Melanie Chisholm, also known as Sporty Spice, is preparing to marry her Australian model boyfriend, Chris Dingwall, on Saturday. The wedding ceremony is set to take place at the Country House Cumbria, a venue owned by West End actor Ben Forster, with whom Chisholm starred in the rock musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" in 2013.
Sources indicate that the couple desired an intimate ceremony. Fellow Spice Girls members Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, and Geri Halliwell-Horner are expected to attend. Victoria and David Beckham were invited but are currently in the United States for the World Cup.
A source told the Daily Mail that Chisholm and Dingwall wanted an "understated wedding" that was "smaller and very classy," diverging from what Chisholm previously thought of as her preference. The Country House Cumbria, located in the Lake District, is described as a "perfect setting for an elopement, small, sophisticated wedding."
The Georgian hotel features six rooms and a sprawling lawn for post-nuptial celebrations. It is co-owned by Forster and property developer Paul Longman, who transformed the 1862 property in Castle Carrock into a luxury retreat after it had been empty for 12 years.
Chisholm, 52, is the final member of the Spice Girls to marry. She met Dingwall, believed to be in his 40s, in 2023 through the dating app Raya. Despite previous thoughts of being finished with romance following her split from long-term partner Thomas Starr, with whom she has a 17-year-old daughter, Scarlett, friends encouraged her to try the app. She matched with Dingwall while she was in London and he was in Sydney. Their first official date reportedly occurred in Sydney on November 23, 2023, after Chisholm flew in for a DJ tour. She stayed awake to combat jet lag before their dinner date.
