The celebrity wedding is the Super Bowl of event planning.
Since budgets are typically a non-issue, superstar nuptials are beyond lavish. But it's the access enjoyed by celebrities that truly differentiates their receptions from those of even the very wealthy. Renowned designers personally oversee made-to-order gowns; celebrity chefs are wrangled to handle catering; and even venues typically off-limits or prohibitively expensive to the general public are fair game for the famous.
In Forbes' first-ever search for the 20 most expensive celebrity weddings, we surveyed A-list nuptials during the past 20 years. (Our estimates are not adjusted for inflation.) We factored in estimates for all the major components of a wedding and reception--the venue, flowers, catering, entertainment and gown. (Honeymoons were not included.) Forbes only considered weddings where information was available.
When possible, we considered miscellaneous expenses. For example, Donald Trump and Melania Knauss hired upscale "floral designer" Preston Bailey to manage their wedding. His fees typically begin at $100,000. (Compare that with the cost of the typical American wedding, which on average costs roughly $26,800, according to The Wedding Report, an annual survey of wedding trends.)
The figures on this list are best estimates given available information. Forbes made every effort to solicit feedback and comment from the celebrities on this list. Forbes determined the tie-breakers based on available information.
Exclusive coverage awarded to various magazines--now a common component of the celebrity wedding--was also used to gather information. In some cases, celebrities donated the proceeds of the sale of their wedding photos. People magazine reportedly paid $1 million for exclusive access to the 1991 wedding of Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky at Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch. Taylor then donated the monies to AIDS research. Paul McCartney and Heather Mills are believed to have turned down various offers for coverage. Instead, they sold pictures from their 2002 wedding to whoever was willing to shell out £1000 ($1,600), with the proceeds going to their pet charities.
Selling rights to cover the wedding is one way for celebrities to control the media maelstrom surrounding their nuptials. Tiger Woods foiled paparazzi plans by renting the entire Sandy Lane Resort on Barbados, plus the island's only helicopter charter company, when he and his bride Elin Nordegren wed there in 2004. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones required all guests at their 2000 wedding in New York City to arrive with their invites, which had been embossed with holograms to thwart crashers who might have dummied fake invitations.
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Since budgets are typically a non-issue, superstar nuptials are beyond lavish. But it's the access enjoyed by celebrities that truly differentiates their receptions from those of even the very wealthy. Renowned designers personally oversee made-to-order gowns; celebrity chefs are wrangled to handle catering; and even venues typically off-limits or prohibitively expensive to the general public are fair game for the famous.
In Forbes' first-ever search for the 20 most expensive celebrity weddings, we surveyed A-list nuptials during the past 20 years. (Our estimates are not adjusted for inflation.) We factored in estimates for all the major components of a wedding and reception--the venue, flowers, catering, entertainment and gown. (Honeymoons were not included.) Forbes only considered weddings where information was available.
When possible, we considered miscellaneous expenses. For example, Donald Trump and Melania Knauss hired upscale "floral designer" Preston Bailey to manage their wedding. His fees typically begin at $100,000. (Compare that with the cost of the typical American wedding, which on average costs roughly $26,800, according to The Wedding Report, an annual survey of wedding trends.)
The figures on this list are best estimates given available information. Forbes made every effort to solicit feedback and comment from the celebrities on this list. Forbes determined the tie-breakers based on available information.
Exclusive coverage awarded to various magazines--now a common component of the celebrity wedding--was also used to gather information. In some cases, celebrities donated the proceeds of the sale of their wedding photos. People magazine reportedly paid $1 million for exclusive access to the 1991 wedding of Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky at Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch. Taylor then donated the monies to AIDS research. Paul McCartney and Heather Mills are believed to have turned down various offers for coverage. Instead, they sold pictures from their 2002 wedding to whoever was willing to shell out £1000 ($1,600), with the proceeds going to their pet charities.
Selling rights to cover the wedding is one way for celebrities to control the media maelstrom surrounding their nuptials. Tiger Woods foiled paparazzi plans by renting the entire Sandy Lane Resort on Barbados, plus the island's only helicopter charter company, when he and his bride Elin Nordegren wed there in 2004. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones required all guests at their 2000 wedding in New York City to arrive with their invites, which had been embossed with holograms to thwart crashers who might have dummied fake invitations.
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