If you believe Jennifer Lopez, love may not cost a thing, but declaring that love can get really pricey. Most people would save up and spend a small fortune on their wedding day. But if you’re a celebrity or come from wealth, chances are that fortune will be multiplied many times over to create the perfect affair. It becomes even more immaculate when you are actual royalty, and get the pick of the venues, churches and dresses for your fairytale wedding.
These are the people who aren’t afraid to drop a few million, or if you’re a Russian oligarch, a billion on the wedding. They pull out all the stops when it comes to cakes, flowers, venues, designed attire and, of course, custom gowns for the brides. And don’t forget that some of these marriages end in equally expensive divorces. Here’s a look at the priciest weddings of the 21st century, ranked from lowest to highest.
Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt’s Wedding Details
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The bride wore a $40,000 glass-beaded silk and satin gown by Lawrence Steele, teaming it with Manolo Blahnik ivory suede heels and a Swarovski crystal crown. Reportedly, $75,000 was spent to set up a zen garden comprising 50,000 flowers like roses, wisteria and tulips. A gospel choir and four bands provided entertainment in addition to a $20,000 fireworks display.
Among their 200 guests were Cameron Diaz, Edward Norton, Salma Hayek and Courteney Cox who were served a lavish spread of lobster, caviar and Dom Perignon champagne for dinner.
Peter Andre and Katie Price
DAN STEINBERG / R-STEINBERG
Estimated cost: $1.2 million
Peter Andre and Katie Price aren’t the most famous couple on this list, but their 2005 wedding still cost an extravagant $1.2 million. Price, an English TV personality, wore a pink, fairytale-inspired gown and was wheeled into the ceremony in a horse-drawn carriage.
Here, the couple is pictured at the Elton John Academy Award viewing and afterparty in West Hollywood, California, in early 2009, though the couple split later that year.
Peter Andre and Katie Price’s Wedding Details
Kim Johnson Flodin / AP Photo
At one point, the pair was the most highly publicized celebrity couple. Their wedding was one of the most extreme in celebrity history, held at Highclere Castle — the very castle in which Downton Abbey was filmed. Katie’s massive pink tulle and satin dress had a 20-foot train, and her beehived hair displayed a glittering pink crown on top.
Peter’s outfit was just as elaborate. His white tux was embedded with Swarovski crystals. True to their style, they both waltzed in with orange-hued fake tans and a fresh shot of Botox.
Katie’s carriage was pulled by six white horses, and the guest list included countless stars, including Charlotte Church and Wayne and Coleen Rooney.
Pierce Brosnan and Keely Shaye Smith’s Wedding Details
The bride chose a $60,000 Richard Tylor gown that closely resembled Grace Kelly’s iconic wedding dress. She paired it up with $20,000 earrings, and the groom wore a tux worth $12,000.
Their six-tier carrot wedding cake was modeled after the one served at the nuptials of John F. Kennedy and Jackie Onasis. Each tier had a hand-piped fleur-de-lis design, and the bride’s mother added crystallized edible flowers to the cake.
The Ashford Castle was decorated with 14,000 flowers costing $70,000, and a stunning fireworks display capped off the night.
Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise’s Wedding Details
Chris Pizzello / AP Photo
Armani seemed to be their preferred designer choice with Holmes opting for a $50,000 ivory-fitted gown and Cruise going for a navy suit. The dreamy affair was held at a 15th century Odescalchi Castle, and the couple spent almost one-third of their budget, $900,000, on airfare for their guests.
The dinner spread comprised of risotto, sea bass and artichokes, and the guests downed 300 bottles of red Barbesco wine and champagne costing $18,000. Andrea Bocelli serenaded them. Some of the stars in attendance were the Beckhams, Jennifer Lopez, and Will and Jada Smith.
Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter’s Wedding Details
The bride donned a $70,000 Badgley Mischka gown, a million-dollar Tacori necklace and $50,000 diamond-encrusted Stuart Weitzman shoes. Their wedding rings cost $25,000.
The Palm Springs, California, resort, where the ceremony took place, was decorated with more than 30,000 pink and white roses worth half-a-million dollars. At the reception, food from 14 countries was served. That included 200 pounds of seafood and 180 bottles of champagne.
Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky’s Wedding Details
Evan Agostini / AP Photo
The bride wore Vera Wang, who also happened to be a guest, along with other stars like Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg and Barbra Streisand. The men wore Burberry.
There was a 5-foot, gluten-free wedding cake. Clinton’s wedding dress cost $25,000, topped with $250,000 worth of diamonds. The flower-covered chuppah (the traditional Jewish canopy) is estimated to have cost between $35,000 and $45,000, and, yes, all guests walked away with goodie bags.
Sean Parker and Alexandra Lenas’ Wedding Details
There was a 20-foot-tall entrance gate that cost $250,000 and was set against the backdrop of redwoods. Around 300,000 fresh and silk flower petals covered the 200-feet long aisle. The couple sat on a 100-foot sofa throne during the reception and cut a 9-foot-tall cake. Plus, there were customized outfits for all 366 guests from the LOTR costume designer Ngila Dickson.
The scene included fur-pelt-strewn beds in the lounge area, a cottage, fake ruins, waterfalls, staircases, a dance floor and multiple platforms. While the ceremony preparations cost them $4.5 million, Parker also had to pay a settlement fee of $1 million to the California Coastal Commission and an extra $1.5 million as forest donation.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia’s Wedding Details
Andres Kudacki / AP Photo
The bride wore a gown by Spanish designer Manuel Pertegaz, with a high-standing collar, woven with Valencia silk and embroidered with silver and gold threads, and a Prussian diamond tiara. Following the nuptials, they toured the streets of Madrid in a Rolls Royce.
There was a gala dinner hosted by the King and Queen at Prado Palace the night before the wedding for 350 guests, while the bridal banquet was held at the Royal Palace. The cake was 6.5-feet high and weighed about 375 pounds. On the night of the event, 1,000 bottles of champagne were passed around. Security, as expected, was tight, with 18,000 police and 200 rooftop snipers.
Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal’s Wedding Details
Rajanish Kakade / AP Photo
The Ambanis booked 100 chartered flights, and pre-wedding celebrations saw all the five-star hotels in Udaipur reserved for guests, along with 1,000 luxurious cars. Guests covered the gamut of India’s top businessmen, sportsmen and Bollywood celebrities, and international guests included American businessman Henry Kravis.
Beyoncé was booked for a private performance. To offer gratitude to the host city, the Ambanis donated three meals a day to 5,100 residents in Udaipur for four days and set up a crafts bazaar.
But remember, that was just the pre-wedding celebration. The actual wedding reception was held at the Ambani residence — the $2 billion Antilla, the world’s most expensive home — located just a quick plane ride away in Mumbai.
