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How Richard Curtis Changed Kirstie Allsopp’s Views on Marriage and Inspired Her Secret Wedding

BBG News

Kirstie Allsopp recently disclosed that her neighbor, Richard Curtis, had initially motivated her decision to remain unmarried – a role he later played in her getting married.

On Saturday, it became known that the star of Location Location Location, who is 53 years old, got married to property mogul Beau Andersen. Despite repeatedly stating that a wedding wasn’t for her, it appears she has now changed her mind.

The event took place at the Grosvenor Chapel in Mayfair, a location famously used for the wedding scene from Love Actually featuring Keira Knightley and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

In a heart-pounding moment that lasted 40 minutes, I found myself immersed in a celebration, one that resonated deeply with my passion as a devoted fan. Among the highlights was the soulful rendition of The Beatles’ anthem “All You Need Is Love,” a tune that holds a special place in my heart, having also graced the screen in the enchanting movie, Love Actually. But what truly stirred my patriotic soul was the moving performance of the hymn “I Vow To Thee, My Country.” In that instant, it felt like every note was written just for me, echoing the deep affection I carry within.

In 2020, Kirstie shared with the Daily Mail that she remains unmarried, citing Richard and his partner Emma Freud as her motivation to forego matrimony.

In 2020, during an interview with the Daily Mail, Kirstie discussed her decision not to marry, revealing that she finds inspiration in Richard and his partner Emma Freud for choosing not to walk down the aisle.

For three decades, Richard and Emma had been a pair, weathering through two broken engagement attempts, until they chose to tie the knot discreetly in the year 2023.

At that moment, Kirstie expressed: “To each their own is how I feel. For the past 16 years, I’ve been with my partner and we share two children and two stepchildren. Similar to many of my friends, we are contentedly unmarried.

I’m comfortable being in a relationship where my partner is of similar age to me, who happens to be older. Moreover, I’ve had the privilege of learning from exceptional role models, living just next door to the renowned, long-term unmarried couple – Richard Curtis and Emma Freud.

Richard playfully suggests that he made the movie “Four Weddings and a Funeral” as a means to clarify to his mom why he hasn’t tied the knot yet.

With a radiant smile, she sealed her union with Ben at a surprise ceremony, keeping the event’s details under wraps until the final moment, including from many of her attendees, all in an effort to maintain privacy.

The chapel carried significant ties with Kirstie’s family, having been the venue for the memorial service honoring her late father, Charles Allsopp, the former chairman of Christie’s and the 6th Baron Hindlip, which took place in June of last year.

The pair went back to the historic 18th-century structure for their nuptials, where about 70 dear acquaintances and relatives gathered, many of whom learned they’d be attending a wedding mere moments beforehand.

As a devoted partner to Ben, who recently turned 64, and a proud parent of our sons, Bay (18) and Oscar (16), I was thrilled to organize a celebration for his special day, little did he know that it was a surprise in store!

I proudly stepped into the service wearing a breathtaking golden sequined and tulle gown, an exquisite Oscar de la Renta creation that I’d purchased just two weeks prior.

Kirstie revealed to The Mail on Sunday that due to the late notice and secrecy surrounding the plans, several key attendees – such as her longtime Channel 4 colleague Phil Spencer – could not attend the event.

Thursday saw Ben and I tying the knot at The Grosvenor Chapel, a place that has held wedding ceremonies for both my parents and grandparents, and where we commemorated my father’s life in June,” she expressed.

On Monday, we were joined by a modest gathering of dear friends and relatives, who learned about our wedding at that time.

We had previously arranged a grand celebration for Ben’s birthday, leading many of our attendees to believe this was the occasion they were attending. True to plan, we celebrated in style, offering an abundance of food, drinks, music, and dancing, with my nephews and nieces adding their own energy and excitement to the festivities.

‘Ben came up with the idea for us to sing “All You Need is Love.” I’m a big fan of Richard Curtis and have an authentic script from his movie. I bought my shimmering gown on sale two weeks prior, and the gracious staff at Oscar de la Renta added sleeves, assuming it was for an awards ceremony.’

‘The flowers, food, program, and lighting were expertly arranged by colleagues I’ve collaborated with for years, who managed to keep it a secret and pull off an extraordinary event under tight time constraints. Unfortunately, due to this sudden planning, some cherished friends and family members, such as Phil, couldn’t attend.’

At the wedding, not only the couple’s sons but also Ben’s elder sons Hal and Orion from a past relationship served as ushers. The quartet was spotted together at a nearby wine bar prior to the ceremony, where Bay could be observed rehearsing a speech outside.

The attendees at the ceremony consisted of Kirstie’s siblings, Sophia Fletcher and Natasha Morley, fashion designer India Hicks, and Kirstie’s relative, ex-hedge fund manager Jamie Allsopp.

As a seasoned lifestyle connoisseur, I chose to share captivating snaps, beautifully captured by renowned shutterbug Catherine Bradley, with the local press, following my realization of an eager paparazzo lurking outside the hallowed chapel.

She expressed her hope that our secretive city wedding, held at a church dear to her family and known from the film ‘Love Actually’, had been a remarkable success.

‘Unfortunately, despite my cunning plan, there was a paparazzi photographer outside.

‘I’m sharing some personal photos, and if others would like to use them too, I kindly ask for a donation to the Grosvenor Chapel, a historic landmark in Mayfair that will soon turn 300 years old. You can make a contribution through grosvenorchapel.org.uk.’

Through her ex-wife Theresa, Kirstie met Ben – an accomplished individual with a self-made fortune, who, like Kirstie, happened to be an alumna of the prestigious private school, Bedales.

Until last week, Ben always said he did not want to marry again following his divorce.

Kirstie shared that Ben expressed, “He doesn’t plan on marrying me, but he wants to raise children together and share the rest of his life with me without the formal bond of marriage.

It seemed quite similar to a proposal. Somehow, I found myself needing to agree. Ben is truly exceptional, someone I hold dear with deep affection.

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2025-01-26 13:21

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