From a message she almost ignored to a gown that became four dresses in one: Mahlagha’s Lake Como wedding, and the Versailles gown that made her feel like royalty.

Every love story begins somewhere. For Mahlagha, it began with a message she almost ignored.

She had joined a dating app because her friends insisted. She didn’t believe in it and had no real intention of meeting anyone, so she ignored most of her messages, including Armin’s. But he was persistent, kind, and unfailingly sweet, and unlike everyone else, he never gave up on her.

After six months of phone calls, they finally agreed to meet. As a public figure, Mahlagha chose a small boutique restaurant, hoping no one would recognize her. Instead, the moment she walked in, two girls recognized her, asked for a photo, and handed Armin the camera before their date had even begun.

It was exactly what she had hoped to avoid. But Armin loved it. What could have been an awkward start became one of the first signs that he was different. He embraced every part of her life from the very beginning, and they never stopped seeing each other after that.

On June 10, 2025, Armin proposed on the Amalfi Coast. Exactly one year later, on June 10, 2026, they exchanged vows on the shores of Lake Como at Villa Erba, surrounded by everyone they love.

A vision rooted in timelessness

From the very beginning, Mahlagha and Armin knew exactly how they wanted their wedding to feel: timeless, authentic, and deeply meaningful. They have always been drawn to things with history and character, whether it’s antique cameras, handwritten invitations, or ancient architecture.

Modern can be beautiful, but there’s something irreplaceable about authenticity. That’s exactly why Italy captured their hearts.

“Every building, every painting, every stone feels like it has lived through centuries and has a story to tell,” Mahlagha says. Lake Como had felt like a little piece of heaven to her long before the engagement, and she had dreamed of getting married there for years.

Their vision was simple: create something genuine, timeless, and unforgettable, so every guest would feel like they had stepped into another era. Looking back, she says, it truly did feel like the fairytale they had imagined.

Finding the Versailles gown

Before discovering Lee Petra Grebenau, Mahlagha had tried on countless gowns. “They all started to blur together,” she says.

She didn’t know much about the brand before her first appointment, but the moment she stepped into her first Lee Petra gown, she immediately saw the difference. The attention to detail was unlike anything she had found elsewhere. Every stitch, every lace application, and every embellishment felt intentional and handcrafted.

The Versailles gown was the design that captured her heart. “It had a regal, authentic elegance that made me feel like royalty without ever tipping into trendy.”

From the very beginning, she knew she wanted to personalize it. Together with the atelier, the original design evolved into something uniquely hers. With a custom overskirt, the gown could be worn four different ways, making it feel like four dresses in one while still remaining the same masterpiece.

“It wasn’t just about wearing a beautiful gown,” she says. “It was about wearing one that told my story and matched the timeless, romantic atmosphere we were creating at Villa Erba.” “It became the dress I’d dreamed of my whole life, one I’d choose again in every lifetime.”

The moment it all became real

The second Mahlagha stepped into her finished Versailles gown, everything changed. “A year of dreaming suddenly felt real.”

She says the gown matched every detail of Villa Erba perfectly. She had always dreamed of feeling like a queen on her wedding day, and that’s exactly how the gown made her feel: confident, elegant, and timeless.

Knowing how much thought had gone into customizing it made it feel less like a designer gown and more like her gown. “A true reflection of who I am.”

When she finally looked in the mirror, it became one of those rare moments where reality was even more beautiful than the dream.

The moments she’ll never forget

Looking back, one moment stands above all the others. Walking down the aisle and seeing Armin waiting for her.

“Everything else disappeared.” After a year of planning, every bit of excitement and anticipation led to that single moment.

Their first dance became another unforgettable memory. Before stepping onto the dance floor, Mahlagha transformed the gown once again, removing the mermaid skirt and wearing only the custom overskirt, bustled in the back with a loop skirt underneath to create a full princess silhouette that was light, regal, and made for dancing.

And then there was dinner. Looking around the table at Villa Erba and realizing that everyone they loved had traveled from every corner of the world to celebrate with them. “It’s one of those moments you wish you could slow down, because you know you’ll never live it in quite the same way again.”

Images by @vlasta.weddings
Content creator @mindfully.captured