Decoding Nicola Peltz's ‘revenge wedding dress'

Telegraph

2 days ago

For most couples, the renewal of wedding vows is likely a celebration reserved for a milestone anniversary or the marking of a new chapter – perhaps when the children have left home, or some hardship has been overcome after decades. But for Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz, three years of marriage, plus a rumbling family feud, proved reason enough.
Brooklyn, the eldest son of David and Victoria Beckham, and billionaire heiress Nicola Peltz have shared photographs from their vow renewal earlier this month. Their original wedding in 2022 was a £3m affair at the Peltz family's 13-acre beachfront mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. For most young couples, one lavish celebration might suffice – but the Peltz-Beckhams are far from ordinary.
Their second wedding was held at a Peltz estate in Westchester County, near New York, with an undisclosed guest list. In some respects, it was a family affair: the bride's father, Nelson, officiated the ceremony, while the bride wore the wedding dress her mother, Claudia – a former model – had worn to marry her father in 1985.
The couple also shared photographs from what appeared to be an afterparty, attended by guests including designer Georgina Chapman, the ex-wife of Harvey Weinstein, and her partner, Adrien Brody. Notably absent from the glamorous crowd were Brooklyn's parents and his three siblings, Cruz, Romeo and Harper.
For the afterparty, Nicola chose her 'something blue' in the form of a silk Dolce & Gabbana archive gown from the spring/summer 1998 collection, adorned with butterflies. A similar version recently sold on luxury resale site 1stDibs for more than £10,000. Butterflies – a symbol of renewal, rebirth and new beginnings – are a motif Nicola has long embraced; her 28th birthday in 2023 was marked with a butterfly-themed celebration.
This lavish vow renewal comes amid rumours of an ongoing rift between the couple and the wider Beckham clan, with the newlyweds notably absent from key family moments – including David's 50th birthday. Brooklyn has remained silent on milestones such as his father's knighthood, and was even spotted by fans having 'unfollowed' his brothers on Instagram – the modern-day hallmark of a fallout. Nicola, meanwhile, has rarely been photographed with her in-laws, and is said to have declined Victoria's offer to design her 2022 wedding dress.
At the ceremony last week, however, all appeared picture-perfect. The 30-year-old bride wore her mother's vintage ivory silk gown, subtly updated with an on-trend dropped waist and balloon sleeves adorned with floral appliqué, worn off the shoulder. She kept the styling minimal: two long-stemmed white roses in hand, a floral headband and a veil, which appears to have been removed partway through the service.
It was every inch the classic white wedding look, which is less unusual than you might expect, according to Kate Halfpenny, bridal designer and founder of Halfpenny London. 'I've seen a huge rise in vow renewals lately, particularly brides going all out the second time around,' she says. 'Vow renewals carry a different kind of magic. The words aren't just about promise; they honour proof. That brings a depth and confidence that shines through in how brides express themselves.'
For Nicola, the ensemble also marked a departure from her original bridal gown, a custom Valentino creation that took A-list stylist Leslie Fremar a year to plan, according to British Vogue. The look was completed by handmade French lace gloves and an ornate veil, with Fremar calling it 'a work of art.'
By comparison, the family heirloom she refashioned for the renewal was a low-key choice, likely a very intentional decision. 'Nicola has gone for something less 'strict' and opted for something that feels more ethereal – softer,' says bridal stylist Rosie Boydell-Wiles.
'It's not overly embellished, it's not glam and glitzy. It's a very pared-back, more boho, fluid dress. It seems to portray innocence, as well as strong family values, given that it's her mother's.'
Of course, the practice of renewing vows is often associated with reinforcing commitment after difficult periods – family feuds or otherwise. The bride might well have enjoyed the freedom to shape the celebrations with such tensions removed, not least when it came to what to wear.
'The first time you get married there's so much pressure and you're trying to please everyone,' says Boydell-Wiles.
'For a renewal, a lot of brides want to show off a slightly different side. It's far more about what they themselves want – less compromise, less consideration of other people's opinions.'
The highly public Peltz-Beckham rift has inevitably prompted comparisons to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's fractured relationship with the Royal family. Brooklyn was reportedly keen to invite Harry and Meghan to the 2022 wedding, but they did not attend.
According to the groom, this second celebration was pure in its intentions.
'It was beautiful', Brooklyn told People magazine on 9 August.
'We just wanted a really beautiful experience – a really cute memory.'
He added: 'To be honest, I could renew my vows every single day with her.' Perhaps this won't be the last wedding look we'll see from the reconfirmed bride after all.