Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi beamed with joy as he celebrated a ‘symbolic wedding’ with his 32-year-old MP girlfriend, estimated to have cost at least €400,000, over the weekend.
The 85-year-old enjoyed a lavish ‘festival of love’ with Marta Fascina, an MP in his Forza Italia party, at a historic property called Villa Gernetto in the town of Lesmo, north of Milan.
It represents the latest declaration of love between Berlusconi and Marta, who have been dating since the start of 2020 after she won his affections by sending a series of letters that entranced him so much that he dumped his long term girlfriend after 12 years.
Fans were given a glimpse of the event online as friends and family offered behind-the-scenes look at the lavish nuptials on Instagram.
The event may have looked very much like a wedding, but the couple were not officially married because of an inheritance row between the families.
Berlusconi’s five adult children were believed to be outraged at their father’s intention to marry Marta, which would have given her a claim to the 85-year-old’s fortune of over £5 billion.
According to the Italian press, Marta was ‘offended and very angry about not having a proper wedding.’
Despite the fact it wasn’t an official ceremony, Marta looked every bit the blushing bride, donning a floor length white Antonio Riva gown crafted from French lace with a train 3.5m long and sweeping her long blonde locks into a high bun for the occasion.
Luxury wedding planner Illy Goodall estimated the dress along could have cost the couple up to £16,000 (€20,000). Meanwhile Silvio opted for a smart blue Armani suit.
Later, guests were invited to join the couple for lunch, prepared by the Da Vittorio restaurant, enjoying veal mondeghili with lemon, ricotta gnocchi and potatoes with saffron and paccheri ‘alla Vittorio’ as well as sliced beef in red wine with dark potato and cinnamon flavored carrot cream.
‘I’d say a total budget of around £335,000 (€400,000) depending on which brand the watch favours are,’ Illy told FEMAIL.
Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, 85, beamed with joy as he celebrated a ‘symbolic wedding’ with his 32-year-old MP girlfriend over the weekend
Despite the fact the ceremony was ‘a celebration of love’ and not an official wedding, Marta looked every bit the blushing bride. She donned a floor length white Antonio Riva gown crafted from French lace with a train 3.5m long, sweeping her long blonde locks into a high bun for the occasion
The 60-person guestlist were treated to a luxury lavish meal at Villa Gernetto in the town of Lesmo, north of Milan (left) and gifted presents on the place settings (right)
According to the Italian press, Marta was ‘offended and very angry about not having a proper wedding’ with billionaire Berlusconi
According to Vanity Fair, the 85-year-old’s brother Paolo and his children of Cavaliere Marina , Barbara , Eleonora and Luigi were in attendance, while his second son Pier Silvio was absent.
His absence was reportedly because he prefers to keep away from crowds for fear of catching Covid.
But while Silvio’s wedding party had some notable absences, the 60 person guestlist was filled with relatives of Marta and then Berlusconi’s friends and historical allies, including politicians Matteo Salvini and Marcello Dell’Utri.
Vittorio Sgarbi, the MP and art critic told The Times: ‘Although there was no priest or public official, it was like a real wedding. Berlusconi was full of happiness as he told Marta she was ‘a gift from the heavens’.’
Seemingly undeterred by health woes, sex scandals and advanced age, Berlusconi proceeded with the ceremony alongside his girlfriend, which was styled as a ‘festival of love’ rather than an official union.
Snaps online revealed how guests were serenaded by Berlusconi during the ceremony, who performed while a friend played the piano, before being gifted scarves for women, ties and watches for the men.
From snaps shared on Instagram, it appeared bridesmaids opted for navy gowns for the occasion (pictured left) while the bride’s father wore a matching tie (right)
The celebration took place in a stunning chapel at the villa, with the room decorated with floating candles and white and blue fabrics
Seemingly undeterred by health woes, sex scandals and advanced age, Berlusconi proceeded with the ceremony alongside his girlfriend, which was styled as a ‘festival of love’ rather than an official union
Snaps online revealed how guests were serenaded by Berlusconi during the ceremony, who performed while a friend played the piano (pictured), before being gifted scarves for women, ties and watches for the men
According to reports, he told Marta: ‘You complete me, I couldn’t live without you, you fill my life.’
Meanwhile attendees dined on tables lined with baby blue and white flowers, with catering provided by Vittorio, a famous local restaurant offering 16-course meals which cost as much as €330 (£277) per head.
Rumours of friendship between the former Italian PM and Marta surfaced in 2020 when his long-term girlfriend Francesca Pascale admitted Marta was spending time at his villa in Milan.
The closeness was quickly dismissed as business, with the MP seeking the advice from the statesmen of the Forza Italia party and holding political discussions.
But that pretense was blown out of the water when she was then photographed leaving a luxury Swiss resort with Berlusconi.
In the photographs, the pair were seen walking a Maltese dog called Dudu who belongs to Ms Pascale.
Marta, who reportedly has the billionaire’s initials tattooed on her body, has long championed the political party set up by Berlusconi in the 90s and has known him since her days working for AC Milan football club.
While Berlusconi serenaded the group, his bride stood and other guests stood on and watched him perform (pictured)
Despite the fact the nuptials weren’t official, the group enjoyed a huge three tiered cake for the occasion, which had been decorated with blue and white flowers
Berlusconi can be seen on the left of the picture, stood alongside Marta who is wearing a white wedding dress and holding a bouquet of flowers
The couple were joined by 50 members of their closest friends and family for the nuptials, where guests were gifted scarves and watches as favours, and dined on a lengthy table covered in white and blue flowers
A glamorous blonde, Marta’s Instagram page boasts pictures of the young MP smartly dressed in parliament and perched in a two piece skirt suit in a military helicopter, as well as a more sultry image of her posing seductively in front of the camera.
Reflecting on the 53-year age gap between Marta and Berlusconi as they began their relationship, one political rival sniped: ‘If she is looking to make a name for herself, then she has done that. What is it that a 30-year-old woman sees in an 83-year-old man?’
As a newcomer to the volatile world of Italian politics, her career has been entwined with that of Berlusconi whose own 20 year political career ended in disgrace over ‘bunga bunga’ sex parties involving underage girls.
Born in a coastal city on the toe of southern Italy, Ms Fascina graduated with a degree in Literature and Philosophy from Rome’s Sapienza University and began working for AC Milan football club as a press officer.
At the time, it was owned by Berlusconi and she would have come into regular contact with him.
She became a super fan of the top Italian team – and of its owner – and it was around this time that she reportedly had the initials SB tattooed on her, according to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.
She began her political career by writing a series of supportive articles for a newspaper backing Forza Italia, the party started by Berlusconi in 1994 when he was first elected Prime Minister.
But it wasn’t until two years ago that she was elected deputy in the Campania 1 district.
In this image posted on Facebook in January, 85-year-old former Italian prime minister Silvio (R) gazes into the eyes of 32-year-old Marta, an MP in his Forza Italia party, wishing her a happy birthday
The former prime minister’s overt affection on social media was said to be part of an astonishing last ditch presidential campaign, but he withdrew from the race in late January
So far her career has been unspectacular and unlike her apparent new husband appears to be scandal free.
Colleagues describe her as a ‘simple but cute’ presence in the Italian Parliament.
She rarely votes and has not sought to make any intervention in political matters being discussed during the current parliamentary term.
The billionaire left Ms Pascale after a 12-year relationship, but the couple ‘remain friends’, his Forza Italia party said.
Ms Pascale, who once said in an interview that she asked Berlusconi to marry her every day, appeared to have been caught off guard, saying she was ‘astonished’ by the statement, according to the daily Repubblica.
‘I will hold him dear forever. I wish him all the happiness in the world and hope he finds someone who will take care of him as I have,’ said the blonde, who first caught Berlusconi’s eye when she founded a fan club for him.
Though Berlusconi’s penchant for younger girlfriends is evident, he has been the subject of several sex scandals with prostitutes, and is still on trial for bribing witnesses in an underage prostitution case.
The former PM was previously convicted of paying £6 million to underage Moroccan prostitute Karima El Mahroug, also known as ‘Ruby the heart-stealer’, for sexual services between February and May 2010, but was later found not guilty on appeal.
El Mahroug was reportedly an attendee of one of Berlusconi’s many ‘bunga bunga’ sex parties held at his private villa.
Besides his reputation for ‘bunga bunga’ parties, Berlusconi was temporarily barred from public office after a conviction for tax fraud in 2013, and has been accused of several cases of embezzlement.
Martha (pictured) is Berlusconi’s latest romantic conquest after he broke off his previous relationship with Francesca Pascale in 2020
The 32-year-old is a Calabrian literature graduate at Rome’s Sapienza University, according to Italian news site ANSA
The media mogul has also battled a string of health issues in the past two decades.
In late 2006 he was admitted to hospital with a minor heart problem after fainting, and underwent heart surgery in a US hospital in January 2007.
He later had major heart surgery in 2016 and has also survived prostate cancer, which he revealed in 2000 after having endured the disease for three years.
At the time he described his cancer ordeal as ‘a nightmare lasting months’, but said his battle with coronavirus last September had been the ‘most dangerous challenge’ of his life.
Seemingly undeterred by health woes, sex scandals and advanced age, Berlusconi proceeded with the ceremony alongside his girlfriend, which was styled as a ‘festival of love’ rather than an official union
Marta is Berlusconi’s latest romantic conquest after he broke off his previous relationship with Francesca Pascale (left) in 2020, who at the ripe age of 34 was simply too old for him
Though Berlusconi’s penchant for younger girlfriends is evident, the 85-year-old has been the subject of several sex scandals with prostitutes, and is still on trial for bribing witnesses in an underage prostitution case (left: Italian escort Patrizia D’Addario. Right: Moroccan prostitute Karima El Mahroug)
There was outrage in Italy last year at the prospect of the disgraced, scandal-ridden former PM becoming head of state (pictured: a protest against Berlusconi’s candidacy to the presidency of the Italian republic in Rome on January 4, 2022)
Berlusconi most recently underwent a series of tests in late January in Milan, after the centre-right media tycoon took his name out of contention to be Italy´s next president.
Italian media reported that Berlusconi had been hospitalised at San Raffaele hospital, where his physician works, but the spokesman said he had been in and out of the hospital over recent days for a series of exams and a check-up.
Berlusconi recovered from Covid in 2020 and was in and out of the hospital last spring for treatment of complications related to the virus.
Berlusconi reluctantly withdrew his candidacy to succeed Sergio Mattarella as Italy´s head of state, as a result of the health issues.
Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi speaks to media following a meeting with center-right leaders in Rome, Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021
Silvio Berlusconi waves as he leaves the San Raffaele hospital in Milan, Italy, on Sept. 14, 2020. The former Italian PM took his name out of contention to be Italy’s next president in late January after undergoing yet more health tests
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk