Alana Hadid’s wedding planner shares behind-the-scenes footage showing the bride practicing walking down the aisle alongside sisters Gigi and Bella

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Alana Hadid, an activist, had a beautiful wedding ceremony this weekend at her father’s large home in Los Angeles.

Alana Hadid, 41, wed Ross Williams, an Emmy-winning producer and mental health professional, after dating for three years. Alana is the older half-sister of models Gigi and Bella Hadid, who are 30 and 29 years old, respectively.

Alana’s wedding planner, Melissa Andre, recently posted a video showing the bride rehearsing her walk down the aisle with her bridesmaids, Giga and Bella.

The bride, dressed in a short white dress, was playfully giggling as her loved ones celebrated with her before the wedding.

Gigi wore a chic green ensemble, while Bella opted for jeans and a khaki top for the practice run.

The bride wore a vintage white Vivienne Westwood dress to the ceremony, and she had it tailored to feel personally hers.

I love how she finished the look with a deeply personal touch! She wore her mother Mary’s beautiful amethyst earrings, and a truly special wedding band – it was custom-designed by Sofia Kaman, and featured both diamonds and gold. It’s all about adding those meaningful pieces, don’t you think?

The wedding celebrations included both a large event at Mohamed’s Beverly Hills home and a smaller, private dinner for the wedding party at the Petit Ermitage hotel in West Hollywood, held before the other guests arrived.

Alana’s sisters, Gigi and Bella, were her bridesmaids. Both supermodels chose to wear green dresses and went barefoot during the ceremony.

Her sister Marielle was also a bridesmaid, and her brother Anwar, a model, took on the role of honor traditionally held by the best man.

The siblings walked down the aisle together to Dana Salah’s song ‘Ya Tal3een’, and Alana followed to Led Zeppelin’s ‘Thank You’.

Alana explained that the wedding felt deeply personal, as they wrote their own vows and also included a special message for Ross’s daughter, who is now her stepdaughter.

Oh my gosh, the details were just everything! They really brought in Palestinian culture, which meant so much. Like, they used Palestinian-American businesses for all the drinks, and the gift bags for the bridesmaids and groomsmen? They had these gorgeous olive green keffiyehs inside! It was such a beautiful and thoughtful touch, I was obsessed!

Alana told British Vogue that, given current global events and the situation in Palestine, it was crucial to remember the suffering of others.

Gigi and Bella have become famous as models, but their sister, Alana, has gained recognition through her work as a political activist.

Since the October 7th attacks, Alana Hadid – daughter of real estate developer Mohamed Hadid and Mary Butler – has become a prominent voice advocating for Palestine in the United States.

Besides organizing fundraisers and speaking at protests, Alana also works as the creative director of Watermelon Pictures, a film company focused on showcasing the work of filmmakers whose voices aren’t often heard, particularly those from Palestine.

The company’s slogan, ‘from the river to the screen,’ is a twist on the well-known political phrase, ‘from the river to the sea.’

Alana’s parents, Mohamed and Mary, separated in 1992. Mohamed later married Yolanda Hadid in 1994, and they had three children together – Gigi, Bella, and Anwar – before divorcing in 2000.

Much like her younger sisters, Alana has dabbled in the fashion industry over the years.

I’ve been following her career for ages, and it’s just amazing! Before she became the fashion icon we all know and love, she was already making waves in styling and PR. Then, in 2016, she launched her own eyewear line – I immediately bought a pair, of course! – and then, just a year later, she dropped her women’s fashion brand! Seriously, she’s a total genius, and I’m obsessed with everything she does.

However, her true calling has been as a pro-Palestinian activist.

Her father, Mohamed, was born in Nazareth in 1948, just before the city was taken over by Israeli forces. He’s now a successful real estate developer and a multi-millionaire.

Growing up, my family experienced a lot of upheaval. When Israel was founded in 1948, and the Israeli-Arab war broke out, we actually had to leave our home and seek refuge – first in Lebanon, and then in Syria. It was a really formative time, and definitely shaped who I am today.

Around 760,000 Palestinians fled or were forced from their homes in the Israeli-Arab war of 1948.

Those who remained were often killed, and in 2013, mass graves containing Palestinians – including women and children – were discovered in the Jaffa area of Tel Aviv.

Mohamed’s five children are all very vocal about their support for Palestine, and this has sometimes caused problems for the family.

In 2022, Bella claimed that she’d lost friends and modeling jobs over her support for Palestine.

In an interview with Libyan-American journalist Noor Tagouri, the model shared that she’s lost work with several brands and has experienced some friends distancing themselves from her.

She explained that some close friends suddenly cut her off completely – people she’d been having dinner with regularly for seven years now won’t even let her visit their homes.

Despite the backlash against her family, Alana has forged ahead with Watermelon Pictures.

The company’s most successful film to date is the documentary Israelism. It tells the story of two Jewish American filmmakers, one of whom previously served in the Israeli Defense Forces, as they explore the experiences of Palestinians and re-examine their perspectives on Israel.

The documentary quickly became popular on Apple TV, reaching the top of their charts and earning several awards. However, it has also faced criticism from Zionist organizations and groups that support Israel.

The documentary Walled Off, from Watermelon Pictures, examines Palestinian history and how the media often presents a biased view of Palestinians. It’s filmed at a unique hotel created by the renowned street artist Banksy.

‘We are changing the ways in which we are viewed,’ Alana told The Cut last year.

As someone who’s been around the entertainment world for years, I’ve seen a really troubling pattern. It’s been going on for far too long – Palestinians and Arabs are consistently reduced to stereotypes. I have actor friends who’ve shared how limited their opportunities are. They’re often only considered for roles that reinforce harmful tropes – either as a ‘terrorist’ or the stereotypical ‘taxi driver’ – never just as a regular person, a complex individual with a full life. It’s incredibly frustrating and dehumanizing to watch.

‘I want to see a Palestinian romantic comedy. We want to see Palestinians in the mainstream.’

Alana explained that she’s become accustomed to strong negative reactions from supporters of Israel, stating, ‘I don’t even find the hateful responses shocking anymore.’

She went on to say that attempts to dismiss her with insults wouldn’t work. She declared she’d gladly accept being considered unattractive if it meant being part of a successful and admired family.

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2025-10-23 20:19