Mel C, the 52-year-old singer known as Sporty Spice, married partner Chris Dingwall in a private countryside ceremony in Cumbria this weekend. The wedding, held at Country House Cumbria, made her the final member of the Spice Girls to get married. Only three of her bandmates attended: Geri Halliwell-Horner, Emma Bunton, and Mel B. Victoria Beckham was absent because she was in the United States with husband David Beckham for the FIFA World Cup Final.
A source told Metro: 'Victoria couldn't be at Mel's wedding as she's been supporting David during the World Cup games. She stayed to watch the final after being at the England match last week so couldn't make it to the ceremony. She would have loved to be there, but couldn't make it work.' Despite her absence, Victoria played a special role by designing and gifting Mel her wedding dress for the UK ceremony.
Victoria's Custom Dress and Emotional Fittings
Victoria Beckham gifted Mel a custom backless wedding dress for the Cumbria event. The dress used two motifs of floral Lyon lace from premium lacemaker Jean Bracq, hand-stitched onto a satin slip. Mel said of the dress: 'Victoria wanted to make it much more personal to me. She found some gorgeous vintage lace, and everything was really delicately dyed to the perfect shade. It's very flattering, open at the back.' The fittings at the Victoria Beckham atelier in London became emotional, with Mel noting: 'Victoria was so excited about being able to do this for me, and having her and Scarlet there… every step of the way has been very special.'
Victoria also contributed to Mel's legal ceremony in Australia, which preceded the UK celebration. While having dinner together, Victoria recalled that Mel 'casually told me she was leaving for Australia in two days and getting married.' When Mel mentioned that a Victoria Beckham dress she ordered didn't fit, Victoria lent her the exact dress from her own wardrobe, making it Mel's 'something borrowed.'
Low-Key Affair and Surprise U-Turn on Marriage
Despite the designer dress, the wedding was a low-key affair, as per Mel's wishes. Her 17-year-old daughter Scarlet served as a bridesmaid. A source told the Mail: 'Mel and Chris wanted an understated wedding; she didn't want a big, flashy day but something smaller and very classy. Mel swore she would never get married, so having a big do wasn't really for her.' The venue, Country House Cumbria, was described as 'the perfect setting for an elopement or small, sophisticated wedding.'
Mel's decision to marry marked a significant change of heart. For years, she questioned whether marriage would ever feature in her future. Speaking to The Times earlier this year, she said: 'It's something I didn't think would be part of my story, but I'm so happy with Chris. Maybe it is something that will be in my life.' The couple met on celebrity dating app Raya and went public in 2024.
Mel's Renaissance and Happy Chapter
The wedding caps a remarkable year for Mel. Just last week, she accepted the Global Impact Award at the Nordoff and Robbins Silver Clef Awards, where she said: 'I am living my best life. I am the happiest I have ever been.' Her album Sweat became the highest-charting solo album of her career. A source told The Mirror: 'Mel is on fire at the moment. She is such a lovely person and deserves all the success, both professionally and now personally, as well.'
Mel's relationship with Chris has influenced her music. While promoting Sweat, she explained: 'Not long into making the record, I met somebody new; I fell in love. So I ended up having this wonderful arc of emotions throughout the album – of heartbreak and then that excitement of a new relationship.' She described Chris as 'very laid-back' and 'loads of fun,' adding that they share similar lifestyles and even work out together.
The wedding marks a milestone for the Spice Girls, with all five members now married. Victoria married David in 1999, Geri wed Christian in 2015, Emma married Jade Jones in 2021, and Mel B tied the knot with Rory McPhee last year. For Mel C, who spent more than 20 years with property developer Thomas Starr and was previously in a long-term relationship with her former manager Joe Marshall, marriage once seemed unlikely. Now, after decades of insisting she didn't need a wedding, love has rewritten her story.
