As a Sicilian wedding planner, I can tell you that the destination wedding in Sicily is the trend of the moment. Never as in the last year have I received requests from Italian or foreign couples who wish to pronounce their yes immersed in the fairytale landscapes of my land. However, not everyone knows what it means to organise a destination wedding, especially in Sicily!
The magnificent photos of the online galleries make everything look wonderful and simple. I have nothing to object to on the wonderful but on the simple …
Let’s talk about everything you need to know and evaluate before organising your destination wedding in Sicily.
Gabriele Crisafulli Film
Between the classic wedding, elopement and new formats
Many of the spectacular photographs of destination weddings that we see online actually depict simple elopements. I say simple because although they are still ceremonies with all their elements and details to take care of, the fact that they involve a small and intimate group of people makes them much more suitable for a destination format.
Bringing 20 people to Sicily is certainly easier than landing 150!
A wedding with a small number of guests could be the winning formula. An event with over 200 guests could turn out to be more complex. Especially if – as often happens – the spouses will take care of the guests’ accommodation! For this reason, the first thing to consider when dreaming of a destination wedding in Sicily is your wedding format.
As a wedding planner, I organise all kinds of weddings, from classic Italian-style weddings to Anglo-Saxon long weddings to modern cocktail parties or brunch.
If you want to discover all the latest trends, I leave you this article about the wedding banquet.
I always recommend choosing a concierge service for a high-level destination wedding with many guests. With this wedding format, if the unexpected is always around the corner, the solution for many guests could be thousands of miles away.
Concierge for spouses and guests: against all unforeseen events
What is the concierge service? An administrative office dedicated to guests. An element that should be present in every destination wedding, anywhere in the world. At least if you want a smooth event!
The concierge staff attend to all guest needs. Even unexpected events! Did the bridesmaid forget the dress on the other side of Europe? We find a solution. Did the groom lose the twins? Let’s fix it.
When evaluating a destination wedding in Sicily, ensure this service is included. Don’t have it…better not think about it!
How long should a destination wedding in Sicily last?
Another aspect to consider is the time available. You can’t pop to Sicily to get married. As we will see, even the connections and transport in this land take a long time.
If you only have one day available, Sicily is not the right place for your destination wedding. Or worse, if you know that most of your guests can’t spend more than a day on your wedding – for family or business reasons – again, you should consider other options.
This does not mean you will have to give up the Sicilian dream.
You could organize a splendid intimate destination wedding in the elopement format in Sicily!
And then celebrate with a new reception closer to your guests.
A destination wedding in Sicily cannot take place in less than a weekend. The duration is usually 3 days, with a pre-wedding dinner and a post-wedding lunch. Just think that among my foreign clients are those who celebrate a whole wedding week. A one-week holiday with different activities organised for spouses, relatives and closest friends.
If you’re wondering where to accommodate your guests for at least a weekend, it’s time to talk about the locations.
I warned you that organising a destination wedding in Sicily is more complex than it seems!
The locations for a destination wedding in Sicily
Sicily is second to no place in the world for beauty and variety of landscapes. In this land’s infinite wealth, you can find everything – except (perhaps) the winter shelters.
- Castles and villages – like Castello Lanza Branciforte in Trabia (PA)
- Historic buildings – like Palazzo Manganelli in Catania
- Traditional farms – like Susafa in Palermo area
- Wineries and vineyards – like Feudi del Pisciotto Wine Relais
- Boutique hotels and design villas – like Zash Country Boutique Hotel & SPA
Some of these locations have rooms where your guests can stay. Everyone will likely find their place within the reception location if your wedding is really intimate. But it’s rarely the case! For a classic wedding, you must help your guest find accommodation.
Precisely for this reason, the concierge service for guests is essential!
As a local wedding planner, also, in this case, I can help you in making the accommodation of the guests easier. And make your people feel truly special in a luxury wedding!
All the more so if you decide to choose the Sicilian Islands…
Sicily or the Aeolian Islands?
So far, I have assumed that your dream wedding was in Sicily. But have you also thought about the incredible crystalline waters of the Aeolian Islands?
Salina, Lipari, Vulcano and Panarea are islands that are not easy to exclude from the list of breathtaking places to celebrate your wedding. Haven’t you considered them? This article on the best wedding locations in the Aeolian Islands will make you think again!
The destination wedding in the Aeolian Islands needs a cautious organisation. If only for the variability of the weather (especially the wind) and the connections!
Do you dream of a wedding on the beach, on these islands or in “continental” Sicily?
Again, it’s more complex than it sounds.
The destination wedding on Sicilian beaches
The sound of clear and bright water, the sea breeze and the sunset over a colourful and lively seaside village. This is the setting for the perfect beach ceremony in Sicily that many couples describe to me.
Unfortunately, getting married on the beach in this land of sun and ripe fruit isn’t that simple. Few areas between Sicily and the Aeolian Islands allow weddings on the beach. Because of the beauty of the site, many areas are protected. Due to their conformation, others are not safe enough for a ceremony.
No, you don’t have to put aside your dream of a beach wedding. I have dedicated an entire article to the wedding by the sea, with solutions and proposals to make your dream come true…with my help!
The outdoor wedding in Sicily: more symbolic than civil
Between the location and the formula, we find the theme of the validity of the rite. Like almost all couples who want to get married in Sicily, you also want an outdoor ritual, we should choose a symbolic ceremony.
In many locations, it is possible to celebrate the wedding ceremony. But, not being municipal houses or authorised places, this rite is not valid for the state!
Don’t worry. We can still organise a ceremony full of emotions, perhaps choosing from the 10 symbolic rites I have selected for you.
Getting around Sicily: private transfers
Sicily does not shine for its road network and public transport. Even if it did, many (many) of the most beautiful locations are surrounded by nature, isolated and with stretches of dirt road to go. For this reason, organising a destination wedding in Sicily also means thinking about the transfer of oneself and of the guests.
Functional solutions for a smooth transfer are:
- high-end minivan
- private buses with all comforts
- car rental for guests and support upon arrival at the location(s)
Clearly, each service will aim to make your guests feel part of an event in which they are the protagonists.
The authentic luxury of a true Sicilian wedding
Organising a destination wedding in Sicily is not child’s play. Knowing every face of Sicily in depth is essential to get only the best from this beautiful and complex land. In addition to the particularities of the destination format!
As a genuine Sicilian wedding planner, I have been organising luxury weddings for many years.
The destination wedding in Sicily is not just luxury but authentic luxury. What does it mean? I talked about it in this article on the luxury wedding in Sicily, and here where I talk about a truly Sicilian wedding I worked on.
In short, the key to luxury in Sicily is authenticity. About what?
- Nature – florid and bright;
- Food – delicious and locally sourced;
- Locations – which respect the tradition and history of the island without sacrificing any comfort;
- Materials – invitations, dresses, fittings and details.
But, above all, of the service to the spouses and guests. As I always say, the wedding is yours, but it is for your guests. And in the destination wedding in Sicily, there are many details to take care of to make everything fluid and perfect.
Are you determined to organise your wedding in Sicily? I am here for you.
But contact me well in advance: my agenda is filling up fast for the next two years!
Photo Credits: Giuseppe Santanastasio Photographer; Elisa Trusso