Sophia Loren’s eldest son marries Georgian bride at ancient Samtavro monastery
11:36 28 July, 2025Carlo Ponti Jr., the 56-year-old son of legendary actress Sophia Loren, has tied the knot with his 36-year-old Georgian fiancée, Mariam Sharmanashvili, in a breathtaking ceremony held at the historic Samtavro Monastery in Georgia — one of the oldest Christian sites in the country and a UNESCO World Heritage landmark.
To accommodate the intimate celebration, the monastery was closed to visitors for 40 minutes.
View this post on Instagram
Ahead of the wedding, Carlo converted to Orthodox Christianity — a move widely seen as a gesture of respect for his bride’s heritage. He walked down the aisle in an outfit inspired by traditional Georgian attire, while Mariam opted for a modest white dress with a veil, exuding timeless elegance.
Carlo is the son of Sophia Loren and famed Italian film producer Carlo Ponti, to whom the actress was married from 1966 until his death in 2007. A lifelong musician, Carlo Jr. has built a successful career as a conductor. His new wife, Mariam, is a fitness coach who often shares glimpses of her personal life on social media. She recently posted photos from her bachelorette party, while footage from the ceremony was shared by Georgian sociologist and model Kristin de Bagration-Mukhrani.
View this post on Instagram
Their love story had a modern beginning: it all started with a simple compliment from Carlo on one of Mariam’s photos — “You’re beautiful” — which sparked a romance that led to the altar.
This marks Carlo’s second marriage; he was previously wed to Hungarian violinist Andrea Meszaros. Both he and Mariam have children from past relationships.
View this post on Instagram
Sophia Loren, now 90, has already welcomed her new daughter-in-law into the family. Mariam was a guest at Loren’s birthday celebration in Rome earlier this year. In addition to Carlo, Loren has a younger son, Edoardo Ponti, also born from her long-standing marriage to Carlo Ponti Sr.