A restaurant heiress whose father owns one of Sydney’s biggest fine-dining empires appears to have split from her wife just a year after the couple tied the knot in a lavish, albeit gaudy, wedding.
Nicola Drakopoulos, the daughter of SRG Hospitality mogul Bill Drakopoulos, known as the ‘King of the Waterfront’, has already begun sharing cosy photos with another woman, while images from her fairytale wedding have vanished from social media – a move that has made the mixologist the talk of the high-end hospitality scene.
All signs now point to a separation and a new start – within the span of about 15 months.
Nicola married Toni in February 2025 during an extravagant ceremony at the historic Curzon Hall in Marsfield, in Sydney’s north-west.
The brides arrived in a pumpkin-style horse-drawn carriage at the sandstone castle venue, famous for its manicured gardens, ornate interiors and grand ballrooms.
My only reference point for Curzon Hall was attending the televised 2019 Married At First Sight wedding of Cyrell Paule and Nicholas ‘Nic’ Jovanovic as a media guest.
Toni (left) and Nicola (right) wed in February 2025, but all signs point to a split one year later
Multimillionaire restaurant tycoon Bill Drakopoulos (centre left) is pictured with his daughter Nicole (left) and other family members
I remember it vividly – partly because I shared a cigarette with the bride moments before she walked down the aisle, and partly because the endless filming schedule forced me to take matters into my own hands by Uber Eats-ing Grill’d to the venue.
But I digress.
Nicola and Toni looked every inch the picture of happiness on their wedding day, with both brides wearing lace gowns from Kayrouz Bridal featuring Berta designs.
But just over a year later, the relationship looks to be ancient history.
Photos from the extravagant ceremony were wiped from Nicola’s Instagram account.
Toni’s Instagram account, meanwhile, is understood to have been disabled some time ago.
It also appears Nicola has already moved on after separating.
In recent weeks, the glamorous cocktail maker has been sharing affectionate photos with Sam Whyte, a model and founder of queer women’s skate collective Foenix.
The pair appeared to still be an item in July last year, according to this ‘wife appreciation post’ shared from Birmingham, Alabama
Nicola (right) is now spending time with Sam Whyte (left), a model and founder of queer women’s skate collective Foenix
The pair have been posting affectionate snaps together since February this year.
The Drakopoulos family owns more than 20 premium hospitality venues, including harbourside fixtures Aqua and Ormeggio, as well as the Ripples chain and Chiosco.
The family was also recently in the spotlight after Nicola’s brother, Daniel Jackson Drakopoulos, appeared before Downing Centre Local Court over an assault matter involving his former partner.
The former private schoolboy, 30, was accused of attacking his ex-partner on February 17, 2024.
Family members, including father Bill, mother Kathleen and siblings Perry and one of his sisters, attended court in support during proceedings last year.
Drakopoulos initially faced seven charges, but most were dropped following a plea deal with prosecutors.
He ultimately pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and destroying or damaging property after throwing the victim’s mobile phone against a wall.
Like siblings Perry, Anastasia and Nicola – all directors within the family business – Daniel enjoyed a privileged upbringing, with the family’s social media accounts frequently documenting luxury holidays to destinations including the Maldives, Ibiza, Tokyo and Greece.
The pair have been posting affectionate snaps together since February this year
Speaking to The Australian last month, Drakopoulos said his family had instilled strong values from an early age.
‘Before you inherit credibility, you inherit responsibility, and you need to work to build that credibility,’ he said.
‘There was a saying Dad always told us: “If you don’t say thank you to a waiter, you’re not a nice person.”‘
The former St Ignatius’ College Riverview student has since taken a leading role in expanding the family empire beyond Sydney, including opening venues in Budgewoi on the NSW Central Coast.
