Melanie Chisholm, known as Sporty Spice, will marry her long-time model boyfriend Chris Dingwall at a country house in Cumbria. The venue is owned by her close friend and West End actor Ben Forster, with whom she starred in Jesus Christ Superstar in 2013.
Intimate Wedding Plans
According to reports, the couple, dating since 2023, wanted an intimate wedding with close friends and family, including fellow Spice Girls. However, Victoria Beckham will not attend as she is in America for the World Cup final.
A source said: "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, having a big do wasn't really for her."
The Venue
The Georgian manor house features six bedrooms and a sprawling country lawn, ideal for a small wedding. It is co-owned by Ben Forster and property developer Paul Longman. The pair bought the property after it sat unoccupied for 12 years and spent two years renovating it into a sought-after retreat.
The source added: "It is the perfect venue for them, totally out of the way but in the most beautiful place."
How They Met
Mel and Chris met on the celebrity dating app Raya. Speaking on the Life Uncut podcast, Mel said: "Nobody knows this, but we actually met on Raya. I don't know how much to divulge, but I was in a relationship previously."
Prior to Chris, Mel was romantically linked to producer Joe Marshall in 2022. After their split, she thought: "I never want to meet anyone ever again." However, after a drunken night out with friends, she set up a Raya profile, which her friends call "boy bingo."
Long-Distance Romance
Mel matched with Chris while she was in London and he was in Sydney. She had a scheduled DJ tour in Australia and took the plunge to meet him. Their first date was on November 23, 2023. After landing in Sydney at 7am, she stayed awake all day to overcome jet lag before meeting Chris for dinner.
Mel has a 17-year-old daughter, Scarlett, from her previous relationship with Thomas Starr.
