From private jet transportation for guests to invitations that cost a small fortune, this article explores of the most expensive weddings ever held.
Why Are Weddings Becoming So Expensive?
The cost of weddings continues to rise globally. A study published in The Asian Post indicates a sharp increase in wedding expenses across Southeast Asia. Hong Kong, for instance, saw a 10% rise in average wedding costs in 2022, reaching HKD 360,577 (approximately USD 45,982). Several factors contribute to this rise:
Inflation: Rising inflation rates lead to increased costs for products and services.
Social Media Influence: Social media trends showcasing extravagant weddings can create unrealistic expectations and pressure to spend more.
Post-Pandemic Consumption: Pent-up demand after pandemic restrictions may lead couples to splurge on their weddings.
Personalized Touches: Modern couples increasingly personalize their weddings with unique elements, such as special entertainment or ethnic/religious customs, adding to the expense.
How Do Expensive Celebrity Weddings Influence Trends?
Celebrity weddings can significantly influence trends. When prominent figures break tradition, it can pave the way for others to follow. For example, after several Bollywood actresses opted for white wedding gowns instead of red, the trend trickled down to brides across India.
The most expensive celebrity wedding is one of the most significant weddings of all time.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles – 110 Million Dollars in 1981
On July 29, 1981, around 750 million people tuned in to watch Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer get married. There were also 3,500 guests in attendance.
Priya Sachdev and Vikram Chatwal (USD 20 million)
This globe-trotting couple’s 10-day wedding spanned three cities and included 600 guests flown in privately. The multi-million dollar celebration featured traditional ceremonies, themed parties, and opulent decor.
Prince Felipe of Spain and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano (USD 28-54 million)
Spanish journalist Letizia Ortiz became royalty in 2004 when she married Prince Felipe. Their lavish ceremony drew 25 million viewers and boasted a guest list filled with European elites. The bride wore an $8 million dress by renowned designer Manuel Pertegaz.
Vanisha Mittal to Amit Bhatia (USD 65 million)
The daughter of a steel tycoon, Vanisha Mittal’s wedding was a six-day extravaganza in France. The guest list of 1,000 included celebrities and industrialists. Highlights included private jet transportation, fireworks displays, and performances by A-list Bollywood stars.
Rajeev Reddy and Brahmani Janardhana Reddy (USD 74 million)
This extravagant Indian wedding drew criticism for its opulence amidst economic hardship. The event featured a massive guest list, a gold Kanjeevaram sari for the bride, and a security force of over 3,000 personnel.
Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal (USD 100 million)
Heiress Isha Ambani’s wedding was a multi-city, multi-day affair. The celebration included pre-wedding festivities in Italy featuring performances by Beyonce and John Legend, a gold-encrusted invitation costing nearly USD $4,000, and a finale outfit valued at USD $12 million.
Chandni Toor and Seemanto Roy & Richa Roy and Sushanto Roy (USD 123 million)
This double wedding for two brothers was a week-long celebration that reportedly cost USD $75 million. The event featured gold-plated napkins, a fleet of luxury cars, and a performance by the British Symphony Orchestra.
Sheikha Hind Bint bint Maktoum to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (USD 137 million)
This week-long royal wedding in 1979 is estimated to cost around USD $137 million today. The celebration included a venue built specifically for the occasion, a fleet of camels adorned with jewels, and a grand display of Emirati culture.
Some of the details include Diana’s 25-foot-long dress reportedly costing over $100,000, 27 wedding cakes, and monarchs from around the world being in attendance. In today’s currency, the wedding would have cost $110 million. The cost of their 2018 royal wedding, which was a full-on celebrity event broadcast around the world. Was that the most expensive celebrity wedding of all time? It probably is right up there at the top, if not in the number 1 spot.
Of course, we don’t know how much mega-rich Arab sheiks might have spent on their lavish wedding festivities in the past.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex take the Number 2 spot. Their 2018 wedding cost $45 million with over $40 million going to security. Over $1 million also went to things like barriers, waste disposal, screens, and a PA system for the crowd watching outside in Windsor.
Meghan Markle’s Givenchy dress cost over $200,000, and the couple reportedly spent $680,000 on food for the star-studded event, which included the wedding ceremony, a luncheon, and an afterparty that they drove to in an electric Jaguar.
Kate Middleton and Prince William
The weddings that top this list might not come as a surprise—they belong to the royals. First up, we have the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who married in 2011.
Their wedding reportedly cost $34 million, with $32 million of the budget being for security as crowds descended on Westminster Abbey for the event. Kate Middleton’s Alexander McQueen dress cost an estimated $434,000.
The couple had trees put inside the Abbey, and they drove off in Prince Charles’ vintage Aston Martin. Many celebrities were in attendance, including Victoria and David Beckham, and (naturally) Elton John.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West – Estimated Cost of 12 Million Dollars
Kardashian’s 2014 wedding with Kanye West was more secretive but was extremely lavish. The wedding has been estimated to cost as much as 12 million dollars
The large price range can be attributed to the fact that while the wedding itself took place in Florence, Italy, the wedding event as a whole kicked off in Paris. Plus, details of the wedding involve everything from Kardashian’s $500,000 Givenchy dress and a performance by Andrea Bocelli.
West supposedly requested a $478,000 marble table for the reception and a glam squad being hired to touch up guests.
Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto – Estimated 10 Million Dollar Wedding in 2013
The 2013 wedding was expensive because it set a record: it had the biggest wedding tent ever. Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto’s tent was 40,000 square feet—larger than the mansion where they lived.
The couple reportedly had 500 people at their ceremony and 1,500 more at the reception. Entertainment was provided by MC Lyte, Usher, Robin Thicke, and more. All in all, the huge wedding was said to have cost an estimated $10 million. That was the cost back in 2013, close to 10 years ago. Imagine what that would cost in 2022 dollars?
Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries – Estimate 10 Million Dollars
The reality TV marriage event is mostly remembered for how short it was: only 72 days. But, before the split, it was known for being a lavish spectacle that aired on Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
Kardashian wore three custom Vera Wang gowns at the black-and-white-themed wedding which was attended by celeb guests, including Serena Williams, Lindsay Lohan, and Ciara.
Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake
Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake held their estimated $6.5 million wedding in 2012. They welcomed 100 guests to a luxury Italian resort for an entire week.
That would be costly on its own, not to mention all of the events, activities, transportation, and food they’d need to provide. On top of that, Biel and the bridal party all wore designs by Giambattista Valli, while Timberlake and the groomsmen wore Tom Ford.
Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello
Actors Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello reportedly spent between $3 and $4 million on their 2015 Palm Beach wedding.
Among the details: Vergara’s Zuhair Murad bridal gown was covered in over six pounds of pearls and 11 pounds of sequins; the venue was draped in orchids and roses; Pitbull performed, and guests were provided with IVs if they were dehydrated the next day.
Liza Minnelli and David Gest
When Liza Minnelli and her fourth husband David Gest split up after a year of marriage in 2003, they were also out $3.5 million for their nuptials.
Their wedding was held in New York City, the best man was Michael Jackson, and there were reported to have been anywhere from 800 to 1,500 guests. Tony Bennett and Natalie Cole performed for the celebrity attendees, which included Elizabeth Taylor and Elton John.
Kate Holmes and Tom Cruise
When Kate Holmes and Tom Cruise got married in 2006, they spent an estimated 3 million dollars. They wed in a 15th-century castle in Italy.
Holmes wore two Armani gowns, and celebrity guests included Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, David, and Victoria Beckham, and Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. Opera singer Andrea Bocelli performed and there was also a fireworks display.
Brooklyn Beckham on April 9, 2022
It may be hard to determine the most expensive celebrity wedding of all time, but the recent celebrity wedding of Brooklyn Beckham reportedly cost approximately $3.5–4 Million dollars.
The April 9, 2022 wedding took place at a 100-million-dollar mansion in Miami, Florida. On top of the cost of the wedding was the wedding gift, David and Victoria Beckham gave their son which was reportedly worth $500.000.
It should be noted that when David and Victoria Beckham got married in 1999 they reportedly spent an estimated $800,000. That was considered a tidy sum in those days.