Back in April, Idris Elba quietly married Sabrina Dhowre in Marrakesh, Morocco. They’ve been together a few years, and they were engaged and everything, so it wasn’t a complete surprise. The surprise – to me, at least – was that Idris and Sabrina gave away the exclusive of their wedding photos to British Vogue. British Vogue published the first three images, which were absolutely gorgeous, and promised to devote space in the July issue to a full wedding editorial. Well, here it is – Idris and Sabrina got their own cover and it’s like a special-edition bridal issue. Zoe Kravitz took the July cover of the “regular” British Vogue, so maybe this is a supplemental issue or a newsstand issue. Idris is good friends with Edward Enninful, the editor of British Vogue these days. And so that’s one big reason why Idris invited him to the wedding and gave him this exclusive:
Sabrina Dhowre and Idris Elba chose to marry in Morocco because the bride and groom’s families are from east and west Africa respectively, and so it seemed apt to meet in the middle. Their relationship has been defined by travel, but the couple, who stars on the special bridal cover, has found a home in each other.
“We’ve been literally inseparable since we met,” Elba told Enninful on his wedding morning. On a fateful night in 2017 in a Vancouver jazz bar, while Idris was filming The Mountain Between Us in the city, they locked eyes and it was “love at first sight”. “You know, I’m 47 this year, been married and lived a full life before I even met Sabrina,” he continued. “It wasn’t something that I wanted to do, get married again. But…”
Their families instantly blended. “Sabrina has deepened friendships with people I’ve known longer than [her], nurturing the best side of me to make me connect to my friends more,” added Elba.
As one of the most-invited couples on earth, Elba and Dhowre attended another wedding of note. “That was an incredible experience,” he commented about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s nuptials in May of last year. “I was curating the music for that night, so it was a bit of pressure, but it was great. A vibe.”
I love Idris, but even I cut my eyes at the “love at first sight” thing. I mean, it happens. People say it happens. People swear it’s happened to them. And maybe it does, I’m not second-guessing you or your friends or your parents or whatever. What I am second-guessing is a 46-year-old man with two divorces and a history of relationship messiness to suddenly declare that no, this woman who is 20 years younger is The One and it was love at first sight. Again, maybe it was. But… this is why we shouldn’t give J.Lo sh-t, you know? Women AND MEN can totally be this corny and “in love with love.”
Cover and photo courtesy of British Vogue.
I am sorry, but I always roll my eyes at the couples who choose to parade their love in journals. In my mind it takes away from the intimacy the promise of a life together until death do us part usually given in front of people you know and want to share it with. I also do not believe in love from first sight. Attraction – yes, but before you stick though the worst of each other together, it is a bit naive to talk about love and way too easy when everything is candy and rainbows, which is what you experience at first sight. Maybe you are right, maybe he is the male version of JLo.
The moment I met my husband we both knew, as did everyone else in the room. It was crazy.
Same. I was immediately drawn to my husband and him to me. We fought like crazy for about a week and have been together for 20 years this fall. I’m not sure if that is love at first sight but there was such an immediate draw that it certainly is special!
Her skin is just luminous! What an elegant wedding. Love the one-sided dress.
I love her earrings too
I’ve read rumors about his messiness and falling in lust with randoms but I guess we’ll see! Beautiful dress though
Unfortunately, I’ve heard that too.
As have I. He is gorgeous & she is even prettier than he. I read that he never wanted to marry again & then enter the 16 year younger model. Seems cliche but best wishes to them both on a long & happy marriage
Gorgeous bride. Hope they have a long and happy marriage.
Me too.
Did we know that he ‘curated’ the music for Harry and Megan’s wedding before this?!
Not for the wedding! He was the DJ for the reception. There is a video of him on the Ellen show describing Harry asking him to DJ. Idris has a side gig as a DJ.
I love her nail polish color and I want it. That is a perfect manicure.
I like the idea that Idris fell in love at first sight (and that the things that happened between them just further deepened and strengthened that feeling). Maybe the previous years of messiness taught him some things? Maybe she’s a grade A sorceress. I’m okay with either of those potentialities.
I have a friend who told me the story of falling in love with his wife at first sight and how she was walking through a market, he quickly bought a flower and rushed over to give it to her and invite her out, she agreed and they ended up going on a 10 hour long date or something crazy. They just connected and never disconnected. Last I heard, they had 2 kids and were still going strong.
Try Essie Nail Polish in Urban Jungle. I have that color and it come really close to what she has on. 🙂
Thanks! I’ll check it out
they are a beautiful couple…but they are inseparable b/c he would cheat if she walked more than 3 ft away. the man handsome, immensely talented but also – kind of a dog.
I’m sorry but I’m just so sick of seeing and hearing about these older men with 20 somethings 20+ years younger. Tale as old as time, I guess, but I think these stories should start being framed differently and maybe we can start to chip away at that trend one day and how it’s “cool/normal” for men (and yet “eird/gross/unnatural” for women). Like, I wish this headline were “Almost 50yo Idris is a cliche, talks about love at first sight with 20 something, of course “ Ugh.
Agreed! But then the magazine would get crap from men who can’t handle the truth and I’m sure a lot of the older celebrity men with women far too young for them would refuse to deal with the publication. I’m sure the photographer and crew/reporter were rolling their eyes with us though!
So what happened to the lady he had a baby with? The child should be 2 or 3 or 4 by now. Why didn’t he marry her? Idris is a beautifully carved statue of a man whore. Best of luck to the couple. They look beautiful together.
Because he didn’t want to? Pretty simple answer to that question.
I have to roll my eyes at all the people crapping on this couple in the comments.
And I’m rolling my eyes because the wedding coverage very conveniently coincides with new Luther episodes beginning to air in the US.
But sure, I suppose the happy couple are sooo in lurve they feel compelled to share that with the world via a glossy fashion magazine for no other reason than their hearts are just bursting with happiness. Whatever. They are a beautiful couple, the wedding was lovely, and I wish them a lifetime of wedded bliss.
Wow. You mean publicity is being used to promote something? I’m shocked.
Frankly I am more than happy to be see two beautiful black people in love on the cover of a major magazine. Period.
“And I’m rolling my eyes because the wedding coverage very conveniently coincides with new Luther episodes”
Don’t forgot Hobbs and Shaw! In a theatre near you this July! 😂
Yeah, he knows what he’s doing. And I get it. The dirty little secret about Idris (and most stars) is that while the Internet lusts, they aren’t seeing his movies. His first big attempts at leading blockbusters were disastrous (Dark Tower…woof). He wants to level up, I get it. Hate the game, not the player.
I forgot he was in that movie! I don’t hate the player, far from it, and I don’t even mind the game. I just wish we could all acknowledge that it is indeed a game. As far as I can tell, there are few reasons a celeb approves publicity for their wedding: the timing coincides with a big project they are promoting, and/or they want a big, expensive bash but don’t want to pay for it themselves. Instead, they agree to participate in publicity for the event and the venue and vendors discount (or even comp) their fees.
Idris seems to fall in love at first sight fairly frequently. 😏
Eh, they’ll make it a few years. But a wedding spread in Vogue? I know Idris was never particularly private but this is pretty fame-hungry. That’s their right (and hey we get pretty pictures) but I’m a bit surprised.
Lust at first sight? Sure. Love? Not so much. Don’t try to sanitize it, Idris. Just take your shirt off.
Mazeltov! All the best to them.
I’m sorry that so many people are down on marriage. Even when things have been tough, it’s been one of the best things that ever happened to to me and I hope that continues.
I wish Edward had gone for Marvin & Rochelle on the front cover. Why wait until ppl have been around for years & years. Also. Shes a very pretty girl but that wig makes me laugh.
Love at first sight can absolutely happen to anyone. Even after being married before. It’s not mutually exclusive. I don’t believe age is a boundary for true love.
I wish that joy for everyone.