Celebrity weddings are like something out of a fairy tale, from Hollywood matchmaking to political ceremonies full of pomp and circumstance. Celebrities like Ariana Grande and Lena Dunham had to get creative last year when lockdowns and quarantine prevented them from holding traditional wedding ceremonies. Though many people appear to opt for small, personal ceremonies this year, the lavish celebrations always end up in the best stories.
We will look back at the most enchanting and monumental weddings crowned with romance and grandeur as the trend toward modern wedding celebrations continues, with brides like Hailey Beiber and Sophie Turner blurring the borders between cool and traditional. Here are some of history's most lavish weddings, with high-end jewels, private jets, long trains, and elaborate cakes.
1. Lady Diana Spencer & Prince Charles
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The estimated $48 million wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles captivated the entire world. In a 40-yard-long silk taffeta and crinoline train, Princess Diana entered St. Paul's Cathedral in London to marry Prince Charles, heir to the British monarchy. About 2,500 people were invited to the royal wedding, 2 million celebrated in London streets, and 750 million watched the event unfold live on television.
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Celine Dion reportedly promised René Angélil that their wedding would be the grandest event she had ever planned. Dion, then 26, wed her longtime manager and companion Angélil, then 52, on December 17, 1994, in Montreal. All the guests were showered with fake snow as they entered the reception hall, and Dion wore a seven-pound tiara encrusted with 2,000 Austrian crystals as she walked down the aislejp.
3. Liza Minnelli & David Gest
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Liza Minnelli, wearing a stunning Bob Mackie gown befitting a New York bride, wed David Gest in record time at Manhattan's Marble Collegiate Church. Donald Trump, who was in attendance, remarked, "I have been to many weddings, and I have never seen a kiss like that before," about the one shared by Minnelli and Gest, which made headlines. There were 850 people at the Regent Wall Street Hotel reception, including Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor, and many more; the ceremony also featured performances by Tony Bennett and Roberta Flack.
4. Brad Pitt & Jennifer Aniston
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Brad Pitt and
Jennifer Aniston, Hollywood's golden couple, wed on July 29, 2000, in a private ceremony on the Malibu coast. While Pitt waited in a four-button Hedi Slimane tuxedo carrying a pair of diamond and white gold wedding bands that he helped design, Aniston was escorted down the aisle by her father, Days of Our Lives star John Aniston, in a silk and satin gown by Lawrence Steele. There are still very few publicized wedding images of Pitt and Aniston.
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Beyoncé and Jay-Z, king and queen of hip hop and pop, tied the knot in 2008 and have just published previously unseen photographs from their wedding.
Jay-Z reportedly had around 40 of their closest friends and family members present at the wedding, which took place in his 13,500-square-foot Tribeca home and was decked with 70,000 dendrobium orchids brought in from Thailand. Beyoncé eschewed the traditional designer wedding dress in favor of one created by her mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson.
6. Kim Kardashian & Kanye West
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Rapper Kanye West and reality TV star Kim Kardashian tied the knot in 2014 in a lavish yet personal ceremony and reception that included a rehearsal dinner at the Palace of Versailles and a ceremony at a Florentine fort in Italy, with both bride and groom dressed in custom Givenchy creations. Reportedly, the couple spent $12 million on their wedding, which included flying their celebrity guests from Paris to Florence via private jet.
7. Priyanka Chopra & Nick Jonas
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Regarding wedding weekends, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas have it down to a science. Chopra wore a custom Ralph Lauren gown with a 75-foot train to her Christian ceremony, while the Hindu ceremony was in the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur. The guests of Chopra and Jonas' wedding included many notable figures, such as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Elizabeth Chambers Hammer, and many more.
8. David and Victoria Beckham
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In 1999, soccer player David Beckham and pop sensation turned fashion designer Victoria Beckham spent $800,000 on their wedding, the equivalent of more than $1 million today. Due to the venue, an Irish castle, the couple sat on identical thrones. Is there anything else that goes with it? The clothes that they wore. As the ceremony progressed, the couple and their newborn son, Brooklyn, changed into purple wedding attire. The couple used a sword to slice into their wedding cake, which included a sculpture of them in a practically nude state.
9. Elton John and David Furnish
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The anticipated cost of Elton John and David Furnish's wedding in 2014 is $1.5 million to $2 million. Even at that enormous cost, hosting the reception at their mansion resulted in significant savings. There were reportedly over 600 guests, and they reportedly spent over $2,500 on each one, including vintage pink champagne and caviar.
Bonus: Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries
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72 days the time of Kim K. and K. Humphries' marriage. Before the separation, Keeping Up with the Kardashians viewers were treated to a stunning celebration. They got much of what they used for free as part of the TV show, despite their $10 million wedding. Serena Williams, Lindsay Lohan, and Ciara attended Kardashian's black-and-white wedding.