Updated

Updated · British Vogue · Jul 19

Melanie C Marries Chris Dingwall in Australia, Wearing Victoria Beckham Dress at 52

Updated

Updated · British Vogue · Jul 19

Melanie C Marries Chris Dingwall in Australia, Wearing Victoria Beckham Dress at 52

Q: Victoria Beckham designed her dress. What did the secret gown for the final Spice Girl to wed look like?

Victoria Beckham’s gift to Mel C was a minimalist but highly detailed bridal gown: a custom full-length white satin slip dress with an open, backless cut and a subtle train. Reports describe the dress as understated and unfussy, in keeping with Chisholm’s low-key ceremony in Cumbria. The gown was made from satin and finished with vintage Lyon lace sourced from premium French lacemaker Jean Bracq. Two floral lace motifs were cut out, hand-placed to form a bespoke pattern, and then hand-stitched onto the dress. The lace and fabric were also delicately dyed to achieve the exact shade of white wanted for the look. The overall effect was elegant rather than dramatic — flattering, sleek and simple, with the backless design providing the main statement detail. That fits with Chisholm’s reported preference for something uncomplicated for her wedding, which marked her as the last Spice Girl to marry.

Q: After vowing never to marry, what made Sporty Spice finally walk down the aisle at 52?

Mel C walked down the aisle at 52 because meeting Chris Dingwall changed her view of marriage. For years, Chisholm had said she did not want to marry, a stance she linked in past interviews to her parents’ split when she was young and to a belief that marriage was not essential. But after meeting the Australian model and filmmaker on the dating app Raya in 2023, she began speaking publicly about a different future. She said she was “so happy” with Dingwall and described him as a “real gentle soul,” “uber supportive,” “very laid-back” and “loads of fun.” She also said they share similar personalities and lifestyles. That compatibility appears to have been the key factor in her change of heart. Chisholm also framed the decision as part of embracing life rather than sticking to an old rule she had set for herself. In a recent interview, she said marriage was not something she thought would be “part of my story,” but added that being with Dingwall made her think, “just do all the things” and “have all the experiences.” Their relationship developed steadily after her earlier breakup, with the couple meeting in person while she was touring overseas and Dingwall later proposing in Mallorca in 2025. By the time they married, the relationship had become central enough to overturn a long-held vow. Her latest album, *Sweat*, which traces her path from heartbreak to new love, underlines how significant that emotional shift was.

3 articles · Updated · British Vogue · Jul 19

A legal ceremony in Australia formalized Melanie C’s marriage to Chris Dingwall before the couple’s larger UK celebration in Cumbria.
Victoria Beckham stepped in after a sizing issue with an ordered dress, lending her own Lace Cami Dress for the Sydney ceremony and later creating a bespoke lace gown for the UK wedding.
Melanie C, 52, said marriage had not seemed part of her story until Dingwall proposed in Mallorca last July, after the pair met on Raya when she was 49.
The wedding capped what she described as an “awakening” in her 50s, with Dingwall becoming a “beautiful addition” to life with her 17-year-old daughter Scarlet.