Candelaria Design Tour Italy - Day 13 - The Grand Finale'

Ok - so I skipped a few days to get to day 13. I will catch up later......

I will post this now and add more pictures later as we are just heading to dinner and then I have to round up my travelers and catch our planes back home in just 10 hours..... so please bear with me. There are several pictures on my personal Facebook Page but more to come here later....so stay tuned.

I skipped to day 13 of our Candelaria Design Tour Italy as today is our final day here and we made it our best day of the trip - the day Isabel and I said our vows and formed a bond that we will share until the last days of our lives. Yes we tied the knot on our last day here in Italy at the Villa d'Este on the terrace by the lake with our Candelaria Tour Italy travelers as our witnesses and guests.

No one on the trip knew we had this on the agenda for the last day of the trip. Isabel and I had been talking about where and when to set our special day and we both realized that Italy is so beautiful, and we have shared so many great times and memories with our travelers, that this would be the perfect way to end the trip and start our journey together. So when we arrived, Evelyn and my staff had beautiful invite cards made that the hotel placed on each traveler's beds upon their arrival letting them know that they were all invited to our special day on their last day in Italy.

Yesterday it rained all day but the hotel staff promised me it would be sunny for the wedding. They made good on their promise and we had a beautiful day. The wedding was at 11 am under the sunshine of a beautiful Italian fall day! The breeze blew lightly and the leaves of the trees of Lake Como waved a soft tempo that set the tone for the day. All 20 of our guests arrived on the terrace and the quartet of violins and cellos started to play The Prayer by Andrea Botecelli and Celine Dion. Little did we realize, John Legend who was staying in our hotel, watched the whole event from his balcony while sipping champagne.

Isabel stroll through the garden led by her escort, Glen Wysel, who filled in for her father. I would say he did a terrific job. Walter Spitz, who flew in a few days before accompanied our good friend, Rebecca Curtis down the aisle and the ceremony was set.

We said our vows along the side of the lake and it was like absolute magic. My Isabel is so beautiful, and add the flowers, the sunshine, the fall breeze and the sound of the water and it was truly magic. One of the most spiritual moments of my life.

Once I kissed the bride we all went and took pictures in the beautiful gardens of Villa d'Este and then had cocktails and appetizers on the terrace under the sunshine with the lovely music of the string quartet. From there we adjourned to the dining room for a lovely 3 hour lunch in the most amazing setting and the food was out of this world.


With lunch enjoyed, it was back onto the terrace for cake and more prosecco and then a three hour boat ride on Lake Como with my bride and a trip to Bellagio for more champagne, a cappuccino, a cigar and views of the villas of George Clooney, Sir Richard Branson, Versace, and many others. What a way to spend the day.

We returned to the hotel for a little relaxation and then it was off to dinner with our entire group for our final evening at the lovely restaurant, Gatto di Nero, with none other than John Legend! What an amazing and lovely day.

I cannot express the gratitude I have for everyone on this trip and my friends who have all stuck by my side through the last 5 years. I must also send special thanks to Evelyn who organized the most spectacular day you could ever imagine! And finally, I must thank the special woman who has made all of my dreams come true...my Isabel. I have truly found my soulmate, my lover, but most importantly my best friend. I love you my dear and this day will live forever.

Ciao from all of us here in Italy.