Lionel Richie is a well-known and respected performer in the music industry. He has been in the business for several decades, having first risen to fame during the 1970s as the co-lead singer and songwriter of the Commodores.
Afterward, he branched out into a solo career, with this venture starting in the 1980s. From that point on, he continued to write music for other artists as well as release music of his own. Some of his best-known songs include “All Night Long (All Night),” “Hello,” and “Say You, Say Me.”
Lionel is also the adoptive father of Nicole Richie. Nicole was born on Sept. 21, 1981, and is a television personality, fashion designer, musician, and actress. Her biological parents also worked in the entertainment industry, which is how Lionel came to know the family. However, it was clear that Nicole’s parents needed help, and she needed somewhere that she could really call home, which resulted in Lionel adopting her when she was just a little girl.
Because of this, Nicole became the eldest of all Lionel’s children. In 1994, Brenda Harvey, Lionel’s wife, gave birth to their second and eldest son, Miles Brockman, and their youngest child, Sofia Richie, on Aug. 24, 1998.
Sofia is best known for being a social media personality, model and designer. She has also dated a few high-profile celebrities. And on April 22, 2023, Sofia celebrated her love with Elliot Grainge in a stunning wedding. Of course, Sofia and the Richie family made sure to keep the fun going all night long.
Around the time that Lionel Richie’s solo career was really starting to take off, he found himself becoming a father. He married his college sweetheart Brenda Harvey in October 1975. Prior to their divorce in 1993, they adopted Nicole, who nowadays is known for her time on the TV series “The Simple Life,” as well as being the founder of House of Harlow.
Sofia Richie, Lionel’s youngest daughter, was born on Aug. 24, 1998. Like her sister Nicole, she excelled in the fashion industry, but as a model. She modeled for brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, and Adidas, among many others.
Taking after his father and elder sister, Sofia has always managed to stay in the limelight. Shortly after her brief relationship with Justin Bieber in 2016, she became linked with Scott Disick, who was 15 years older than her. This predicament didn’t sit well with Sofia’s father, and it especially didn’t sit well with Nicole.
According to Us Weekly, Sofia’s fashion designer sister, Nicole, “never fully supported” the former’s relationship with Disick. Aside from this, Nicole, including her father, Lionel, had been “wary” of the unlikely relationship that Sofia and Disick had.
Primarily, the family was troubled because of their age gap and serious commitment to being a stepmother to three kids at a young age should their relationship progress. But ultimately, the couple broke up.
In April 2021, Sofia announced that she was dating music executive Elliot Grainge – the son of Lucian Grainge, the chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group. A year later, Sofia and Elliot announced that they were engaged. And on April 22, 2023, the pair tied the knot in a beautiful wedding in the south of France.
The wedding was everything you would expect from a high-profile family. Vogue posted on Instagram that the publication had been invited to Sofia’s final fitting. Sofia explained how she opted for what she called a simple dress, then said, “Maybe ‘simple’ isn’t the right word because my dress definitely is not simple!” The bedazzled Chanel dress also contained lace and was paired with a beautiful long veil.
Sofia posted a series of photos from the ceremony and reception with the caption, “Marry your best friend!!!” She thanked her friends and said she “felt like a princess.”
Of course, Lionel was in attendance and even walked his daughter down the aisle. He shared a heartfelt post of his own to celebrate his daughter getting married. He wrote, “My little girl is all grown up and starting her own journey with the love of her life. You’ll always be my little bird, but I’m so proud of the woman you’ve become. Endless Love to you and Elliot.”
While “Until I Found You” by Stephen Sanchez played during the ceremony, the reception was full of eclectic tunes. It’s safe to say that the newlyweds and their loved ones danced “All Night Long,” as Lionel’s song would have put it! Sofia uploaded a TikTok that showed everyone fully enjoying themselves as they danced the night away.
Sofia and Lionel danced together to “My Girl” by the Temptations. Good Charlotte also performed at the reception as lead singer Joel Madden is married to Sofia’s sister Nicole.
According to PEOPLE, other guests in attendance included Joel’s twin brother Benji Madden – also a member of Good Charlotte – as well as Paris Hilton.
What a beautiful wedding! Congratulations, Sofia and Elliot!
What do you think about Sofia Richie and Elliot Grainge’s wedding? Were you happy to see Lionel Richie walk his daughter down the aisle and dance with her? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones.