This feature details the magnificent Sicilian wedding of designer Georgie Wright to Charles Forte, highlighting Wright's personal touch in creating her own bridal attire and accessories. The narrative captures the essence of a lavish celebration set against the stunning backdrop of Palermo's historic venues, emphasizing the blend of personal craftsmanship and grand hospitality.
A Fusion of Fashion and Heritage: Celebrating Love in Sicily's Embrace
The Visionary Bride: Crafting a Dream Wedding Wardroble in Sicily
Georgie Wright, a visionary designer and co-founder of The Veil, orchestrated a truly unforgettable wedding weekend in Sicily to celebrate her union with Charles Forte. Forte, the Vice President of Development at Rocco Forte Hotels, brought his extensive family legacy in luxury hospitality to the event. For Wright, whose brand is renowned for redefining handbags as statements of personal expression, the decision to design her own wedding gowns was a natural extension of her creative spirit. Her journey involved travels to The Veil's Indian factory to perfect the intricate micro beadwork that is a hallmark of her designs, ensuring each of her multiple looks for the Palermo festivities was a masterpiece.
A Venue Steeped in History and Family Tradition: Villa Igiea and Monreale Cathedral
The choice of venue was deeply personal and effortlessly fitting. Sir Rocco Forte, Charles's father, is the esteemed founder and chairman of Rocco Forte Hotels, whose portfolio includes the breathtaking Villa Igiea in Palermo. Charles, who first encountered Georgie nine years prior through a cousin and proposed on New Year's Eve in Mustique, spent several months overseeing Villa Igiea's 2021 reopening. This allowed Georgie to witness the villa's majestic turrets and terraces transform. Given Georgie's New Zealand origins, the couple opted for a Sicilian celebration to minimize guest travel, allowing everyone to revel in the splendor of the family's iconic property.
A Grand Affair: Marrying Historical Splendor with Personal Style
The couple's celebration extended beyond Villa Igiea, encompassing another of Palermo's significant landmarks: the Cattedrale di Monreale. Enchanted by its dazzling Byzantine mosaics, Georgie and Charles instantly recognized it as their perfect ceremony location. The wedding dinner followed in the serene Benedictine Cloister, a site celebrated for its historical and architectural grandeur in Sicily, secured with the gracious assistance of Lady Aliai Forte.
Audrey Hepburn's Timeless Allure: The Creation of an Iconic Gown
Wright's main wedding dress was a homage to Audrey Hepburn's legendary Ascot ensemble from My Fair Lady, a film that captivated her since childhood. This inspiration was beautifully integrated with a cherished Forte family heirloom veil. Wright meticulously photocopied the veil's intricate floral patterns, then reinterpreted them into her own embroidery design. This pattern was then digitally transferred onto the dress panels. Countless trips to India were undertaken to ensure the embellishment, comprising miniature pearls, glass, and ivory beads that shimmered like diamonds, was flawless. The exhaustive four-month process, focusing even on the thread type, was crucial in achieving the desired aesthetic.
Signature Accessories and Collaborative Designs: Completing the Bridal Ensemble
The final gown featured elegant 1920s-inspired tassels, echoing The Veil's distinctive Melt bag. In a thoughtful personal touch, Wright fashioned a custom ivory mini Melt bag, foreshadowing an upcoming bridal collection. Viktor Gichev, introduced through Georgie's trusted style advisor Alexandra Cronan, was commissioned to create an opera coat for the bride, fostering a collaboration that might lead to future joint ventures for The Veil.
Heirloom Jewelry and Sentimental Details: Adding Personal Meaning
Additional cherished details further personalized Georgie's bridal look. The night before the wedding, her in-laws gifted her exquisite 1920s earrings from SJ Phillips. She also borrowed a stunning diamond necklace from Berganza, which she jokingly admitted she was reluctant to return. Charles complemented his Anderson & Sheppard suit with his grandfather’s black tie shirt buttons, adorned with pearls and diamonds, adding a touch of family heritage.
An Unplanned Wardrobe Choice: The Beauty of the Main Gown Prevails
Georgie had initially planned to change into a different outfit for the reception at Villa Igiea. However, her bridesmaid and The Veil co-founder, Adwoa Aboah, along with Jazzy de Lisser and Gala Gordon, insisted she remain in her wedding gown, declaring it too magnificent to be taken off. Despite the challenge of dancing with a cathedral-length veil draped over her arm, Georgie successfully navigated the evening without damaging it. Her second wedding dress was eventually exchanged for a Jane Bourvis slip on the subsequent night, after enduring 24 hours in Manolo Blahnik and Aquazzura heels. Even this slip bore Wright's distinctive touch, with delicate straps replaced by three ornate beaded versions. Her sisters and Ruby Boglione, serving as maids of honor, proudly wore Georgie-designed dresses, while the wedding's youngest guests sported mosaic-inspired blue and gold dresses crafted by Georgie's mother-in-law.
Aesthetic and Culinary Delights: Creating an Immersive Experience
Mayumi Oda, the makeup artist, achieved an "instant facelift" for the bride each morning through her signature facial massages, complementing a "dewy, subtle" makeup palette. Hairstylist Pierre Saint Sever fashioned a natural bun for the ceremony and a more structured style for the evening party, guided by the mood boards curated by Adwoa and Alexandra. Georgie's primary focus was the decor, including the floral arrangements. The cloister tables were adorned with lush green foliage and white flowers, infusing the space with freshness, while hundreds of candles cast a romantic glow. For the second evening, drawing inspiration from Villa Igiea's sala basile frescoes, Georgie decorated the area with poppies and irises. Collaborating with friend Anna Boglione of Petersham Nurseries fame, other splendid elements included an ice fountain doubling as a crudo bar, a martini station framed by lemon trees, and a vibrant pink nightclub featuring performances by Galivanter and Alan Power & The Take Twos, culminating in guests collectively singing Oasis hits.
Culinary Highlights and Sweet Endings: A Feast for the Senses
The culinary highlight of the celebration was undoubtedly creative director Fulvio Pierangelini’s signature ravioli. Despite his usual practice of preparing ravioli for intimate groups of 30 due to his refusal to make them in advance, he crafted a remarkable 3,200 ravioli for 300 guests on the wedding day. A three-tiered pavlova cake, adorned with wild strawberries, paid tribute to Georgie’s New Zealand heritage. Reflecting on the event, Wright beamed, acknowledging their good fortune.
A Pre-Wedding Nod to Vintage: The London Civil Ceremony
Astute Instagram followers might have noticed a prior bridal ensemble from the couple's London civil ceremony. Georgie wore a vintage 1920s slip, a long-held treasure, paired with a piano shawl discovered at Portobello Market the week before. This elegant, effortless yet meticulously curated look, enhanced by a borrowed Sandra Cronan brooch, exemplified the distinctive style of one of London's most exciting creative talents, who brought her extensive network to Italy for a truly memorable celebration.
