EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: GB News presenter Ellie Costello ties the knot with partner Gerard Durkan in three-day Irish celebration at 16th-century French castle
As Eamonn Holmes 's co-host has said 'I Do' for a second time to her partner Gerard Durkan in an intimate ceremony at Chateau de Robernier, a 16th-century French castle in Provence.
The couple, who have been together for seven years, after first meeting at university, held a civil ceremony earlier this year in Chelsea's Old Town Hall in London.
Ellie, 32, tells me: 'We definitely felt like this was our real wedding. We got married in a church, we exchanged rings, and we literally "tied the knot," which is an ancient Celtic tradition of having the priest tie a knot over your hands to represent your lives being bound together.'
She adds: 'We're going to celebrate our anniversary on 12th July, which is our French wedding date.'
Meanwhile, the fairytale-like venue, which locals call the 'sleeping beauty castle', hosted three days of celebrations for the newlyweds, including a free-flowing rose pool party.
The couple also honoured their Irish heritage with an Irish band and an open mic session on the Sunday evening.
Among the guests was her GB News co-presenter Stephen Dixon, with whom she hosts the breakfast show, which recently won a TRIC award for best news programme, on Thursdays and Fridays.
'It was the wedding of our dreams,' says Ellie. 'The atmosphere was electric and our guests told us they thought they were in a film.
'It's everything we could have possibly hoped for.'
While Ellie opted to wear a long-sleeved, buttoned, white mini dress for her civil ceremony, this time around she chose a traditional design by Allure Bridals and Jimmy for her nuptials in the South of France.
She says of the design: 'I saw it online and I knew it was the one because I had such a strong vision of what I wanted my wedding dress to look like.
'I'm very impulsive, and the ladies in the dress shop kept encouraging me to try on other dresses, but I just knew that it was my dress.
'I had it customised to make the straps removable, I also chose to add a large hoop in the skirt and a cathedral length train.
'I wanted my dress to look timeless and regal, but also glamorous. Hopefully I managed to achieve that.'
The final touches of glamour came from jeweller Neil Duttson, who supplied the Bride's wedding jewellery.
'He lent me a 25-carat necklace and 2-carat earrings which absolutely made the dress,' reveals Ellie.
The news star admits she put herself on a gruelling physical regime to be in the best shape possible for her big day.
'In terms of prep for the wedding, I had a series of NeoGen treatments with Ayla Aesthetics to help with my acne scarring and pigmentation and used skin boosters and polynucleotides.
'I started Zero Gravity reformer Pilates straight after getting engaged, and over the past 18 months, it has transformed my body and leaned me out.
'It's the only exercise I've ever enjoyed, and I find the classes are such a good way to switch off from the stresses of the newsroom.
She adds: 'Gerard and I both got composite bonding done at Smiles and Smiles to get our smiles wedding-ready.'
Indeed, she admits the newlyweds are still smiling and are on 'cloud nine' following their French ceremony and says: 'We can't wait for the next chapter in our lives together'
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