Weddings are seldom celebrated on a budget, especially when it comes to celebrities, royalty, and affluent business magnates. History has seen some of the most extravagant weddings, showcasing the extraordinary excess of wealth. Some of these weddings have cost a fortune that is equivalent to a developing country’s economy. With chartered flights, palatial venues, luxurious stays, and high-end designer labels for the bridal couple, the expenses for these weddings are truly mind blowing.
Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky
The Hollywood icon known for her role as Cleopatra in the 1963 movie had her fair share of weddings. She was married eight times. But it was her eighth and final wedding that was the talk of the town. Taylor married Larry Fortensky in 1991 in a wedding ceremony that cost over $1.5 million. The wedding was hosted by her close friend Michael Jackson at his Neverland Ranch. A majority of the bill was apparently footed by Jackson himself. Most likely, a significant percentage of the expenses was for the security that was hired for the event. Reportedly, there were over 100 security guards and even a former military officer that took charge over the event. Besides, the bride took her vows wearing a gifted bespoke Valentino gown worth $25,000. The guest list included the who’s who of Hollywood, including Eddie Murphy, Macaulay Culkin, Diane von Furstenberg, and Brooke Shields.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana
The wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana has been a subject of countless articles, encompassing a moment that felt like a fairy tale brought to life. The grand event took place at St.Paul’s Cathedral on July 29, 1981, setting the stage for a celebration that would go down in history. The lavish affair cost the royal family around $48 million, with inflation factored in, now exceeds a whopping $164 million. Known as the “wedding of the century,” this royal ceremony drew an impressive crowd of more than 3,500 attendees that included the royal family and their extended members, and a host of notable celebrities and personalities from all walks of life. Nearly 750 million people from all over the world tuned in to watch the bride’s ethereal entrance. Diana looked magnificent in a couture wedding dress with a 25-foot train, setting a new record as one of the longest in the history of British royal weddings.
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas
When these two A-list stars got married in 2000, their wedding was nothing but a huge theatrical affair. The venue was the exclusive Plaza Hotel in New York. The bride walked down the aisle with a 40-person choir providing a live soundtrack, in a custom-made Christian Lacroix dress, which was hand-beaded and featured a 6-foot train with diamonds. It reportedly cost around $140,000. Wait, that’s not it. Then, there was a tiara that allegedly cost about $300,000. The wedding was attended by more than 350 guests, including some big names of Hollywood like Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, and Whoopi Goldberg, entertained by legends like Jimmy Buffett and Art Garfunkel. All of this apparently cost around $2.1 million, making this one of the most expensive weddings of Hollywood.
Queen Letizia and King Felipe of Spain
King Felipe of Spain (who is now known as King Felipe VI) and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano married in Madrid on May 22, 2004. The ceremony was reported to cost over $25 million, which today would be over $41 million. The bride and the groom exchanged vows at the Cathedral Santa María la Real de la Almudena with Letizia donning a custom-made gown from Spanish fashion designer Manuel Pertegaz. The gown was made of Valencia silk with a 15-foot train. While it was not as long as Princess Diana’s, it definitely had all the hallmarks of royalty, featuring gold embroidery that depicted fleur-de-lys and ears of wheat.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West
Kim and Kanye’s wedding was a dazzling display of luxury, with a weekend-long celebration reportedly costing over $2.8 million. The pre-wedding celebrations began in the city of love, Paris, before guests were flown to Florence in private jets to get to the venue of the wedding, Forte di Belvedere. It apparently costs over $400,000 to rent this 16th-century fortress with stunning panoramic views. On the special day, Kim sported two gowns, including a custom Givenchy couture dress worth about $500,000. The entire event was a testament to their extravagant lifestyle, leaving a lasting impression on everyone involved.
Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant
The wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant will truly go down in history as one of the most extravagant celebrations of all time. With an astonishing reported expenditure exceeding $600 million, the festivities spanned an extravagant European cruise, the use of private jets, multiple destinations, all leading to the months-long celebration. The wedding guest got to witness concerts by Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry and Justin Beiber, each adding to the lavish atmosphere of the event. Both the bride and groom graced the occasions in meticulously crafted designer outfits and jewelry, each piece valued in millions. The final ceremony had many high-profile guests across the globe, including Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, Nick Jonas, John Cena, Karlie Kloss, and Jeff Bezos.