These celebrity weddings cost $6.5 million to $48 million due to their high security, extravagant venues, and exquisite outfits, among other elaborate accouterments.
In a previous feature, Lifestyle Asia listed the most expensive bridal dresses of all time, showcasing how many famous women spared no expense to look extra stunning on their special day. If a dress can fetch as much as $3.5 million, one can estimate what the cost of an elaborate celebrity wedding would be.
READ ALSO: Extravagant Gowns: Six Of The Most Expensive Celebrity Bridal Dresses Worth $400,000 To $3.5 Million
The average wedding in 2023 costs around $29,000, as per an article from CNBC. That said, the expenses of a wedding will differ from person to person, depending on their preferences and the scale of the ceremony.
Many famous personalities went all out on their special days, especially when it came to securing picturesque venues, high security, and the finest suppliers money can buy. Curious? Below is a list of four celebrity couples that spent millions on their nuptial celebrations:
Prince Charles and Princess Diana
Though Prince Charles and Princess Diana aren’t technically celebrities in the “superstar” sense, the former couple remain recognizable symbols of royalty. Plus, it would be a disservice not to include their spectacular wedding in this list, which cost $48 million back in 1981. That’s around $156 million today with inflation adjustment, according to People.
750 million people around the world watched their memorable wedding celebration. It was a historic moment, as Diana was the first British citizen to marry into the royal family in 300 years.
The former Princess of Wales wore a lavish gown with a 25-foot train (designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel for Alexander McQueen); according to Hello, the dress alone cost $115,000. They also had an elegant 225-pound cake and reportedly spent over $615,000 on security, as per a report from Brides.
Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto
NBA legend Michael Jordan tied the knot with American model Yvette Prieto in 2013. The couple’s wedding cost an impressive $10 million. The event took place in Palm Beach, Florida, and a number of big names were in attendance, including Tiger Woods, Patrick Ewing, and Ahmad Rashad.
Renowned planner Sharon Sacks arranged the event, which took place inside the largest tent in wedding history as per Essentially Sports. For perspective, that’s around 5,000 square feet bigger than the sports star’s house.
Guests say that the tent’s interior looked like a beautiful garden filled with thousands of candles. Prieto wore a silk gown with Swarovski crystals by J’Aton Couture, and the couple also held the reception at Bear’s Club—a luxurious, private golf club.
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin
Acclaimed actor George Clooney married human rights barrister Amal Alamuddin-Clooney in an opulent celebration held in Venice, Italy. The event took place in the city’s finest luxury resort, the Aman Canal Grande, and cost a whopping $6.7 million.
Famous guests included Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anna Wintour, Cindy Crawford, and John Krasinski. Amal looked gorgeous in an elegant Oscar de la Renta gown while Clooney wore an all Armani ensemble. The couple arrived in a boat named Amore and spared no expense to treat their guests to a weekend filled with sumptuous cocktails and dinners.
Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel
Singer Justin Timberlake and actress Jessica Biel hosted a grand nuptial affair unlike any other in 2012. The couple tied the knot in Italy’s Borgo Egnazia, a 63-room luxury hotel with 28 villas.
The week-long celebration was intimate but grand, as the couple spent five whole years planning it. This cost them an estimated $6.5 million, according to Business Insider. During the marriage ceremony, Biel wore a petal-pink, Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown. Meanwhile, Timberlake sported a distinguished Tom Ford tuxedo that he helped design.
A stay at Borgo Egnazia can cost €310 per night; so with a hundred guests in attendance, one can understand why the wedding’s budget was seven figures. Among the event’s notable highlights were live Neapolitan music and a 10-minute fireworks show.
Banner photo via Instagram @justintimberlake.
