Certified Lay Celebrant · Sicily
Sicily is Italy's most sought-after island for symbolic ceremonies and destination weddings. From the white cliffs of Agrigento to the crystal waters of Ortigia, a beautiful villa in Taormina or a vineyard below Mount Etna, every corner holds centuries of history ready to welcome your love story.
It is the ideal stage for Italian couples, international guests, and families with Sicilian roots returning home.
Every year thousands of couples from the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Germany choose Sicily to celebrate the most important moment of their lives. It's no coincidence: Sicily offers a unique combination of natural beauty, millennial history, extraordinary food culture and authentic hospitality that no other destination in the world can replicate.
Favorable weather for most of the year, direct flights to Palermo, Catania and Trapani from all major international airports, and a network of exceptional venues — historic villas, farmhouses, noble estates, wild beaches, UNESCO sites, medieval villages — make Sicily the premier choice for every kind of ceremony, from the grand wedding to the intimate elopement.
As a certified lay celebrant with over 9 years of experience across Sicily, I accompany couples of every nationality in creating fully personalised symbolic ceremonies: in Italian, in English or bilingual, with the rituals that best represent you, in the Sicilian setting you have always dreamed of.
A special ritual
Millions of Sicilians emigrated in the late 19th and 20th centuries to America, Australia and Canada. Today their grandchildren and great-grandchildren carry surnames like Russo, Lombardo, Rizzo, Ferrara — and hold deep in their hearts a bond with a land they may never have seen but feel they belong to.
Choosing Sicily for your wedding or elopement becomes an act of memory and love: a way to honour your ancestors, to breathe the air of the village your grandfather left, to bring your love to the place where your story begins.
With Rita, the ceremony can include a personalised Roots Ritual: readings in Sicilian dialect, references to your family history, words dedicated to your ancestors. An experience that moves and leaves a mark.
Just the two of you
An elopement is the purest form of marriage: just the two of you, or with a few close witnesses, in a location that takes your breath away. No banquet to organise, no guests to please. Just your story, your words, the Sicilian landscape around you.
A sunrise over the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. Sunset over the salt flats of Trapani as the sun dips into the Strait of Sicily. A night walk in Ortigia with a ceremony performed by a baroque fountain. A romantic picnic on the slopes of Etna among lava vineyards.
A symbolic elopement ceremony lasts between 30 and 60 minutes. Rita travels anywhere in Sicily to reach your chosen venue. Preparation takes place online, with consultations in Italian or English.
Every corner of Sicily has its own soul. Discover the areas where I celebrate ceremonies, from the world-famous settings to the lesser-known but equally extraordinary treasures.
Prov. Messina
Are you dreaming of an intimate ceremony suspended between the blue Ionian Sea and the majestic silhouette of Mount Etna? Taormina is the ultimate setting for an unforgettable elopement. As your celebrant, I will turn your vows into a magical and authentic moment, crafting every word to reflect your unique love story.
Prov. Messina
From the black sands of Vulcano to the chic lights of Panarea, and the fiery spectacle of Stromboli, each island is a unique stage for your romantic escape. We will celebrate your union with a personalized symbolic ceremony, as intense and deep as the abyss surrounding these lands born of myth, amidst infinite horizons and fiery sunsets.
Prov. Catania
Mount Etna is more than just a destination; it is pure emotion. Imagine an intimate ceremony surrounded by ancient lava flows, birch forests, or heroic vineyards. Let yourself be enchanted by the magical silence of the altitude as you celebrate your "I do" with a ceremony that blends the majesty of nature with the depth of your bond.
Prov. Siracusa
Do you dream of exchanging vows in the white-stone alleys of Ortigia, surrounded by the scent of the sea and the warm light of sunset? Syracuse is a cradle of timeless beauty, the perfect setting for an intimate and meaningful elopement. We will celebrate your love with words that endure, just like the thousand-year-old soul of this city.
Prov. Palermo
From the vibrant soul of Palermo’s historic palaces to the golden tranquility of Cefalù, the Tyrrhenian coast is the perfect backdrop for an elopement full of personality. Celebrate your "I do" amidst the ornaments of a noble residence or with your feet in the sand at sunset. As your celebrant, I will give voice to your emotions in a setting of rare beauty.
Prov. Ragusa
From majestic squares dominated by cathedrals to the Hyblaean valleys traced by dry-stone walls, Ragusa enchants with its discreet elegance. Choose the authenticity of a symbolic ceremony in an ancient "masseria" or a secret garden: we will celebrate your love in the beating heart of a Sicily that is true, cultured, and deeply romantic.
Prov. Trapani
From the cliffs of San Vito Lo Capo to the pristine shores of Favignana and Levanzo, the Trapani coast is the realm of wild beauty. Choose the power of the elements for your symbolic ceremony: an authentic moment, tailor-made for you, where the scent of salt and the infinite blue will stand witness to your union.
Prov. Agrigento
From the majesty of ancient temples to the blinding white cliffs of Scala dei Turchi, Agrigento is the perfect destination for an intimate and private elopement. I will guide you in creating a bespoke lay ceremony, immersed in the beating heart of Sicilian history.
Can't find your venue? Contact me — I celebrate all across Sicily, even in the most unusual locations.
Write or call me. I respond within 24 hours. The first consultation — online or by phone — is completely free and with no obligation.
One or more online meetings to gather your story: how you met, what bonds you together, what your values are. In Italian or in English.
I write the personalised ceremony for the two of you: words, symbolic rituals, readings. We review it together until it's perfect. The venue can be chosen at any point.
I arrive at the venue with everything needed. I celebrate your ceremony with care, emotion and professionalism. You will remember every word.
Every ritual begins with a simple yet meaningful gesture: wine celebrates sharing, sand tells the story of two lives becoming one, candles hold the light of love, and handfasting weaves the couple’s bond with nature. Explore all the symbolic rituals and choose the one that can make your ceremony truly yours.
The rings pass from hand to hand to the closest loved ones.
By holding the rings in their hands for a few seconds, they will infuse them with warmth and 'deliver' a thought for the couple.
This ritual involves tying colored ribbons around the couple's hands to represent their bond and the connection between them and nature.
In its original version, the ribbons represent the natural elements: air, water, earth, and fire. The new family will thus be blessed by nature.
Colored cords, given by the guests, are used and placed on the couple's hands.
The celebrant will tie a special knot that will form the shape of the infinity symbol.
In a wooden box, a bottle of vintage wine (one that ages well) is stored, and along with it,
love letters that the couple have written to each other or their just exchanged vows are placed inside.
Just like a plant, love needs to be nurtured and cared for every day, it must receive sunlight and be protected from the elements.
This is the message that the tree ritual evokes.
Also known as the 'candle ritual', it is very evocative, especially if the ceremony takes place after sunset.
The couple, each holding a lit candle, will light a larger candle in the center of the table, symbolizing the flame of love that illuminates and warms.
The ritual involves the exchange of a red rose between the couple. Holding a rose in hand and giving it to the loved one, they will find themselves with another rose in hand given by their beloved.
It symbolizes the love given that returns to the loved one.
It symbolizes the union of the couple, each with their own personal background (character, knowledge, personality) represented by a different color.
It is one of the most famous and beloved rituals.
It represents the union of the couple, each with their own personal background: character; knowledge; personality; aspiration, etc., represented by a different color.
Holding hands and jumping together over an obstacle represented by a broom or a branch symbolizes an important step to take together, hand in hand.
Read moreUna certezza Se decidete di affidarvi a Rita, non sbagliate di sicuro! Lei saprà raccontare e celebrare il vostro amore nella maniera più magica possibile. Se dovessi descriverla in una parola sarebbe MAGICA. La nostra Fata Madrina che ci ha accompagnato passo passo. Grazie Rita per aver reso indimenticabile il nostro matrimonio.
Leggi tutto...Matrimonio Cefalù Rita è stata molto precisa e creativa e ha dimostrato tantissima umanità ed empatia nel descrivere il nostro rapporto di coppia.
Leggi tutto...Rita made our wedding ceremony so special!! Non avremmo potuto desiderare un officiant migliore per il nostro matrimonio in Sicilia! Rita è molto professionale, gentile e disponibile. Rita è riuscita a scrivere la cerimonia nuziale più riflessiva e personale, che rispecchiava perfettamente la nostra relazione, la nostra famiglia e i nostri valori. È stata molto calda e dolce. Sapevamo di aver fatto la scelta giusta! Le sue parole meravigliose hanno commosso noi e i nostri ospiti.
Leggi tutto...We were so incredibly lucky to have Rita as our celebrant for our wedding day. From the very first meeting, she radiated warmth, kindness, and genuine care for us as a couple. She took the time to really get to know our story, our personalities, and what we wanted our ceremony to feel like — and she absolutely nailed it. The script Rita prepared was beyond anything we could have hoped for. It was beautifully written, perfectly balanced between heartfelt emotion and joyful celebration, and it truly reflected us. She guided us through every step with so much patience and support, making the entire process stress-free and enjoyable. On the day itself, Rita was simply amazing. Her calm presence, her beautiful words, and the way she delivered the ceremony made everything feel magical. Our guests couldn’t stop telling us how personal and touching it was — and we couldn’t agree more. Rita gave us the most perfect ceremony we could have ever imagined. It was full of love, laughter, and meaning, and it’s a moment we’ll treasure forever. We can’t thank her enough for making our wedding day so special. If you’re looking for a celebrant who is warm, professional, and truly passionate about creating unforgettable ceremonies, Rita is the one. ❤️
Leggi tutto...Absolutely. A symbolic ceremony has no legal value, so it requires no Italian bureaucracy or paperwork. It is a celebration of love and commitment, open to couples of any nationality. Many couples combine it with their legal wedding at home.
An elopement is an intimate ceremony, often just the two of you or with a handful of witnesses, in a breathtaking setting. In Sicily it might mean a night walk in Ortigia, a sunrise at the Temples of Agrigento, or a sunset over the Trapani salt flats. Rita personalises every detail.
Yes, this is one of the most moving journeys Rita offers. The roots ritual weaves your personal story with that of your Sicilian family: the ancestral village, flavours, traditions, language. A way to honour where you come from while celebrating your love.
Yes. Rita prepares ceremonies entirely in English or bilingual (Italian-English), tailored for international or mixed-nationality couples. The text is built together during preparation sessions, which can take place online.
Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) are the most popular: mild weather, golden light, less extreme heat. Summer is atmospheric but hot; winter is perfect for intimate ceremonies in inland venues like Ragusa Ibla.
The Wine Ritual with Sicilian DOC wines, the Salt Ritual (a symbol of purity and protection in Mediterranean tradition), the Olive Oil Ritual, the Foundation Stones, and Sicilian Handfasting with artisan ribbons. Every ritual is described and personalised in the ceremony narrative.
Write to tell me about your story, the venue you have in mind, the date you'd like. I respond within 24 hours. Summer dates fill up quickly — check availability now.
⚠️ Summer dates fill up quickly — check availability for your date now.
