AFL superstar Christian Petracca and long-time partner Bella Beischer have finally married.
The loved-up couple wowed friends, family and teammates in the delightful surrounds of Melbourne’s famous Royal Botanic Gardens, before making a grand exit in a vintage Mercedes.
The wedding has been a long-time coming with the 28-year-old champion proposing to the gun lawyer in 2022 while at Italy’s iconic Lake Como.
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Looking fit and typically dapper, Petracca wore a black tuxedo for the occasion, a bow-tie, sunglasses and a fancy watch.
Beischer also radiated in an elegant strapless gown.
After the wedding they headed to Nick Russian’s Bar Bambi in AC/DC lane in the city, a popular Italian venue.
Russian later dropped a picture of himself with Petracca — with a rose between their teeth — on his Insta story.
“Congratulations great man,” he wrote.
Many of Petracca’s high-profile Melbourne teammate’s were in attendance, including captain Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver, Jack Viney, Jake Lever, Christian Salem, former Demons Alex Neal-Bullen and James Harmes, and the retired Angus Brayshaw.
The wedding ends the year on a high for Petracca who endured a very challenging season.
During the year he admitted struggling with his mental health in the aftermath of the shocking injury he suffered in Melbourne’s clash with Collingwood on King’s Birthday.
In addition to the lacerated spleen, he suffered four broken ribs and a punctured lung, and spent nearly a week in ICU after undergoing emergency surgery.
Rumours later surfaced that Petracca and his family were frustrated with the club, while questions were asked about the medical staff who sent Petracca back onto the field despite the brutal injuries.
Reports then emerged that Petracca wanted to be traded to a Victorian rival.
But at the end of August, the club released a statement that had quotes from Petracca, saying “I make no apologies for wanting to better our club and contribute to our success both on and off the field”.
The statement also said that Petracca remained “committed to playing for the red and blue”.
Petracca often refers to Beischer as his inspiration, an “amazing support” person and someone with “great values who is ambitious and competitive”.
Their romance began two years before Petracca proposed.