Last June, I had the honor of being the wedding photographer for the breathtaking destination wedding in Sicily of Real Housewives of Dallas star Kary Brittingham and entrepreneur Mark Andersson. Set against the enchanting backdrop of Sicily’s charm, this unforgettable intimate affair, attended by blended family of 5 kids, was full of love, elegance and pure magic.

As their wedding photographer in Sicily, I witnessed every unforgettable moment, from the wedding ceremony to the vibrant reception under the stars.

In this article, I’m excited to share the exclusive details, an inside look at their romantic celebration, with exclusive highlights from the beautiful feature published by People magazine.

If you’re dreaming of your own intimate destination wedding in Sicily, this wedding is sure to inspire!

“I am so excited to have found ‘my person’ who I want to experience life with and grow old with,” Brittingham tells PEOPLE

Real Housewives of Dallas star Kary Brittingham has married lawyer Mark A. Anderson, nearly a year after their engagement

The pair said their “I dos” in Italy on Thursday, June 20

PEOPLE has all the exclusive details and photos from the intimate affair, which was attended by their blended family of 5 kids

The pair had a traditional Italian ceremony which, by Italian law, was officiated by a local town officiant in Italian and then translated for guests.

Brittingham and Anderson both penned their own vows and exchanged them — and their first kiss as husband and wife — under an arbor decorated with lush florals in yellows, blues and whites — the colors the duo chose for their palate.

It was an intimate affair with just 11 guests, mostly made up of their blended family of five children: Anderson’s daughter Turner, 24, and Brittingham’s four kids — Sofia, 26. Olivia, 24, Alex, 22 and Isabella, 17.

“We chose to make this family only, so it was just our five children and their plus ones,” Brittingham says. “We both admire each other’s devotion to our children and have embraced taking on each other’s children as our step kids. We really are one, big, happy family.”

For the ceremony, Brittingham walked down the aisle to “Ave Maria” in a structured strapless gown by Ese Azenabor with a plunging neckline, a long train and and high-slit with ruffle details.

“I wanted a simple but sexy vibe and Ese created the perfect dress for me,” says Brittingham, who accented the look with an embroidered sheer veil by Grace Loves Lace and sparkily white heels by Christian Dior.

It was a look that didn’t just surprise Anderson, who had not seen her before the wedding, but also Brittingham’s daughters. “I changed my dress ten days before I left for Italy,” admits the mother of four, who runs her own jewelry business Kamo by Kary. “So everyone was surprised, even my daughters who helped her pick out my first dress.”

Anderson, meanwhile, wore a cream suit with a white shirt and a light blue tie.

Post nuptials the couple posed for a series of photos with Sicilian wedding photographer Linda Puccio, some snapped while sitting in a red 1972 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia convertible. The car was parked cliffside, allowing Linda Puccio to capture the stunning views of the Sicily skyline.

All headed afterwarsd for a reception held at the couple’s villa in Taormina overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The space was decorated in florals of elegant chandeliers, candles and even more flowers.

There, Brittingham later changed into a party dress by Zimmermann.


The event included an outdoor sit-down dinner prepared by local Chef Marco D’Agati. His traditional Italian menu included tagliatelle bolognese with truffles, rigatoni pasta with lobster and salt-crusted branzino with steamed vegetables.


For dessert, the happy couple dined on tiramisu: Brittingham’s favorite dessert.

There was dancing, too, with music provided by DJ Erik Jerne. Brittingham and Anderson had their first dance to “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli, before partying the night away on the dance floor with their loved ones until 4 a.m. the next day.

The wedding day was just a part of the celebrations they shared overseas with their blended family. All spent a week together in Taormina, soaking up the sun with a plethora of activities including a day spent cruising the Mediterranean on a boat, a day spend tasting wine at local wineries, a day at the Tao Beach Club and a shopping day perusing the local stores.

A family brunch took place the day after the wedding at the San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel.

Though the day went off without a hitch, Brittingham admits that planning the destination nuptials was “very challenging.”

“There was a lot we had to figure out until we arrived in Taormina, like our food tasting for the wedding dinner,” says the new bride, who worked with Wedding Sicily to plan the event.

“This wedding really was our dream come true,” adds Anderson, who runs his personal injury law firm. “It was such a fantastic, picture-perfect celebration with family. We’re both so happy.”

Read the full article on PEOPLE magazine by clicking here