Tonnara Di Scoppello |
Sicily, Italy
Sue and Elliot
I'll never forget my first call with Sue. She was prepping pasta in her kitchen, casually telling me about her plans to get married in a tiny fishing village off the coast of Sicily. The venue was a 250-year-old former fishing home where Italian men used to row out to catch swordfish and sell them at the market. When she mentioned Zara and Vogue had featured it, I was instantly hooked.
My team and I flew from Vancouver to Rome, then to Palermo, and finally took a two-hour shuttle to Scopello—a town with just 16 residents, only seven of whom stay year-round. The charm was unreal. The rocks, walls, doors, and floors all had a texture that could only come from years of ocean and wind. You can't replicate that anywhere else.
The wedding kicked off with a beautiful welcome dinner where Sue and Elliot were surrounded by friends and family who'd traveled from all over the world. It set the tone perfectly.
The morning started with breakfast, then Sue jumped in the ocean for a traditional Sicilian swim before getting ready. Her dress was custom-made, one-of-a-kind, and stunning. The room where she got ready had creaky floors, the sound of waves rolling in, the smell of saltwater, and beautiful natural light pouring through the windows. Magic.
Here's the thing—Sicily isn't supposed to get rain, but on this day, it poured for a couple of hours. Luckily, the rain stopped just in time for the ceremony. We borrowed Sue and Elliot for 25 minutes to take photos around the property before it started again.
One of the most beautiful moments happened during their photo session. They weren't planning a first dance in front of everyone, so we created a private moment just for them. We played music, and they had their first dance together, away from the guests. So intimate and sweet.
The reception was incredible. The menu featured swordfish prosciutto, and the cake cutting was unforgettable. It was pouring again, and Sue wanted to do something fun. I told her, "Let's just cut it outside. If we get wet, we get wet." She loved it. We brought the cake onto the platform where boats used to dock, and miraculously, the rain stopped. They popped champagne, cut the cake with all their guests watching, and it was epic.
The night ended with dancing in the old fishing boat cave, a ridiculous 40-foot sandwich, and Sue and Elliot changing outfits to jump into the ocean with wedding cake in hand.
