Dreaming of a wedding abroad? Irish couple Kieva & Daniel’s destination wedding in Sicily will have you wanting to book a wedding in the sunshine ASAP. After the pair spent their first holiday together there they returned to the magical Italian paradise to become Mr and Mrs. Castello Lanza Branciforte in Trabia, a venue that looks like it’s right out of a fairytale was the venue of choice for the pair and it’s location all but took our breaths away. Oh to be wedding guest at this one!
Kieva was drop dead gorgeous in a Chosen by Kyha gown (which turned into a stylish second look!), Aperol spritz’s were aplenty and guests were treated to epic surprises all day long. Nope, you’re not dreaming – this destination wedding is the real-deal. So settle in for a pinfest, because from processional to portraits you’re going to delight over every moment! Scroll down for all the joy-filled snaps by Anna Vlasiuk along with second shooter Salvatore Aiello.
Kieva and Daniel first met at a bar in their hometown of Dublin. “Daniel was in the VIP area so I asked him if he could get me in. We spent the whole night chatting as if we had known each other for years,” the bride tells.
After hitting it off, the two were together for a number of years when Daniel surprised Kieva with a very sweet proposal. “I had the flu leading up to a weekend that Daniel had organised a date to go to Johnny Foxes but he insisted we go anyway, so I was a little suspicious he was going to propose. However, by the time the end of the night came I realised it was not going to happen. I was tired and rundown so I was just ready to go home. However, when we got back to our house, our dog was going crazy trying to get into the sitting room and when I opened the door the whole room had been decorated with flowers and balloons and when I turned around he was down on one knee. The dinner was just a decoy so we were out of the house when the decorators were over. It was very intimate and perfect.”
Once engaged, the couple set their hearts on an Italian wedding. “We wanted somewhere in Italy and preferably in Sicily because it was where we went on our first big holiday together. We also both love the sea, so ideally we wanted something that was overlooking it. Also, because we were abroad we wanted everyone to be able to stay in the same hotel (within walking distance to the venue) so it felt like we were all on one big holiday together.”
And the perfect venue for their destination wedding weekend? Castello Lanza Branciforte in Trabia, Sicily, a fairytale-esque castle venue right on Palermo’s coastline.
When asked what made it ‘the one’ for them, Kieva says, “We viewed six or seven venues but as soon as we walked into Castello Lanza Branciforte we knew it was where we were going to say ‘I do’. I couldn’t contain my excitement as we walked through the grounds and imagined how our day would look.”
“Another favourite thing about Castello Lanza Branciforte is that the venue is an experience”, she adds. “Every part of the wedding day was in a new stunning location. Our guests could not believe it every time we walked into a new area of the castle, and it just got more beautiful and beautiful.”
As for the look and feel they wanted to achieve? “We wanted the aesthetic to have an authentic Italian summer wedding feel, with soft colours and elegant touches. On the day, it felt like a big holiday with all of our friends and family. The venue was like a fairytale.”
On June 21st, 2024, 100 of Kieva and Daniel’s family and friends gathered on a pier overlooking the ocean. Kieva walked down the aisle arm-in-arm with her dad to meet her beloved Daniel before exchanging wedding rings from Irish jewellers Bespoke Diamonds.
During the ceremony, the bride’s sister Naomi and brother-in-law Stephen performed Dreams by the Cranberries. “This is an Irish love song, so it brought a piece of home to Sicily. It was so special to have them sing it”, she says.
Perfectly matching the day, Keiva chose a strapless Chosen by Kyha gown which featured a button down back and split at the front which she sourced at Ivy & White bridal boutique in Belfast.
She completed her look with white kitten heels with buckle detail from Manolo Blahnik, modern drop pearl earrings by Monica Vinader, and a gold Hermès bracelet.
Her bridesmaids rocked one-shoulder, plissé, bridesmaids dresses in dusty pink from ASOS, while the groom and his groomsmen stayed cool in light linen looks from Reiss and Mango.
Lucky guests were treated to an array of delicious wedding food stations with everything from local seafood and freshly shucked oysters, to breads, cured meat and cheeses.
The dinner itself took place under a canopy of twinkly lights which surely added to the fairytale athmosphere.
After dinner, guests moved to an outdoor dance floor, where their band Radio Kings, a saxophonist, and DJ Peppe Gulotta performed. The party lit up when Kieva changed into a second look – a chic bridal mini which cleverly incorporated the corset of her wedding dress.
The couple had their first dance as newlyweds to Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen. “When we were viewing wedding venues we rented a car to drive around Sicily. That song came on and we both instantly knew it was going to be our first dance.”
As for a favourite moment from the day? The pair both say, “After we cut the cake, when we had fireworks go off out at sea, while we toasted with champagne. This was also a very special moment where we could take in everything that had happened so far together.”
After planning such a gorgeous day, the newlyweds have offered some great wedding advice, “I would say to enjoy the process as much as possible. I would only get a wedding planner if you don’t enjoy that aspect yourself and if you do get one, actually off-load a lot of the planning and control onto them. You hired them for a reason. Entertainment is also super important so make sure you love your band. At our wedding, nobody left the dance floor for hours which was one of our highlights.”
A very special thank you to Kieva, Daniel and Anna Vlasiuk along with second shooter Salvatore Aiello, for sharing this fairytale destination wedding in Sicily with One Fab Day. There are also plenty more gorgeous photos from their stunning summer celebration to check out in the gallery below!
Want more destination wedding inspiration? We have so many more gorgeous Real Weddings from all over the globe that you need to check out.
