A speech from the sister, a rock group at the reception and West Ham’s FA Cup for the groom! Inside Petra Ecclestone and Sam Palmer’s fairytale wedding as couple share their first picture as husband and wife
- The F1 heiress, 33, and the businessman, 38, tied the knot at 5pm in front of family and some of their famous friends, while children were welcome at the lavish do
- The couple posed for a family snap outside the venue along with their four children Lavinia, nine, twins Andrew and James, seven, and their youngest daughter, two
- During the ceremony, Tamara took to the stage to make a speech reminiscing on her childhood with Petra and welcoming Sam into the Ecclestone family
- Friends described the day as ‘small and intimate’ – a deliberate contrast to Petra’s ostentatious £12 million wedding to her first husband James Stunt in Italy in August 2011
- News of the nuptials broke when Petra’s father, former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, told FEMAIL: ‘They’re getting married this weekend, somewhere in London’
Petra Ecclestone looked every inch the blushing bride as she tied the knot with her partner Sam Palmer in a lavish wedding ceremony on Saturday.
The F1 heiress, 33, and the businessman, 38, tied the knot at 5pm in front of family and some of their famous friends, while children were welcome at the lavish do.
Sam and Petra’s now brother-in-law Jay Rutland documented much of the festivities on Instagram, which included a performance from Razorlight,the 1980 FA Cup and a heartfelt speech from Petra’s older sister Tamara, 38.
Stunning: Petra Ecclestone looked every inch the blushing bride as she tied the knot with her partner Sam Palmer in a lavish wedding ceremony on Saturday (pictured with their children, Lavinia, nine, Andrew and James, seven, and their youngest daughter, two)
The couple posed for a family snap outside the venue along with their four children Lavinia, nine, twins Andrew and James, seven, and their youngest daughter, two.
Petra looked incredible for the ceremony as she donned a figure-hugging mermaid wedding dress with a flowing train.
The garment featured a sheer detail and a floral print while the bride also wore a matching veil and a bewjelled tiara.
Her daughters wore matching flower girl dresses while Sam and their sons wore black suits with matching bow ties.
Family: During the ceremony, Petra’s sister Tamara took to the stage to make a speech reminiscing on her childhood with Petra and welcoming Sam into the Ecclestone family
Gift: Sam also revealed that he was given the 1980 FA Cup as a gift, with the trophy being won by West Ham after they beat Arsenal by a single goal
During the ceremony, Tamara took to the stage to make a speech reminiscing on her childhood with Petra and welcoming Sam into the Ecclestone family.
She said: ‘Having a sister is like having the best friend possible. They are always here for you and see things the same way you do. They understand all your thoughts without you having to explain and no matter what you do, they can never get rid of you.
‘In fact, although Petra and I are very different, we have always been there for each other. I’m not sure that Petra knows this but she was a very lucky baby.
‘When I found out I was going to be a big sister to a new baby, I prayed that it was a sister because if it was a boy, I vowed that I would put him in the washing machine.
Dapper: Tamara’s husband Jay shared a snap of himself alongside Sam and the rest of the groom party outside the venue
Fashion: Tamara cut a glamorous figure for the day in an off the shoulder champagne dress with a shimmering embellishment
Sam wrote: ‘Going to sleep with the 1980 FA Cup next to my bed. It has to go down as the greatest wedding gift of all time’
‘Growing up we were inseparable, Petra put up with me and all my brilliant ideas. There was a time I wanted to learn about home hair dye, and after some experiments, we had to cut all of Petra’s hair off. Luckily, it grew back.’
Tamara concluded her speech with a toast to Petra and Sam as she called them ‘soulmates’ and wished them many ‘adventures’ in the years ahead.
She said: ‘To my incredible sister, my loyal, thoughtful, passionate little sister, and to her husband who we welcome into our family today, I would like to raise a toast.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, I would like you to be upstanding and raise your glasses with me. To adventures, to love and to soulmates, to the very happy couple Petra and Sam.’
Flawless: Tamara styled her brunette locks into loose waves for the ceremomy
‘The best me have arrived’: Sam also shared a photo of Petra’s twin sons, who are page boys, dressed in matching blue satin pyjamas
Heartwarming: Jay shared a snap of Sam alongside his two sons on the way to the ceremony
Tamara cut a glamorous figure for the day in an off the shoulder champagne dress with a shimmering embellishment.
The garment also featured a high leg split while Tamara styled her brunette locks into loose waves for the ceremomy.
Sam also revealed that he was given the 1980 FA Cup as a gift, with the trophy being won by West Ham after they beat Arsenal by a single goal.
The luxury real estate agent shared a photo of himself and Petra holding the cup and wrote: ‘Going to sleep with the 1980 FA Cup next to my bed. It has to go down as the greatest wedding gift of all time.’
Friends described the day as ‘small and intimate’ – a deliberate contrast to Petra’s ostentatious £12 million wedding to her first husband James Stunt in Italy in August 2011.
Performance: The couple hired British indie band Razorlight to entertain guests at the reception
Tycoon Mr Ecclestone, 91, who learned last week that he would be charged with tax fraud, was not spotted entering the property but friends said that he gave his daughter away.
It comes after Sam wished Petra a ‘Happy Wedding Day’ as the couple prepared to say ‘I do’.
Hours before walking down the aisle, Sam took to Instagram to share a plethora of loved-up snaps of the couple and their children, with Sam calling beauty Petra the ‘absolute love of my life’.
Amid the sweet images Sam shared, the happy couple could be seen beaming away at the camera, with several seeing them on luxurious sun-soaked holidays.
Special day: Several other snaps of the day were shared including the couple’s menu and a photo of Sam showing off his wedding ring
Little Princess: On Saturday, Tamara posted a sweet snap of her flower girl daughter Sophia, eight, in her satin pyjamas and a sparkly tiara
The bride was reportedly so fearful that her ex-husband James Stunt could sabotage her day that she kept the main location secret.
James has been accused of being part of a £266million money-laundering gang.
A source told The Sun: ‘All brides get nervous before their wedding but for Petra it’s been amplified over her fears about James.’
Although they have not been together since 2017 their divorce was nasty and they traded a lot of blows online.
Guest list: Other guests were seen arriving in their finery while the last flowers and other items were delivered
Looking dapper: Another guest wore a smart black suit with a white shirt and very shiny shoes while the women wore dresses
‘Petra says she wouldn’t put it past James to try to take the shine off her big day, so she has gone all out to make sure nothing can go wrong.
‘She hired a really heavy- duty security team to make sure that nothing can go wrong on the day. As well as that, she has kept the exact details of the event close to her chest.’
‘Even her dad Bernie and sister Tamara have not been told some of the finer details. And her guests have yet to be given the exact location, even though the big day is just two days away.’
MailOnline has contacted a rep for Petra for comment.
Party time! Petra celebrated her hen do with her nearest and dearest including her sister Tamara at a boozy dinner party held at London private member’s club 22 Mayfair on Thursday
Ahead of her nuptials, Petra celebrated her hen do with her nearest and dearest inc at a boozy dinner party held at London private member’s club 22 Mayfair on Thursday.
The heiress’ hen do featured a pink-themed dinner party, butlers in the buff and masks which featured the image of Petra’s face on the front for all of her gal pals to wear.
In the fun snaps, Petra sported a bejewelled captain’s hat which had the word ‘bride’ spelt out on the front of in pearl beads.
Snapshots from the evening shared on social media show a dinner table adorned with pink floral decorations and candles as well as miniature bottles of pink champagne.
The group sat down to dinner, clips revealed the hens donning Petra masks and being waited on by butlers in the buff, serving food in nothing but trousers and a bow tie.
Woweee! The heiress’ hen do featured a pink-themed dinner party, butlers in the buff and masks which featured the image of Petra’s face on the front for all of her gal pals to wear
Last night of freedom! In the fun snaps, Petra sported a bejewelled captain’s hat which had the word ‘bride’ spelt out on the front of in pearl beads
Petra and her friends sips on glasses of bubbly and mojito cocktails.
Meanwhile, Sam celebrated his stag do on Thursday with a boozy night out with his pals, including Tamara’s husband Jay.
The real estate agent uploaded Instagram snaps showing himself posing among a large group of friends as they celebrated his last night of freedom.
He also shared a shot of himself and Jay beaming to the camera as they enjoyed a beer during the fun night out.
News of the nuptials broke when Petra’s father, former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, told FEMAIL: ‘They’re getting married this weekend, somewhere in London. I don’t know the exact location because Petra hasn’t told me yet.
Celebrations: The group sat down to dinner, clips revealed the hens donning Petra masks and being waited on by butlers in the buff, serving food in nothing but trousers and a bow tie
‘It’s wonderful news. Let’s hope she will be happier than she was in her last marriage.’
Petra, who is worth an estimated £350 million, divorced businessman James Stunt, 40, in 2017 after six years of marriage.
She has since had her youngest child Millie, 18 months, with Sam who is chief of a recruitment company.
Mr Ecclestone, 91 added: ”I will of course be going but won’t be making a speech because I only make comments. My comment on Petra’s forthcoming marriage is that I think she’s chosen a good guy.
‘I don’t know Sam very well because they live in the States and I don’t see them very often.
Good times: Meanwhile, Sam celebrated his stag do on Thursday with a boozy night out with his pals, including Jay Rutland, husband of Petra’s sister Tamara
‘I’ve met him a few times and like him. Hopefully, I’ll get to know him a little better.
‘They’ve just recently got back to England for the ceremony and I’m looking forward to going to their wedding and meeting up with them.’
Mr Ecclestone admitted that he was not involved in any of the arrangements for the wedding, which is being organised by events company Banana Splits, and had ‘no idea’ how big or lavish it would be.
He said: ‘I don’t know any of the details. I just know that I’ve got to be there this weekend.
‘I’m waiting for Petra to call me to give me all the information.’
Ex: Petra, who is worth an estimated £350 million, divorced businessman James Stunt in 2017 after six years of marriage (pictured in 2011)
The couple live in a lavish home in Los Angeles and Sam regularly posts pictures of their family life on social media.
Following her divorce from Mr Stunt, it was reported that he had signed a £16m prenup, with Petra also awarded sole custody of the couple’s three children: Lavinia Stunt, nine, and twins Andrew Kulbir and James Robert Frederick, six.
Petra and Sam, who is a former used car salesman from Essex, met in late 2017 through her brother-in-law Jay Rutland, who is married to her sister Tamara.
As the couple built a new life in the US, last year it was reported that Petra had submitted legal documents to change her children’s surname from Stunt to her own.
Daddy’s girl: Petra’s father, former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, said it was ‘wonderful’ news for the couple – but said he wouldn’t be giving a speech at the event (pictured in 2017)
The move was supported by her father who has publicly criticised her ex-husband in the past.
Mr Ecclestone added: ‘I’m sure Sam is a lot better than Petra’s ex-husband.’
It has been reported that the children call Sam ‘dad’, and he has spoken candidly in the past about his fractious relationship with Petra’s ex-husband and baby daddy James, who has often hit back.
The couple live in an £18.5 million ($22 million) in Los Angeles which Petra purchased in 2019 after selling her more luxurious US home for a mouth-watering £101 million ($119.7).
The couple revealed last autumn that they were hoping to sell their London mansion off-market.
The eight-bedroom, 12-bathroom, 20,000sq ft Georgian-style home comes complete with the biggest garden in London’s upmarket Kensington and Chelsea and also has a cinema room, and beauty salon, 16ft fish tank and custom built chandelier with 150,000 Swarovski crystals.
Bernie Ecclestone: Who are billionaire Formula One boss’ children?
DEBORAH ECCLESTONE: Age 65
Bernie’s eldest daughter Deborah was born in 1955 after marrying his first wife Ivy Bamford aged 21 in 1952.
The Formula 1 boss divorced Ivy in the 60s and Deborah is said to have lived with her mother.
Deborah shuns the spotlight and is notoriously private.
Bernie is a great-grandfather as Deborah’s children have had children.
TAMARA ECCLESTONE: Age 36
Daughter: Bernie welcomed Tamara in 1984 (pictured together), with his second wife Slavica Radić
Ecclestone had a 17-year relationship with Tuana Tan, which ended in 1984 when Slavica Radić, later his second wife, became pregnant.
Tamara was welcomed later that year.
The heiress was educated at Francis Holland School in London and can speak English, Croatian and Italian.
Tamara was the presenter of Sky Sports Italia’s coverage of the 2009 Formula 1 season and went on to star in her own reality show.
She married husband Jay Rutland in 2013, and later welcomed their daughter Sophia, now six.
PETRA ECCLESTONE: Age 32
Heiress: Petra was born in London as the younger daughter of former Armani model Slavica and Formula One billionaire Bernie (pictured in 2018)
Petra was born in London as the younger daughter of former Armani model Slavica and Formula One billionaire Bernie.
She contracted viral meningitis at the age of 14, and said it ‘changed her life forever’ and is now ‘a health freak and a hypochondriac’.
At the age of 19, she created the menswear label FORM, which was sold into retailers including Harrods from October 2008.
On 27 August 2011, Ecclestone married businessman James Stunt. She gave birth to their first child, daughter Lavinia Stunt, in February 2013.
In April 2015 she gave birth to twin boys, James Robert Fredrick Stunt Jr and Andrew Kulbir Stunt.
They divorced in 2017, and she reverted to her maiden name.
She has since welcomed her forth child, a daughter, with fiancé Sam Palmer.
Bernie, meanwhile, divorced Slavica in 2009, where she was reportedly granted a $1 to 1.5 billion settlement.
ACE ECCLESTONE: Welcomed June 2020
Bernie became a father for the fourth time aged 89.
The Formula One boss’ wife Fabiana Flosi, 44, has given birth to a boy named Ace.
The couple announced they were expecting a baby in April.
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