Community Highlights: Meet Dina Zappone of The Cottage Wedding Venue

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dina Zappone.

Hi Dina, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi; it’s Dina! I was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised by immigrant parents from Sicily. When I was 4 we moved to shiny Las Vegas and opened Pizzeria’s. Once I turned 7 I started working at Villa Roma and joined my brother and sister cooking in the kitchen. When I was 22, after earning a Bachelors in Psychology from UNLV, I began working at The Mirage Hotel. Quickly I was offered my first Beverage Manager Position. I was 1 of 5 teammates that oversaw 16 bars and 90 bartenders. I fell in love with the management side of the restaurant and event industry. After leaving for 4 years to work as a restaurant manager in Portland, Oregon I was destined to return to The Mirage. After accepting the GM position at The Italian restaurant Onda, I met the handsome cook Sal Zappone, Who worked at Renoir, the French restaurant next door. It was love at first bite! Sal and I share similar upbringings, both being raised by immigrant parents from Italy and working in restaurants our whole lives.

On a whim, we decided to buy our first restaurant in Cedar City, Utah (from my parents) and started our road to being Restauranteurs. After 3 years, we decided to trade in the ski’s for warmer weather and head to Phoenix to raise our beautiful children Bella and Enzo. In December 2012, Zappone’s Italian Bistro was born in the heart of Gilbert. Quickly we began to incorporate our delicious Italian Comfort Food and feed the masses. We began to cater large weddings and events. We expanded our business in 2014 to include Zappone’s Catering. It was always my dream to take our homemade Traditional and Italian Cooking and open our own Wedding Venue. In Spring of 2018 that dream comes to life at The Cottage Wedding Venue six blocks from Historic Gilbert.

Dina and Sal Zappone
Owners – Sal & Dina Zappone
The Cottage Wedding Venue Staff

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Sal and I opened our first restaurant in Gilbert in 2012 and our catering company in 2013. It was a long and hard road. Building a clientele from scratch was very challenging. In 2017 we had the opportunity to buy a property and build The Cottage Wedding Venue and move Z Catering. After a year of success we were able to sell the restaurant and move over full time to the wedding venue. 3 months later Covid hit and all of our business went to a sudden stop.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Cottage Wedding Venue
Where rustic charm meets backyard glam — without breaking the bank.
At The Cottage, we specialize in creating heartfelt, picture-perfect weddings for couples who want a beautiful day without the stress (or the sky-high price tag). Tucked into a cozy, rustic setting, our venue offers all the magic of a backyard celebration — with a little extra sparkle.
From your first tour to your final dance, our hands-on team is right there with you, making sure every detail is seamless, every moment is joyful, and your wedding feels just like you.
Let’s make your dream day effortless, stunning, and unforgettable.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I grew up in my parents pizzeria. I started running the counter at 7 years old. I understand what a family business takes to succeed. Everyone rolls up there sleeves and work together to make every event perfect.

Pricing:

• $4000-$6000 Micro & Brunch Weddings
• Just Right Package $8000-$12000
• Bella Package $11000-$16000

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thecottageweddings.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecottageweddings/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecottageweddings