Gwen Stefani’s lavish first wedding – edible roses, ‘romantic’ dress code and dog at altar

As Gwen Stefani celebrates tying the knot with Blake Shelton, we take a trip down memory lane to her 2002 wedding to ex Gavin Rossdale at St Paul’s Cathedral

Gwen Stefani has reportedly married her The Voice co star Blake Shelton in a small stateside ceremony, with an unforgettable dress, cowboy boots and a true showstopper of a wedding cake.

Blake, 45, proposed to No Doubt singer Gwen, 51, in October 2020 after five years of dating having met on the singing show in 2014.

Gwen wore a custom mini Vera Wang gown boasting a plunging neckline, fitted bodice and tulle skirt for her big day, teamed with a veil tied in a huge white bow on her head.

She paired the gown with white cowboy boots, likely a nod to Blake’s country music career, and posted a black and white photo with the caption: “You need a party dress when you get to marry Blake Shelton.”

But other snaps she posted showed Gwen also wore a full length gown on the day, with a long cascading veil matching the tulle skirt, plus Gwen’s signature red lip.

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According to People, Gwen wore the names of her children stitched into her lace veil.

Gwen also radiated happiness as she raised her bouquet aloft while Blake drove her from the reception in a golf buggy.

“July 3rd 2021 dreams do come true,” Gwen wrote on Instagram.

But this was not Gwen’s first wedding, as months ago she reportedly had her marriage to first husband Gavin Rossdale annulled, five years after their split.

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale married in 2002 (
Image:
Zandarin/Allen/REX/Shutterstock)
Gwen and Gavin were together for 20 years, and married for 13, announcing their split in 2016 citing “irreconcilable differences”.

“This is not the future we envisioned. And it is with heavy hearts that we move forward separately,” they said in a statement.

“We are real people, with real lives, with real families, friends, and colleagues. Therefore we kindly ask for privacy and compassion concerning this very personal matter.”

They share sons Kingston James McGregor, 15, Zuma Nesta Rock, 12, and Apollo Bowie Flynn, seven, while Gavin is father to model Daisy Lowe, 32.

Gavin fed Gwen a slice of their opulent wedding cake, adorned with red roses (
Image:
Bauer-Griffin / Matrix)
There were allegations of infidelity, with US Weekly reporting Gavin had an affair with their nanny, writing: “At the time, the No Doubt frontwoman discovered explicit texts between Rossdale and the nanny on the family’s iPad.”

Meanwhile, the publication also reported rocker Courtney Love had claimed to have slept with Gavin while he was married to Gwen.

When quizzed on the claims by The Guardian, Gavin said he was embarrassed by “the gross and lopsided spectre of the crumbling of my marriage” and did not comment further.

On Gwen and Gavin’s 2002 wedding day at St Paul’s, Covent Garden, Gwen wore a now-iconic dip-dyed wedding dress that went from white on top to magenta at the hem.

Gwen wore her trademark quiff and red lipstick (
Image:
Bauer-Griffin / Matrix)
The Christian Dior silk dress was designed by John himself, and he hand-painted the dip-dye, which was paired with an antique lace veil and a pink bow on one shoulder.

Gwen wore her trademark style – her hair scraped back and quiffed on the top, and her favourite red lipstick, while Gavin was suited and booted in a black tux.

Testament to the early naughties era, Gwen had skinny, plucked eyebrows and square-tipped french manicured nails, and she arrived at the ceremony in a blue Rolls Royce, one hour late.

They said their vows in front of around 150 guests, some of whom reported both the bride and groom cried as they spoke, with Gavin’s Hungarian sheepdog Winston joining him at the altar.

The bride wore a pink dip-dyed Christian Dior gown (
Image:
WireImage)
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Gwen was walked down the aisle by her father, and held her mother’s Catholic prayer book in her arms.

“Gwen was visibly choked with emotion. She cried, he cried — and so did the dog!” John Galliano said, according to Gwen Stefani’s biography by Katherine Krohn.

The wedding reception was at exclusive club Home House, and guests were transported there on double-decker buses, enjoying a six course Italian dinner and dancing, and serenaded by a choir.

The couple’s wedding cake was four-tiered affair adored with edible roses, presented on a bed of crimson flowers and next to a bouquet of red roses, one of which Gavin also had pinned.

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale in 2013 with sons Kingston, Zuma and Apollo (
Image:
Getty)
They cut the cake together and snaps show a beaming Gavin feeding his then-wife, who he met when she opened for his band on tour, a mouthful of the cake.

Gwen’s friend, Rachel Zoe, said: “In a business where people get married after six weeks, they’ve been together six years.”

Just two weeks later, Gwen and Gavin renewed their vows in front of their L.A pals, in a ceremony planned by famed wedding planner Mindy Weiss.

Guests included the then-married Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, and Ben Stiller, and the dress code was “romantic”, with Gwen wearing the same wedding dress again.

“That dress was the whole reason I had another wedding!” she joked.

The couple then flew to the Isle of Capri for their lavish honeymoon, and Gwen took her husband’s surname legally.

In 2004, their marriage hit a rocky patch when a paternity test proved that Gavin was the father of Pearle Lowe’s daughter Daisy, who was then 15.

But in December 2005, Gwen confirmed she was pregnant with her first child by shouting to a crowd mid-concert: “I want you to sing so loud that the baby hears it!”

In May 2006, Gavin and Gwen welcomed their first son Kingston, while second son Zuma was born in August 2008.

Gavin shared a photo of him with Gwen and their boys at the weekend, to mark Independence Day, as they walked on the beach together.

“Happy 4th, we going this way,” he captioned the post, alongside a black heart emoji.