As one of the five iconic members of the hugely popular '90s UK girl group Spice Girls, Melanie Chisholm, who is more popularly known as Mel C or Sporty Spice, married Australian model Chris Dingwall last Saturday, July 18, in their second wedding ceremony. The event was held at their friend’s lakeside property in Cumbria, UK. The couple held their first wedding ceremony at the groom’s hometown in Australia.
The intimate ceremony was attended by fellow Spice Girls members Emma Bunton (known as Baby Spice), Geri Halliwell-Horner (Ginger Spice) and Melanie Brown (Scary Spice). The only member who was not able to attend the ceremony, Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice) was still able to be part of the event through the bride’s chosen gown. The 52-year-old singer walked down the aisle in a beautiful gown designed by Victoria. The custom ivory gown included hand-stitched lace appliqués. Victoria had first lent Melanie the lace cami slip dress from her closet for the couple’s earlier Australian ceremony.
Lending her longtime friend her own personal dress was an unexpected event, Victoria shared in an exclusive interview with British Vogue, “I was actually having dinner with Melanie and asked her what she was up to. She very casually told me she was leaving for Australia in two days and getting married!” This led to Posh Spice offering up her personal dress, straight from her own closet.
During her interview with British Vogue, Melanie shared that she was not the type of girl who dreamed of a perfect wedding. “I’ve had this awakening in my 50s – I’m very comfortable in my skin. (When her now husband proposed) I knew immediately it was the right thing to do. When you’re my age you’re like… I actually want to experience all the things.”
When asked what she loved about Victoria Beckham’s designs, Melanie shared, “There’s just something about her clothes. They have a real simplicity, especially the slip dresses. They’re really feminine, but in a way that feels comfortable, and very me.”
Also part of the wedding entourage was Melanie’s 17-year-old daughter, Scarlett, who was reportedly the singer’s bridesmaid. Scarlett is her daughter from a previous relationship with singer and songwriter Thomas Starr. Paying homage to her Sporty Spice roots, Melanie also changed into a tracksuit for the reception.
The Spice Girls were formed in the UK in 1994 and rose to fame following the release of their first single “Wannabe” in 1996 which topped the charts in 37 countries. This was followed by more hits like "Say You'll Be There", "2 Become 1," "Mama," and "Who Do You Think You Are" from their first album Spice. The multi-awarded group ended up releasing three studio albums and one compilation album and a feature film from their live concert debut Spiceworld. In 2000, the group announced that they would be on hiatus to focus on their solo careers.