Strictly Come Dancing professional Graziano Di Prima has revealed he’s married his partner of eight years, Giada Lini.
Graziano and Giada tied the knot in Sicily over the weekend, after pushing back their big day twice due to the pandemic.
Speaking to OK! magazine about their wedding, Graziano said: “I tried to be strong all day but I couldn’t stop crying because of the love I feel for Giada. When I saw her arrive in the horse and carriage I started to cry. When she walked down the aisle towards me, I cried more.
“My mum was holding my elbow, squeezing it for support. It was more than I expected. I must have told her how beautiful she looked 50 or 60 times.
“The fact we were in Sicily, my town, after two years of postponing the wedding with all our family and our friends to witness – it was a feeling so strong.”
Among the 200 guests in attendance were Strictly stars Nadiya Bychkova, Karim Zeroual and Chizzy Akudolu, although Johannes Radebe – who was intended to have served as Graziano’s best man – was unable to attend due to visa issues.
“He called me crying on the day. In the morning he told me, ‘I know I’m not there but I’ve been crying all night and my heart will be beside you,’” Graziano said of his absent friend.
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The bride has revealed that the castle where she and her new husband held their reception holds a special place in their hearts.
She told OK! magazine: “Graziano used to bring me to the castle gate when we first started dating and he didn’t have a car, only a Vespa.
“I used to reach my hand inside the gate to see if we could get into the castle but it was always locked. We never imagined then that we’d have the money to rent it for our wedding. Sicily was the perfect location to remind us of how it all began.”
It’s been a busy time for the Strictly pros when it comes to weddings, with Karen Hauer and Amy Dowden both saying “I do” to their partners in recent weeks.
Graziano, Karen and Amy will all be returning to Strictly for its landmark 20th series later this year, with four new professionals also being welcomed into the fold.
