Stella del Carmen, daughter of Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith, and her chosen partner, entrepreneur Alex Gruszynski, have tied the knot. Their romance, which lasted a quarter of a century, culminated in a lavish ceremony at the unique setting of the 12th-century abbey Retuerta Le Domaine, located in the wine region of Valladolid. The celebration gathered not only close friends and family, but also notable guests, including Barack and Michelle Obama’s daughters, Malia and Sasha, as well as producer Trudie Styler, wife of Sting. Naturally, close family did not miss the event: stepsister Dakota Johnson and grandmother, legendary actress Tippi Hedren, were also present. The festivities lasted until the early morning.
The organizers did everything possible to maintain the event’s privacy. All staff signed strict non-disclosure agreements, and guests surrendered their mobile phones at the entrance. Nevertheless, details about the private occasion still made their way to the public. The bride’s father, Antonio Banderas, spoke to journalists before the ceremony. He shared that everything was very touching and elegant, with the traditional ‘I do,’ tears of joy, and the exchange of rings. The actor also explained the choice of venue: he had once shown his daughter this estate, and she was inspired to hold her big day there.
All precautions proved futile when, just an hour after the couple officially became husband and wife, People magazine published the first photo of Stella’s wedding attire. Although the shot was taken from a distance, you could make out a bohemian lace silhouette with bare shoulders and voluminous sleeves. The groom chose a classic black tuxedo, perfectly complementing his bride’s look. The leak was traced back to one of the least known guests at the ceremony, Esh Nuri. The young man, associated with Sotheby’s auction house in Los Angeles, posted the compromising material on his social media without a second thought, disregarding all prior agreements.
Gradually, other details emerged. For example, the music for the bride’s walk down the aisle was composed by her great-uncle. The couple exchanged vows of eternal love to the romantic tune of The Beatles’ “Here, There and Everywhere.” Rumors of a performance by Coldplay were unfounded; instead, the musical accompaniment was provided by guitarists from the Soho Theater in Málaga, owned by the bride’s father.
The evening’s gastronomic program began with a cocktail featuring traditional Spanish appetizers, such as croquettes and gildas. According to reports, the banquet menu by chef Marc Segarra cost around 400 euros per person. Guests were served chicken ravioli with apple and sun-dried tomatoes, glazed lobster with salad and citrus fruits, as well as beef tenderloin mille-feuille with pumpkin cream and young peas.
There was also an amusing incident. A local resident from Peñafiel tried to hand Antonio Banderas a pink envelope. Inside, as it was later discovered, was an idea for a script about the Passion of Christ. Security initially detained the man, but he eventually managed a brief conversation with the actor. Who knows, perhaps this wedding could inspire a new Hollywood blockbuster.
