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Sam Armytage 'to wed Richard Lavender in intimate ceremony'
It’s set to be a big New Year’s Eve for Sam Armytage who is reportedly set to walk down the aisle to wed her fiancé, Richard Lavender, after over a year of dating.
The Sunrise host, 44, and her businessman beau will say ‘I do’ today in front of a small number of guests on his 40-hectare Southern Highlands, NSW, property, according to news.com.au.
After the ‘intimate’ ceremony, the newlyweds and their nearest and dearest will decamp to a local restaurant to celebrate.
It’s believed that, despite the recent COVID-19 outbreaks throughout Sydney, the wedding was always intended to be held at Richard’s property due to Sam’s desire for privacy and seclusion.
Just a month after they became engaged, Sam’s colleague, Sunrise reporter Edwina Bartholomew, dropped a few hints about their wedding plans, saying that the event will be kept quite private.
“[Sam] lives a lot of her life in the spotlight and I know she wants a really private, peaceful event and I really hope she gets that,” Edwina told the Daily Telegraph.
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Wedding bells
Sam announced the couple’s engagement on June 21, 2020, by sharing a photo of herself with her hubby-to-be Richard to her Instagram, her left-hand ring finger sparkling with a solitaire diamond ring.
Later, during a chat on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, Sam revealed that the pair had delayed sharing the exciting news as they were waiting on the arrival of her bespoke engagement ring — which she helped design.
“He [Richard] choose the diamond, and I gave him a little bit of help with the design — because, you know Jackie, a girl wants what a girl wants!” she said.
The notoriously private TV personality confirmed in November 2019 she was dating equestrian businessman Richard, whom she met at a friend’s party at Easter, 2018.
She told Who Magazine that her new boyfriend, who is substantially older than her at 61, was both a “decent” and “very honest” man.
“His eyes were the first thing I saw,” Sam said. “We both enjoy horses, skiing, architecture, art...that’s really important to have a lot in common. And so far, so good.”
The pair first sparked engagement rumours back in September 2019 when they were spotted at luxe jeweller Jan Logan after returning from a romantic getaway in Queensland’s Whitsunday Islands.
Sad passing
Their nuptials will no doubt be tinged with sadness following the tragic passing of Sam’s mum, Libby, shortly before her 69th birthday on November 3.
Sam announced the news in a heartfelt Instagram post, honouring her “beautiful mumma” as “kind, loving and loyal”.
“Last Tuesday afternoon, a little while after the Melbourne Cup was run, our beautiful mumma passed away, just 10 days before her 69th birthday,” the TV personality wrote.
“She had fought bravely for a long time and suffered a lot, but finally her big-loving heart just couldn’t do it anymore.
Back in August, the Channel 7 star revealed that both her parents had been admitted to hospital.
Taking to Instagram, Sam explained that her mum Libby — who had been “gravely ill for a while” — was being treated for heart failure caused by an ‘autoimmune disease’.
Her father Mac, who lives on the family farm in Wagga, suffered a stroke on his way to visit his wife and was lucky to survive.
Sam added that her dad was currently in rehab and her mum was in a stable condition at the time.
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