Two hundred-pound fruit cakes, 20-carat sparklers — and true love at Betty Ford? The heart wants what the heart wants! And for their big day, these filthy rich stars wanted it all!
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00:00200-pound fruitcakes, 20-carat sparklers, and true love add Betty Ford? The heart wants
00:07what the heart wants, and for their big day, these filthy-rich stars wanted it all.
00:13With this ring, I thee wed."
00:19Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married in one of the most lavish wedding celebrations
00:24in history. According to the Smithsonian, most of their budget went towards security
00:29for the event, which is said to have cost the equivalent of $1.7 million today.
00:35Diana's silk gown was custom-designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel and covered in 10,000
00:41pearls with a 25-foot train. Unbeknownst to Diana, the designers also sewed in a golden
00:47horseshoe trinket that was studded with diamonds for luck.
00:50In today's market, Harper's Bazaar pegs the dress to be worth around $449,000. As designer
00:58Liz Emanuel described the concept,
01:00"...larger than life, everybody's vision of what a fairytale princess would wear."
01:05Nearly 3,500 guests were in attendance, including then-First Lady Nancy Reagan, Princess Grace
01:11Kelly of Monaco, and then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and reportedly only 120 of the bunch
01:18were invited to the dinner reception.
01:20The couple's traditional wedding fruitcake weighed 225 pounds and stood 5 feet tall,
01:26along with 27 additional cakes for VIP guests. All in all, Charles and Diana's wedding cost
01:32the crown $48 million.
01:35Next in line to the throne, Prince William and Kate Middleton exchanged vows in April
01:402011 at Westminster Abbey in London after a five-month engagement, and they reportedly
01:45dished out roughly $34 million for their luxurious wedding.
01:50By far the most substantial expense was the cost of security. Marie Claire reported that
01:55the droves of royal guards required for the event cost the happy couple roughly $31 million.
02:01"...I am beside myself. This is such a fashion moment, I can't tell you."
02:07Middleton's dress was another big-ticket item. The $350,000 lace and ivory gown, designed
02:13by Sarah Burton from Alexander McQueen, was accented by a bouquet of myrtle, lily of the
02:19valley, sweet William, and hyacinth. A secret blue ribbon that was sewn into it as Middleton's
02:24something blue was a nod to Princess Diana, who had the same accent sewn into her wedding
02:30dress. Guests included foreign royals, Commonwealth officials, and celebrities like David Beckham
02:36and Sir Elton John.
02:38Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was an absolute spectacle for fans of the royal
02:43family. The pair spent an exorbitant amount of money to execute their perfect day, with
02:48the celebrations racking up a $43 million bill, and $40 million of that went towards
02:54security, according to the Daily Mail. The royals tied the knot at St. George's Chapel
02:59at Windsor Castle in May of 2018. The budget also covered 20 silver-plated trumpets that
03:05were secured for $125,000, and a $70,000 cake from Violet Bakery in East London. The couple
03:13reportedly also spent upwards of $150,000 on flowers.
03:17"...and a cupcake with a sword."
03:21British outlet Bridebook estimated that the other big-ticket items included the cost of
03:25Markle's Claire White Keller wedding gown, which has been pegged at around $286,000.
03:29"...somewhere in here there's a piece of, did you see it, the piece of blue fabric that's
03:34stitched inside."
03:35The couple reportedly also spent a small fortune installing a PA system and flags and banners
03:41to include the fans who lined the streets in the celebrations. Roughly 2,640 people
03:47were invited to the grounds of Windsor Castle, while 600 of the couple's closest friends
03:52stayed to enjoy the main reception. 200 additional guests were then invited to the after-party,
03:58and the couple appears to be living happily ever after these days in Montecito, California.
04:04Kim Kardashian and NBA star Chris Humphries' wedding costs $10 million, and in true reality
04:10TV fashion, the cameras were rolling as the happy couple planned every single detail.
04:16The only cameras allowed to capture their vows were, of course, those from E! Entertainment.
04:21And as fans know, the couple only dated for six months before their wedding, which was
04:26later aired as a two-part special on Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
04:29"...we don't do anything for ratings."
04:32The over-the-top Montecito wedding was attended by some big names in Hollywood, including
04:37Lindsay Lohan, Eva Longoria, George Lopez, Kathie Lee Gifford, Ryan Seacrest, Mel B,
04:44and Serena Williams. And then Robin Thicke, Stevie Wonder, and Earth, Wind & Fire were
04:49on hand to perform live.
04:52Kardashian's wedding band was a 20.5-carat stunner worth $2 million. The reality star
04:58also spent $150,000 on her ceremony hairdo, as well as sending out $10,000 lair and black
05:05crystal embellished invitations. Her dress was designed by Vera Wang, with accents by
05:10Nicole Richie.
05:12Kardashian wore two additional Vera Wang dresses throughout the night as well. As many suspected,
05:18Kardashian profited from the event and didn't have to pay out of pocket. Discounts and freebies
05:23were offered to the high-profile couple, and People magazine paid upwards of $1.5 million
05:29for exclusive photos of the big day.
05:31We hate each other. Is that normal?"
05:34But despite the abundance of riches, the couple famously broke up after just 72 days of wedded
05:40bliss.
05:42Kardashian wasn't gonna let a pesky, high-profile divorce keep her from going all out for her
05:46third wedding. In 2014, she married rapper and fashion designer Kanye West, and fans
05:53knew it was gonna be one to remember. Their event began against the backdrop of the Palace
05:57of Versailles, where guests were treated to fine cuisine before they were whisked
06:02away in private jets to Florence, Italy for a lavish ceremony and reception.
06:07I'm very happy. I feel like the energy is gonna be really balanced out.
06:12All eyes were on Kardashian and her stunning Vera Wang gown as she walked down the aisle
06:17serenaded by Andrea Bocelli. Their vows were then exchanged in front of a flower wall that
06:23cost $100,000. And according to estimates by E! News, the cost of just the luxe ceremony
06:29hit at roughly $2.8 million. There was the $400,000 rental fee for the historic Fort
06:36di Belvedere and the $110,000 to cater dinner for their 200 guests. And then the chartered
06:43flights back and forth from Paris to Florence likely set the couple back about $74,000 per
06:49jet.
06:50Guests also enjoyed high-end accommodations at the Westin Excelsior, where 100 rooms for
06:55one night could easily top $68,000. Maybe you can't put a price on love, but according
07:01to the Daily Mail, these two went for it at $12 million, all in.
07:07All grown up since she first graced the public eye, former first daughter Chelsea Clinton
07:11married her longtime boyfriend, investment banker Mark Mavinsky, in a stunning $3 million
07:17wedding. The event took place at the Astor Courts Estate in New York, and the hefty price
07:22tag for the celebration was thanks to some extreme security measures. The BBC reported
07:27there was a temporary no-fly zone above the Hudson Valley, and guests arrived in shuttle
07:32buses and limos via roads that were closed to the public.
07:36The circus has truly come to town.
07:38Despite the precautions, the 2010 event was a fairly low-key gathering of the pair's closest
07:43friends and family members, instead of a who's who in the world of celebrities. Still, notable
07:49attendees included Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, civil rights attorney Vernon Jordan, and former
07:55Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. The 400 guests enjoyed a harpest, stunning visual
08:01decor, a gift bag featuring wine from the local Clinton Vineyard, as well as farm-picked
08:06peaches and a personal note from the bride and groom.
08:09Jordan wore a strapless silk gown by Vera Wang, one of two she donned for the celebration.
08:14And as the story goes, the party was rockin' till 3 a.m.
08:19Michael Jordan proposed to his second wife, Yvette Prieto, with a jaw-dropping $1 million
08:24ring. And their wedding did not disappoint. The couple tapped event planner to the star's
08:29Sharon Sachs, shelling out $10 million for a night to remember.
08:33The couple exchanged vows at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, surrounded
08:37by fresh florals. Guests joined them at the Bear's Club in Jupiter, Florida, where they
08:42partied the night away in style. Prieto went all out with a stunning jeton couture wedding
08:47gown, which featured French silk and Swarovski crystals. Celebrity guests included Tiger
08:53Woods, Spike Lee, and Patrick Ewing, along with special performances by Robin Thicke,
08:58Kajan, and Usher.
09:00And of course, you can only wrap up a celebration like that with fireworks. Along with the over-the-top
09:06festivities, Jordan reportedly stayed true to his charitable roots and asked guests to
09:10skip the gifts and instead donate to the James R. Jordan Foundation, named in memory of Michael's
09:16late father.
09:17We might be married, but we have to keep dating."
09:21Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel made it rain a cool $6.5 million for their wedding.
09:27And reportedly, they did things a little differently than the typical Tinseltown set. Instead of
09:32a huge spectacle, the pair tied the knot in an intimate celebration in southern Italy
09:37with their loved ones. But of course, the celebration was not without its A-listers.
09:42Guests including Jimmy Fallon, Timbaland, and Questlove enjoyed fireworks, bike rides,
09:48and a number of parties that spanned several days.
09:52Attendees also dined on Italian cuisine featuring lobster, steak, sea bass, and affogato. Biel
09:58stunned in a $100,000 custom pink Jean-Baptiste Vallée Haute Couture gown and veil, and Timberlake
10:04looked dapper in a Tom Ford tux. As Biel recalled to People,
10:09"...I had a little bit of butterflies. I was about to stand up in front of my friends and
10:13family and bare my soul for the person I love. It was terribly emotional."
10:19George Clooney married Amal Alamuddin in a fabulous celebration in Venice, Italy, spending
10:24nearly $3 million just on accommodations for their star-studded guest list. The couple
10:29reserved an estimated 95 rooms at Hotel Cipriani, including luxury suites that cost upwards
10:36of $8,000 and $9,000 a night. The couple rented the Amon for their reception, which is believed
10:42to start at $250,000. A custom five-course dinner then cost $300 per person, and a source
10:50close to the couple revealed their pricey floral design, telling E! News,
10:54"...it depends on the final project. However, mutoretto is quite expensive, and for an excellent
11:00arrangement they will not take less than €200,000 or $250,000."
11:06Guests included Cindy Crawford, Bono, Matt Damon, and Anna Wintour. And what about those
11:11boats used to shuttle guests around town? According to one event planner, the couple
11:16spent a minimum of $36,500 for on-demand rides. All in all, this A-list duo dished
11:23out around $4.6 million on their special day.
11:27You know, I have to just kind of look at it as if I'm the luckiest human being on earth,
11:31and then just appreciate that."
11:34Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner spent $1 million throwing their 2009 wedding celebration for
11:40their 500 guests. Marie Claire reported that the whole thing was pulled together in just
11:44three months, culminating in a lavish event at Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey.
11:50Notable guests included Rudy Giuliani, Andrew Cuomo, Anna Wintour, Barbara Walters, Russell
11:56Crowe, and Natalie Portman. Regis Philbin also attended the elegant affair, and even
12:01sang at the reception.
12:03Celebrity event planner Preston Bailey coordinated the day, and guests feasted on a jaw-dropping
12:0813-layer cake that cost an estimated $70,000 alone. Of course, Ivanka's dress was a show
12:14stopper. Designed by Vera Wang, the look was inspired by Grace Kelly.
12:20Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt celebrated their nuptials in front of a high-caliber
12:24guest list that included some familiar friends — Courtney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matthew
12:29Perry, and Lisa Kudrow. Other A-listers were Ed Norton, Salma Hayek, Cameron Diaz, and
12:35David Spade.
12:36A massive team decked out a five-acre Malibu rental property. With elegant florals from
12:41L.A. premiere of Beverly Hills, and brown sugar candles imported from Thailand, guests
12:46were treated to a performance by Melissa Etheridge, who sang an acoustic version of Led Zeppelin's
12:51Whole Lotta Love. Other music for the evening featured a traditional Greek bouzouki band.
12:57As expected, airspace above the property was restricted, and tents were constructed for
13:02privacy from paparazzi. Guests were also asked to sign confidentiality agreements in order
13:07to attend. Aniston wore a floor-length silk and satin gown by Lawrence Steele and ivory-suede
13:13Manolo Blahnik heels. The event also featured a gospel choir and a six-tier cake, all of
13:19which cost the couple a cool $1 million.
13:23Elizabeth Taylor and construction worker Larry Fortensky met at the Betty Ford Clinic in
13:281988. As Fortensky once recalled to People,
13:32"[Elizabeth was in there for pills. I was in there for beer. Of course, she was very
13:36pretty and I wasn't too bad-looking in those days either. We had an instant physical attraction."
13:41We give each other great support in our sobriety."
13:48According to The Washington Post, the $1.5 million wedding kicked off on October 6, 1991
13:55at Michael Jackson's Neverland Valley Ranch. The pair exchanged vows accompanied by a white
14:00grand piano and four violinists, and Taylor wore a gown designed by the iconic Valentino,
14:06who also dressed her for the event. The couple sold the exclusive rights to their wedding
14:10photos for $1 million, ultimately using the money to launch the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS
14:15Foundation that same year. Fortensky would be Taylor's eighth and last husband. The two
14:21were together for five years before divorcing in 1996.