Dua Lipa and Callum Turner’s extravagant three-day wedding festivities in Sicily have sparked a backlash from local residents after public squares were closed and traffic restrictions imposed to facilitate the celebrations.
The couple were married in London on 31 May, and then proceeded to travel to Palermo for a larger ceremony attended by around 300 guests.
Celebrations were spread across two historic locations: an opening cocktail reception at Palazzo Valguarnera Gangi and the main wedding reception at Villa Valguarnera in Bagheria, a town outside Palermo.
Authorities closed two major public plazas and restricted access to several surrounding roads, while drone flights were prohibited throughout the festivities.
Activist group Apro Palermo launched a campaign criticizing the event, displaying posters across the city with slogans such as “Palermo is not for rent,” “Our square is not your living room,” and “Public spaces belong to everyone.”
After the posters were reportedly removed, protesters reproduced the messages as graffiti on nearby buildings.
Local business owners also voiced frustration over the inconvenience caused by the wedding. One resident told The Guardian that workers had been forced to leave their vehicles far from the city centre and walk long distances to reach their jobs.“ I could understand it if it were for the pope,” the resident said, “but not for a singer.”
Maria Aiello, who owns a clothing store in the area, questioned whether locals would benefit from the disruption.
“I like Dua Lipa,” she said, “but what do we gain from all this? It’s not as though she’ll be coming into my shop to buy anything.”
Residents living near the venues were reportedly asked to sign non-disclosure agreements. According to Irish entertainment outlet Goss.ie, Lipa provided payments of roughly £5,000 ($6,700) to residents whose apartment views overlooked areas converted into temporary wedding parking. Businesses affected by closures and lost trade were also reportedly offered similar compensation.
Dua Lipa extended her compensation to a vaster net of Palermo residents after public criticism.
The guest list included a number of high-profile figures, among them Elton John, Charli XCX, Mark Ronson, Troye Sivan and Donatella Versace.
The couple additionally paid £10,000 ($13,300) to rent Palermo’s Piazza Croce (cheaper than many wedding venues, as it happens) and spent a further €10,000 ($11,500) on private security services for the weekend.
The entire event is reported to have cost approximately £1.5 million.
