PALIN MITENK BLOG

By Sara Nathan and Simon Cable

You may now kiss the bride: David Walliams kisses his stunning new wife Lara Stone as they leave Claridges Hotel in central London following their lavish £80,000 wedding


David Walliams showed he was more than a little smitten when he gave his new wife Lara Stone a kiss as they exited Claridges today, following their lavish wedding.

The couple posed for pictures as they left the venue and headed to their reception.

The bride was wearing a sparkling mini-dress when the couple appeared briefly outside the hotel to have their picture taken by waiting photographers


Happy couple: The funnyman and his model wife leave the ceremony smiling at waiting onlookers

And they were soon joined by friends and family, including former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell and her partner Henry Beckwith, Vernon Kay and wife Tess Daly and his Little Britain partner in crime, Matt Lucas.

For such an unconventional couple it was a surprisingly traditional ceremony.

Little Britain star David Walliams yesterday tied the knot with statuesque Dutch supermodel Lara Stone in a lavish £80,000 wedding.

In contrast to expectations, the famously camp comedian chose to cling to tradition during the brief half-hour ceremony in the elegant surroundings of Claridges Hotel.

Miss Stone, 26, wore a £30,000 tight-fitting, flowing cream gown by Ricardo Tisci of Givenchy, that featured gold brocade and a lace-trimmed train – and wept as she and Walliams, 38, in a grey morning suit, made their vows.

Celebrity friends read poetry by W.B. Yeats and Philip Larkin


I wanna go to Helsinki: Matt Lucas leaves comedy partner David Walliams' wedding reception


After-wedding celebration: Geri Halliwell arrives at the reception with her boyfriend Henry Beckwith while Vernon Kay makes an appearance with wife Tess Daly


More arrivals: Actor nthony Head and his daughter Emily are pictured as they make their into Claridges as do TV presenting couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan


Guests including Walliams’ former flames Denise Van Outen and Natalie Imbruglia, were treated to champagne and canapés before walking into the ballroom of the five-star Mayfair hotel which was filled to the brim with £10,000 of white roses by celebrity florist Ron Van Helden.

Walliams' Little Britain co-star Matt Lucas and BBC producer Robin Dashwood were best men, while veteran actor David Bradley brought the house down with a short speech, in which he said: 'Lara, please look after David, we all know what a shy and retiring man he is!'

Mr Dashwood read Philip Larkin’s poem, First Sight, while Miss Stone’s model friend Linda Jeuring read out the W.B. Yeats poem, He Wishes for the Clothes of Heaven, before the service came to an end.

After the newlyweds had signed the register, John Barry's instrumental version of We Have All the Time in the World was played – the obvious choice of Walliams, a huge James Bond fan.

Onlookers admitted that 'for once David looked incredibly nervous' ahead of the ceremony and described the vows as 'simple but wonderfully poignant.'
The sombre tone of the ceremony appears to be at odds with Walliams famously camp demeanour


David Walliams' laydees: Natalie Imbruglia arrived with Alan Carr, left, while Denise van Outen and her husband Lee Mead, right, also arrived at Claridges Hotel to celebrate their friend's big day with him


That's my boy: Proud mother of the groom, Kathleen Walliams looked great in a green floral print dress complete with a matching white blazer, shoes and handbag


Indeed he and his bride have always been viewed as a strange couple since their pairing a matter of months ago.

A self-confessed manic depressive who has a fear of being alone and becoming fat, Walliams is known for his effeminate manner and for playing a cross-dressing 'laydee' in his hit show Little Britain.

He has talked openly about having homosexual crushes and has described himself as being '70 per cent straight'.

Although he has been linked with countless beauties over the years that he has picked a woman 13 years his junior who is known for being as sulky as he is social has perplexed many.

Her stint in rehab for alcohol addiction has also raised eyebrows.

The mood at the wedding lightened as guests tucked into a meal prepared by top chef Martyn Nail, which included lobster salad and seared sea bass.


Celebrity guestlist: Comedian David Baddiel with his partner and Barbara Windsor with her husband Scott Mitchell arrive at Claridges in London


Jonathan Ross and his wife Jane Goldman tried to keep their heads down as they entered Claridges, while Legendary comedian Ronnie Corbett and his wife Anne Hart were happy to smile for photographers


Fashion designer Tom Ford was obviously the best dressed guest, but James Corden was also looking very sharp, while Dale Winton was also up to scratch


Ronnie Corbett told how the wedding descended into farce as Matt Lucas wheeled in the wedding cake dressed as fat fighter Marjorie Dawes, one of the best-known characters from BBC comedy Little Britain.

Mr Corbett, 79, who arrived with his wife Anne, said: ‘The funniest moment was when Matt came in. He'd taken all the trouble to bring a wig and costume and brought in the cake dressed up as his Little Britain character. It brought a huge cheer.

'The whole general atmosphere was of loveliness and glamour from a day gone by.
'I've never seen so many white roses, there were hundreds and I’ve never been to a more beautiful service in my whole life, it was perfect from beginning to end.'

Lara's father Michael Stone later told the Mail that he and his wife Catherina, nicknamed Toos, were 'absolutely overjoyed'.

He said: 'Lara looked beautiful and it was a wonderful day. I'm very proud. There were so many lovely moments and I can tell you that both Lara and David are over the moon.’


Primrose Bakery's cupcakes are delivered to Claridges Hotel in London, ahead of the guests arrival


Blooming: Floral arrangements for the Walliams/Stone wedding arrive - Ronnie Corbett was amazed by the sheer amount of white roses


Classic: A 1930s Rolls Royce was parked outside Claridges, where the lavish ceremony was held


Walliams and his bride announced their engagement in January after a whirlwind romance. The star proposed with a £100,000 vintage Tiffany ring while they were away in Los Angeles.

Mr Stone, 72, had revealed how Walliams had pursued his daughter when they went to see Chelsea play last March, filling her home with flowers, even though ‘the last thing Lara wanted was a boyfriend.’

However, they did not become a couple until last September, and Mr Stone, a retired company director, told how he had given his blessing to the couple - despite their 12 year age gap.

Miss Stone has already spoken of her wish to start a family with the Little Britain funnyman, saying: 'I want to have a family and be a good wife, I want a family soon.'

Barbara Windsor revealed that guests had been asked to donate money to charity rather than buying the bride and groom wedding presents.

Jonathan Ross and his wife Jane Goldman, Denise Van Outen, comedians Rob Brydon and James Corden, fashion designer Tom Ford and presenter Dale Winton were also among the 200 guests who arrived for the event.


No expense spared: What appeared to be giant silver goblets are carried into Claridges


Football fans: Lara Stone and her husband David Walliams leave Claridges via the back door, reportedly on his way to the FA Cup final


Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, David James and Theo Walcott in the new Nationwide advertisement


Guests then went on for an evening bash at trendy Shoreditch House in East London, which had been hired out for the night.

On Thursday, he enjoyed his stag night, which involved dinner at Nobu Berkeley, drinks at the Met Bar and then a party in Stringfellows' lap-dancing club until the early hours.

The partygoers included David Baddiel, James Corden, Jimmy Carr, Steve Coogan, Dale Winton and until he met Lara, the woman Walliams described as the most desirable on the planet, Natalie Imbruglia.

Meanwhile David and his Little Britain partner Matt Lucas have just finished shooting a comic ad for Nationwide Building Society with Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, David James, Theo Walcott and Fabio Capello.

Starring as their on-screen characters Lou and Andy, they join in on an England training session which will be aired later this month.

In typical style Lou pushed Andy along in his wheelchair, before the faking invalid lept out of his seat to run around with the players.

At one point he stood in front of a group of them to show them exactly how to behave on the pitch and no doubt dish out some of his expert knowledge picked up during hours in front of the television.

During another scene he appears to square up to 6ft 6 striker Peter Crouch, angrily holding the ball as he steps up to the Tottenham Hotspur player.


David Walliams, Matt Lucas and Fabio Capello star in the new Nationwide Building Society ad, where the two funnymen join an England training session


source: dailymail