diedjustthreeweeksbeforehis
son’s wedding.
“ItwasthecrazieststormI’veever
seen,”Leonasays.“Itwascompletely
unexpectedandwentonallday.
“We had already considered
marryinginthechapel,butit wasn’t
bigenoughforallourguests.But
everyonecrammedinsideandit felt
sointimateandspecialandbrought
usallsomuchclosertogether.
“Icouldseeeverysingleperson’s
face,myfriendswerecryingandthe
acousticswereincredible.I feellike
weweremeanttobeinthatspace.
“DennisandI havebeenthrough
somuchthesepastcoupleofweeks
andfeelingalltheloveintherewas
sointensely overwhelmingand
powerful.Therewassomuchenergyin the room andeveryonewas
rootingforus.
“WefeltLutztherewithusandwe
knewthathewantedustogoahead
anddothis.”
Dennistellsus:“Therecouldn’t
havebeenmoreofa sign.Dadmade
sureweallknewhewasthere.”CONNECTEDSPIRITS
Withitsbreathtakingviewsofcypress
andoakwoods,Il Palagiofeltlike
theperfectplacefortheirwedding,
says Leona,wholiveswithDennison
a smallranchinCaliforniawiththeir
animals,includingtworescuegoats
calledPierreandPerla.
“Wewantedtomarrysomewhere
thatfeltlikehomeandthat’show
thisplacefeels,”thesingertellsus.“It’ssobeautifulandsurrounded
by nature.”
Thecoupleevenreceiveda note
fromStingandTrudiewishingthem
“alifetimeofhappiness”.
“Ihaven’tmetStingyetbutI’ma
hugefanofhismusic,”Leonasays.
“Thisis hisandTrudie’shomeand
theyhavedonea spectacularjob.I
feellikewesharea lotofthesame
moralsandvalues– family,home,
spirituality,lookingafternature.”
BothLeonaandDennis,together
withtheirguests,whotravelledto
ItalyfromtheUKandGermany,as
wellasfromasfarafieldasAustralia,
LosAngelesandNewYork,wereable
toenjoy IlPalagio’s beautiful
surroundingsatan outdoor
dinnerthenightbeforetheA stunnedLeonastandswith host
KateThorntonandmusicmogul
SimonCowellafterwinningThe X
Factor (below), beginning her
enduringandsuccessfulcareerHoldingherbouquetofroses,peachviolasandwhitescabiosa,withold,new,borrowedandbluegemstones
pinnedintoit,LeonamakesherwaytothechapelonthearmofherproudfatherJoe(above)s
TheVoicewinnerJermain
JackmanandLeona’smusical
directorAlexMontaque
serenadetheweddingpartyStanding in front of a
giant golden Buddha,
the couple only have
eyes for each other as
they exchange vows.
“My love, you are my
dream come to life,”
Leona told her groom66