Inside Lady Amelia Spencer’s Mountaintop Wedding in South Africa
Lady Amelia Spencer, daughter of the Earl of Spencer and model Victoria Aitken, and the niece of Princess Diana, married her longtime love, lifestyle coach Greg Mallett, at Quoin Rock Manor House in Stellenboch, South Africa on March 21, 2023. Amelia, who works for Storm Management as a model and brand ambassador, met Greg 14 years ago while they were both studying at the University of Cape Town, and the two have been together ever since. (Amelia’s parents moved their family to South Africa in 1995 to raise their children outside of the limelight.)
Amelia and Greg became engaged while they were on vacation in Franschhoek on July 22, 2020. “After a romantic lunch and day by the pool, we returned to our room where I had organized for champagne and rose petals to be laid out,” Greg remembers. “I had one big pink box inside, which I put in eight smaller boxes, decreasing in size. In each box was a photograph of some of our most special memories, and attached to each memory were the words, ‘I remember when….’ The final box contained a note instead of a picture, that said: ‘But most importantly, I know that you will remember tonight as the night that I proposed.’ As Amelia was reading the note, I dropped to one knee with the ring.”
After the engagement, the bride—who has worked as a wedding planner in the past—began mapping out her perfect wedding. “It was the most unbelievable experience,” Amelia says. “Every step was a dream. We have been together for so long that we have the same taste and friends—and are just on the same page [about everything].” The two worked with Anne Mann of Anne Mann Celebrates to make their vision a reality.
Fashion was top of mind for the bride throughout the planning process, and she and the groom both wore Atelier Versace on their wedding day. “I have always loved Versace, and so it was a very easy decision and a dream come true,” Amelia explains. “My gown was crafted, over the course of two and a half months, from custom silk rebrodé lace and featured a two-and-a-half-meter train, Swarovski crystals, a hand-embroidered neckline, and structured shoulders, with intricate flower patterns running throughout.” It was paired with an elegant five-meter-long veil made of fine silk tulle and Jimmy Choo shoes.
Greg wore a custom black Atelier Versace fine wool and mohair wedding suit. Meanwhile, the groomsmen were in Fabiana suits. Amelia’s sister Lady Eliza Spencer, who served as maid of honor, wore a pink Atelier Versace dress along with other bridesmaids, while Lady Kitty Spencer was in white Dolce Gabbana, where she is a global ambassador. The couple’s platinum wedding bands, meanwhile, were from Charles Greig, as were Greg’s Panerai watch and Amelia’s teardrop diamond earrings.
The ceremony began at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, and the 122 guests were able to take in panoramic views of the picturesque Stellenbosch wine country as well as Table Mountain. Bridesmaids processed to “Follow the Sun” by Caroline Pennell, and the bride was escorted down the aisle by her brother Samuel Aitken to “I Get to Love You” by Ruelle. “Greg’s father, Dave Mallett, officiated our wedding,” Amelia explains. “And, we had a beautiful Asili choir sing ‘Hallelujah.’ Our mothers and Greg’s sister and grandmother delivered profoundly meaningful readings that they had personally chosen, and we wrote our own vows. At the end, we walked out to ‘Still Falling for You’ by Ellie Goulding. It was surreal—as soon as we locked eyes, we both felt a sense of calm, and we have never felt so much love and happiness.”
The cocktail hour that followed was set against a beautiful sunset, and guests mingled on the lawns and gardens of Quoin Rock overlooking Cape Town while sipping on champagne, negronis, and Aperol spritz and snacking on spaghetti aglio e olio, prepared live in front of them. “We knew the day would pass so quickly so we took as many moments, just the two of us, as we could,” Amelia recalls. “And just as the sun was setting, we found a quiet spot and just laughed and hugged until it was time for the more formal dinner.”
