Taormina Wedding
CASTELMOLA - MESSINA (IT)
BELMOND GRAND HOTEL TIMEO - MESSINA (IT)
TAO BEACH - MESSINA (IT)
May 2024
BELMOND GRAND HOTEL TIMEO - MESSINA (IT)
TAO BEACH - MESSINA (IT)
May 2024
High above Taormina, Rachel Birthistle Studio crafted a Sicilian wedding weekend across mountain, sea, and garden. Beginning with a piazza market party and culminating in a tropical-inspired ceremony and beachfront farewell.
PROJECT BRIEF
The Studio designed a three-day celebration in Sicily, blending Italian tradition with bold design moments from a recreated street market in Castelmola to a vibrant ceremony at the Belmond and a relaxed seaside barbecue to close.
The celebration opened in the hilltop town of Castelmola, overlooking Taormina. Rachel Birthistle Studio transformed the town piazza into a night market, complete with custom-built food stalls, string lights, and a gelateria renamed in honour of the bride. The atmosphere was intentionally immersive, designed to feel as though guests had stepped into a timeless Sicilian evening.
The wedding day unfolded at the Belmond, framed by the mountains and Mediterranean. The bride envisioned a tropical garden, and the Studio delivered: bold florals and lush textures gave the ceremony a sense of vibrant intimacy. Dinner was served on the terrace, followed by a full transformation of the hotel’s lower level into a draped, high-energy nightclub.
Day three brought guests to the coast for a casual beachside barbecue: sun, sea, and relaxed elegance closing a weekend of layered experiences, each grounded in place and full of character.
The wedding day unfolded at the Belmond, framed by the mountains and Mediterranean. The bride envisioned a tropical garden, and the Studio delivered: bold florals and lush textures gave the ceremony a sense of vibrant intimacy. Dinner was served on the terrace, followed by a full transformation of the hotel’s lower level into a draped, high-energy nightclub.
Day three brought guests to the coast for a casual beachside barbecue: sun, sea, and relaxed elegance closing a weekend of layered experiences, each grounded in place and full of character.
