Dame Joan Collins’ new daughter-in-law Sheela Newley has revealed the one piece of advice she gave her on her fairytale wedding to the star’s son Alexander ‘Sacha’ Newley in Austria.
‘Make sure you enjoy every second of it, because it’ll be over in a flash. She was absolutely right,’ his bride Sheela Newley said.
Earlier this week, the Daily Mail revealed how the Dynasty actress, 92, joined loved ones in Austria for the long-awaited wedding of Alexander, 60 – her son from her second marriage to the late actor and composer, Anthony Newley – and American singer-songwriter Sheela, 41.
Joan looked radiant in a pale blue dress for the ceremony before changing into an elegant black number and matching floral jacket for the reception. Her husband Percy looked stylish in a white suit and black shirt.
Sheela revealed that Dame Joan not only played a crucial role – stepping in with sage advice and walking her son down the aisle – but has been a hugely positive figure in her life over the last 12 years since meeting Alexander.
‘As I was getting into the hectic final stages of wedding planning and feeling a bit overwhelmed, she told me not to lose sight of my own enjoyment of the event: ‘Make sure you enjoy every second of it, because it’ll be over in a flash,’ said Sheela. ‘She was absolutely right – and what a beautiful and memorable flash it was.’
Dame Joan Collins’ new daughter-in-law Sheela Newley has revealed the one piece of advise she gave her on her fairytale wedding to the star’s son Alexander ‘Sacha’ Newley in Austria
‘Make sure you enjoy every second of it, because it’ll be over in a flash. She was absolutely right,’ his bride Sheela Newley said
She added: ‘It’s such a gift to have Joan as a mother-in-law. I admire her style, her flair, and her determination. I also enjoy spending family holidays with her, relaxing with our daughter, having meals together and bonding over girly things like makeup and fashion.’
The bride has shared her deeply personal story behind the big day – and the winding road that led them there.
The celebration was five years in the making. Alexander and Sheela, who met in 2013 through a mutual friend, got engaged in 2019 and were planning a big wedding party in the South of France the following year when Covid struck.
She told the Daily Mail: ‘Like many couples at that time, we were disappointed that we’d sent out invitations and got heavily into the planning – only to have to drop everything at short notice.
‘It wasn’t easy to throw away all the work that had gone into it.’
‘I’d already had my wonderful dress made, which was a true labour of love, and it was painful to have to park it in the closet indefinitely.
‘At the same time, we became caught up in world events like everyone else, and our focus shifted onto the health and wellbeing of our loved ones.’
Sheela stunned in a vintage-inspired ivory gown with long sheer lace sleeves, a fitted silhouette and a delicate train. The dress, by London couturier Jackie Palmer, was the one she had planned to wear for her cancelled 2020 wedding.
Joan looked radiant in a pale blue dress for the ceremony before changing into an elegant black number and matching floral jacket for the reception
Sheela stunned in a vintage-inspired ivory gown with long sheer lace sleeves, a fitted silhouette and a delicate train
Alexander and Sheela, who met in 2013 through a mutual friend, got engaged in 2019 and were planning a big wedding party in the South of France the following year when Covid struck
After a chance meeting with an event planner in Vienna in late 2021, the wedding was back on
The couple managed to have a small civil ceremony in 2020, not knowing when – or if – they would ever be able to have the wedding they wanted with family and friends. Over time, Sheela began to worry that the moment might have passed.
‘I buried my desire for a wedding and told myself we probably didn’t need one anymore, now that we are technically married and have a child,’ she said.
Sheela had given birth to their daughter, Deia, in early 2022.
‘But as the years went by, Alexander and I realised there was an important piece missing in our hearts because we hadn’t been able to honour our love and commitment to each other in front of all of our loved one,’ she added.
The couple moved from London to Vienna in late 2021, where Sheela regularly performed live music and Alexander paints portraits commissioned from around the world and teaches on the subject of creativity.
It was a chance conversation in the Austrian capital earlier this year that changed everything.
Over coffee with event planner Lilli Reutter, Sheela mentioned the wedding they never had. ‘From that moment on, she was determined to help us make it happen,’ she said.
‘I doubted at first whether I would have the time and energy as I am juggling performing live in Vienna and producing my music with being a mum of a toddler.
‘But as we progressed, it felt more and more like this was the perfect time. And I was getting more excited about wearing my wedding dress again – if I were to fit into it after having a baby!’
‘Alexander and I both love nature, and in particular, the stunning Austrian lakes. The clean, pristine air and the beautiful scenery immediately lifted our spirits,’ Sheela said
They set the date for September and invited 60 guests including Joan (third from left) and her theatre producer husband Percy Gibson, 60 (second from left)
Alexander said: ‘Standing beside Sheela that day was the greatest joy of my life. The love, laughter, and warmth that filled the room at the dinner is something I’ll carry with me forever’
‘We just looked at each other and didn’t even have to speak – we knew instantly that this was the place’
The dress, by London couturier Jackie Palmer, was the one she had planned to wear for her cancelled 2020 wedding
When Lilli brought them to the picturesque Lake Fuschl near Salzburg in March, they knew they had found their venue. ‘We sat on the castle terrace having a drink with the water glittering turquoise and the mountains in the distance.
‘Alexander and I both love nature, and in particular, the stunning Austrian lakes. The clean, pristine air and the beautiful scenery immediately lifted our spirits. We just looked at each other and didn’t even have to speak – we knew instantly that this was the place.’
They set the date for September and invited 60 guests including Joan, her theatre producer husband Percy Gibson, 60, and Sheela’s close relatives. Alexander’s sister, the writer Tara Newley, 61, was also there with her husband, the writer Nick Arkle.
Alexander said: ‘Standing beside Sheela that day was the greatest joy of my life. The love, laughter, and warmth that filled the room at the dinner is something I’ll carry with me forever.
‘It was an honour to have my mother there with us and to have her walk with me down the aisle, as is the custom in Austria. We were so delighted to celebrate with her and our little daughter Deia who she adores.’
Sheela added that one of the most unforgettable moments of the day belonged to their daughter. ‘I was already close to tears,’ she said, ‘and the sight of Deia coming towards us with an adorable, proud smile on her face, carrying a velvet pillow with the rings tied to it with ribbon just made my heart melt.
‘She is so proud of having played this role – she is constantly pointing at our rings now and saying, ‘I brought them!!’ We hope it is a memory that will always stay with her.’
When Lilli brought them to the picturesque Lake Fuschl near Salzburg in March, they knew they had found their venue
Alexander said: ‘It was an honour to have my mother there with us and to have her walk with me down the aisle, as is the custom in Austria’
The bride and groom performed a duet of Pure Imagination, a classic from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
The couple had a breathtaking display for their guests
Sheila’s dress was crafted from French beaded lace layered over soft cream silk, giving it a romantic yet understated elegance. Intricate detailing on the sleeves and hem lent it a touch of old-world glamour, while the beading also carried a subtle Indian influence in honour of Sheela’s heritage.
She completed the look with a veil studded with pearls, which flowed behind her as she walked the aisle carrying a white floral bouquet.
‘When I tried on the dress this spring, it was too tight after I’d had Deia – my hips had widened, and a close-fitting gown made five years ago wasn’t going to work,’ Sheela said. ‘But Jackie worked her magic and managed to alter it without changing the look or feel. I absolutely loved my dress – it couldn’t have been more ‘me’.’
After the vows on the lakeside jetty, Sheela sang Feeling Good, co-written by Alexander’s father, Anthony, and Leslie Bricusse – and later made famous by Nina Simone.
‘It was incredible,’ she recalled. ‘As a songwriter myself, it’s a privilege to join a family with such a marvellous legacy of song. It seemed only fitting to pay tribute to my father-in-law, who I sadly never got to meet as he passed away before I met Alexander. Some friends didn’t even know he co-wrote it, so it was wonderful to share that.’
Later, the bride and groom performed a duet of Pure Imagination, another of Anthony’s classics from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. ‘Singing together the words ‘If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it…’ felt like a summing up of the whole magical experience,’ Sheela said.
Sheela – who since studying at Brown University has worked in London, New York, Florence, and now Vienna – has been busy recording music and will release her first single, Zeroes and Ones, on all streaming platforms next month.
She said the song is about ‘the magic of human connection and how that gets lost in the technology we are all so dependent on.’
Alexander, whose art is displayed in the permanent collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Smithsonian in Washington DC, is also enjoying a busy work life. Alongside his painting, he is a teacher and lecturer, speaking at events worldwide about the importance of nurturing creativity.
