Former Crown Prince of Spain, Felipe, got married to former journalist Letizia Ortiz in the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid. The lavish ceremony cost nearly $30 million and was viewed live by over 20 million people across the world in 2004. The bride wore a beautiful, custom-made gown with a trail of over 4 feet, made by the 87-year-old couturier, Manuel Pertegaz.
The extravagant affair was swarming with security that included 200 snipers on rooftops all over the area, along with 18,000 police officers. The guest list was both royal and star-studded and was comprised of the Danish Queen, Margrethe II, the Norwegian Crown Prince and Princess, and even Nelson Mandela.
A Minelli Wedding
Eleven years after Minnelli attended best friend Elizabeth Taylor’s marriage to Larry Fortensky, Taylor would find herself returning the favor as a guest at Liza’s wedding to producer and comedian David Gest. Like Taylor, this was far from Minnelli’s first rodeo, as this marriage would be her 4th. The couple dropped between 3 and 4 million dollars on their ceremony, which took place inside the Marble Collegiate Church in NYC.
The wedding was such a huge deal that some of the biggest names in show business were in attendance, like Mia Farrow and Anthony Hopkins. The millions of dollars spent on the event went towards things like a $40,000 cake and over $700,000 of flowers. Michael Jackson actually acted as Fortensky’s best man, while Elizabeth Taylor was the maid of honor. Minnelli walked down the aisle in a custom-made Bob Mackey wedding dress strewn with crystals and pearls as Natalie Cole sang her father’s hit song, “Unforgettable.”
Alex Carl and Peter Campbell
Alex Carl, whose father is a wealthy lawyer in the DC area, married her boyfriend, Peter Campbell, in 2015. The couple first met when Campbell was basically Carl’s landlord in South Africa when she was studying abroad in 2006. The two had an extravagant wedding that spanned the course of several days and was held at Carl’s estate in the Hamptons.
The Carl’s hired esteemed wedding planner Mindy Weiss, along with a team of other professionals, to produce the celebration. Alex wore a beautiful gown from Oscar de la Renta, and 250 guests enjoyed a cigar bar and cocktails served in…ostrich eggshells. The bride’s father also hired multiple photographers and videographers, which turned into a legal battle after the family said that they never received any of those photos or videos. But those weren’t the only legal issues that came from the affair. Mindy Weiss is suing Alex’s father and claims that he never paid her for her services.
Double Trouble
Sons of Sahara chief Subrata Roy, Seemanto Roy and Sushanto Roy, got married in a lavish double wedding ceremony that lasted for 4 days. Seemanto tied the knot with actress Chandni Singh Toor, while Sushanto wed Richa Ahuja, the daughter of a wealthy businessman.
Subrata Roy, who has an estimated net worth of over $5 billion, spared no expenses for the over-the-top celebration. Apparently, he dropped nearly $65 million on each son – so he came close to spending $130 million for the entire event. Tens of thousands of guests were in attendance to eat delicious multinational cuisine and listen to the British Symphony Orchestra play on stage.
Making Taiwanese History
Jay Chou is a popular actor in Taiwan, and he’s also on the rise in the United States. Chou has appeared in some blockbuster hits like "Now You See Me 2." His bride, Hanna Quinlivan, is a big Taiwanese star, too, so it should come as no surprise that they’ve made the list.
The couple threw an over-the-top ceremony at the Selby Abbey in North Yorkshire. The bride wore an elegant, white lace gown by Mikael Derderian, and the groom wore a black Alexander McQueen suit with gold details. Overall, the young stars reportedly dropped around $23 million in New Taiwan money, which equals close to $1 million US dollars. The ceremony made history as the most lavish in the history of the country.