Many customers tell me, “We want to get married in Sicily. Which are the luxury venues we can visit for our wedding?”

I am always dumbfounded because many excellent venues in Sicily can be considered a luxury.

First, we should start with the definition of luxury: what does luxury mean to you, and how can this be reconciled with authentic Sicilian luxury? I have spoken in several articles about how Sicilian luxury differs from the first image that jumps out at us when we pronounce the term luxury wedding.

I always say it: getting married in Sicily is already a luxe. For its flourishing landscapes, transparent waters, long history and fertile lands of precious typicality. It is not Milan’s glittering, glam and glossy luxe or the crowded European capitals.

It is a luxe that smacks of tradition, welcome and calm. A luxe that tastes like home.

And we will see it very clearly in the top 7 of the most beautiful luxury locations for a wedding in Sicily.

Wedding location in Sicily by the sea: between tradition and crystalline luxury

The sea is the Sicilian attraction par excellence. That’s why it doesn’t surprise me that so many couples don’t want to get married near the sea but right on the sea. And so here are the most exclusive locations in front of the sea.

Tonnara di Scopello: history and tradition become exclusive

Tonnara di Scopello is among Sicily’s most sought-after wedding locations. From all over Italy and worldwide, couples with a Sicilian dream come to get married in this small fishing village with an incredible history.

Gilda Fontana

The first establishment dates back to the 1200s, but it is only from the mid-1400s that we can speak of a real tuna fishery. The tonnara was nothing more than a sea area – in this case, around Scopello – granted by the King to particular figures for exclusive use. The fishermen, therefore, lived in the tonnara of Scopello, and the catch was processed.

What does all this have to do with one of Sicily’s most popular seaside wedding locations?

Since 1987 the tonnara has stopped doing its job and has been completely renovated and readapted into a widespread hotel. Today the tonnara has 14 apartments, a magnificent Mediterranean garden, a sea-view courtyard overlooking the incredible Scopello stacks and all the spaces necessary to host a truly exclusive wedding.

Celebrating your wedding at the Tonnara di Scopello means having a village entirely to yourself, perfect for a wedding, pre and post-wedding. Furthermore, this place can also host many of your guests for the night, which is why it is in great demand for destination weddings in Sicily.

But be careful: it must be booked years in advance and requires a reasonable budget!

Tonnara Marzamemi: the luxury of authenticity

Tonnara Marzamemi is a baroque tonnara and one of the most exclusive wedding locations in Eastern Sicily. Less articulated than the Tonnara di Scopello, it comprises three main places: the loggia and the courtyard – where weddings can be hosted – and the Palazzo Villadorata.

The loggia is a 750 square meter hall where the boats were originally stored after fishing. The courtyard, on the other hand, connected directly to the loggia, is an ample space overlooking the sea. The wedding banquet can be set up in both.

The Palazzo Villadorata can instead accommodate up to 20 guests, with two suites on the ground floor and the magnificent apartment of the Prince on the second floor. This, with five bathrooms, five bedrooms and a dining room, can be perfect for newlyweds and family.

For all couples, it is essential to know that next to the loggia, we find the Church of Marzamemi, where it is possible to celebrate religious marriages.

 

 

Capofaro: from the vineyards to the sea

When we talk about seaside locations, we cannot fail to mention the wonder of Capofaro. Capofaro is not on the sea but in the sea! Capofaro is at the centre of a Malvasia vineyard on a sea promontory. This splendid wedding location is in Salina, one of the most beautiful Aeolian Islands.

The inn has 27 rooms and can be booked – well in advance – exclusively. In the Capofaro area, there is also an ancient 19th-century lighthouse – hence the name – which today houses a small museum and 5 incredible suites furnished in a modern minimalist style.

Getting married in Capofaro means immersing yourself in the authentic Sicilian landscape: luxuriant and colourful nature, crystal clear sea and good food.

A perfect location for a truly exclusive wedding.

 

If you want to know more about Capofaro, I also discussed it in my article on wedding locations in the Aeolian Islands.

Castles for weddings in Sicily

With its incredible historical wealth, Sicily can offer princesses looking for a castle many beautiful locations for their weddings. Recollecting all our castles would be impossible: I chose the two I love the most.

Xirumi Castle: breathe Sicily

Xirumi Castle dates back to the 1500s and is immersed in one of the most extensive citrus groves in all of Sicily. Suggestive and elegant, today it is a fabulous location for weddings and luxury events.

The strong point of Castello Xirumi, in addition to its obvious beauty, is the versatility of the solutions it offers.

It has a large courtyard area to host outdoor imperial tables, a 400 m2 swimming pool for fascinating cake cuts and several interior rooms with brick vaults with an unmistakable medieval air.

But another point in favour of this location is the possibility of setting up the banquet in the middle of the scents and colours of the property’s citrus grove. And this is something unique for a real Sicilian-themed wedding!

Castello Lanza Branciforte: a beautiful story of the sea

Castello Lanza Branciforte (PA) could be part of the first category we have talked about, the seaside locations. In fact, even this luxury wedding location in Sicily is right on the edge of crystal-clear waters!

Why choose it? For its incredible terraces overlooking the sea that can host both the wedding banquet and the symbolic ceremony – with a panorama that has nothing to envy to the classic photos of ceremonies in Santorini that we see online.

The gardens and inner halls offer two other spaces, all of which can be exploited to create a wedding in an authentic princely style.

Sicily wedding villas: luxury and extra luxury

As with castles, listing all the Sicily wedding villas and farms where romantic luxury weddings can be organized would be impossible. Here are the two in my area that has been my couples’ favourites for decades – and of many VIPs.

Commenda San Calogero: aristocracy on vacation

Commenda San Calogero is the typical aristocratic summer residence. Immersed in the countryside north of Syracuse and in a beautiful wheat field, this location is perfect for spring weddings. La Commenda has 12 rooms and a SPA and can be reserved exclusively for private events.

The large courtyard and the wheat field – with its internal clearing – offer two lovely possibilities for a buffet and a Sicilian-style wedding banquet. On the other hand, the farm supplies km0 products that could become tasty wedding favours for your guests.

But if the simple luxury of a manor house is not enough for you…Dimora delle Balze is the solution.

Dimora delle Balze: extra luxury between modernity and tradition

Among the villas for weddings in Sicily, the most famous, the most luxurious and today, the best known is Dimora delle Balze in Noto. Not for nothing else was the background of the fairytale wedding of Chiara Ferragni and Fedez!

Dimora delle Balze is not a case of fashion: this wedding location is genuinely luxurious and valid. What attracts so much attention is the unique mix of elegance, modern design and tradition that we find only at Dimora delle Balze. The large outdoor spaces of this 19th-century farmhouse and the excellent internal design support service allow for configuring the spaces according to the couple’s wishes. There is nothing that cannot be done at Dimora delle Balze!

The residence is dated back to 1800 and was completely renovated with a conservative restoration in 2009. Today it offers guests 12 rooms with design furnishings, a fantastic outdoor courtyard, a swimming pool area and extensive gardens. Also, in this case, the residence booked exclusively is at the spouses’ and guests’ complete disposal. Of course, here, the budget will have to be a little higher!

Luxury is not just the venues

Whether you decide to celebrate the wedding you have longed for in a seaside location, in a castle or in a villa of the past, remember that luxury is not just in the venues.

Luxury is in the atmosphere, the attention to detail, the services, and the way you make your guests feel on your (but theirs) big day.

To have all this, a wedding planning service is essential. As I explained in my article on authentic luxury, Sicily is a rich but complex land. For example, many locations we have listed are completely isolated and have few access routes.

For this reason and many others, I’m here waiting to hear your stories.

Photo Credits: Rosita Lipari; Janis Ratnieks;  Gianmarco Vetrano; Alessio Camiolo; Alberto Cosenza; Nucleika;