Rod Stewart marries long-term love

Rod Stewart married his partner Penny Lancaster on Saturday (June 16th) in an intimate ceremony in north-west Italy.

The former Faces frontman tied the knot with the model in a 20 minute ceremony held at a 17th century abbey at La Cervara, with just Penny's mother and father acting as witnesses. The couple exchanged vows in a spot close to Portofino, which is where Richard Burton proposed to Elizabeth Taylor in the 1960s.

After their wedding they spent time together on a private yacht, before heading off to their reception in Santa Margherita Ligure. They were joined by around 100 friends and family, and according to the Daily Mirror newspaper, the singer told guests: "It wasn't love at first sight but it has grown into the most wonderful romance of my life."

The Daily Record reports that guests included five of Rod's seven children, Michael Bolton, Desperate Housewives actress Nicollette Sheridan and Celtic boss Gordon Strachan.

Rod, 62, has been married twice before, firstly to Alana Hamilton and then to Rachel Hunter. Both marriages ended in divorce in 1984 and 2006 respectively. He and Penny have been together for eight years, and the couple have an 18-month-old son called Alastair.