Ask any guest what they remember about a wedding in Sicily and, after the vows and the view, the answer is almost always the food. Meals here are long, generous and sociable, built around the island's produce and shared slowly with the people you love. For many UK couples, the menu is one of the most enjoyable parts of planning, and also one of the parts that feels most different from a wedding at home.
This guide walks you through how a Sicilian wedding menu usually comes together, from the first glass at the aperitivo to the last cannolo at midnight, and how we help you shape it. If you are just starting out, our complete guide to getting married in Sicily as a UK couple is a good place to begin.
How a Sicilian wedding meal differs from a UK wedding breakfast
At a typical British wedding, the drinks reception is a short pause before a three-course sit-down meal. In Sicily, the rhythm is different. The celebration tends to unfold over several hours, with food arriving in stages rather than all at once.
A few things UK couples often notice:
- The aperitivo is a meal in itself. The drinks reception after the ceremony is usually generous, with plenty to eat, so guests rarely feel hungry while photos are being taken.
- More courses, smaller portions. Rather than one large main, a Sicilian menu often moves through a pasta or risotto course, then fish or meat, with time to talk and toast in between.
- Dinner starts later. Especially in summer, the main meal often begins once the heat has eased and the light has turned golden, and the evening runs on from there.
- Dessert is a highlight, not an afterthought. Sicily's sweets are famous, and many couples make them a moment of the night.
None of this is fixed. Your menu is designed around you, your guests and your venue, and we are always happy to blend Sicilian generosity with the moments your family expects from a British wedding.
The aperitivo: your guests' first taste of Sicily
The aperitivo is where many guests fall in love with the island's food. Depending on your venue and caterer, it might feature Sicilian street-food favourites such as arancini and panelle, local cheeses and cured meats, fresh seafood on the coast, and seasonal vegetables dressed in good olive oil, alongside chilled local wine, prosecco or a spritz.
Couples often choose between food served on trays by waiting staff, a set of food stations where guests help themselves, or a mix of both. Stations work beautifully for an outdoor reception, as they keep guests moving and chatting. If you are planning live music for this part of the day, it is worth deciding early so the space can be laid out around both.
Choosing your style of dinner
Once the aperitivo winds down, you have a few ways to serve the main meal:
A served, seated dinner
Each course is brought to the table. It feels elegant and relaxed at the same time, and suits most guest numbers. It also makes it easy to manage dietary needs, as each plate can be prepared for the person in front of it.
An imperial table
One long table, or a few long tables, with everyone seated together under the sky. It is one of the most photographed ideas in Sicily for good reason. When Lidia and Rian took over Borgo del Carato near Siracusa for two days, their celebration included an alfresco imperial table. You can read more in Lidia & Rian's real wedding.
Family-style sharing
Platters are placed in the middle of each table for guests to pass around. It is warm and informal, and suits couples who want a long, convivial lunch or a more relaxed evening.
A buffet
A buffet can work well for a relaxed lunch or the day after, but for the main wedding meal most couples prefer a served or sharing style so guests can stay seated and enjoy the evening.
Your venue will often guide which styles are possible, so it helps to think about the meal when you are shortlisting. Our guide to choosing a wedding venue in Sicily covers the questions to ask.
Letting the season and the region lead
Sicilian cooking is seasonal and local, and the best menus follow what is good at the time of your wedding. A spring wedding might bring early vegetables, herbs and fresh cheeses. Late summer and early autumn tend to bring ripe tomatoes, aubergines, figs and grapes. Our month-by-month guide to the best time to get married in Sicily can help you picture what each season feels like.
Where you marry matters too. On the coast, around Taormina, Cefalù or Sciacca, fish and seafood often take centre stage. Inland and in the countryside estates of the Val di Noto or the Trapani hills, menus may lean more on the land, with lamb, pork, vegetables and the citrus and almonds the island is known for. Jessica and Seb's civil wedding at Casale degli Aranci, set among citrus groves, is remembered for its exquisite Sicilian food. See Jessica & Seb's real wedding.
Sicilian wine: a lovely way to introduce your guests to the island
Sicily is one of Italy's most exciting wine regions, and choosing your wines can be a real pleasure. The volcanic slopes of Mount Etna, the south-east and the west of the island all produce distinctive wines, from crisp whites that suit a seafood aperitivo to deeper reds such as Nero d'Avola for the main course. Marsala and other dessert wines can round off the meal.
Some couples keep it simple with one white, one red and a sparkling wine for the toasts. Others like a wine matched to each course. If you would like your guests to discover more, a wine tasting can be a lovely addition to your wedding weekend. Just tell us what you enjoy, and we will help you build your choices with your venue and caterer.
Sweets, cake and the late-night feast
Sicily's desserts deserve their own moment. Cannoli, cassata, almond pastries and granita are all well loved, and many couples add a dessert station in the evening alongside, or instead of, a traditional cake. Live dessert moments go down especially well: Lidia and Rian chose live cake-making as part of their celebration.
As the dancing goes on, a late-night snack is always welcome. Our post on Sicilian wedding traditions has more ideas, from sugared-almond confetti to a painted Sicilian cart used as a sweets station.
Food across the whole wedding weekend
Many destination weddings in Sicily are really two- or three-day celebrations, and food helps give each part its own feel. Popular ideas include:
- A welcome evening. A relaxed pizza party or informal dinner the night before is a lovely way to greet guests as they arrive. Lidia and Rian began their weekend with a pizza party at the estate.
- The wedding day itself. The aperitivo, dinner and late-night treats.
- A recovery day. A long lunch or a pool party the day after, as Lidia and Rian enjoyed, gives everyone a chance to relax together before flying home.
Our guest accommodation and travel guide explains how to plan stays and transfers around a weekend like this.
Dietary needs, children and international guests
Sicilian kitchens are generally very used to vegetarian dishes, and many traditional recipes are naturally meat-free. Vegan, gluten-free, allergy and other needs can be catered for with clear planning. The key is to collect requirements early, usually with your RSVPs, so your caterer has everything well ahead of the day. We can also help with children's menus and simpler options for younger guests.
Because we are a bilingual team, with Lina in the UK and Sabina on the ground in Sicily, we pass your guests' needs on clearly in Italian, so nothing gets lost in translation.
The menu tasting
A menu tasting is usually part of planning, and for many couples it is a highlight. It is your chance to try the dishes, adjust flavours and portions, taste the wines and talk through timings with your venue or caterer. If you cannot travel to Sicily for a tasting, we can talk you through options. Our Sicily wedding planning timeline shows where the tasting and final menu decisions usually fit.
Planning the budget for food and drink
Food and drink are a significant part of any wedding budget, and costs depend on your guest numbers, the number of courses, your wine choices, the style of service and your venue. Rather than give figures here, we prefer to talk through your plans and share accurate quotes for your date. Our guide to the cost of a bespoke wedding in Sicily explains how we approach budgets.
FAQs: Sicilian wedding food and wine
What food is served at a Sicilian wedding?
Usually a generous aperitivo with Sicilian street food, cheeses and seasonal dishes, followed by a dinner of several courses such as pasta or risotto and then fish or meat, and finishing with Sicilian sweets such as cannoli and cassata. The exact menu is built with your venue and caterer.
Can we have a British-style wedding breakfast in Sicily?
Yes. We can blend Sicilian dishes with the moments your family expects, such as a classic cake cutting or speeches between courses. Most couples love mixing the two.
Can Sicilian caterers handle vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free guests?
Yes, with good planning. Vegetarian dishes are very much part of Sicilian cooking, and other requirements can be catered for when they are shared early, usually with your RSVPs.
Which Sicilian wines are good for a wedding?
Sicily offers crisp whites, elegant reds from Etna, Nero d'Avola and sweet wines such as Marsala. We help you choose wines that suit your menu and season.
Do we need to attend a menu tasting in person?
It is lovely if you can, but not essential. We can talk you through the options if travelling to Sicily for a tasting is not practical.
How much does wedding catering in Sicily cost?
It depends on guest numbers, courses, wines and service style.
Let's plan a menu your guests will talk about for years
Whether you dream of an imperial table under the stars, a seafood feast by the sea or a long countryside lunch, we will help you design a menu that feels truly Sicilian and truly yours. With Lina in the UK and Sabina in Sicily, you have a bilingual team looking after every detail, from the tasting to the last glass of Marsala.
Get in touch to start planning your Sicily wedding, or browse our venue spotlights and real weddings for inspiration.
