Armenian wedding in Venice at San Lazzaro degli Armeni

Armenian destination wedding in Venice at San Lazzaro degli Armeni

If you are here you are probably planning your Armenian wedding in Venice at San Lazzaro degli Armeni Island. Venice in fact, is the best place for elopements and intimate or real destination weddings in Italy. Looking for your wedding photographer in Venice? Look no further.

San Lazzaro degli Armeni island is one of the many little islands in the Venetian lagoon. Lying between Venice and the Lido, this quiet and beautiful island is destination of many couples in love. A dream for every wedding photographer in Venice! It is such beautiful place for Armenian weddings. As a Venice photographer I have the luck to document a lot of weddings. One of them was indeed, this elegant Armenian destination wedding.

A SLICE OF ARMENIA

This picturesque island houses the Armenian Catholic church since 1717. Formerly a leper colony, this island was the gift by Doge Alviso Mocenigo to an Armenian monk named Mekhitar. He fled persecution in Constantinople and arrived with twenty followers. He wanted to find a monastery dedicated to the cultural and spiritual rebirth of the Armenian people. Home to the monastery of the Mekhitarists, many Armenians who visit Venice take a day trip to this small island. Well – kept, comfortable, with groves of cypresses; a neat little white campanile, an onion shaped cupola. Unlike many of Venice’s religious houses, San Lazzaro was not shut down under Napoleone’s rule. Therefore, thankfully it still remains in operation today. It is one of the three foremost centers of Armenian culture in the world, beside the one in Vienna and Armenia itself.

An interesting feature about this island is related to Lord Byron! For instance, for the general public, San Lazzaro’s main tourist attraction is his story. Many people believe that Byron’s spirit haunts the island. When asked to think of San Lazzaro they think firs of Byron and only secondly of the Armenians. Lord Byron was a friend of the Armenian people. He became interested in the Armenian language – “the language to speak with God” – and culture. Looking at it as a way to fight his boredom. In addition, he was often swimming there from his home on the Grand Canal! In only six months he taught himself the language and began translating books!

As a lover of classic music I must mention that numerous individuals visited this island. Composers such as Offenbach, Rossini, Tchaikovsky and Wagner!

FROM ARMENIA TO VENICE TO SAY “I DO”. COCKTAIL PARTY AND GONDOLA RIDE FOR EVERYONE!

As mentioned, many times before, Venice is undoubtedly one of the most romantic cities of the world. The perfect choice for those who are looking for elegance and romance. Should you want to form your own personal bond with San Lazzaro, keep in mind that it is possible to get married here but only after you have tied the knot at home.

When Hagop decided to propose to Lilith, the pressure was on to make the proposal and engagement ring special. Above all, her family has owned a fine jewelry company for many generations! With a common wish to celebrate their Armenian heritage throughout their wedding, Lilith and Hagop chose to have a traditional Armenian marriage ceremony in Venice. Where exactly? At San Lazzaro degli Armeni island. They chose the elegance and the beauty of the Westin Europa & Regina as place where to spend some special days with friends and family.

A fantastic hotel overlooking the Grand Canal. We met them the day before for the cocktail party which took place nearby their hotel. The cherry on the top of the cake was the gondola ride for the guests! After some joyful toasts we reached the gondolas station at “Gondola Bauer” in Rio San Moise’. It was a personalized gondola tour as it took us on the Grand Canal, enjoying the beauty of Rialto Bridge. From there we headed to a restaurant nearby for the rehearsal dinner.

Armenian destination wedding in Venice at San Lazzaro degli Armeni

THE BEAUTY OF THE MONASTERY. ARMENIAN WEDDING CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS

The day of the wedding, Hagop, the guests and my partner left the hotel all together with a private boat. However, Lilith, her father, me and the girls reached the island on a water taxi. She was happy, radiant and elegant, holding her bridal bouquet of white roses. Once you cross the entrance of this old monastery, you will be amazed by the beauty of the the garden. Beautifully kept! A sense of peace and spirituality you are literally surrounded by! The small and beautifully decorated church is simply magnificent with its blue and gold painted ceiling. Such a unique and breathless atmosphere for an Armenian wedding.

After a short walk across the charming cloister Lilith reached her groom at the entrance of this beautiful church. It was such a solemn ceremony! It took approximately one hour, with each part having a special meaning. The priest blessed the couple exchanging their rings. The right hands of the bride and the groom are joined as a symbol of their unity. Then the crowning. Crowns worn by bride and groom are symbols of their own kingdom or home. Facing one another, Hagop’s best man stood between them holding a cross over their heads. Following on there is a blessing of the common cup; this as memory of the marriage at Cana of Galilee where Christ was present. At the end the priest blessed the couple asking Christ to protect them.

Armenian destination wedding in Venice at San Lazzaro degli Armeni

THE RECEPTION AT THE WESTIN EUROPA & REGINA

The ritual ceremony was followed by a short photo session. San Giorgio island with Venice as backdrop and San Marco square There were too many people around so the shooting in the historical center didn’t take too long. In the meantime, the wedding crew moved back to the Westin where the cocktail hour was waiting for them. Guests spent the evening dancing, eating and celebrating the newlyweds. A touching speech was hold by the groom and the best man and then everyone hit the dance floor. A live musician and a dj played a selection of songs the couple had hand-picked.

Armenian destination wedding in Venice at San Lazzaro degli Armeni

WHY THE NEXT MORNING POST WEDDING PHOTO SESSION?

When Lilith contacted me, the first thing that she told me was how important photography is to their wedding. This is one of the most common things that couples tell me at the very beginning. If you are going to hire a professional Venice wedding photographer you obviously are expecting some great results. Nevertheless, there is one detail that never seems to get much consideration from brides and grooms to be. This will have the most impact to the final look of your wedding photos! This so important detail is the time of the day.

Lighting in photography is most likely something that you even consider on a day to day basis. You are probably not familiar with how this could impact the look of the photos. The reason that this detail is not considered as it should be is because the shooting is done when it has to be done. Which means, it simply has to fit into the schedule. This reveals the true importance of the images. Not only but also the level of compromise that the newlyweds are willing to make.

If a professional wedding photographer would somehow be able to pick the ideal time to take the couple photos, he would most probably make his decision based on the time of sunset. It depends on the particular time of the year and region they will be in. Recently I’ve published an interesting blog about “What is the best time to have photoshoot in Venice?”. Don’t hesitate to check it out! I will never get tired to repeat and explain that the key of the photographic result is the light. Magic happens during the golden hour which happens to be at sunrise and sunset time. Why is golden hour better for photos, especially the early morning in Venice?

Venice is one of the most visited cities in the world. This picturesque and stunning island is a living souvenir, unfortunately full of tourists everywhere. In other words, finding an uncrowded corner, especially in the most beautiful and suggestive spots during the day is almost impossible. In Venice, the early morning is literally golden. The streets are empty and the whole island assumes such surreal value.

The most evocative places are filled with beautifully warm natural light. As a Venice photographer, in these optimal conditions my heart is full of pure joy and excitement. Shooting against the light creating warm lens flares in front of San Marco’s Basilica is my favorite combo! These are the reasons why Lilith and Hagop followed my advice. Taking advantage of the morning light, the next day of their wedding. Stress free enjoying the stunning beauty of Venice.