Brontë + Fionn by Nunzio Bruno

We wanted something elegant, simple, natural, eco friendly, with a twist of rustic charm.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

We both work as doctors in Ireland. We are very similar in that we love to explore and adventure almost as much as we enjoy quiet nights at home watching TV! Most of all, we look forward to spending time with our friends and family, dining at new restaurants, and sharing a bottle of wine.

With that in mind, we felt that the wonderful island of Sicily was the perfect location for our special day as it combined stunning scenery and amazing food. The island is steeped in incredible history, and there is so much to see and to do.

Our planner, Barbara, created the perfect day, and we were both so fortunate to be able to celebrate with all of our loved ones in such a beautiful part of the world.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We met in medical school in Dublin. Brontë moved from Canada to study in Ireland and immediately settled into her new surroundings. I don’t think we actually crossed paths for the first few years, but fortunately, at that time, Brontë was growing more attached to Ireland.

I will never forget the first time I saw Brontë smile. The entire room lights up when she does. It was clear to me that she was a special individual and I was lucky that she took a shine to me. I can only assume that she was captured by my sharp wit and charm when we first met.

Ultimately, we shared a few mutual friends from our university class and ended up spending a bit of time together. Eventually, we would begin to hang out by ourselves and begin to grow closer. That was 10 years ago!

When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?

Anybody who has ever spent time around Brontë very quickly realises that she is one of the kindest and warmest people on the planet. Her smile and positivity are infectious, and within the first few times of meeting her, it was obvious that she was someone I wanted to be around more often. Now, I will have the good fortune of spending the rest of my life seeing her smile.

Fionn is incredibly talented and driven. I think that Brontë first fell in love with him whilst watching him playing the piano and singing. Although he still maintains that it was while watching him on the football pitch. Fionn is also very witty, and it’s hard not to be laughing in his presence.

Not long into dating we both realised that we made each other very happy. We had already created wonderful memories and were both excited to make more. We share a passion for adventure. We both find joy, kindness and support in one another’s company.

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding.

We wanted something elegant, simple, natural, eco friendly, with a twist of rustic charm. Guided by our wedding planner, we chose lush greenery and delicate flower decor in the tones of blues, harmonizing perfectly with the azure water of the Tonnara sea. Along with the endless expanse of the sea as a backdrop, our planner designed a charming and chic seaside ceremony setting. The entire wedding colour palette leans on serene blue and green tones and lush floral arrangements.

Ultimately, we wanted a venue that was outdoors. We hoped our friends and family could dine together, drink together and dance together. We wished for a setting that could take everyone’s breath away, and Barbara and the team were able to deliver that.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you?

So many travel blogs and guides feature the Tonnara di Scopello as a place of interest. When we first arrived there to visit the heritage site, it was immediately apparent why it is so highly regarded. The contrast of the pink house set against the stone and the beautiful blue water creates a scene that is equal parts peaceful and captivating. Listening to the waves lapping gently on the shore or having a refreshing swim in the clear waters is just a reward following the drive through the winding roads of Northern Sicily.

The floral work that was done by Paolo Papa and the team caught everybody’s eye. The combination of colours matched the style that we had hoped for perfectly. When we share our wedding photos with people, so many continue to acknowledge Brontë’s fabulous bouquet, which was so striking and imaginative. Their work really complemented and completed the incredible scene that had been created for us on that special day.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

As a part of the planning, we made a number of trips to Sicily to view the venue, dine with the caterer and meet Barbara, our planner. This allowed us to explore the island. In our few visits to Sicily, we have hiked up mountains and a volcano. We have explored historic towns and cities and braved the chaotic roads with the local Sicilians!

One of the perks of having a wedding abroad is that the planning and the previewing turn into a mini holiday. At times, planning a wedding can feel overwhelming. Trying to do so while overseas and through a different language presented an even bigger challenge. Having a planner as talented and as dedicated as Barbara meant that when we were in Sicily, we were able to relax and enjoy our time there. We will always look back so fondly at these trips exploring an island that will always hold a special place in our hearts. Our advice would be to savour all of the moments adventuring abroad! More importantly, find someone like Barbara.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?

Brontë’s mom flew over from Canada to try on dresses with her in London, which was incredibly special. The girls had a wonderful experience at Sharon Hoey’s in Dublin.

I always wanted to wear a white tuxedo for my wedding. Sadly, Brontë said it wasn’t a good look for me! I think in the end, she was right, as she so often is! I had a suit made to measure for the first time, which was a fun experience, and it was a nice break from the scrubs that I am so familiar with wearing! I think that the light-coloured suit matched the beautiful backdrop created by the stone and rocky seaside terrain.

I will never forget watching Brontë walking across the courtyard with her parents and her amazing bridesmaids. Interestingly I noted that she wasn’t wearing a veil. Everything had been kept a secret from me, but I was sure she would have one. I later learned that it had been blown off in the wind just before she made the walk!

What was one, or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a liIle more on?

The most important thing for both of us was for our friends and family to be present to share in the celebration with us. That being said, we did make it a bit of a challenge having the wedding on a weekday on an island off the coast of mainland Italy!

As I have mentioned above, Tonnara is one of the most beautiful places we have spent time, and we wanted all of those friends and family members to be able to experience that with us. Being able to create the perfect day of celebration at the venue ranked very highly on the list of priorities. It was challenging to get to. However, all of the team made sure that the journey was worth it! Our talented photographer, Nunzio Bruno, captured the day with such care, and all of the evidence is here on display!

Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?

For as long as we had talked about getting married we had always been leaning toward a wedding abroad. This was largely because we have lots of family from across the world ranging from Canada and the USA all the way to South Africa. However, I think Brontë really wanted to escape the rain that is so common in Ireland! It was ironic then that we spent the week in the lead-up to the wedding day furiously refreshing our weather apps, desperately hoping there wouldn’t be a shower.

On the day itself, Brontë was too occupied to be concerned about the weather. That became my job. I was nervous about the day and about reading my vows and my speech! But in hindsight I was likely quite stressed about the possibility of rain at our exclusively outdoor wedding. I will never forget when I spoke with the locals and the organisers that morning. It had not even occurred to them that there would be rain despite it looking a little overcast. They all stuck their heads out the window and gave a reassuring nod to us – ‘No. It will be ok,’ and they were right! There wasn’t a drop of rain.

Thankfully, their forecast was far more accurate than any of the five weather apps we were using!

GROOM Brontë Cloete Wakefield, @brontewakefield VENUE Tonnara di Scopello, @tonnaradiscopello PHOTOGRAPER Nunzio Bruno, @nunziobruno_wedding VIDEOGRAPHER Angelo Bruno, @angelobruno_vdo PLANNER & DESIGN Amuri Events & Wedding Planner, @amurievents__sicily FLORIST Paolo Papa, @paolopapaeventi ENTERTAINMENT Mantropia, @mantropia CATERING & CAKE Squiseating, @squiseating SIGNAGE By the Bride WEDDING RINGS Bespoke Diamonds, @bespokediamonds ENGAGEMENT RING Paul Sheeran Jewellers, @paulsheeranjewellery BRIDAL DRESS Suzanne Neville Dress – Sharon Hoey, @sharonhoey BRIDE’S SHOE Jimmy Choo, @jimmychoo BRIDE’S ACCESSORIES Ring – Mother of the bride’s wedding ring SUIT Louis Copeland and Sons, @louiscopeland_and_sons BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES Dresscode, @dresscodeltd MAKEUP Silvia Mangano, @silviamangano HAIR Carla Forestieri, @carla_forestieri_hair_stylist