A Dutch Wedding at Villa Mon Repos, Taormina — Rik & Elise
Some weddings arrive with a vision already fully formed. You feel it in the details, in the choices, in the way a couple has thought about every part of their day.
Rik and Elise came to Sicily from the Netherlands with exactly that kind of clarity, and their wedding at Villa Mon Repos in Taormina was everything they had imagined, and more.
A Dutch Wedding at Villa Mon Repos, Taormina, Sicily
The Setting — Villa Mon Repos, Taormina
High above the Ionian Sea, with views over Isola Bella and the Sicilian coastline, Villa Mon Repos is one of the most exclusive and cinematic wedding venues in Taormina. Its terraces, Mediterranean gardens and warm stone make a natural frame for any love story.
For an international couple looking for elegance, privacy and an unforgettable backdrop, it is simply perfect.
A Symbolic Ceremony in English and Dutch
The symbolic ceremony took place at Villa Mon Repos at five in the afternoon, led by Wendy Keizer, a Dutch celebrant who wove two languages, two cultures and one shared promise into a ceremony that felt entirely their own.
It was held in English and Dutch, a reflection of who Rik and Elise are and where they come from. Three close friends gave speeches that had everyone laughing and in tears in equal measure.
Small group, deep emotion. That is the kind of wedding that films beautifully.
The Vision — Lemons, Blue and White
Rik and Elise had a vision as precise as it was poetic: lemons, blue and white. A palette drawn from Sicily itself — the bright citrus of the island’s groves, the deep blue of the Ionian, the clean white of Taormina’s stone terraces.
The flowers were by Toscano Fiori, a Sicilian team who knew exactly how to turn that vision into something real. The tables and the ceremony space felt genuinely Sicilian: not a style imposed on the place, but a conversation between the couple’s ideas and the setting they had chosen.
Elise wore Pronovias, a dress in perfect harmony with Villa Mon Repos and the Mediterranean light of a May afternoon. Hair was by Loredana Calandra and make-up by Dalila La Colla, two of Sicily’s most trusted wedding professionals.
The Day — From Welcome Drinks to Dancing Until 1am
The day unfolded with the natural, unhurried rhythm of a well-planned Sicilian wedding.
- 16:30
- Welcome drink
- 17:00
- Symbolic ceremony
- 17:30
- Aperitivo on the terrace
- 20:00
- Dinner outdoors at the villa
- 22:30
- Cake cutting
- 23:00
- First dance
- 01:00
- Last dance
The ceremony was intimate and personal: the couple, their closest people and Wendy’s words in the Taormina air. The aperitivo followed on the terrace, with the sea below and the sky beginning to turn gold. Dinner was served outdoors, the speeches woven through the courses and the laughter rising into the warm May night.
After the cake and the first dance, the dancing began in earnest. A choreographed dance, planned as a surprise, became one of the most joyful and cinematic moments of the day, and the dance with her father was one of those quiet, unrepeatable moments that says everything without a word. The celebration went on until one in the morning — the kind of ending that tells you a wedding was truly lived.
A Morning with the Groom
Before the day began, Rik got ready at a private villa in Contrada San Biagio, Fiumefreddo di Sicilia, near Giardini Naxos. The quiet morning light, the calm before the celebration, the small rituals of getting ready: these are often the moments that move people most when they watch their film back.
There is something extraordinary about the hours before a wedding — the stillness, the anticipation, the private version of the day that only the film will ever fully hold.
The Music
The reel was set to Ancora, Ancora, Ancora (Mark Ronson Remix), a choice that caught the energy, romance and joy of Rik and Elise’s day. Music in a wedding film is never just background; it is the emotional architecture of the whole piece, and this track gave the film exactly the warmth and movement it deserved.
Watch the wedding reel on Instagram
About This Wedding Film
This film was made by Film Vision, a luxury wedding film studio based in Ragusa, Sicily, specialising in destination weddings for international couples in Taormina, Noto and throughout Sicily and Italy.
We work with couples from the Netherlands, the US, the UK, Australia and across the world who choose Sicily for their wedding, and who want a film that captures not only the moments but everything they mean.
Wedding Credits
- Couple
- Rik & Elise
- Date
- 21 May 2025
- Venue
- Villa Mon Repos, Taormina
- Ceremony
- Symbolic, in English and Dutch
- Celebrant
- Wendy Keizer
- Photography
- Angelo Alborino, wedding photographer in Sicily
- Wedding film
- Film Vision, wedding videographer in Sicily
- Bridal gown
- Pronovias
- Flowers
- Toscano Fiori
- Hair
- Loredana Calandra
- Make-up
- Dalila La Colla
Can you have a symbolic wedding at Villa Mon Repos in Taormina?
Yes. Rik and Elise held a symbolic ceremony at Villa Mon Repos, led by a Dutch celebrant in English and Dutch, followed by an aperitivo on the terrace and dinner outdoors at the villa.
Can a wedding ceremony in Sicily be held in two languages?
A symbolic ceremony can be held in any language. Rik and Elise’s celebrant, Wendy Keizer, conducted theirs in both English and Dutch so that every guest could follow it.
What does a typical wedding day timeline in Taormina look like?
Rik and Elise’s day is a good example: welcome drink at 16:30, ceremony at 17:00, aperitivo at 17:30, dinner at 20:00, cake at 22:30, first dance at 23:00 and dancing until 1am.
Planning a destination wedding in Taormina?
Get in touch to check availability and find out how Film Vision can bring your story to life.
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