Santa Barbara, California
Capri, Italy

July 2, 2004

Christopher Backus and Mira Sorvino made their love legal in a private civil ceremony at the Santa Barbara Courthouse on June 11, 2004. They repeated their vows three weeks later in front of family and friends on the Mediterranean island of Capri.

Over 100 guests, including Mira’s father, actor Paul Sorvino, attended the sunset ceremony, which was held at a neoclassical hilltop temple at the rented Villa Parente. The entire bridal party wore Giorgio Armani. The bride, who was pregnant at the time, donned a long white satin bustier dress with floral beading and detailing overlaid in organza.

The groom wore a traditional morning suit with a pure wool London grey morning coat, pin stripe pants, a jacquard micro polka dot tie and white suspenders. The bridesmaids wore long blue-green satin spaghetti strap gowns overlaid in blue chiffon inspired by the sea off Capri.

Following the ceremony, guests were seated at tables set with lace table cloths and antique cutlery. Dinner was pasta in lobster sauce followed by a three-tier chocolate sponge cake topped with Mira and Chris lookalike figurines. 

The festivities lasted well into the night, with the father of the bride singing a Neopolitan ballad and the newlyweds dancing the tarantella, a folkloric dance popular at Italian weddings.

Giorgio Armani provided his private yacht for a honeymoon on the Mediterranean Sea.