The AGHA KHAN family has a history of model spouse. Kendra Spears’s great father-in-law (Prince Aly Khan), father-in-law (Prince Karim Aga Khan IV) and sister-in-law (Princess Zahra Aga Khan) were all married to models.
May 1949, in Cannes, France, Aly Aga Khan married the American movie star Rita Hayworth. The couple was married 4 for years during which they had a daughter.
October 1969, in Paris, France, Prince Karim Aga Khan married former British model Sarah Frances Croker-Poole (one of the world’s most beautiful women by Harper’s Bazaar magazine), who assumed the name Begum Salimah Aga Khan. The couple was married for 25 years, during which they had three children.
June 1997, Chateau de Chantilly near Paris, Princess Zahra Aga Khan married British businessman and former model Mark Boyden, an Anglican, in a civil ceremony. The wedding soon ended up with divorce. The couple has two children.
September 2006, Château de Chantilly near Paris, Prince Hussain married Kristin J. White (later became Princess Khaliya) an American whom he met while both were attending graduate school at Columbia. In 2011, the couple got separated and later divorced this year.
The latest addition in Aga Khan family is of American supermodel, Kendra Spears.
American supermodel became a princess after marrying Prince. The Seattle-born beauty, 25, married Prince Rahim Aga Khan, 41, in a traditional Muslim ceremony attended by just family and close friends – at Château de Bellerive, on the shores of Lake Geneva, Switzerland.
Spears converted to Islam before the wedding, and became Princess Salwa Aga Khan, as commentators had predicted she would, as Prince Rahim is the spiritual leader of the world’s Shia Ismaili Muslims.
Known when she began her career as the “next Cindy Crawford” – thanks in part to her distinctive upper-lip mole – Spears was discovered when she was the runner-up in the famous Ford Models Supermodel of the World competition in 2008, while still wearing braces on her teeth. Soon after, she was chosen by Miuccia Prada as one of the faces of her autumn/winter 2009 Prada campaign, and has since become a prolific catwalk model – gracing the catwalks of Chanel, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani and Gucci to name but a few.
The couple – who both graduated from American universities (Kendra from Portland and Prince Rahim from Brown).
Important details aside, let’s allow ourselves a moment to reflect on what every wedding is really about: the dress.
For her nuptials, the glamorous couple wore the Delhi based designer Manav Gangwani. The former Escada model wore an elegant ivory and gold embroidered, white woven Jamawar saree. The princely groom was dressed in an ivory hued silk brocade sherwani.
It’s refreshing to see such a toned down yet stunning look apart from bright colours, heavy embellishment and jewellery.
It’s quiet a coup for Gangwani to bag the task of designing the wedding finery for one of the world’s richest royals. Karim Aga Khan and his son – Rahim are one of the world’s ten richest royals and international business magnates, with an estimated net worth of $800 million USD (2010). Princess Kendra Spears is an achiever in her own right. She is a supermodel and has worked with all the big-ticket designers and labels.
So how did Manav Gangwani get to know the Aga Khan family that has the reputation of being very discreet?
Upon earlier being asked, Manav at Geneva, wasn’t forthcoming. Understandable as the royal families make you sign a ‘Non Disclosure Agreement’ (NDA).
The couple were introduced to Manav through Naomi Campbell (Kendra’s catwalk colleague) who he dressed for Naomi’s ex beau’s 50′th birthday bash in India.
The Tweets says it all:Kendra Spears (@Kendra_Spears)
01/09/13 10:35 PM
Thank you @ManavGangwani for the beyond-gorgeous sari! And thank you @NaomiCampbell for the introduction Xx
Naomi Campbell (@NaomiCampbell)
01/09/13 10:42 PM
@Kendra_Spears @ManavGangwani your welcome baby Girl Mrs Aga khan . Congratulations to you and Rahim . Xx
I do like the ivory sari that Kendra wore and the ivory sherwani donned by Prince Rahim. Kudos to Gangwani. Happily, Spears looked fairytale-perfect in a traditional sari in ivory and gold, teamed with delicate jewellery, nude sandals and a soft chignon. Bridal bliss.
According to Hello Magazine :
“Prince Rahim and Kendra wed in a picturesque service in the grounds of the Château de Bellerive, overlooking the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland.
The lovebirds were surrounded by their family and close friends for the celebration on Saturday and, following in the royal family’s custom, had a traditional Muslim ceremony.
The nuptials started with the recitation of a traditional “qasida” in the Farsi language, a poem that speaks in praise of someone. This was then followed by the “nikah”, the marriage ceremony that was overseen by His Eminence Sayyed Muhammad Musawi, a prominent Shia faith leader.
Prince Rahim and Kendra were then presented with an 18th century piece of Islamic art to mark their special day.”
Being Fashionista 