23-year-old Sargis Karapetyan, son of Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, got married in an elaborate wedding ceremony in June of 2016 in Moscow. The event cost upwards of $2 million, and took place in Safisa, the same venue in which Said Gusterieve held his $1 billion celebrations earlier that year.
The groom’s father funded the entire production, including the bride’s 3 custom-made gowns, one of which was a $35,000 Elie Saab. 500 guests, which included the President of Armenia, came together to enjoy a performance by Maroon 5 and a bedazzled cake that towered over everyone in the room at nearly 20 feet tall.
Sir Elton John’s Wedding
Elton John’s marriage to his partner, David Furnish, happened in the midst of the UK’s legalization of same-sex marriage in 2014, so the ceremony was understandably over-the-top. The couple reportedly dropped over $2 million on the celebration, which took place in England at the Windsor Estate.
The couple were fairly modest in their choice of tuxedos, spending only $10,000 for both of them. But what they saved from wardrobe, they made up for with edibles, spending upwards of $130,000 on luxuries like champagne and caviar. Celebrity friends including Ed Sheeran and Victoria Beckham attended the celebration, which came 9 years after they had already been in a civil partnership.
Angelababy Ties the Knot
Those in North America may not recognize the name above, but they may know a thing or two about Chinese actress Angel Yeung, one of the most popular actresses in the Eastern world and fondly known as the “Chinese Kim K.” Aside from her major roles in her country, she’s crossed over into international acting with smaller roles in films like "Hitman: Agent 47." In 2015, Angelababy married fellow actor Huang Xiaoming, in an over-the-top ceremony that cost over $30 million.
2,000 guests were in attendance at the Shanghai Exhibition Center, but even more were watching the ceremony online. The nuptials were held in a beautiful holographic castle that looked like something straight out of a fairytale, and the cake was an impressive 10 feet tall. Yeung walked down the aisle in a gorgeous custom Dior gown made from ivory satin and tulle. In the end, Yeung spent about three times more on her special day than Kim K did on all her weddings.
Butterfly Wedding
English soccer player Wayne Rooney married his wife, Coleen Mcloughlin at the La Cervara Abbey in Italy. Mcloughlin flew to NYC 6 different times to find the perfect wedding dress, which she finally found in the form of a $130,000 gown from Marchesa.
Rooney flew guests out to the extravagant location in private jets, and everyone had lunch on a yacht. During the ceremony, guests were each given a small box full of butterflies that they were asked to let go as they said their “I do’s.” All expenses were covered for each of the guests and in total, the event cost nearly $7 million.
A Neverland Wedding
Larry Fortensky met Elizabeth Taylor in 1988 during his stay at the Betty Ford Center, where they both checked in for substance abuse issues. The two hit it off and ended up getting married in 1991, making this the 8th time Taylor would tie the knot. The couple spent just around $2 million for the event and had it at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch.
The wedding, though not quite as expensive as some of the other ceremonies on the list, was still packed full of celebrities and luxury. The star-studded guest list included big names like Eddy Murphy and Liza Minnelli. The bride was walked down by Michael Jackson in her pastel Valentino gown valued at $25,000. The wedding was so high profile that members of the paparazzi were literally jumping out of planes to get inside and get some photos.