We all know that weddings are expensive. Even when there’s a realistic budget put in place, it’s hard not to go over. There’s a reason it’s a billion dollar industry! A wedding often includes a full day of costs starting with the wedding dress, right down to each slice of cake. It all adds up, and it adds up quickly. However, these celebrities took their big-day spending to a whole new level!
It seems the following ceremonies were held to not only showcase their love for one another, but also to flaunt their wealth. From celebrities to socialites (in no particular order), here’s a look at the 12 most expensive celebrity weddings from around the world…
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
Two of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, wed in November 2006 not long after welcoming their daughter, Suri. The event took place inside Bracciano, Italy’s 15th-century Odescalchi Castle. According to E News! no expense was spared as the wedding cost them nearly $3 million.
The big day included a performance by Andrea Bocelli, and not one, but two custom designed wedding gowns by Giorgio Armani. Both were adorned with Swarovski crystals. Sadly, five years after exchanging vows the couple got divorced.
Robert Evans/Handout via WireImageCatherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas
Hollywood couple Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have now been married for over 20 years! They wed at the Plaza Hotel in New York on November 18th, 2000 in an extravagant ceremony that cost somewhere between $1.5 and $2 million dollars. Catherine wore a $140,000 custom Christian Lacroix gown paired with a $300,000 tiara.
According to reports from the BBC, security at the wedding was very tight. Guests had to show their hologram invitations (complete with invisible ink) before entering and private photographs were banned. While this sounds very extravagant, weren’t not all that surprised considering the level of stardom for both Hollywood performers.
Robin Platzer/Online USAPrince William and Kate Middleton
Royal weddings are among the most expensive, so it should comes as no surprise to see Prince William and Kate Middleton (now the Duchess of Cambridge) on this list! These two wed on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London, England.
The final price tag on this event was around $34 million USD. But after seeing all the picture perfect moments, we’re sure it was worth every penny! The bride wore a beautiful Alexander McQueen gown which cost $434,000 and had flower arrangements totalling around $800,000. The most expensive cost by far was security which reportedly cost in the six figure range.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty ImagesChristina Aguilera and Jordan Bratman
The “Genie in a Bottle” singer’s first marriage to Jordan Bratman was most certainly over the top with the final cost totalling $2 million. Her custom Christian Lacroix dress alone cost $300,000! They tied the knot in Napa Valley back in December 2005.
She hired wedding planner Michael Gapinski to bring her winter wonderland theme to life. He helped create a wintry landscape featuring birch trees, white faux fur, chandeliers made from tree branches, and huge centrepieces made with hydrangeas, roses, and amaryllis.
Brian ZAK/Gamma-Rapho via Getty ImagesElizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky
Elizabeth Taylor was no stranger to the cost of weddings. The old Hollywood actress walked down the aisle eight times, but it was her nuptials to Larry Fortensky that lands her on this list. Her eighth and final wedding in 1991 cost an estimated $1.5 million. According to Brides, most of the bill was footed by her good friend Michael Jackson and even took place at his Neverland Ranch in Santa Ynez Valley in California.
A large majority of the cost likely went towards security. There were 100 security guards at the event, including a former Israeli army officer. She wore a $25,000 Valentino gown and invited a slew of celebrities including Eddie Murphy, Brooke Shields, Diane von Furstenberg, and Macaulay Culkin. Sadly, the couple divorced five years later.
Rick Maiman/Sygma via Getty ImagesKim Kardashian and Kanye West
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s over the top glamorous lifestyle was certainly reflected on their wedding day. The two wed back in May 2014 at the 16th-century Fort di Belvedere in Florence Italy. The reality star and business mogul wore a custom-made Givenchy Haute Couture gown which reportedly cost around $500,000.
According to wedding planner Jinane Kafrouny, who is a senior event manager with Weddings Italy and a luxury wedding planner, Kim and Kanye’s wedding cost around $2.8 million, writes E Online News. The lavishness of the event started even before the wedding with pre-wedding festivities taking place in Paris, then boarding private jets to Italy.
Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.comPrincess Diana and Prince Charles
It was dubbed the “wedding of the century” and after looking at the bill — we can see why! Princess Diana wed Prince Charles back in 1981 at St. Paul’s Cathedral. The event was televised and it is estimated 750 million people around the world tuned in to watch the couple exchange vows.
The royal event cost a reported $48 million, which according to Business Insider, with inflation today is more like $110 million. One of the biggest costs was likely security, along with the fact that they had 27 wedding cakes. We also can’t forget her now iconic David and Elizabeth Emanuel wedding gown. Brides puts the price tag for that somewhere around $150,000.
Anwar Hussein/Getty ImagesMichael Jordan and Yvette Prieto
Basketball and Space Jam star Michael Jordan raked up an estimated $10 million bill after his wedding to model Yvette Prieto in April 2013. The couple invited 300 guests to their event which they hosted at Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Florida. The ceremony took place at Bethesda-by-the Sea church. Other celebrities in attendance included Tiger Woods and Spike Lee.
For entertainment they had live performances from Usher, K’Jon, and Robin Thicke. Surely one of the biggest costs of their big day was Prieto’s wedding dress. She stunned in a J’Aton Couture wedding dress that was adorned with thousands of sparkling Swarovski crystals. The decor was over the top with thousands of candles, flowers, and a seven-layer wedding cake with crystal broaches.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for CincoroChelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky
As the daughter of former President Bill Clinton, Chelsea is no stranger to wealth. She grew up living in the White House, surrounded by politicians and celebrities. She continues to live a life of luxury which was apparent at her wedding which cost an estimated $3 million.
Clinton wed Marc Mezvinsky in July 2010 at the Astor Courts Estate in Rhinebeck, New York. Like many of the other celebrities on this list, she had two gowns for the evening — both of which were Vera Wang. In fact, Brides writes that the designer herself even attended the wedding. The source also reveals some of the biggest costs of the evening which were $20,000 on one of the gowns, $500,000 on flowers, $600,000 on tents for the 13,000-foot venue space, and another $200,000 on security.
WireImage / ContributorPaul McCartney and Heather Mills
Former Beatles band member and model-turned-activist Heather Mills married in June 2002. The event took place on the grounds of a private castle in Glaslough, Ireland, and the ceremony was held in a 17th-century chapel in front of a modest 300 guests.
They provided their guests with a full course vegetarian meal made up of Indian delicacies which they ate under big white tents on the property. In the end, the event reportedly cost $3.6 million. Unfortunately, the couple got divorced only four years later.
John Hayes/Everett CollectionAngelababy and Huang Xiaoming
Chinese socialite Angelababy, who people refer to as the “Kim Kardashian of China,” married actor Huang Xioming back in May 2015. The extravagant ceremony took place in Shanghai, complete with a 10-foot tall wedding cake that had a carousel in the middle, goodie bags made up of cell phones and flowers, and a venue decked out in roses.
Her famous custom Dior wedding gown goes down in history as one of the most expensive wedding dresses. It took almost five months to make, writes Forbes and was made out of 115-feet of ivory satin and 165-feet of tulle, “the intricate piece features a 10-foot-long train and nearly a hundred hand-cut rose bouquets made of Chantilly lace.” The total cost of this wedding was a whopping $31 million.
Visual China Group via Getty Images/Visual China Group via Getty ImagesLiza Minnelli and David Gest
While their marriage was short, the event lives on as one of the most over-the-top celebrity weddings. The Broadway star (who is also the daughter of Judy Garland) married the music producer back in 2002. It was a star studded event considering the best man was Michael Jackson and the maid of honor was Elizabeth Taylor.
To keep the party going, the couple hired a 60-piece orchestra, including Tony Bennett, Stevie Wonder, and Natalie Cole. Business Insider claims they spent an estimated $700,000 on flowers and another $40,000 on their wedding cake. In the end, the wedding cost the couple $3.5 million. Their guest list had 850 of their closest friends and family, including other celebrities like Michael Jackson, Joan Collins, and Elizabeth Taylor.
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
