Ahead of their 25th anniversary today, on July 4, the former Spice Girl took to Instagram to share nostalgic snapshots from the couple’s romantic weekend getaway to Portofino in 1997, mere weeks after they first got together.

“Portofino in 1997 was a very, very romantic trip. I remember how excited I was there to be there with David for the first time,” Victoria wrote in the caption. “The intensity of the two of us being together that 48 hours really was amazing.”

When they tied the knot, “Posh and Becks” – as the UK tabloids dubbed them at the time – were both enjoying their career success.

The couple stated in Beckham that they crossed paths in 1997 in the Manchester United players’ lounge after a match. They both “fancied” each other immediately, leading them to enter a relationship.

Here’s a look back at their extravagant wedding day, which elevated them to British celebrity royalty – and has gone down in history as peak 90s.

Where did David and Victoria Beckham get married?

Posh and Becks got married at a castle on the outskirts of Dublin, Ireland, on July 4, 1999. The venue for their elaborate ceremony was a historic 226-hectare estate, according to its website, with 20 bedrooms, a golf course, high stone walls and tall, leafy trees to ensure privacy from prying paparazzi. Photographers showed up and tried to steal snaps alongside gaggles of onlookers who lined the streets outside, hoping to spot the happy couple.

The couple sold the exclusive rights to photographs from their wedding to British magazine OK! for £1 million (US$1.2 million), setting a record for the most expensive celebrity photo shoot ever. According to Martin Townsend, the then-editor of OK!, scuffles broke out in shops when the Beckham wedding issue hit newsstands as the UK public clamoured to get a copy.

According to People, the venue presently costs US$800,000 to reserve for a one-day event. It’s unknown how much the couple paid at the time.

Who was invited to David and Victoria Beckham’s wedding?

Only 29 people were invited to the ceremony, but over 200 attended their lavish reception.

What did Posh and Becks wear to get married?

They changed into coordinated purple outfits and sat on oversized thrones.

Victoria reflected on their coordinating looks on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2021: “I think it was a naivete then. We didn’t know about fashion. We were just having fun with it, which, to be honest with you, is kind of the way it should be.”

The music and wedding cake

The couple’s unique wedding cake featured alternating layers of chocolate-flavoured sponge and red apples. Earlier this year, Victoria shared a clip of the moment they cut into the cake with a giant sabre – a tradition in the UK – before sharing a kiss.

They’ve since renewed their vows

He said: “It was a lot more private, about six people there in our house. We’re a strong family unit. Of course you make mistakes over the years, and we all know marriage is difficult at times. It’s about working through it.”