Because the location, Tonnara di Scopello, is photographed SO often right now, we made a very intentional choice: no moodboards, no references, no scrolling through previous shoots. We wanted fresh eyes.

We arrived the evening before, then saw the venue properly only on the morning of the wedding. Three hours before the day began, we walked slowly through the space with an espresso, studying light, corners, textures. Letting the location speak first.

We shot a lot of film throughout the day too, Nikon F90X and the Olympus Mju II, to bring out those Sicilian tones.

Photographer: Erika Gabalyte

We usually move slowly during getting ready, observe more than we direct, and let gestures reveal themselves naturally.

For the bride, we created a small pocket of simplicity inside the busy room. We pulled a red curtain as a backdrop, shaping the light and isolating her from the chaos. It gave us a timeless portrait that still held the warmth of the morning.

For the groom, we moved outside. The sun and rain arrived at the same time, that strange kind of cinematic weather. Instead of fighting it, we leaned into it and let that light guide the frames.

The ceremony took place in a small garden, officiated by a Lithuanian priest. Clouds rolled in, then finally rain. Cloudy light is our favorite for ceremonies.

Our workflow as a team is very fluid: I focus on key frames and creative angles; Marius captures reactions and storylines unfolding around us. Being partners in life makes our rhythm almost silent, we move without signaling.

There were also the small human moments: the couple realizing they forgot their rings, me missing the groom’s entrance (another reason two shooters matter, haha). But such is the nature of weddings… always with a bit of chaos.

For portraits, we scouted the space that morning and let intuition do the rest. The couple naturally leaned toward a softer editorial feel, so we eased up our direction and let them fall into poses instead of creating them.

One thing that helped was splitting portraits into short sessions throughout the day: before the ceremony, right after, and again before dinner. Each small window gave us new weather, new color, new mood.

We kept the couple near the rocks whenever possible, especially those uneven edges above the sea. Not the most comfortable locations, but those spots connected them visually and emotionally to the water.

For one set, we used the chromatic fabric backdrop created for the wedding. It offered a completely different mood: modern, reflective, almost futuristic, which contrasted beautifully with the bride’s classic silhouette.

Film played a huge role here: Nikon F90X for soft grain, Mju II for those spontaneous, point-and-shoot moments.

The reception took place partly in the old chapel which was intimate and cave-like.

Late October meant light disappeared quickly, so we worked fast to capture the details. During dinner, I avoid flash unless absolutely necessary. Candlelight feels more truthful. Marius covered needed safety shots with flash.

For a few creative frames, I used the water-on-the-lens technique again to soften the lights. One of my favorite photos actually came from Marius shooting through a round bathroom window with a mosquito net: pure accident + pure magic.

The party began with a performance by a friend of the couple, a Lithuanian singer who didn’t let 40 km/h wind stop him. Later everyone moved into the cave, singing, dancing, and filling the space with this raw, joyful energy.

I softened the color palette slightly more than usual. The day had a calmness that didn’t fit my typical contrast and warmth.

For some of my favorite frames, I leaned into grain, texture, and an old-film vibe, especially, of course, on the film scans. But overall, I wanted the edit to stay gentle and true to the couple’s energy.

Vendors

Planner — @destination_weddings_italy
Venue — @tonnaradiscopello
Videographer — @twopeoplemedia
Floral design — @intrecci_difioriedarte
MUAH — @emilijakasteckaite