Lago di Braies
Wedding &
Elopement
Photographer
Calm, honest wedding and elopement photography at the most iconic lake in the Dolomites.
Wooden boathouse, turquoise water, peaks that rise straight from the shore. I have photographed here across many seasons – I know when the gates open, which mooring catches the morning light, and how to make the quiet hours at Lago di Braies work for you.
Check availabilityStill water.
No crowds.
The best light.
Lago di Braies draws thousands of visitors a day in summer – but at sunrise and again toward sunset, the lake belongs to you. The Dolomite peaks mirror themselves in glassy water, the wooden boats sit quietly at their moorings, and the light does things a studio could never replicate.
I have shot here in June fog, July heat, and September frost. I know the access rules, the boat-hire timing through La Palafitta, and the exact spots where the reflection hits perfectly. You bring yourselves. I bring the rest.
Four ways
to the lake.
I'm a photographer, not a planner. Whatever brings you to Lago di Braies, the focus is the same: images you'll keep for a lifetime. Every option below starts from a fixed base rate – full details on the pricing page.
Elopement
Say your vows at first light by the boathouse, just the two of you – a full sunrise (or sunset) at the most iconic lake in the Dolomites. Includes location and light planning, and your full edited gallery.
Intimate wedding
A small ceremony or blessing at Lago di Braies with your closest people, documented calmly from the first look onward. Includes timing around the light and your full edited gallery.
Proposal
Plan the surprise – I stay hidden until the moment, then turn it into a relaxed couple session by the water. Includes scouting, the reveal moment and your full edited gallery.
Couple session
Engagement, honeymoon or anniversary: a sunrise walk and boat portraits at Lago di Braies. Includes light planning and your full edited gallery.
Sunrise.
Vows.
The boat.
We meet at the lake at first light – usually before the summer gates open to cars. The first moments are always a walk along the shore as the sky shifts. Then the boat: quiet, drifting, just the two of you and the mountains. If you are exchanging vows, the dock by the boathouse is where the stillness is absolute.
Sessions run one to two hours. For full elopement days we combine the lake with an afternoon hike, a mountain refuge lunch or – for the most extraordinary option – a helicopter flight to peaks in the Dolomites that no trail can reach.
Plan your sessionPlanning & the best light at Lago di Braies
Lago di Braies is protected, and access is regulated — planning around it is exactly what gets you calm, glowing images instead of crowds.
Driving in summer. From 1 July to 15 September, cars can only reach the lake between 09:00 and 16:00, and only with an advance online reservation. Outside that window — early morning and evening — the road is open.
Why that's good news for your photos. It points us straight to the best light anyway: before 09:00 (sunrise) and after 16:00 into sunset. That's when the water is still, the peaks glow, and the lake is quietest — so that's when I plan your session.
The historic rowing boats. The wooden boats run seasonally (late April to early November), widest hours in high summer. If the boathouse is part of your vision, we time the shoot to the boat hours.
Booking. Shooting slots at the boathouse can be reserved from 2 February each year — book early for peak dates.
Drones. As of 2026, drones are strictly prohibited at the lake, monitored by rangers and fined — no aerial footage here.
Rowing-boat hours, 2026 season
| Period | First boat | Last boat |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Apr – 22 May | 10:00 | 16:00 |
| 23 May – 19 Jun | 09:00 | 17:30 |
| 20 Jun – 06 Sep | 08:00 | 18:00 |
| 07 Sep – 27 Sep | 09:00 | 17:30 |
| 28 Sep – 30 Oct | 10:00 | 16:30 |
| 31 Oct – 01 Nov | 09:00 | 16:30 |
Hours are set by the boathouse and can change year to year. We confirm the exact boat window when we lock in your date.
La Palafitta,
on the lake.
The historic boathouse on Lago di Braies — home to the wooden rowboats in your photos — is run by La Palafitta. If you'd like a boat during your session, they're who to talk to; I coordinate the timing around your light so the boat and the best hour line up.
Visit La Palafitta →What it
costs.
A sunrise or sunset session at Lago di Braies (one to two hours) starts at €1,200. Full elopement days – including vows, boat portraits, and a multi-location afternoon – are quoted individually based on the scope of your day. Travel from Innsbruck/Tyrol is included for Lago di Braies.
I photograph – I don't plan. If you want florals, a celebrant, permits and logistics fully covered, I'm happy to connect you with my sister brand Mountain Elopement →
Photo of the Day – Lago di Braies
Everything you
need to know.
When is the best time for photos at Lago di Braies?
Around sunrise (before 09:00) or late afternoon into sunset (after 16:00) — softest light, calm water, fewest people. In summer (1 Jul–15 Sep) the daytime car restriction makes these hours the natural choice anyway.
Do we need a car reservation?
In summer (1 Jul–15 Sep), yes — to drive to the lake between 09:00 and 16:00 you need an online reservation. For sunrise or sunset sessions outside those hours it isn't required.
Can we use the rowing boats?
Yes, seasonally (roughly late April to early November; longest hours in high summer). We plan around the boat hours, and shooting slots are bookable from 2 February each year.
Can you fly a drone at the lake?
No — since 2026 drones are strictly banned at Lago di Braies and enforced by rangers.
How much does a Lago di Braies session cost?
From €1,200 — see the full pricing.
The lake.
The light.
Just you two.
Tell me your date and what you have in mind. I'll let you know if it's available and talk through what a session at Lago di Braies could look like for you.
Check availabilityWe had such an amazing experience with Andy — he was so kind and fun to be around. We had an elopement at Lago di Braies with our dog and Andy could not have been more accommodating, helping us pose, feel comfortable and share this amazing moment all together.