Here comes the bride! Petra Ecclestone is radiant in white as she marries James Stunt in £5million wedding

By SARAH BULL, LARA GOULD and KATIE NICHOLL



Here comes the bride: Petra Ecclestone beamed excitedly as she was driven to her wedding venue in Rome today



It's arguably one of the most highly-anticipated celebrity events of the year, with guests including members of the royal family and hotel heiresses.



But despite the chaos surrounding her big day, Petra Ecclestone looked calm and relaxed as she left her hotel and headed to the castle where she was to marry fiancé James Stunt.



The 22-year-old F1 heiress looked stunning as she was driven to the wedding in a white Rolls Royce, with her father Bernie sitting with her in the back.





Let's go: While Petra's dress couldn't properly be seen, it seems she had gone for the traditional white rather than ivory





With her blonde hair left loose around her shoulders in tumbling curls, Petra looked every inch the blushing bride as she headed off for her big day.



While her dress couldn't properly be seen, it seems Petra had opted for traditional white rather than ivory, and had accessorised the dress with a beautiful diamond tiara and drop earrings.



Meanwhile, her sister Tamara, who is the maid of honour, also pushed the boat out in a ruffled grey asymmetric number.



Before the nuptials, Tamara took to her Twitter page to update her followers about her sister's big day.





Not just a few sparkers! Fireworks lit up the sky over the castle following the nuptials





This morning, Tamara tweeted: 'Its the day of the wedding I am so happy for my sister and so excited.'



She later added: 'Getting my hair and make up done for petras wedding getting more and more excited!', before continuing: 'Its getting so close Petra looks so beautiful I m getting emotional.'



Tamara left the hotel accompanied by her mother Slavica Radic, who looked elegant in an off-the-shoulder gold gown.





Glimpse: Bernie, dressed in a black suit and white shirt, looked proudly at his beautiful daughter





The medieval town of Bracciano ground to a halt, the cobbled piazza closed off as fleets of cars ferried 250 VIP guests for the twilight ceremony inside the castle – which cost the bride’s father £310,000 to hire.



The bride and her father were last to arrive, in his vintage Rolls-Royce, with former Formula 1 driver Jean Alesi at the wheel.



But one Rolls-Royce was not enough for fashion designer and model Petra. She had left her suite at the Hassler Hotel in Rome in a white Rolls-Royce Phantom before switching to the second car for her grand entrance.





Bridal party: Petra's mother Slavica Radic wore an off-the-shoulder gold gown, while maid of honour Tamara donned a stunning grey ruffled number





The celebrations were rounded off with a midnight fireworks display, bringing firework costs alone to £100,000.



Earlier in the day, Petra prepared for the event in the £2,300-a-night Hassler Hotel suites the family had occupied since Thursday.



A team of ten make-up artists, including celebrity specialist Gary Cockerill, a close friend of Tamara’s, were flown out to help prepare the wedding party.





Travelling in style: Petra was driven to the Odescalchi Castle with her father Bernie accompanying her in the back of her luxurious white Rolls Royce



source: dailymail