In this beautiful palace, Dua Lipa is getting married tomorrow (and you can go too)
On May 31, Dua Lipa said yes, in a white Schiaparelli couture suit with a wide hat by Stephen Jones, for eight guests at a town hall in London. But today the real party begins. Dua Lipa and her almost-husband Callum Turner are flying to Palermo for three days that the Italian press has labeled months in advance as “the wedding of the year.” And as far as I'm concerned, they can call it the wedding of the decade. And the setting? Well, it's certainly not a Van der Valk.
The palace: Villa Valguarnera
The grand reception takes place at Villa Valguarnera, a seventeenth-century estate in Bagheria, near Palermo, whose architecture has often appeared in films and fashion reports. For example, Dolce & Gabbana held that fantastic Dolce Rosa show there Sophia Loren at this location. It is a baroque palace in the tradition of the Sicilian aristocracy, with a monumental staircase overlooking the gardens and a view of the sea in the distance.
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Luxury stay: Villa Igiea
Dua and Callum's guests (by the way, did you know he is being mentioned as the new James Bond? Talk about a good catch) are staying at Villa Igiea, a nineteenth-century art nouveau palazzo overlooking the Gulf of Palermo, where the entire floor is reserved for suites. For whom? Well, for example, for Olivia Dean, Mark Ronson, Grace Gunner, and Elton John. The blessing would take place at Santa Maria dello Spasimo, a gothic church ruin that is open to the sky after an earthquake in the sixteenth century. If you're talking about places that will leave your jaw on the floor, Santa Maria dello Spasimo definitely belongs on the list.
The beginning of their love story in Palermo
The couple fell in love with Palermo during a summer vacation in 2025. They stayed at Villa Igiea, ate and drank their way through the Sicilian cuisine, and Dua posed in a pink shirt from the local football club. We could all see that on her Instagram. She drank Negroni, he had an Old Fashioned, and they ate olives while playing cards. Palermo didn't let them go, and they didn't let Palermo go, it seems.
The guest list: stars and icons
Among the guests, as mentioned, were Elton John, Charli XCX, Mark Ronson, Donatella Versace, and Simon Porte Jacquemus. Elton John will also perform, which is nice because Dua certainly owes him that. As for Dua's dress, it is said to have been designed by Donatella Versace in collaboration with a local Palermitan atelier. Dua was recently in Rome for a fitting session, and a staggering 26 dresses were said to have arrived. Better to be shy than to be shy, after all. We'll keep an eye on it all for you. To be continued.
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Locations and atmosphere in Sicily
Villa Valguarnera is a private location that you can rent for weddings and events, Villa Igiea is a five-star hotel from the Rocco Forte chain that is simply bookable. The early June sunlight in Sicily is exceptionally beautiful, the food and wine are world-class, and the locations, from baroque palaces to cliffs above the sea, offer a variety and quality that few other Italian regions can match. Santa Maria dello Spasimo is also publicly accessible and free to visit.
Sicily has been Europe's most underrated honeymoon destination for years, less crowded than Tuscany, less expensive than the Amalfi Coast, and more beautiful than you can imagine. That Dua Lipa is now putting it on the map surprises no one who has ever spent a summer there.
Festivities until June 7
The festivities will continue until June 7. We are watching from the sidelines, just like the rest of the world.
