Wedding photographer Ben Wheeler agrees. “My experience of weddings there tends to be more immersive with long tables for dinners, movement, noise, heat!” he explains. “It’s the kind of place where the setting doesn’t just look beautiful, it adds energy and character to the story. Compared to places like Como or Tuscany, Sicily feels less polished. Shooting there, we have incredible contrasts all in one place: volcanic stone, faded baroque architecture, coastal blues mixed with old-world streets and locals hanging washing that feel completely untouched. ”
Indeed, the selection and drama of the panorama, blended with its melting pot of inspirations – Sicily has, at one time or one other, been dominated by the Moors, Spaniards and Italians – imply that it appears very completely different to the remainder of Italy. “It offers visually striking settings, from the sea to the countryside, citrus groves, vineyards on Mount Etna, each with its own distinct character,” Marina Cacciapuoti, founding father of Italophile journal and journey service, Italy Segreta, explains. “Alongside this is the remarkable variety of historic residences: from fortified bagli, rooted in rural, almost feudal layouts, to grand Baroque palaces with ornate balconies, frescoed ceilings, and dramatic staircases, as well as elegant seaside villas influenced by neoclassical and Liberty styles, and tonnare, old traditional tuna fisheries now transformed into residences. This variety allows for an incredible amount of choice while never failing to deliver a ‘wow’ effect, one that is not artificial, but rooted in history.”
