The first ceremony took place in Monaco in late July. For the civil wedding, Beatrice wore a pale blush Valentino couture gown, delicate and romantic rather than overtly regal. Gold lace detailing and a floral headpiece gave the look an almost Renaissance quality, but the silhouette remained light and modern. It was a clever choice for Monaco: formal enough for the occasion, yet far removed from the stiff visual language of a traditional royal wedding.

But Monaco was only the beginning.

The celebrations continued in northern Italy, where the couple held their religious ceremony on 1 August 2015 on the Borromeo family’s islands in Lake Maggiore. The setting transformed the wedding from glamorous society event into something much more personal. This was not a picturesque Italian estate rented for the weekend; it was part of Beatrice’s own family history.

For the religious ceremony, Beatrice changed designers and wore Giorgio Armani Privé. The ivory gown featured long lace sleeves and a wide boat neckline, with a soft, romantic silhouette that looked entirely appropriate against the historic Italian surroundings. Vogue later described the wedding as one of the chicest of that summer, particularly praising the bride’s Armani Privé look.

The reception brought another change: a lighter, more diaphanous Armani Privé gown that allowed the celebration to move from ceremony formality into evening glamour. Even her beauty choices followed the same logic. Her hair was swept into a neat exaggerated bun with a small braid, keeping the focus on the gowns rather than competing with them.

And then there were the other looks.

Across the various celebrations, Beatrice wore several bridal outfits by Valentino and Armani Privé, while also appearing in an Alberta Ferretti dress during the Italian pre-wedding events. Tatler has described the wardrobe as four principal wedding gowns—two Valentino looks for Monaco and two Armani Privé creations for the Italian ceremony and reception.

What makes the wardrobe memorable is that the dresses did not feel like costume changes for the sake of spectacle. Each belonged to a different stage of the wedding.

Valentino in Monaco felt youthful, romantic and slightly bohemian.

Armani Privé in Italy felt more ceremonial, aristocratic and assured.

That distinction is what makes the wedding so visually satisfying. There was no attempt to force one “bridal identity” across every event.

The guest list was equally formidable. Pierre’s family brought the full Monégasque contingent, including his siblings Andrea and Charlotte Casiraghi, Princess Alexandra of Hanover and members of the wider Grimaldi family. The Italian celebrations reportedly expanded to hundreds of guests, turning the weekend into a genuine meeting of European aristocracy, society and fashion.

Yet despite the scale, the wedding never looked excessively theatrical.

That is probably its greatest strength.

There were historic islands, couture gowns, royal relatives and enormous receptions, but Beatrice’s styling consistently avoided the obvious princess clichés. No giant tiara moment was necessary. No enormous ball gown needed to announce that this was an important wedding.

The surroundings and the families involved already supplied all the grandeur required.

More than a decade later, Beatrice Borromeo and Pierre Casiraghi’s wedding still feels unusually modern because it understood something many lavish weddings do not: luxury does not need to shout when the setting, clothes and people already speak for themselves.

The couple first met while studying at the University of Cape Town and had been together for around 14 years by the time they married. Greg proposed in Franschhoek in July 2020, turning the eventual wedding into something less like a destination event and more like a return to the place where much of their shared life had unfolded.

Fashion was central to the celebration, and Amelia chose Atelier Versace for her bridal gown. The custom dress was made from silk rebrodé lace and embellished with Swarovski crystals, with a hand-embroidered neckline, structured shoulders and a dramatic two-and-a-half-metre train. A five-metre silk tulle veil completed the look. Rather than leaning into the softer, minimal bridal aesthetic popular at the time, the gown was unapologetically couture: fitted, highly worked and architectural.

Greg also wore custom Atelier Versace, choosing a black wool-and-mohair suit. The fashion connection continued throughout the bridal party: Amelia’s twin sister and maid of honour, Lady Eliza Spencer, wore pink Atelier Versace, while older sister Lady Kitty Spencer attended in Dolce & Gabbana.

The ceremony took place in the late afternoon against panoramic views of the Stellenbosch wine country and Table Mountain. Amelia’s younger brother Samuel Aitken escorted her down the aisle, while Greg’s father, Dave Mallett, officiated. The couple wrote their own vows and were surrounded by 122 guests, making the ceremony relatively intimate despite the grandeur of the setting.

The wedding celebrations extended beyond the ceremony itself. Guests had already gathered for pre-wedding events in Cape Town and Franschhoek, turning the occasion into a full South African wedding weekend rather than a single formal event.

Visually, what makes this wedding particularly successful is the contrast between high-fashion formality and landscape. The Versace gown could easily have belonged to a palazzo or European ballroom, yet against the warm South African scenery it felt less rigid and considerably more modern.

And unlike many society weddings that rely heavily on aristocratic references, Amelia and Greg’s celebration felt rooted in their own history. South Africa was not simply an impressive backdrop selected for photographs. It was home, the place where they met, and an integral part of the story.

That makes the wedding considerably more interesting than another beautiful dress in another beautiful venue: the couture provided the spectacle, but the location supplied the meaning.