Stephanie Rice has married her partner Mark Lassey after a whirlwind ten-month romance.
The former Olympic swimmer, 38, took to Instagram on Friday to reveal she exchanged vows with the Australian Shepherd in a ceremony at a vineyard in her native Perth.
The couple met in early 2024 and got engaged in September after seven months of dating, and now they have said ‘I do’ in front of their family and friends.
For the ceremony, Steph looked every inch the blushing bride in a gorgeous strapless satin gown that featured a long train that fluttered behind her.
She let her dress speak for itself and simply accessorized with a delicate necklace and drop earrings, while wearing her brunette locks loose over her shoulders.
Steph looked lovingly at her new husband, Mark, who cut an elegant figure in a tuxedo, consisting of a white shirt, black pants and a soft cream suit jacket.
Stephanie Rice has married her partner Mark Lassey after a whirlwind ten-month romance.
The former Olympic swimmer, 38, took to Instagram on Friday to reveal she exchanged vows with the Australian Shepherd in a ceremony at a vineyard in her native Perth.
The couple exchanged vows in a picture-perfect ceremony held in a vineyard and shared a video documenting the moment they were declared a married couple.
In the pictures, the couple beamed with joy as they held hands at the outdoor altar, which sat beneath a natural green vine pergola.
They were then showered with confetti as they walked down the aisle together like newlyweds before packing on the PDA while sharing a romantic kiss.
The couple then celebrated their union with their closest friends and family as they all sat down to a sunset meal outside on the vineyard grounds.
Later that night, the couple kissed as sparklers lit up the sky behind them as they looked happier than ever after saying “I do.”
In an accompanying caption, Steph shared her excitement about starting her married life with Mark in Dubai, where they plan to live together.
She gushed: ‘Surrounded by our closest family and friends, those who loved, supported and guided us on our journey, we all came together to celebrate our love and the beginning of an eternity together.
‘As we enter this new chapter as husband and wife, where two become one, our hearts are very full.
For the ceremony, Steph looked every inch the blushing bride in a gorgeous strapless satin gown that featured a long train that fluttered behind her.
The couple exchanged vows in a picture-perfect ceremony held in a vineyard and shared a video documenting the moment they were declared married (pictured).
‘The day was everything we dreamed it would be: overflowing with love, joy and the tangible presence of God. It felt like the sky touched the earth.
‘Thank you to everyone who made our day so special! “We are truly blessed.”
He ended his post with a Bible quote and added: ‘I know all about the wonderful destiny I have in store for you, a future planned in detail.
‘My intention is not to harm you, but to surround you with peace and prosperity and give you a beautiful future, sparkling with hope – Jeremiah 29:11 TPT.’
Stephanie, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, joined the church when she moved to Dubai late last year and is now heavily involved with Kingdom City.
Mark is a pastor at the same organization in Perth and has been with the church for over 10 years, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Kingdom City started in Perth in 2003 and has since gone global with branches in Africa, Europe and Asia, as well as the Middle East.
Their wedding comes after a whirlwind ten months of dating after they were first introduced by a mutual friend in early 2024.
The couple then celebrated their union with their closest friends and family as they all sat down to a sunset meal outside on the vineyard grounds.
Later in the night, the couple kissed as sparklers lit up the sky behind them as they looked happier than ever after saying “I do.”
They quietly dated for five months before going public with their romance on Instagram in July, just weeks before getting engaged.
The couple have been in a long-distance relationship and Mark resides in Perth, while Steph moved to Dubai in November 2023.
The couple announced their engagement in September after Mark popped the question at Dubai’s luxury Atlantis The Royal hotel while visiting Steph.
Mark is the father of three sons, Tyler, Joel and Luke, from a previous relationship.
Previously, Steph was romantically involved with former soldier Dane Christison, whom she met in an Australian church.
The couple vacationed together in the United States over Christmas 2023, but she publicly announced their separation just a few months later in May 2024.
Stephanie had removed images of her boyfriend from her Instagram page as early as early March and hadn’t mentioned him in a few weeks.
The athlete later spoke about how happy she was that their relationship was over.
The swimming legend, 36, took to Instagram on Thursday to confirm the jovial news, just weeks after first going public with her and Mark’s romance in July.
“When I moved, I really wanted to share a lot more of the trip with you in real time,” he said.
‘I was just going through the deepest healing. I was in a really challenging relationship at the time, when we broke up I felt like the peace of God was upon me. I felt free. I felt happy.
At the time, Stephanie said her new life in Dubai had taken a weight off her shoulders.
‘For the first time I realized the heaviness I was carrying. “I just felt like everything had been taken away from me and I feel like now I’m in this incredible place where I feel very happy, very content,” she said.
‘God is so good. “I’m seeing so much fruit of the wonderful things God has given me, and I want to be able to share a lot more of what happened in the last six months,” he said.
“Now I have much more clarity, much more peace and much more happiness.”