Claire + Michael’s iconic wedding at Tonnara di Scopello

Childhood sweethearts Claire and Michael, from Hawkes Bay, NZ, wanted their wedding to feel both fun and sophisticated, focusing on feelings rather than following trends. With Michael’s Italian heritage, many of their best memories are centred around family meals and recipes passed down from Nonnas. They wanted to bring that same sense of warmth and connection to their celebration. With the expertise of trusted La Lista planner LaLindi and the iconic Tonnara di Scopello as their backdrop, they created a day that blended modern style that focused on the elements of land and sea and the natural beauty of Sicily.

The Love Story

“We both grew up in a place called Hawkes Bay in New Zealand. We lived only 5mins down the road from each other but went to different schools. It wasn't until the last day of school in 2009 that we were introduced through mutual friends at a cricket game. I was 14 and Michael was 15. We got engaged in Bali in 2022. We had just been on an incredible trip with our friends and on the last few days of the trip Michael secretly changed our plans.”

Why Italy?

“Michael’s family is Italian, we have spent lots of time traveling around Italy and we are both so drawn to the food, culture and energy. We really wanted to emulate this on our big day and do something unique.”

The Venue

“The venue is what got us across the line in the decision to marry in Italy. As soon as we saw it online we just knew it was right. We then planned the wedding from there. Michael’s family have a close connection to the sea and southern Italy, so it all just made sense.”

The Bridal Look

“My ceremony dress was simple with a touch of drama, enhanced by a chapel-length veil. For the reception, I wanted something fun and flirty, so we created a second dress that I could dance the night away in — complete with a short veil and gloves. My pearl necklace was my grandmother's, and we re-designed some other family pearls into my wedding earrings. This was a super special touch and really grounded me on the day.”

Stand Out Supplier

“Valentina, our wedding planner. We cannot thank her enough; she executed our vision even better than we could have dreamed. Her exceptional style, effortless ease of organisation, calmness, and kindness made the entire planning process seamless. La Lindi’s attention to detail and ability to anticipate our needs truly set her apart. We feel so lucky to have had her by our side every step of the way. Without her we also wouldn't of had some of our other incredible vendors such as LATO and Unknown films. She knew us so well to pick vendors that completely matched our energy and were so fun to be with on the day.”

The Style

“From the beginning I wanted to incorporate elements in the design that reflect Sicily as land, salt, sand, water and native plants.. at the same time Claire wanted the event to be sexy and modern so we added silver, and some modern touches.”

~ Valentina, Planner

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN CHAIRS AND UNIQUE TABLESCAPE UNDER FAIRY LIGHTS IN SICILY AT TONNARA DI SCOPELLO

The Vibe

“We were more focused on how we wanted it to feel: fun (above all else), sophisticated but sexy and slightly moody. We also wanted to capture the essence of Sicily and all the things we love about the Italian culture. We knew we wanted a family style reception where plates of food were shared and wine was on the table. We just worked backwards from here and it truly was our incredible wedding planned La Lindi that did the rest from here and pulled it all together. She took those feelings and made them into something more than we could have imagined.”

AL FRESCO DINING UNDER FAIRY LIGHTS AT TONNARA DI SCOPELLO

Stand Out Moment

“One of our favourite moments was actually entirely unplanned. Naturally we wanted tiramisu instead of a wedding cake, and as we took our first spoon full everyone started singing Dean Martin 'That's Amore'. It was so candid and fun.”

BRIDE SECOND LOOK SHOT BY LATO PHOTOGRAPHY

Advice For Couples

“Our biggest piece of advice is to really enjoy your engagement. Take time to soak in all the love and excitement that surrounds you before diving into wedding planning. And honestly, beyond that and as cliche as it sounds, if you have good food, great music, and your loved ones by your side, nothing else really matters.”

VENDOR TEAM

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Claire + Michael’s iconic wedding at Tonnara di Scopello

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