundreds of people. They explained, “The best part was the scenery and having the people we love there. It was wonderful to just enjoy each other and our loved ones and not have to cater for 200 people.”

Their biggest expense was the venue as well as travel from the US to Italy, however Brooke told us, “It was the most incredible memorable moment of our lives and we would do it all over again even if it was 10 times the cost!”

Choosing a smaller, destination wedding was the perfect fit for Brooke and Brandon, and Brooke advised that, whatever your wedding looks like, “Soak in every little moment and enjoy the time on your day with each other. Don’t focus or worry about anyone else because it is y’all’s day!”