As Sia gets married in the same venue as Kourtney Kardashian in Portofino, a look at the magic of the place

Considering Sia has only shared one photograph of her now husband Dan Bernad since they started dating in October 2022, their wedding has naturally come as a surprise to most. The couple tied the knot at Villa Olivetta in Portofino, and those of you who are avid fans of fashion and the Kardashians, will know that the villa belongs to Stefano Dolce and Domenico Gabbana; and is the same place where Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker also held one of their wedding celebrations. 

Before dating Dan Bernard, Sia was married to Erik Anders Lang and the couple wed at their Palm Springs home in 2014, but split two years later. For her wedding to Dan, Sia wore a high neck lace gown in a mermaid style. At the time of writing, the designer of the dress had not been revealed, but considering they married at Stefano Dolce and Domenico Gabbana’s home, I would hazard a guess that it might be a Dolce & Gabbana number!

According to People, “The pair exchanged vows under an iron gazebo decorated with stunning pink, purple, yellow and white florals. The outdoor space also featured lavish gold tables topped with white candles in glass cases.” The couple’s wedding was reportedly attended by only six guests, so was naturally a very intimate affair.

Portofino, which is a fishing village on the Italian Riviera coastline, has for many decades attracted the rich and famous, and less A-list stars. The singer Fred Buscaglione sang “I found my love in Portofino,” in the 1950s and it seems that many stars have agreed with him. 

The most iconic hotel in the tiny village is of course the Splendido, which is a Belmond hotel. On the Belmond website, it says that “At this glamorous Italian resort, one of the most infamous marriages in history began. At Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino, Richard Burton proposed to Elizabeth Taylor on a wisteria-clad terrace.” 

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were such fans of Portofino and the Splendido that the hotel’s executive chef Corrado Corti has created Spaghetti alla Elizabeth Taylor. As one would expect, the dish is one of Corti’s most popular dishes and is made from fresh tomatoes from San Marzano, Sorrento and Pachino. 

If you think it was only Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton who holidayed in Portofino back in the 1950s, think again. The film director Roberto Rossellini (the father of Isabella Rossellini) and his wife Ingrid Bergman also enjoyed the beauty of Portofino.

British actor Rex Harrison (My Fair Lady) also holidayed with his family there in the 1950s.

More recently, Portofino has once again dominated the headlines as Kourtney Kardashian, Travis Barker and their respective families headed to the iconic village to celebrate their marriage. Their wedding in Portofino was documented in a Kourtney +Travis wedding special, ‘Til Death Do Us Part,’ for Disney+.

Having been to Portofino myself (which is incidentally tiny), I cannot imagine how overwhelming it must have been for the locals to have had the Kardashians and their extensive entourage and camera disrupt the peaceful idyll of the magical village. 

As Sia and new husband Dan only had a handful of guests at their wedding, it of course would not have had the same impact as the Kardashian extravaganza. Like it did in the 1950s, it looks like Portofino is not in danger of losing its magnetism for celebrities any time soon!