Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker tied the knot last month in an opulent ceremony on the Italian Riviera. The couple, who is lovingly referred to by fans as "Kravis," wed a month after the premiere of the inaugural season of The Kardashians, the next episode of which airs June 9th on Hulu.
Neither Kourtney nor Travis is a newcomer to media attention. Kourtney starred alongside her family on Keeping Up With The Kardashians for 20 seasons and Travis Barker has been the drummer for the acclaimed punk band Blink-182 since the early '90s. However, even though the couple lives in the limelight, there are plenty of details surrounding their extravagant wedding that even the biggest Kravis fans may have missed.
They Technically Had Three Weddings
Kourtney joked on Instagram that "Practice makes perfect," alongside pics of the duo's Vegas ceremony in April. The first ceremony, which took place at a Las Vegas wedding chapel and featured an Elvis impersonator, was unlicensed. However, much like the other ceremonies, it created a media frenzy.
In mid-May, the couple took part in a small courthouse ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, to obtain a marriage license, making their nuptials official ahead of the Italian wedding. The largest and most extravagant of the three, the Italian wedding, took place a week later and was filmed for the family's reality series, The Kardashians.
The Ceremony Was In Portofino, Italy
The Italian ceremony took place in Portofino, a historic coastal village on the Italian Riviera. Portofino is now a luxury vacation destination for celebrities and the extremely wealthy, who want to experience "la dolce vita." Kravis married at Dolce & Gabbana's Villa Olivetta estate and held a reception at Castello Brown, a medieval castle overlooking Portofino's harbor.
Kourtney and Travis are not the first famous couple to wed in Italy. Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, Katie Holmes and ex-husband Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake, Amal Alamuddin and George Clooney, as well as Kourtney's sister, Kim Kardashian and her now ex-husband, Ye -- formerly Kanye West -- among others, all tied the knot in Italy. Now Kim and Pete Davidson are spending some quality moments together, so there might even be another Italian wedding in the Kardashian family's future, as well.
Several KUWTK Cast Members Were Not In Attendance
Not surprisingly, Kourtney's on-again-off-again ex and the father of her children, Scott Disick, wasn't invited to take part in the festivities. Instead, Disick flew to the beach the weekend of the ceremony. Caitlyn Jenner, Kris' ex-partner and parent to Kendall and Kylie, was also notably not present at the nuptials. Like Disick, Jenner was not extended an invitation.
The most shocking person not in attendance was Kourtney's younger brother, Rob Kardashian. Rob often avoids events with much publicity, and he is currently in the midst of a legal battle with his ex, Blac Chyna, both of which may have contributed to his decision not to make an appearance. Fans thought he might make an exception for his sister's wedding, but he was also memorably absent from Kim and Ye's Italian wedding in 2014.
Dolce & Gabbana Hosted The Event
Kourtney, Travis, and the entire Kardashian family all donned extravagant Dolce & Gabbana ensembles at the ceremony, which took place at an Italian villa belonging to the founders of the iconic fashion house, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana.
According to Fashionista, a representative for the brand said the famed designers did not sponsor the event, rather they "were indeed happy to host this very special occasion." In addition to providing the location and attire for all of the related festivities, the controversial designers also allowed Kourtney and Travis to stay onboard their mega-yacht while in Italy. Dolce & Gabbana opened a pop-up shop near the event, as well.
They Chose A Unique Theme
Kourtney and Travis chose an unconventional wedding concept. The bride and groom celebrated their nuptials with an Italian Gothic-themed event. Guests wore outfits that bore a striking resemblance to some of the Kardashian's past Met Gala looks, paying homage to Italy's rich culture and history -- specifically that of the flourishing and extravagant Italian Gothic period, which took place between the 12th and 15th centuries.
The wedding was steeped in opulent religious imagery, as well as both historic and modern Gothic styles. The altar was adorned with gold décor, rich fabrics and patterns, a sea of candles, and an ornate statue of the Virgin Mary.
They Are Trendsetters
After the couple's elaborate Italian affair was announced, web searches and wedding plans for Kravis-inspired locations skyrocketed. According to SIXT, online searches for words and phrases related to Italian weddings have dramatically increased. Searches such as "Portofino Italy," "Kourtney Kardashian wedding Italy," and "Castello Brown Portofino Italy," all increased by more than 3,000 percent, and searches for "Portofino wedding venues" increased by 1,000 percent, as well.
Plenty of popular films and series are filmed in Italy, but SIXT projects that weddings and tourism in Portofino, and Italy as a whole, will become more popular as a result of Kourtney and Travis' events. More and more, couples are looking to wed internationally and it appears Kravis has influenced the destination plans of many.
This Is Kourtney's First Marriage
Kourtney has avoided marriage, even turning down a proposal from Scott Disick, her longtime beau and the father of her three children. On a 2012 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, Kardashian credited her parents' divorce as part of the reason she'd been reluctant to pursue marriage.
There have been many divorces in the Kardashian family. Kourtney's mother, Kris, and her father, Robert Kardashian Sr. were both twice divorced. Her sister Khloe has been divorced once, and her sister Kim has been divorced three times. It's not surprising that family history has tainted Kourtney's view on marriage. However, it appears Kourtney didn't need much convincing to marry Travis, who proposed to her after just nine months of dating. Travis, on the other hand, was married twice before tying the knot with Kourtney.
Kourtney's Wedding Veil Contained Hidden Meaning
One of the most talked-about pieces of Kourtney's wedding attire was her floor-length, hand-embroidered veil. Dolce & Gabbana posted a photo of the couple kissing at the altar on its Instagram page and explained that the tulle veil was inspired by the flowers grown in the lush gardens of Portofino.
The veil also features a large embroidered image of the Virgin Mary and the phrase "family, loyalty, respect" stitched across the bottom. The imagery and words are an almost exact replica of Travis' head tattoo and, according to the fashion house's post, they are "a symbol of alliance, respect and common devotion." The attire, including her veil, and the ambiance, provided the perfect backdrop for many sweet couples' pics of Kourtney and Travis.
The Reception Featured Music From A World-Renowned Musician
International opera sensation, Andrea Bocelli, serenaded Kourtney and Travis during their Castello Brown reception. The couple enjoyed a first dance to the famed tenor's rendition of "Can't Help Falling In Love," by Elvis Presley.
Bocelli, who is from Forte Dei Marmi, Italy, was joined by his son, Matteo, who played the piano as his father sang. Some fans were surprised by the couple choosing an opera performer for their reception, especially considering Travis is a longtime member of Blink-182, one of the most popular punk bands of the late-90s and early 2000s.
Wedding Planning Was A Family Affair
The Kardashian sisters and their mother, Kris, were instrumental in helping Kourtney plan the Italian ceremony. A source who spoke with Hollywood Life told the outlet, "Kourtney wants to elicit [her family's] help and advice on every aspect including the dress, venue, décor, lighting, flowers, etc."
The source also mentioned that Kourtney hired her family's party consultant, Mindy Weiss, for the event. Weiss has helped coordinate birthdays, baby showers, holiday parties and other milestone celebrations for the Kardashian family over the years. It certainly seems as though all of the effort that went into planning Kourtney and Travis' grand affair paid off.