The Perfect Itinerary for your Wedding in Taormina, Sicily

Destination weddings in Sicily are endlessly special, and having spent lots of time there with my couples I’m in a great spot to offer inspiration for your very own perfect wedding itinerary in Taormina. I’m sharing the best wedding venues in the area, which time of year to choose, and exactly which venues you should host your events at, with a budget guide and the island’s must-sees to round it all off.

Where to get married in Sicily – why Taormina is my top pick.

Whenever I’m asked about the best place to get married in Sicily, I always say Taormina – it’s one of my absolute favourite towns in the whole of Italy. The storybook collection of pretty buildings on the hillside makes it one of the most beautiful towns to wander through (gelato in hand!), and it’s connected to gorgeous beaches with the clearest water by the famous cable car.

The place feels both chic and authentic while overflowing with Italian charm. Hosting your wedding in Taormina not only means you celebrate the picturesque, coastal day of your dreams, you’re also really well connected to the island’s other attractions – the ancient Greek amphitheater for history lovers, a hike up Mount Etna for the adventurous, and a selection of lovely Baroque towns to eat, wander and shop for the dolce vita embracers. 

When is the best time of year to get married in Sicily?

My favourite time of year for a Taormina wedding is September – early autumn in Italy is so underrated, with warm, pleasant weather, sea temperatures you can swim in, and less tourists. I recommend avoiding the peak months of July and August – it’s very hot and very busy.

The best wedding venues in Taormina:

The Belmond Sant Andrea in Taormina Mare is one of the most wonderful wedding venues in Sicily, with its own private beachfront, beautiful subtropical gardens, and a bay view terrace. It’s stylishly done and just a cable car ride from central Taormina (or you can utilise their private transfers), and offers one of the best wedding dinner settings you could ever hope for. Pop a pin in this one, because we’ll be coming back to it in our perfect Taormina wedding itinerary below.

Inland sister hotel to the Sant Andrea, the Belmond Timeo is another wonderful wedding venue in Taormina. You don’t lose the sea views of its coastal counterpart, but you do gain volcano panoramas – the scenery around the Timeo is just breathtaking, and it’s very well located within the charming streets of the town but still feels completely exclusive. Two hotels with different vibes, both offering an exquisite base for your wedding. 

I couldn’t possibly complete a list of the best wedding venues in Taormina without mentioning the Four Seasons San Domenico Palace, with truly unbeatable views from its hilltop position and sea-facing pool, and unmatched five star hospitality. If you’re wondering why it looks so familiar, it’s because White Lotus has made this venue hugely popular. For couples with a sufficient budget, the San Domenico Palace will give you all the decadence from the show with much, much less of the drama.

If you’re looking for a lower cost option then Villa Mon Repos could be one to consider. It’s not as well located or as well finished as the options above, however it does still enjoy Sicily’s signature sea views and is perfect if you want to host your guests on the green lawns and relax in its infinity pool the next morning.

Discover my favourite 5 wedding venues across the whole island of Sicily.

Your Perfect Taormina Wedding Itinerary

Having planned a number of destination weddings, I’ve just about got the perfect Sicilian wedding itinerary down. I’ve pulled on the weddings I designed with my previous couples and some of my personal highlights of the island to put together this sample schedule for a Taormina wedding, but every Ella Hartig wedding is completely different with its own personality – use this as inspiration, and then ask me about your own tailor-made version.

Day 1 – Welcome Drinks at Médousa Suites

Every gorgeous Italian wedding needs a welcome party that says ‘ciao’ in style, and one of the best options for your welcome drinks in Sicily is Médousa Suites in the heart of the city. It’s an enchanting little hidden oasis tucked away in the midst of all the action, easy for your guests to get to, and gives them a great taste of the island as soon as they arrive. Sip on an Aperol, drink in the atmosphere, and look forward to everything that’s to come.

Day 2 – Wedding at Belmond Sant Andrea

I told you we’d be back at Sant Andrea, and the reason it takes the top spot and earns a place in the perfect itinerary is that outdoor space. While both Belmond properties are stunning, at Timeo you have to move inside when it’s time for your party – personally, I think one of the best parts of a destination wedding is dancing under the stars with your favourite people, wouldn’t you agree?

For this reason alone I recommend Sant Andrea, which is perfect for more intimate weddings (around 60 guests) – and let’s be honest, smaller guest numbers make for the best destination weddings! It’s basically the perfect excuse to be a little more…selective with your invitations. 

I go into more detail about perfecting your guest list in my 6 steps to get you started with wedding planning.

Before you get to the party though, there’s the small matter of your wedding ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner. When it comes to your wedding ceremony in Sicily, the easiest thing to do is have a symbolic ceremony on the island in front of your guests – they’re not legally binding, but can be completely personalised and really heartfelt. This saves a lot of back and forth and complex paperwork, and most of my couples choose to get married ‘for real’ at home before travelling out to get around this.

That’s not to say it’s not possible, though – getting legally married in Italy just requires a few more trips, embassy liaison and translators in advance, and can cost a few thousand extra by the time everything is organised. If it means a lot to you to do this, you absolutely can, just like T&R who really wanted their wedding anniversary to line up with their celebrations in Sicily.

On the morning of their wedding they headed down to the pretty town hall in Taormina for their legal wedding, with their closest family members present. They then hopped into a fun little car to come back to Sant Andrea (weaving through the authentic streets of Taormina was such a moment!), before having a symbolic wedding ceremony there in the gardens with all their guests. How gorgeous were their handpainted fans which doubled up as reserved seating signs?

After your ceremony in the gardens of Sant Andrea, I recommend taking your aperitivo or cocktail hour overlooking the sea. Arrange for delicious food stations with live cooking of local, freshly caught seafood, and then wander off with your photographer for some photos together down on the private beach.

Your wedding dinner in Taormina can take place on Sant Andrea’s terrace overlooking the sea, listening to the waves as you dine – and the food here is absolutely wonderful, you can’t miss their granita!

The all-important party takes place on the terrace by the olive tree, where you can dance into the night with all of your favourite people under the stars.

Sant Andrea also has a good covered outdoor area with wonderful views, so even if it does happen to rain you don’t miss out on what makes this itinerary so special.

Day 3 – Beach Club Brunch

Whether you call it a farewell party, a hangover brunch or just a continuation of the fun, the day after your wedding is prime time for everyone to debrief about the festivities and enjoy more of what Taormina has to offer. My top pick for your post-wedding event is Tao Beach Club, where you can host a beach day either by doing an exclusive buyout of the place or just privatising some cabanas.

And so concludes your perfect Taormina wedding itinerary, but remember the most fabulous weddings are the ones that feel completely personal – whether that means having your welcome drinks on the beach, swapping the beach club for a wine tasting on Etna, or having an exciting vision for your wedding dinner at your chosen venue. 

Get in touch to start planning your Sicilian wedding. 

Things you MUST see, eat and do in Taormina during your wedding!

While you’re in Taormina, make sure you check out these places – my personal favourites, combined with recommendations from couples!

1. Al Saraceno – walk up to dinner here for the most amazing views
2. Head to the Belmond Timeo for coffee, granita or a cocktail, and enjoy its stunning views of Etna
3. Rita’s for incredible food that is well worth queuing for
4. Delicious spritzes at Timoleone 
5. Bam Bam bar for traditional granita with an Instagrammable aesthetic
6. Casual (but really good) beachside pizza at Lido la Pigna
7. Arancini at Rosticceria Da Cristina
8. Literally anywhere for cannoli, but don’t skip it!
9. Gelatomania for your ice cream fix, because what’s better than wandering the pretty streets of Taormina with a gelato in hand?
10. And to balance out this food-heavy list, let me mention the ancient Greek amphitheater which is just gorgeous  

Did I mention Taormina is my favourite town in Italy…?

How much does a wedding in Taormina cost?

Weddings in Sicily from our portfolio cost from around £80k for an itinerary similar to the one above, however it’s worth noting that the same weddings cost more as the years go by. The average budget of an Ella Hartig couple today ranges from around £120k up to half a million. To be able to throw a really wonderful celebration over a few days in Taormina (like those you see in my previous work), plan for a spend somewhere in this range.

Different factors affect your overall spend, and your venue is one of the biggest. Getting married somewhere like the Four Seasons, for example, will require well into the 6 figures (before you’ve booked anything else), and if you’d like to privatise it it’ll be more like 7 figures. Other venues in Taormina and across the island come in significantly less, but you shouldn’t automatically assume a destination wedding is cheaper than one at home.

I recommend starting with my guide to the average cost of a luxury wedding and what goes into it, then contacting me to see whether we’d be a good planning fit.

How does Sicily compare to other Italian destinations for weddings?

Sicily has the unique advantage of being and feeling like an island, while still being well connected by its international airport. You’ll get the most scenic variety of anywhere in Italy, and (for me) some of the most incredible, authentic food. It makes a great alternative to somewhere like the Amalfi Coast, with all of the same charm but at a lower price point and with a little more variety.

If your wedding vision is of dining with a backdrop of rolling Tuscan countryside and cypress tree drive ways, or you really want to combine your trip with other historical highlights such as the Colosseum, you’re likely better off considering the areas around Florence, Rome, Siena or Lucca. This part of the country also offers some gorgeous backdrops, great food and stunning architecture, so you certainly won’t be disappointed.

Whether you’ve found your perfect Taormina wedding itinerary here or want to chat further about planning your very own celebrationof a lifetime together, get in touch here.

Images by Fotomagoria, destination wedding photographer in Italy.