Lady Kitty Spencer rocked six designer wedding dresses for sentimental nuptials – inside
Lady Kitty Spencer and millionaire husband Michael Lewis marked their first wedding anniversary on 24 July, but how much do you remember about their sentimental Jewish ceremony in Rome, Italy?
MORE: Lady Kitty Spencer twins with millionaire husband in bridal white for rare outing
Princess Diana's niece, 31, got engaged to the fashion tycoon, 62, in 2019. Two years later, the couple tied the knot in a three-day wedding celebration with a star-studded guest list, after reportedly delaying their original wedding plans due to the coronavirus pandemic.
WATCH: Guests arrive for Lady Kitty Spencer's wedding
From her six bridal outfits (which were all very different) to her private wedding venue, take a look at Lady Kitty's big day…
The wedding date
Kitty and Michael's wedding had a special meaning for the couple as it fell on the weekend of Tu B'av, a Jewish holiday which is said to be a great day for weddings, commitment ceremonies, renewal of vows or proposing.
Michael is Jewish, and it's believed that Kitty converted to the religion before their nuptials.
The pre-wedding party
The happy couple kicked off their wedding weekend with a four-course meal on Friday 23 July 2021. The likes of Viscountess Emma Weymouth, Marjorie Gublemann, Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina, Made in Chelsea star Mark Francis Vandelli and pop star Pixie Lott enjoyed dinner at the Galleria Del Cardinale, a stunning baroque events space in the city.
Kitty's model friend Marpessa Hennink posted on Instagram
The menu included a classic veal and tuna salad, beef broth and pumpkin cream ravioli, baked eggplant, and a selection of sweet treats.
RELATED: Sarah Ferguson swapped bridal gown for eye-catching outfit at royal wedding – and wow
Luxury gift bags
VIP guests stayed at the five-star Hotel de la Ville in Rome, Italy, which is just moments away from the famous Spanish Steps. Upon arriving at the hotel, they discovered adorable straw bags with the Italian flag colours on the straps and the word "baci", which is Italian for "kisses", embroidered on the front. The bag was packed with an assortment of gifts from Kitty and Michael.
Guests make their way to the ceremony
Many guests were seen getting ready for the evening's celebrations. Emma Weymouth revealed she wore a stunning bold red floor-length Dolce and Gabbana gown, while PR guru Simon Huck and his partner donned stylish black tuxedos. Made in Chelsea star Mark Francis Vandelli also looked incredibly dapper in a silver suit coat with some black trousers.
Kitty and Michael's wedding guests pulled out all the stops
In another post, Emma could be seen making her way to the wedding venue in a car alongside close pals fashion designer Jade Holland Cooper and actress and model Sabrina Elba, who is married to Idris Elba. All three ladies cooled themselves from the scorching Italian sun with traditional hand-held fans.
Idris Elba's wife is among those attending the wedding
The venue
Kitty and Michael's nuptials were held at 6pm at the Villa Aldo Brandini, which is located in the Frascati area of Rome and is closed to the public.
Villa Aldo Brandini is closed to the public
The villa was adorned with some beautiful bouquets of pink and white flowers, both outside in some stone vases and adorning the steel balconies.
Kitty's wedding dresses
Kitty wore multiple bridal gowns, all of which were designed by Dolce & Gabbana, for whom she is a brand ambassador. With long sleeves, puff shoulders and a stunning full skirt, her main wedding dress had similarities to her mother Victoria Lockwood's own gown worn in 1989.
The bride looked beautiful in lace
The Italian designers spoke to Tatler about the making of the dress, saying: "For the main dress she wanted to keep a fairly traditional, clean cut, but at the same time she desired to have a timeless allure."
"One of the inspirations is definitely her love for Italy. Kitty is in love with our beautiful country and its rich history, art and culture," said Domenico Dolce. Stefano Gabbana added: "But she is also a girl who is very attached to her origins, to England; to her heritage of the great Victorian era. And like all the English people, she has a great passion for all kinds of flowers."
Michael looked dapper in a white suit
Meanwhile, Lady Kitty Spencer's new husband sported a smart white suit paired with black shoes and a black bow tie, which was visible in one snap she shared on Instagram. She captioned the picture: "Amore. Per Sempre," meaning "Love. Forever". How sweet!
Later, the fashion house shared a beautiful video of Kitty's dresses and wrote: "@kitty.spencer chose to wear Dolce&Gabbana on the most important day of her life. For this unique event, #DolceGabbana created a number of exclusive hand-made gowns, each celebrating the beauty of the bride, the passion for #AltaModa and the absolute joy of the occasion."
The designer shared a peek at some of Kitty's other stunning gowns
They included a baby-blue tulle gown and cape embroidered with cross-stitched flowers, which she paired with a pink sapphire necklace that took eight years to craft, as well as a green and white floral gown, and an embroidered cream dress.
Kitty opened up about the design process in Milan which she shared with her mother Victoria and one of her brothers. "The whole process was really a wonderful prelude to the [wedding] weekend, which was obviously some of the most wonderful days of my life, and to have this run-up was just incredible," she explained during a virtual interview on the Conversations with Olga series.
"Just to see the experience through their eyes, too," the model said. "It was my brother's first time in Milan, and first time seeing a sibling in a wedding dress, and it was really an emotional day for all of us that I don't think we'll ever forget.
"I was crying. They were crying. The designers were crying so there were a lot of happy tears."
SEE: 11 sparkling royal wedding tiaras that stole the show
PHOTOS: 11 heart-melting wedding photos of royal father of the brides
Why Kitty didn't wear Princess Diana's wedding tiara
Many fans spotted that Lady Kitty Spencer wasn't wearing a special family heirloom on the day: the Spencer Tiara. The tiara was most memorably worn by Princess Diana for her royal wedding to Prince Charles in 1981, when she paired it with an iconic stunning ivory silk taffeta gown with puffed shoulders and a billowing skirt by Elizabeth and David Emanuel.
Princess Diana wore the Spencer tiara on her wedding day
The Spencer Tiara was thought to be one of the Princess of Wales' favourite tiaras, and she was pictured wearing it on many occasions after her wedding. After Diana tragically passed away in 1997, it was returned to the Spencer family.
Perhaps Kitty's decision to leave the family heirloom out of her bridal look was to prevent any heartache around Diana's passing and keep the tiara as a private tribute to her aunt. She may have worn some jewellery from the Spencer collection as a sentimental touch, too.
The wedding reception
Guests shared a look at the gold-themed reception
Guests shared beautiful photographs of the golden table settings which featured hand-written place cards, and napkins adorned with Kitty and Michael's initials. A pianist and singer serenaded the diners.
Macarons were part of the wedding meal
Fashion PR and stylist Julia Perry shared a shot of some beautiful macarons at the table, also giving a glimpse at the pretty glassware.
The wedding cake
The treats included heart-shaped cakes
Photographer German Larkin snapped a video of this incredible fruit-laden cake, surrounded by adorable heart-shaped desserts. We're not sure if it was the wedding cake, or one of many...
The after-party
Several guests shared incredible videos of the beautiful fireworks that Kitty and Michael put on across the grounds of their wedding venue.
Another video showed a lit-up dancefloor surrounded by floral arches, showing the guests dancing into the night. The Weeknd and Ariana Grande's Save Your Tears could be heard playing on the sound system
READ: Kate Middleton's lacy gown is a bridal dream - and we've found stunning bargain versions
Planning your wedding? Sign up to HELLO!’s brand new Bride Guide newsletter for expert advice, budget help, wedding inspiration and real life stories delivered straight to your inbox.
