Recent testimonials

Taormina, Monday 3 October 2011 - Petra & Ondrej, Brno, Czech Republic
We decided to get married two weeks before our wonderful Sicilian holiday began. The idea was so bright: „We will get married at one of most romantic place – Taormina“! But problem was how to do it? As the decision was made we started our pre-wedding shopping sprint. We found wedding organizers on the web and asked them what do we need, how much does it cost etc. Fortunately for us we never got any answer. But all clothes were bought, rings came one day before our departure so we decided to try it without any idea how we could organize this. If everything goes well, it takes about 6 weeks to get all legal documents here in Czech. There was no chance to get them in one week.
The very first day we came to Taormina we checked web again and we found TIME OUT pub and Isabella and Tony. During the afternoon we visited their pub and I asked Tony if they can organize a symbolic wedding for us in one week. We wanted to have the ceremony as simple as possible. Tony promised me they will do their best. And they did. We left Taormina for our trip around Sicily, got engaged on the Etna volcano. The weather forecast said best day for our big day will be Monday. We exchanged some SMS with Tony about bouquet, place, time, and other details. One day before our wedding we drove back to Taormina. Isabella showed us the beautiful public gardens. We checked the last, but most important details as hairdresser, bouquet and photographer.
Next day we found Isabella and Tony prepared for us the best day from whole our vacation. Ceremony was super, private and we really enjoyed it.
Dear Isabella and Tony. Thank you for taking care about everything. We could enjoy our vacation and wedding without any stress. Experienced couples (who got married here in Czech) were jealous when we shown them photos. Most of them still haven’t got their wedding albums…
Inspite of the wedding status “symbolic” we felt the wedding is for us much more important than legal wedding we had later.
Isabella, Tony thank you for showing us that a wedding can be wonderful day fulfilled just by nice and relaxed moments.

Ondrej and Petra Horky, Brno, Czech Republic

Taormina, Thursday 22 September 2011 - Tina & David, Durham, England
We just hope that our words do justice and come somewhat close to representing our gratitude towards Tony and Isabella.
After meeting with them, a year prior to our wedding date, we knew that we were in good hands and that our big day would no doubt be special, but never in our widest dreams could we have imagined that it would be as phenomenal as it was.
We married in Chiesa Del Varo which we purposely chose for its privacy and elegant interior. Tony and Isabella recommended that we book the violinist, organist and singer who seriously enhanced the wonderful church service… not a dry eye in the church!!!
After our ceremony we were treated to a traditional Sicilian celebration in the form of a 3 piece folk band at the brilliant Mocambo Café.
Our wedding party of 27 were thoroughly entertained by these exceptional musicians whilst ourselves ‘the Bride and Groom’ were whisked away for photographs.
Reception was arranged in La Giara which blew everyone away with its stunning interior, balcony views and let’s not forget a wedding meal that was truly out of this world. At one point the mother of the bride phoned family back in the UK to excitedly exclaim that she felt like she was dining in Elizabeth Taylor’s Hollywood Mansion.
We have since been repeatedly told by our guests that it was simply the best wedding they have ever attended in which they can’t ever imagine attending its equal in this life time. All of our requirements were arranged for us, not once did we have to think about the flowers, hairdressers, cars, music etc everything just flowed beautifully which enabled us to enjoy the best day of our lives to its fullest.
Tony and Isabella, we are so grateful to have met you and will forever think of you both not only as excellent wedding planners but also as friends.
Love and Best Wishes

Tina and David Grace, Durham, England

Taormina, Friday 16 September 2011 - Caroline & Jon, Tralee, Co. Kerry, Ireland
To Tony & Isabella,
What can we say!
What a church, what a venue, what a place!
Everything from start to finish was organised to perfection. Both of you worked so hard to make sure our day ran as smooth as possible and it did; from early that day to late that night you were there for us to ensure everything was to the highest standard.
So from the bottom of our hearts we say thanks for something special that will remain with not only us, but also our guest for the rest of our lives.
Ciao for just a little while

Caroline and Jon, Tralee, Co. Kerry, Ireland

Taormina, Friday 9 September 2011 - Adrienne & Martin, Donabate, Co. Dublin, Ireland
What can we say about Tony and Isabella that hasn’t been said before only that they are truly two of the nicest people we have ever met.
Our journey with Tony and Isabella began in September 2010 and from the very first email we sent them we knew straight away that we were in good hands. After a few weeks of emails back and forth we decided we couldn’t wait any longer and wanted to travel as soon as we could to Sicily. When we arrived there we were blown away with how picturesque the town of Taormina was. It really is a hidden gem.  We couldn’t wait to book our special day in Taormina and by the time we met Tony and Isabella that first evening we knew Sicily was the place for us. Throughout the whole year after we had booked it Tony and Isabella continued to be amazing.
All of our worries and questions were always answered promptly and we never once felt not at ease.
When our wedding day arrived our expectations were exceeded. We had such a special day that will remain in our hearts forever. The hairdresser, the photographer, videographer, the florist and Giovanni from La Giara were all amazing. Isabella took all the hassle out of arranging any appointments.
The singers in the church were fantastic and everyone had a tear in their eye. The Sicilian folk band that were waiting for us after the ceremony in Mocambo cafe were brilliant, they had all of our 40 guests up dancing straight away. Our guests are all still talking about them today and how they didn’t want to leave when Isabella said they had to go to La Giara.
However the disappointment they felt leaving Mocambo didn’t last very long, when they walked into La Giara they were all left speechless.
The views from the rooftop overlooking Mt Etna was so romantic, the food, drink and cake were amazing, the staff were so friendly and helpful and really made us feel very special. Tony also arranged for a piano player to play during the meal which set the mood for the whole evening.
Two days before the wedding I got a severe eye infection that didn’t seem to be clearing up.  It got so bad that I could barley see and was in a lot of pain. Tony and Isabella arranged very quickly for me to see and eye specialist who was able to diagnose what was wrong with my eye and start treating it straight away. Tony and Isabella really went above and beyond to help me and even when I needed to go back to see the doctor on the morning of the wedding day Isabella was there and brought me and was able to translate.
I really wouldn’t know what we would have done without the two of them.
If you are a bride or groom to be and have found this website look no further, you won’t be disappointed.
We are already planning our next trip back to Sicily. Thanks again Tony and Isabella from the bottom of our hearts for giving us our perfect day.
Lots of Love

Adrienne and Martin, Donabate, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Taormina, Tuesday 6 September 2011 - Tim & Sabine, Holland
What a perfect day it was, our wedding in Taormina.
We looked for a small wedding in a romantic setting, well, we got it.
To arrange a wedding from a distance wasn’t easy, but we were lucky to get into contact with Tony and Isabella from the “Time Out Pub”.
They took care of all legal formalities and showed us around in Taormina.
Also on their recommendation we stayed at the “Ashbee Hotel” and had our wedding diner at “La Giara”.
Both were perfect, the people of both places were great, the hotel was beautiful on a magnificent location and the diner was more than delicious.
Also the place of the ceremony, Palazzo Duca di Santo Stefano, was a perfect intimate place, with Isabella translating from Italian to English.
We enjoyed the day from start to end, it almost felt like being a prince and princess getting married, all was so perfect.
We definitely will come back to this beautiful place and stop at the “Time Out Pub” to visit our new friends Tony and Isabella, because they had a great part in one of the most beautiful days of our lives.
Thank you so much!

Tim and Sabine, Holland

Taormina, Friday 2 September 2011 - Louise & Rory, Lucan, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Our wedding was planned for a couple of years before it happened and there are two people who have been there throughout the whole time making it happen and that is Tony & Isabella.
We got engaged in January 2009 and having searched venues and emailed many wedding planners in Spain, Portugal and Italy.
I finally came across Tony and Isabella in Sicily.
We immediately warmed to the fact that there were so many weddings testimonials with Irish couples on their website but I thought is this too good to be true; it looked amazing and everyone was so happy! Well it is true and we can now include our wedding and us as one of their many happy couples!
Tony and Isabella immediately responded to our e mail query and began an 18month period of emailing Tony back and forward with many questions until We finally agreed to arrive in Taormina in Sept 2010 with the intention of booking our wedding.
We arrived with so many expectations as we could only afford one trip but the church and venue exceeded those expectations.
The wedding was booked and took place on 2^nd Sept 2011. We had an amazing day with 47 of our family and friends from Ireland and England.
Taormina is one of the most beautiful and chic places steeped in history.
Isabella takes the hassle of organising hairdressers, beauticians, florists who all done an amazing job and were great value.
We found the paperwork at home and in Taormina so simple with Tony’s assistance. And to the best bit the church and fabulous venue La Giara.
San Pancrazio church stood out for us as it is so ornate and we loved the wooden individual chairs instead of pews.
It looks amazing in real life but even more so in our photos.
Once our ceremony was finished they had organised something very special which we had kept a secret from all of our guests – Filippo and the Sicilian band arrived at the arch entrance to the main street the Corso Umberto; we were handed two glasses of prosecco from a nearby restaurant Trocadero and off we went walking with all of our 47 guests through Taormina’s main street to the sounds of Sicilian music and at special request Dean Martins song Volare – everyone was gobsmacked and it was absolutely fabulous!
We felt like superstars with everyone clapping and lining the streets shouting “Auguri” (congratulations)!! Wow I will never forget it!
Dinner at La Giara was just fantastic – we had some worries as we had plenty of older Irish people with us who only eat plain food but everyone said the meal was gorgeous and they loved the wedding cake – everyone wanted more the next day and I am still hearing about the cake back at home now!
Giovanni and his team are so nice! It was the best day of our lives and every guest that night told us they had never been to a wedding like it before and probably never will!
Tony and Isabella not only organised the wedding but really helped us with everything from organising a hen night at exclusive Morgana bar, stag’s at Time out, advice on hotels and our fabulous honeymoon at Panarea, restaurants, airport transfers for guests,  helping guests with any questions about Taormina... their assistance goes far beyond wedding planning.
A huge thanks to everyone who was involved in the day also including Angelo, Peppe our fabulous chauffer who not only drove but fanned me whilst I waited for our ceremony to begin and had wipes mirrors and everything ready in his car!
Filippo and his band, Nicola the photographer and Alessandro who were there for hours on end and done a great job, Fr Marco who is so nice and done some of our ceremony in Italian everyone commented on how nice he was.
We have already received our beautiful leather bound wedding album which is stunning and a disk with an amazing amount of photographs!
Please get in touch with Tony and Isabella if you have any questions they will be honest and upfront and someone you can trust 100% to make your special day one to remember – they started as wedding planners we now consider them friends for life!

Louise & Rory, Lucan, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Taormina, Thursday 28 July 2011 - Vikki & Greg, Stanford-Le-Hope, Essex, England
There are two people in the world that can make your dream wedding reality. These two special people live in an idyllic location that takes your breath away. Romance fills the air in Taormina which is why it is the perfect venue for the wedding of your dreams.
Tony and Isabella know this gem as their home which is why they are the best people to choose. Not only are they the locals who know all the best venues but they are one of the nicest couples we have ever met.
We began planning our wedding with Tony in July 2010, after a year of continuous emails we knew that they were a professional company that we could trust. The advice and assurance provided simply by email was enough to keep us going and there was always a reply to any questions or queries. In fact we felt like friends even before we arrived.
We arrived in Taormina four days before the wedding to make all the final arrangements. I must admit I thought this was going to be stressful but Isabella was so calm and professional so everything ran smoothly. All the preparation was planned in detail and every request was dealt with.
The flowers were beautiful; the florist was friendly and prepared magnificent halos of flowers for the flower girls upon request.
The hairdressers and beauticians were fantastic. The trial was pleasing and I felt at ease after the trial knowing that they would do a good job.
We had a large number of children attending the wedding and not once were we made to feel that this was a problem. Tony and Isabella were relaxed and calm and every one of our guests loved them.
The Sicilian Buffet at the Time Out Pub was a great way to get all the guests together before the wedding. The garden is so pretty with orange and lemon trees shading the surroundings. It was decorated beautifully. The children were safe in the garden so the adults were able to relax and enjoy themselves.
Words cannot describe what a spectacular day the wedding turned out to be. We were speechless the first time we saw Santa Caterina Church, even more so on the day of the wedding. The musicians and singer left all of our guests overwhelmed with emotion. It was perfect, like a dream come true. The photographer and videographer barely left our sight capturing each moment of the day.
The Sicilian folk band was a great success leaving our guests talking about them still to this day. They were amusing and entertaining getting the party started while we drove off through the streets of Taormina feeling like royalty.
When our guests arrived at the jaw-dropping La Giara they were stunned. It was the perfect venue for the perfect wedding. Giovanni followed every request and his attention to detail was second to none. Every single guest praised the venue for both the views and quality of food.
The dream really did become reality and this was all because of Tony and Isabella. Two very special people who will stay in our hearts forever.
Thank you for making our dream come true. Xxx

Vikki & Greg, Stanford-Le-Hope, Essex, England

Taormina, Thursday 21 July 2011 - Ciara & Brian, Ballinlaw, Slieverue, Co.Kilkenny, Ireland
Dear Tony and Isabella,
I honestly don't know where to begin! Our wedding in Taormina was the most amazing day of our lives. Since we arrived home I have tried to find the words to describe how spectacular it all was but words fail me. Nothing can prepare you for the beauty of Taormina and it's people.
Tony and Isabella are the perfect wedding planners - professional, efficient, friendly and their attention to detail is superb.
We had a very small wedding ( 8 people including ourselves) but it didn't matter to Tony and Isabella. They looked after us and our guests so well. They made us all feel so welcome from the first day we met in Time Out pub to our last night when we received our amazing album!
Everybody in Taormina was so helpful and friendly, from the hairdressers and make-up artists to the florist and even the guy who we bought the candles from...he said hello every time we passed the shop! Angelo ensured a pleasant journey to and from the airport and he was so welcoming. Father Marco made us feel so relaxed during the ceremony in Chiesa Del Varo and Giovanni and all the staff in La Giara gave us the most beautiful meal we've ever had..it truly was delicious.
The photos in the album are stunning. I love showing it to everybody and listening to their gasps when they see the views and scenery in them...each one is nicer than the last! The photographer and videographer were so professional on the day and both made us feel very relaxed.
Nothing is too much for Tony and Isabella...whatever you ask they will do their best to make it happen.
On the day of the wedding they were there to make sure everything ran smoothly, which of course it did! I can't describe how special our wedding was and I can't thank Tony and Isabella enough.
They are amazing! We are planning our return visit to Taormina for our 1st anniversary and we are looking forward to it already!
Looking forward to seeing you next year!
All our love and gratitude,

Ciara & Brian, Ballinlaw, Slieverue, Co.Kilkenny, Ireland

Taormina, Wednesday 6 July 2011 – Florence & Louis, Canada and USA
Thanks Tony and Isabella for your great help, support and assistance during the full year of preparation and the week of our wedding in Taormina.
Your suggestions and your services have been beyond our expectations. Since the first time we met almost 1 year and half ago, you have put things together for us in a simple, efficient matter. We will remember our first meeting where you showed us Taormina and funny as it may sound, you knew already what we wanted for our wedding day and even more important, everything you said has happened and turned out even better than you described to us. Finally you were able to satisfy our crazy little wishes and surprise us even during the wedding day.
We were astonished when we saw the vintage scooter in front of the Mocambo! We were not expecting this and it gives a great twist to our wedding and we have still friends talking about the scooter and the old Fiat 500.
Also your experience concerning the paper work, and the church documents was very useful. As a Canadian and an American living abroad in Europe you were able to get all our documents in time and approved by the church and the Italian government to make sure our wedding would be recognised.
The church you found for us, was perfect with the right size for us.
The aperitivo at the Mocambo with the singers and musicians put everybody in the perfect party mood. La Giara with its view and its organisation is the perfect restaurant/bar/spot in Taormina for a wedding. Let’s not forget the photographer that did miracles with the pictures and in such a short time, he was able to give us the album printed before we left Sicily!
Thanks again to both of you, you made our wedding a success and you did it so easily, without stress to a point we didn’t have any single arguments during the full year of the preparation.
Nobody believes us when we are telling them how easy it was to organise this super party with you two.

Florence and Louis, Canada and USA

Taormina, Friday 1 July 2011 - Roisin & Liam, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, Ireland
Dear Tony and Isabella,
Our Wedding Journey with Tony and Isabella is one we’ll never forget!
From the moment I spoke to Tony I knew we were in safe hands….OMG how right I was.
I hadn’t met Tony or Isabella before but when I did on the Sunday we arrived both him and Isabella welcomed us and our guests with open arms. Anything we asked for was never too much trouble from beginning to end. I can’t describe properly how fantastic they were.
Taormina is such a fabulous romantic place we honestly could not have picked a better place with better wedding planners!
The day of the wedding was fantastic. Tony and Isabella were there all the time to make sure it all ran smoothly.
We had the ceremony in Chiesa Del Varo which was out of this world, Father Marco could not have made us feel any more relaxed than he did. Afterwards we went to Mocambo for drinks and canapés where Filippo and his band entertained our guests – they all loved it and are still raving about it!
Our reception was in La Giara where Giovanni and his team looked after us superbly serving us the most beautiful meal with endless wine!
Everyone in Taormina was so helpful and friendly we can’t thank you all enough – from the florist, the beauticians, the hairdressers and the photographer to Angelo, Peppe and all the guys on Team Tony – thanks for such a wonderful wedding and Taormina experience – it really was a dream come true!
We’ll be back and oh how we can’t wait!
Lots of love

Roisin and Liam xx, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, Ireland

Taormina, Thursday 30 June 2011 - Anita & Colin, Carrickmacross, Co.Monaghan, Ireland
The Taormina Experience: Is feidir linn!
Our experience began in April 2010 when on our first visit to Sicily we arrived to meet Tony & Isabella in Taormina, having been in awe of the place upon arrival we both wanted our big day to be there, it had to be right though – we both knew after a few minutes talking to Tony and Isabella they were on the ball! The more questions we asked about different options the more they excited us with the answers about how special we could make our wedding day.
We decided to return in June as this was the time of year we would get married, again Tony & Isabella couldn’t do enough for us – we got engaged on this visit and couldn’t wait to get home and unveil the secret gem we had found – Taormina! The endless trail of emails, texts and phone calls that followed were met with prompt and reassuring replies that meant our build up to the big day was stress free – we never thought it could be this easy. Our guests arrived in big numbers the day before the wedding and with the assistance of Angelo & Claudio we had them all housed and in The Time Out that night with the greatest of ease.
The wedding day was hot, Tony sweated more than most as he went about directing everyone into the church. Speaking of the church: Santa Caterina was blossoming with the beautiful flowers that were on display. The ceremony was beautiful, and as for the female singer, there was not a soul in the church that wasn’t dumbstruck by her voice.
We then strolled up the Corso Umberto for a much needed cocktail @ Mocambo where the highly entertaining Sicilian Folk Group kept our guests entertained and involved as we slipped away with Peppe our driver and our photographer. We were brought to some beautiful and quaint corners of Taormina; even Isabella had to ask where some of the places were when we later viewed the album.
On arrival at La Giara we were met by Giovanni, his brilliant team, and 2 vodka’s, a special request by us after the photos! How could we not be impressed by the venue?? Our guests awaited upstairs, they were all talking about the view, what a wonderful site! The food of course didn’t disappoint, it was superb. We didn’t want to leave but all good things must come to an end and we finished up one more rendition of ‘Ole Ole Ole’.
The day was amazing from start to finish. It truly was an amazing day.
To sum up our appreciation and describe how Tony & Isabella created memories that will stay with us forever is difficult, 3 words are however very appropriate: “Is feidir linn” or “Yes we can”
Tony & Isabella, we had a ball and you’ll always be a part of “The Taormina Experience” for Mr & Mrs McCahey.
We’ll be back to reminisce some time soon.
Ciao for now

Anita & Colin, Carrickmacross, Co.Monaghan, Ireland

Taormina, Friday 17 June 2011 - Suzanne & Nicholas, Rush, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Everyone tells you that your wedding day will be the best day of your life, we were not disappointed.
Our wedding in Taormina was a fabulous, beautiful, elegant affair; words really can’t do it justice.
To sum up Tony and Isabella (the wedding planners) we would have to use the word professional. Every tiny detail was handled by them with ease and planning the day through correspondence was so effortless.
We had looked at other venues in Italy but when we got in touch with Tony, his prompt responses, honesty and superb website made us keen to visit Taormina to see it for ourselves. When we arrived in Taormina we were bowled over, this town has everything from breathtaking scenery to Michelin star food, shopping, bars and is oozing with class. The locals are so friendly and the accommodation is top class.
On viewing the church and venue (Chesa Del Varo and La Giara) we didn’t have to give it another thought, we were honestly blown away.
Twelve months later 73 guests travelled from Dublin to celebrate with us on 17th June.
On arrival we all met in Tony’s bar (Timeout) which was a great way for the guests to get to know each other. The weather was superb, and the whole wedding team from Peppe and Angelo, the drivers, to the hairdressers and staff at the venue were fantastic.
We had the singer during the ceremony who has the voice of an angel and did not leave a dry eye in the church. The Sicilian folk band was great fun and had everyone up dancing, which all of our guests both young and old absolutely loved. Driving through the town in an open top car was a surreal experience, we felt like royalty!!!!
La Giara is a stunning venue; our guests were astounded when they saw the views from the terrace. Their food and wine was unbelievable and the best we had on our 3 weeks in Italy. Letting off sky lanterns from the roof terrace was a magical moment that we will never forget. The party continued until 5a.m with a great D.J keeping us entertained.
Tony & Isabella are there throughout the whole day keeping everything running smoothly and the day went flawlessly.
The following evening we all gathered back in Time Out’s outdoor terrace to catch-up and re-live the night. Here we were presented with a beautiful leather album filled with the professional pictures and a DVD with over 300 shots on it. The pictures turned out stunning, we were so happy.
All of our guests are already talking of planning another holiday to Taormina.
Our one regret is that we cannot do it again, a sincere thank-you to Tony & Isabella who literally made our dreams come true..

Suzie and Nick, Rush, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Taormina, Thursday 16 June 2011 - Jessica & Daniel, London, England
Where do we start…We cannot thank Tony and Isabella enough they truly are two very special people and fantastic wedding planners, The best you can find! Taormina is by far the most beautiful and romantic place for your wedding day, we fell in love with Taormina the first time we visited and just knew that we had to return to this pretty town.
The following year we found Tony and Isabella and planned a trip to meet them. We knew from day one that we were in the best hands when it came to planning our wedding day.
Over the past year they have guided us through all the steps of preparing for a wedding in Sicily, replied to countless emails – Honestly there were plenty of them, but nothing was ever too much they really do go the extra mile to help. Anytime I felt stressed out or worried about anything Tony and Isabella always put me at ease and took all of the stress out of planning a wedding.
When we arrived Isabella was fantastic and took us to meet everybody at La Giara for tasting. The florist, hairdressers, beauticians all of whom are such friendly, welcoming, helpful and very professional people.
On the day everything was just perfect: the hairdressers and beautician are top class, the flowers were beautiful and the car was just stunning, when driving through the town the local people make you feel like a movie star!
We married at Chiesa Del Varo, the church is just beautiful. It is an ideal location hidden away in a quiet square but just steps away from the main Corso Umberto. I highly recommend that you have the singer for your service as she was just breathtaking; most of our guests were brought to tears by Ilenia who has the voice of an angel. We then went on to Mocambo for drinks and canapés where Filippo and his band entertained our guests; everybody had so much fun they truly are a must! During this we went off for photos the photographer and videographer were just fantastic; they made us feel very comfortable. It was actually great to have some alone time whilst they just snapped away. What’s great is that we got our album before we left Taormina and every photograph is out of this world with the stunning back drops of Isola Bella and the pretty gardens.
Our reception was held at La Giara, the venue is stunning! Everybody was blown away; when they arrived one of our guests wrote in our guest book “Thank you for making us feel like millionaires for the day” and that is exactly how Giovanni and his team make you feel. They are so attentive, not a glass is ever half empty, the food is just exquisite and you get plenty of it! Following food, we danced the night away into the early hours!
It was pure perfection from start to finish! Throughout the whole day it is Tony and Isabella who hold everything together leaving you and your guests to relax and enjoy every minute.
Trust me if you choose Tony and Isabella you will not regret it! They are amazing and it is a real privilege to have met them and call them friends x x

Jessie and Dan, London, England