Wedding in the Basilica della Collegiata, Catania

On my way to the Piazza Duomo, I stopped for a long time at the Basilica della Collegiata, where a group of well-dressed people were waiting for something to happen.

A red carpet led up to the portal of the church, surrounded by pillows tied with red ribbons and openwork lanterns. Here, a traditional Friday event was planned - a wedding ceremony.

I must say that from the moment I approached the church to the wedding itself, quite a long time passed. Hoping to watch a colorful action, but also not wanting to waste precious time, I made a couple of forays to nearby attractions and returned back.

All this time, the waiting list was also constantly changing - someone was leaving, someone was coming.

The women were amazing in their stunning dresses and hairstyles.

Others were chatting happily.

There were several families waiting in full force.

It is not shameful for Italians to go to special events with young children.

Meanwhile, I was taking pictures of the people present without much concealment. The Sicilians take this quite calmly.

When I returned to the church once again, I saw that the crowd of guests had grown significantly larger, and the celebration was about to begin.

As the bride and groom arrived, I still did not shoot, as the guests immediately surrounded the limousine, and the culprits of the celebration went up the steps of the church, accompanied by a dense crowd.

Everyone can usually attend a wedding in Italy. Although several times I saw immaculately dressed guys with stone faces standing at the entrance to the church, their whole appearance showed that outsiders were not welcome here.

The action is over, the guests go outside.

And here is a new social unit. May you live happily ever after!