20. Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban
Estimated cost of the wedding: $250,000
Actress Nicole Kidman and country stella, star Keith Urban married in June 2006 in Sydney, Australia, at the Cardinal Cerretti Chapel, a Gothic cathedral atop a cliff, which was decorated da hundreds of candles and red flowers. Kidman, who arrived in a cream Rolls Royce limousine, wore a one-shouldered Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga toga, abito and veil; she carried a white rose bouquet. Among the 200 guests attending the reception were Naomi Watts, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and billionaire Rupert Murdoch. Both Urban and Jackman performed at the event.
19. Marc Anthony & Dayanara Torres
Estimated cost of the wedding: $500,000
Latin crooner Marc Anthony and former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres married in May 2000 in a secret Las Vegas ceremony. They renewed their vows in December 2002 in Puerto Rico with a larger extravaganza. Throngs gathered outside the San Juan Cathedral, where Torres arrived wearing a crystal and pearl-embroidered satin dress da Reem Acra. The 200 guests, including Lance basso from N'Sync, walked along cobblestone streets to a nearby historic military barracks converted to a reception space. (The pair divorced in 2004.)
18. Mariah Carey & Tommy Mottola
Estimated cost of the wedding: $500,000
Songbird Mariah Carey wed former Sony Musica president Thomas Mottola in June 1993 at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Manhattan's tony Fifth Avenue. Carey wore an off-the-shoulder Vera Wang pale ivory dress with a 27-foot-long train and a Princess Diana-style tiara trailed da an English tulle veil sprinkled with rhinestones. Fifty fiore girls flanked the bride. The wedding party and 300 guests then headed for a lavish reception at the Metropolitan Club. Guests included Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand and Robert De Niro. (The couple divorced in 1998.)
17. Ashley Judd & Dario Franchitti
Estimated cost of the wedding: $750,000
Actress Ashley Judd and Scottish race car driver Dario Franchitti married in December 2001 at the Skibo castello in Scotland. Judd wore an open-back satin empire waist toga, abito da Armani with a full-length beaded pizzo coat, while Dario donned a kilt. The 100 o so guests in attendance included Salma Hayek and Ed Norton, as well as several Formula One race car drivers. Guests partied outside in a giant tent outfitted with industrial heaters.
16. David & Victoria Beckham
Estimated cost of the wedding: $800,000
calcio superstar David Beckham wed former Spice Girl Victoria Adams at Luttrellstown castello near Dublin in July 1999. The duo appeared as king and Queen of the evening, sitting on gilded red velvet thrones. "Posh Spice" wore a tight-fitting silk ivory toga, abito with a 20-foot train, accessorized with a oro diamond-encrusted crown. The 250 guests--instructed to wear black o white--were greeted da trumpeters and entertained da Elton John. The night culminated in a fireworks display.
15. Brad Pitt & Jennifer Aniston
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1 million
Hollywood A-listers Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston wed in July 2000 on the Malibu estate of TV producer Marcy Carsey. Among the 200 guests were celebritàs Cameron Diaz and Salma Hayek, plus Aniston's Friends co-stars Courtney Cox and David Schwimmer. Aniston wore a Lawrence Steele floor-length white gown, accessorized da suede Manolo Blahnik sandals. Some 50,000 fiori created a "Zen garden look," while candles illuminated the reception tent. The night ended with a fireworks display. (The pair divorced in 2005.)
14. Tori Spelling & Charlie Shanian
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1 million
TV heiress Tori Spelling wed actor Charlie Shanian in July 2004 at Spelling's parent's 56,000-square-foot Los Angeles mansion. Spelling wore a Badgley Mischka crystal beaded toga, abito accessorized with a veil and a diamond and platinum fiore headband inspired da 1920s flapper fashions, in keeping with the wedding's Great Gatsby theme.
Among the 400 guests were Tori's former 90210 castmates Jason Priestley and Jennie Garth, plus her dad's pals Jackie Collins, Bob Newhart and Ed McMahon. Michael Feinstein performed for the guests, who dined on a Wolfgang Puck-catered dinner. (The pair divorced in 2006.)
13. Donald Trump & Melania Knauss
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1 million
The real estate mogul married model Melania Knauss in January 2005 at the Bethesda da the Sea Episcopalian Church in Palm Beach. Knauss wore a strapless Christian Dior toga, abito made from 300 feet of satin beaded with 1,500 crystals, punctuated da a 13-foot train weighing an estimated 50 pounds. A reception for 400 o so guests, including Rudy Giuliani, Barbara Walters and Regis Philbin, was held at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. Celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten catered the affair. A 36-piece orchestra provided the music.
12. Madonna & Guy Ritchie
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1.5 million
Pop idol Madonna married film director Guy Ritchie in December 2000 at Scotland's Skibo Castle, where the couple booked all 21 rooms of the estate for guests including Gwyneth Paltrow, Rupert Everett, Sting and Trudie Styler. Madonna wore a strapless cream silk toga, abito da Stella McCartney, accessorized with a 1910 diamond tiara once worn da Princess Grace of Monaco. Ritchie wore a kilt, as did baby Rocco. Madonna's daughter Lourdes led the procession in bare feet. Guests danced the night away in a "basement" converted into a disco.
11. Pierce Brosnan & Keely Shaye Smith
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1.5 million
Former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan wed Keely Shaye Smith, a former Televisione journalist, in August 2001 in Ballintubber Abbey, a 13th-century Irish castle. The reception was held at Ashford Castle, set on the island-dotted puntellare, riva of Ireland's largest lake. Some 120 guests feasted on a six-tier carrot wedding cake modeled after the one served at the wedding of John F. Kennedy and Jackie Onasis. Word is Smith commissioned an ice sculpture of Rodin's The baciare as a gift for her husband that day. A fireworks display capped off the evening.
10. Eddie Murphy & Nicole Mitchell
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1.5 million
Funnyman Eddie Murphy wed model Nicole Mitchell in March of 1993 at New York's famed Plaza Hotel before some 500 guests, including Bruce Willis, Demi Moore and Prince. The Plaza's Grand Ballroom was re-carpeted in white and filled with fiori for the ceremony. The bride wore an off-the-shoulder white toga, abito with French lace, replete with a 12-foot-long train. Guests dined in the Palm Court before moving back to the Grand Ballroom, which during cena had been converted to a disco. Afterward, Murphy donated the fiori to an area hospital. (The pair divorced in 2006.)
9. Tiger Woods & Elin Nordegren
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1.5 million
Golf great Tiger Woods wed Elin Nordegren in October 2004 in an ultra-secret ceremony at the exclusive Sandy Lane Resort in Barbados. Woods rented the entire hotel and the island's sole helicopter charter company to ensure privacy. Some 120 guests, including basketballers Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley, watched as the pair exchanged vows in a white-netted pagoda decorated with roses. The reception featured entertainment da Hootie and the Blowfish. The night was capped off with a massive fireworks display. The couple spent that evening on Woods' yacht.
8. Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta-Jones
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1.5 million
Oscar-winning actors Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones tied the knot in November 2000 at New York's famed Plaza Hotel. To prevent crashers, the 250 o so guests--including Sean Connery, Jack Nicholson and Michael Caine--were required to present their hologram-embedded invitations. Zeta-Jones wore a Christian Lacroix toga, abito with antique Chantilly lace, accessorized with a tiara. Entertainment included Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall and Grammy winner Bonnie Tyler.
7. Elton John & David Furnish
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1.5 million
Pop legend Elton John wed filmmaker David Furnish in December 2005--the first week that Britain legalized civil unions. The pair exchanged vows and diamond wedding bands at Windsor's Guildhall, where Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles married some eight months earlier. Hundreds of onlookers and paparazzi crowded outside during the ceremony. Over 600 guests arrived at John's Windsor country mansion for the reception, which featured two massive heated tents. Guests drank vintage rosa champagne and listened to John serenade Furnish with "Your Song."
6. Christina Aguilera & Jordan Bratman
Estimated cost of the wedding: $2 million
Pop stella, star Christina Aguilera wed Musica executive Jordan Bratman in November 2005 at Napa Valley's Staglin Family Vineyard. The couple stayed at a cottage at the Auberge du Soleil, splurging on the $3,500-a-night suite replete with fireplace and outdoor hot tub. Aguilera wore a Spanish-style Christian Lacroix toga, abito before changing into a satin minidress for the reception, attended da some 150 guests, including Sharon Stone. Festivities were held in a winter-themed tent filled with white roses, silver drapery and dangling crystals.
5. Elizabeth Taylor & Larry Fortensky
Estimated cost of the wedding: $2 million
Elizabeth Taylor married construction worker Larry Fortensky, 20 years her junior, in October 1991. It was Taylor's eighth wedding (and her seventh husband--she married Richard burton twice). The wacky event was held at Michael Jackson's 2,700-acre Neverland Ranch. Jackson gave away the bride, who wore a pale yellow toga, abito da Valentino. Fortensky's best man was Liz's hairdresser, Jose Eber. Among the 150 guests were Liza Minnelli, Eddie Murphy and former first lady Nancy Reagan. All strained to hear the nuptials as a beehive of paparazzi helicopters swarmed overhead. (The pair divorced five years later.
4. Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes
Estimated cost of the wedding: $2 million
Actors Tom Cruise and Katie married in November 2006 in Italy's 15th-century Odescalchi castello outside Rome. Superstar guests included Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez and David and Victoria Beckham. Holmes wore an off-the-shoulder ivory silk toga, abito personally designed da Giorgio Armani. Guests were treated to a five-tiered white Cioccolato wedding cake covered with marzipan roses. Cruise serenaded Holmes, ala superiore, in alto Gun, with a rendition of "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" da the Righteous Brothers.
3. Elizabeth Hurley & Arun Nayar
Estimated cost of the wedding: $2.5 million
Model-actress Elizabeth Hurley wed Indian businessman Arun Nayar in March 2007 in an extravagant double ceremony with festivities spanning eight days. Some 300 guests, including Elton John and designer Valentino, attended the first ceremony, held in the medieval Sudeley castello in Gloucestershire. Hurley wore a traditional chiffon toga, abito designed da good friend Donatella Versace. A second, traditional Hindu ceremony was held in the majestic Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, India, where the palace-view Maharani suit costs upward of $10,000 a night.
2. Paul McCartney & Heather Mills
Estimated cost of the wedding: $3 million
Former Beatle Paul McCartney wed model-turned-activist Heather Mills in June 2002 at St. Salvador's Church in Monaghan, Ireland. The bride ascended the altar to "Heather," a song McCartney penned for her. A covered walkway shielded the 300 o so guests, including Ringo Starr, Elton John and Eric Clapton, from the rain as they headed to a lakeside tent for the reception. The Indian-themed party featured dancers in authentic Indian dress and a vegetarian feast. Fireworks capped off the night. (The pair are in the midst of divorcing.)
1. Liza Minnelli & David Gest
Estimated cost of the wedding: $3.5 million
Oscar-winning entertainer Liza Minnelli wed producer David Gest in March 2002 in New York City's Marble Collegiate Church. The over-the-top nuptials featured Best Man Michael Jackson and Maid of Honor Elizabeth Taylor. Among the 500 o so guests at the reception were superstars Diana Ross, Lauren Bacall and Mia Farrow. Backed da a 60-piece orchestra, Tony Bennett entertained VIPs, who feasted on a 12-tier wedding cake and received personalized favors encased in satin caramelle boxes embossed "Liza and David 4 Ever." (The pair divorced the successivo year.)
Estimated cost of the wedding: $250,000
Actress Nicole Kidman and country stella, star Keith Urban married in June 2006 in Sydney, Australia, at the Cardinal Cerretti Chapel, a Gothic cathedral atop a cliff, which was decorated da hundreds of candles and red flowers. Kidman, who arrived in a cream Rolls Royce limousine, wore a one-shouldered Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga toga, abito and veil; she carried a white rose bouquet. Among the 200 guests attending the reception were Naomi Watts, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and billionaire Rupert Murdoch. Both Urban and Jackman performed at the event.
19. Marc Anthony & Dayanara Torres
Estimated cost of the wedding: $500,000
Latin crooner Marc Anthony and former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres married in May 2000 in a secret Las Vegas ceremony. They renewed their vows in December 2002 in Puerto Rico with a larger extravaganza. Throngs gathered outside the San Juan Cathedral, where Torres arrived wearing a crystal and pearl-embroidered satin dress da Reem Acra. The 200 guests, including Lance basso from N'Sync, walked along cobblestone streets to a nearby historic military barracks converted to a reception space. (The pair divorced in 2004.)
18. Mariah Carey & Tommy Mottola
Estimated cost of the wedding: $500,000
Songbird Mariah Carey wed former Sony Musica president Thomas Mottola in June 1993 at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Manhattan's tony Fifth Avenue. Carey wore an off-the-shoulder Vera Wang pale ivory dress with a 27-foot-long train and a Princess Diana-style tiara trailed da an English tulle veil sprinkled with rhinestones. Fifty fiore girls flanked the bride. The wedding party and 300 guests then headed for a lavish reception at the Metropolitan Club. Guests included Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand and Robert De Niro. (The couple divorced in 1998.)
17. Ashley Judd & Dario Franchitti
Estimated cost of the wedding: $750,000
Actress Ashley Judd and Scottish race car driver Dario Franchitti married in December 2001 at the Skibo castello in Scotland. Judd wore an open-back satin empire waist toga, abito da Armani with a full-length beaded pizzo coat, while Dario donned a kilt. The 100 o so guests in attendance included Salma Hayek and Ed Norton, as well as several Formula One race car drivers. Guests partied outside in a giant tent outfitted with industrial heaters.
16. David & Victoria Beckham
Estimated cost of the wedding: $800,000
calcio superstar David Beckham wed former Spice Girl Victoria Adams at Luttrellstown castello near Dublin in July 1999. The duo appeared as king and Queen of the evening, sitting on gilded red velvet thrones. "Posh Spice" wore a tight-fitting silk ivory toga, abito with a 20-foot train, accessorized with a oro diamond-encrusted crown. The 250 guests--instructed to wear black o white--were greeted da trumpeters and entertained da Elton John. The night culminated in a fireworks display.
15. Brad Pitt & Jennifer Aniston
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1 million
Hollywood A-listers Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston wed in July 2000 on the Malibu estate of TV producer Marcy Carsey. Among the 200 guests were celebritàs Cameron Diaz and Salma Hayek, plus Aniston's Friends co-stars Courtney Cox and David Schwimmer. Aniston wore a Lawrence Steele floor-length white gown, accessorized da suede Manolo Blahnik sandals. Some 50,000 fiori created a "Zen garden look," while candles illuminated the reception tent. The night ended with a fireworks display. (The pair divorced in 2005.)
14. Tori Spelling & Charlie Shanian
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1 million
TV heiress Tori Spelling wed actor Charlie Shanian in July 2004 at Spelling's parent's 56,000-square-foot Los Angeles mansion. Spelling wore a Badgley Mischka crystal beaded toga, abito accessorized with a veil and a diamond and platinum fiore headband inspired da 1920s flapper fashions, in keeping with the wedding's Great Gatsby theme.
Among the 400 guests were Tori's former 90210 castmates Jason Priestley and Jennie Garth, plus her dad's pals Jackie Collins, Bob Newhart and Ed McMahon. Michael Feinstein performed for the guests, who dined on a Wolfgang Puck-catered dinner. (The pair divorced in 2006.)
13. Donald Trump & Melania Knauss
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1 million
The real estate mogul married model Melania Knauss in January 2005 at the Bethesda da the Sea Episcopalian Church in Palm Beach. Knauss wore a strapless Christian Dior toga, abito made from 300 feet of satin beaded with 1,500 crystals, punctuated da a 13-foot train weighing an estimated 50 pounds. A reception for 400 o so guests, including Rudy Giuliani, Barbara Walters and Regis Philbin, was held at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. Celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten catered the affair. A 36-piece orchestra provided the music.
12. Madonna & Guy Ritchie
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1.5 million
Pop idol Madonna married film director Guy Ritchie in December 2000 at Scotland's Skibo Castle, where the couple booked all 21 rooms of the estate for guests including Gwyneth Paltrow, Rupert Everett, Sting and Trudie Styler. Madonna wore a strapless cream silk toga, abito da Stella McCartney, accessorized with a 1910 diamond tiara once worn da Princess Grace of Monaco. Ritchie wore a kilt, as did baby Rocco. Madonna's daughter Lourdes led the procession in bare feet. Guests danced the night away in a "basement" converted into a disco.
11. Pierce Brosnan & Keely Shaye Smith
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1.5 million
Former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan wed Keely Shaye Smith, a former Televisione journalist, in August 2001 in Ballintubber Abbey, a 13th-century Irish castle. The reception was held at Ashford Castle, set on the island-dotted puntellare, riva of Ireland's largest lake. Some 120 guests feasted on a six-tier carrot wedding cake modeled after the one served at the wedding of John F. Kennedy and Jackie Onasis. Word is Smith commissioned an ice sculpture of Rodin's The baciare as a gift for her husband that day. A fireworks display capped off the evening.
10. Eddie Murphy & Nicole Mitchell
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1.5 million
Funnyman Eddie Murphy wed model Nicole Mitchell in March of 1993 at New York's famed Plaza Hotel before some 500 guests, including Bruce Willis, Demi Moore and Prince. The Plaza's Grand Ballroom was re-carpeted in white and filled with fiori for the ceremony. The bride wore an off-the-shoulder white toga, abito with French lace, replete with a 12-foot-long train. Guests dined in the Palm Court before moving back to the Grand Ballroom, which during cena had been converted to a disco. Afterward, Murphy donated the fiori to an area hospital. (The pair divorced in 2006.)
9. Tiger Woods & Elin Nordegren
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1.5 million
Golf great Tiger Woods wed Elin Nordegren in October 2004 in an ultra-secret ceremony at the exclusive Sandy Lane Resort in Barbados. Woods rented the entire hotel and the island's sole helicopter charter company to ensure privacy. Some 120 guests, including basketballers Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley, watched as the pair exchanged vows in a white-netted pagoda decorated with roses. The reception featured entertainment da Hootie and the Blowfish. The night was capped off with a massive fireworks display. The couple spent that evening on Woods' yacht.
8. Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta-Jones
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1.5 million
Oscar-winning actors Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones tied the knot in November 2000 at New York's famed Plaza Hotel. To prevent crashers, the 250 o so guests--including Sean Connery, Jack Nicholson and Michael Caine--were required to present their hologram-embedded invitations. Zeta-Jones wore a Christian Lacroix toga, abito with antique Chantilly lace, accessorized with a tiara. Entertainment included Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall and Grammy winner Bonnie Tyler.
7. Elton John & David Furnish
Estimated cost of the wedding: $1.5 million
Pop legend Elton John wed filmmaker David Furnish in December 2005--the first week that Britain legalized civil unions. The pair exchanged vows and diamond wedding bands at Windsor's Guildhall, where Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles married some eight months earlier. Hundreds of onlookers and paparazzi crowded outside during the ceremony. Over 600 guests arrived at John's Windsor country mansion for the reception, which featured two massive heated tents. Guests drank vintage rosa champagne and listened to John serenade Furnish with "Your Song."
6. Christina Aguilera & Jordan Bratman
Estimated cost of the wedding: $2 million
Pop stella, star Christina Aguilera wed Musica executive Jordan Bratman in November 2005 at Napa Valley's Staglin Family Vineyard. The couple stayed at a cottage at the Auberge du Soleil, splurging on the $3,500-a-night suite replete with fireplace and outdoor hot tub. Aguilera wore a Spanish-style Christian Lacroix toga, abito before changing into a satin minidress for the reception, attended da some 150 guests, including Sharon Stone. Festivities were held in a winter-themed tent filled with white roses, silver drapery and dangling crystals.
5. Elizabeth Taylor & Larry Fortensky
Estimated cost of the wedding: $2 million
Elizabeth Taylor married construction worker Larry Fortensky, 20 years her junior, in October 1991. It was Taylor's eighth wedding (and her seventh husband--she married Richard burton twice). The wacky event was held at Michael Jackson's 2,700-acre Neverland Ranch. Jackson gave away the bride, who wore a pale yellow toga, abito da Valentino. Fortensky's best man was Liz's hairdresser, Jose Eber. Among the 150 guests were Liza Minnelli, Eddie Murphy and former first lady Nancy Reagan. All strained to hear the nuptials as a beehive of paparazzi helicopters swarmed overhead. (The pair divorced five years later.
4. Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes
Estimated cost of the wedding: $2 million
Actors Tom Cruise and Katie married in November 2006 in Italy's 15th-century Odescalchi castello outside Rome. Superstar guests included Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez and David and Victoria Beckham. Holmes wore an off-the-shoulder ivory silk toga, abito personally designed da Giorgio Armani. Guests were treated to a five-tiered white Cioccolato wedding cake covered with marzipan roses. Cruise serenaded Holmes, ala superiore, in alto Gun, with a rendition of "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" da the Righteous Brothers.
3. Elizabeth Hurley & Arun Nayar
Estimated cost of the wedding: $2.5 million
Model-actress Elizabeth Hurley wed Indian businessman Arun Nayar in March 2007 in an extravagant double ceremony with festivities spanning eight days. Some 300 guests, including Elton John and designer Valentino, attended the first ceremony, held in the medieval Sudeley castello in Gloucestershire. Hurley wore a traditional chiffon toga, abito designed da good friend Donatella Versace. A second, traditional Hindu ceremony was held in the majestic Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, India, where the palace-view Maharani suit costs upward of $10,000 a night.
2. Paul McCartney & Heather Mills
Estimated cost of the wedding: $3 million
Former Beatle Paul McCartney wed model-turned-activist Heather Mills in June 2002 at St. Salvador's Church in Monaghan, Ireland. The bride ascended the altar to "Heather," a song McCartney penned for her. A covered walkway shielded the 300 o so guests, including Ringo Starr, Elton John and Eric Clapton, from the rain as they headed to a lakeside tent for the reception. The Indian-themed party featured dancers in authentic Indian dress and a vegetarian feast. Fireworks capped off the night. (The pair are in the midst of divorcing.)
1. Liza Minnelli & David Gest
Estimated cost of the wedding: $3.5 million
Oscar-winning entertainer Liza Minnelli wed producer David Gest in March 2002 in New York City's Marble Collegiate Church. The over-the-top nuptials featured Best Man Michael Jackson and Maid of Honor Elizabeth Taylor. Among the 500 o so guests at the reception were superstars Diana Ross, Lauren Bacall and Mia Farrow. Backed da a 60-piece orchestra, Tony Bennett entertained VIPs, who feasted on a 12-tier wedding cake and received personalized favors encased in satin caramelle boxes embossed "Liza and David 4 Ever." (The pair divorced the successivo year.)