Sir Elton John made a last-minute dash by private jet to Sicily to perform his iconic hit Your Song at Dua Lipa’s lavish wedding ceremony — arriving just in time to serenade the pop star and her new husband Callum Turner in what guests described as a “very emotional” moment at one of the most spectacular celebrity weddings in recent memory.
The 30-year-old singer and the James Bond favourite, 34, exchanged vows at the historic Villa Valguarnera in Bagheria, east of Palermo, on Saturday evening — six days after their official legal ceremony at Marylebone Town Hall in London. Sir Elton flew from Farnborough in Hampshire and was whisked from Palermo airport in a blacked-out car, arriving with barely enough time to take his place before the ceremony began.
The three-day Sicilian extravaganza was a study in carefully orchestrated glamour. Lipa made a spectacular entrance along a 650-foot driveway lined with bougainvillea trees, arriving at around 6pm local time. A semi-circle of chairs had been arranged in front of the villa, with a gazebo at the centre where the couple sat on a stage and exchanged vows before their families and close friends. The villa interior was decorated with peonies and hyacinths, with photo booths set up for guests to take souvenir pictures. Chairs outside were adorned with embroidered handkerchiefs bearing the words “Stay mad with me forever,” while cigarettes were provided as a nod to the relaxed Sicilian atmosphere. A near disaster involving the bride’s mother Anesa — whose driver admitted to leaving her shoes in his car — was apparently resolved in time.
Lipa wore a gown decorated with diamonds designed by fashion legend Donatella Versace, who had been seen celebrating with the couple at a cocktail party the previous evening at Galleria Moderna. That same Friday, the bride had appeared in a custom-made Bottega Veneta dress, carrying a £2,580 Andiamo clutch with feathers added. The three days began on Thursday with a yacht party for guests — many of whom were staying at the £1,000-a-night Igiea hotel in Palermo — and included singer Charli XCX and both sets of parents among the attendees.
Not everyone in Palermo was swept up in the romance. Locals put up posters around the city expressing displeasure at the use of public spaces for a private celebration. “Palermo is not for rent. Public spaces belong to everyone,” read one. “Our square is not your living room” and “Palermo is not for the rich” read others — a reminder that the world’s most lavish celebrations do not always land well with the communities that host them.
