A Wedding at Baglio Occhipinti in the Val di Noto
Máiréad and James came all the way from London to celebrate their wedding in Sicily, at Baglio Occhipinti, surrounded by vineyards, warm September light and around seventy people who were clearly ready for a party.
Most of the guests were friends of the couple. Young, loud, affectionate and absolutely determined to make the most of every minute. Add their wonderful families, a heroic quantity of Sicilian food, arancini, tiramisù, several litres of limoncello and some very emotional speeches, and you have a fairly accurate picture of the day.
Well, almost.
Because what really made this wedding special was Máiréad and James. Two beautiful souls who are deeply in love and completely at ease together. The kind of couple you do not need to direct very much because everything is already there. The glances, the laughter, the way they naturally look for each other in a crowded room.
They chose me to tell their wedding through both photography and film, and I could not have asked for a better story.
Baglio Occhipinti is one of those places that does not need to make too much noise.
Hidden in the Sicilian countryside, in the Val di Noto, it is surrounded by vineyards, citrus trees, stone walls and beautiful imperfect corners. It feels elegant but never too formal, refined but still alive. You can walk through the garden and immediately smell Sicily.
It was also the perfect place for Máiréad and James. Their wedding was stylish, but never stiff. Romantic, but certainly not quiet.
The warm colours of the Baglio, the interiors filled with character and the soft light of the countryside gave me plenty of opportunities to create images with a more editorial feeling. I always look for clean compositions, interesting light and photographs that feel timeless, but without turning the wedding into a fashion shoot.
The place is beautiful, of course. But the people inside the frame will always matter more.
The Preparations
The first part of the day had that familiar mixture of calm and chaos that I love during wedding preparations.
There were clothes waiting to be worn, friends moving from one room to another, glasses already being raised and small moments happening everywhere. Máiréad prepared with her family and friends around her, while James spent the hours before the ceremony with his own people.
I photographed and filmed everything as it naturally unfolded.
My approach is mainly documentary. I do not want to interrupt a moment just to make it look perfect. I prefer to stay close, observe and wait for something real to happen. A nervous smile, a hand resting on a shoulder, someone trying not to cry and failing quite badly.
At the same time, I like to mix this honest way of working with a more editorial eye. Light, composition, colour and the atmosphere of the location all become part of the story. The result is a balance between spontaneous images and more refined portraits, without forcing Máiréad and James into poses that did not belong to them.
The Ceremony and All the Tears
The ceremony was emotional from the very beginning.
Máiréad and James have a gentle and very natural connection. There was no need for dramatic gestures. The way they looked at each other said enough.
Their families and friends were completely present, and that made everything feel even more intense. There were smiles, nervous laughter and plenty of tears. Proper tears, not just the polite kind you quickly wipe away before anyone notices.
Later, the speeches brought another wave of emotion.
They were funny, personal and beautifully sincere. The people speaking knew them deeply and every story revealed something about their relationship, their friendships and the life they have built together.
For me, speeches are often the emotional heart of a wedding film. The voices can guide the story and give meaning to the images. A photograph preserves the expression on someone’s face, while film brings back the voice that caused it. Being responsible for both the photography and videography allowed me to build one complete and coherent memory of the day.
A Walk Around the Baglio
Before dinner, Máiréad and James took a little time away from their guests for a short couple session around Baglio Occhipinti.
We walked through the vineyards, the garden and the old stone buildings, following the last warm light of the day. Nothing too long and nothing overly posed. Just the two of them enjoying a quiet moment together after the ceremony, laughing, walking and occasionally forgetting that we were there.
These few minutes allowed us to create some more editorial photographs, playing with the architecture, the colours and the beautiful Sicilian light. Even then, I wanted the images to remain natural and true to them. I offered a little guidance when needed, but left enough space for their connection to emerge without forcing it.
A short pause before returning to the noise, the food and, although nobody knew it yet, a truly unreasonable quantity of limoncello.
Arancini, Sicilian Food and Tiramisù
You cannot bring seventy people from London to Sicily and expect them to behave calmly in front of trays of arancini.
The reception was a true celebration of Sicilian food. Guests gathered around the tables, shared plates, raised glasses and quickly settled into the rhythm of the evening. The atmosphere was relaxed and full of conversation, with that particular warmth that happens when good food and the right people meet in the same place.
For dessert, Máiréad and James chose tiramisù instead of a traditional wedding cake.
An excellent decision, in my completely unbiased opinion.
It felt informal, generous and perfectly in tune with the rest of the wedding. Nothing was included simply because tradition said it should be there. Every part of the day felt like them.
Then the limoncello arrived.
A lot of limoncello.
Seventy Guests, One Very Wild Party
By the end of dinner, it was clear that nobody had travelled from London to Sicily for an early night.
The dance floor filled almost immediately. Máiréad and James were right in the middle of it, surrounded by friends who brought an incredible amount of energy to the party.
There was singing, jumping, hugging, alcohol and the kind of dancing that becomes increasingly creative as the night continues. At a certain point, those seventy guests somehow felt like seven hundred.
It was loud, sweaty, chaotic and absolutely fantastic.
I always love photographing the moment when a wedding stops feeling like an organised event and becomes pure instinct. Nobody is thinking about the camera anymore. The elegant clothes are slightly less elegant, the ties disappear and every expression becomes wonderfully honest.
This is where a documentary approach becomes essential. You cannot recreate that energy or ask people to repeat it. You simply have to be there, close enough to feel it and ready enough to capture it.
A Wedding Story That Felt Completely Their Own
What I remember most about Máiréad and James’ wedding at Baglio Occhipinti is the contrast between its different souls.
The quiet beauty of the Sicilian countryside and the madness of the dance floor. The refined atmosphere and the glasses of limoncello multiplying everywhere. The laughter between friends and the tears during the speeches.
And, at the centre of everything, two people who genuinely love each other.
My photography and films always begin with observation. I follow the emotions, the people and the natural rhythm of the day. From there, I look for an editorial quality through light, framing, colour and composition. Not to make the wedding appear different from what it was, but to tell its truth in the most beautiful way I can.
Máiréad and James’ wedding did not need to be made more beautiful. It was already full of everything that matters.
Love, family, friendship, Sicily, tiramisù and possibly too much limoncello.
Although I am not entirely convinced that too much limoncello is actually possible.