Celebrities live very different lives to the rest of us. Everything about them is bigger and more expensive, from the houses that they live in to the cars that they drive and the clothes that they wear. So, it should come as no surprise to learn that their weddings are pricey and extravagant, too! But have you ever wondered how much these A-listers really spend on their big day? Well, when you take into account everything from the venue to the wedding dress, rings, and cake, they become some of the most expensive weddings in history. And we have the exact figures below.
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin - $4.6 Million
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin truly hit the jackpot when they met each other. She got to marry one of the most eligible bachelors in Hollywood, and he got to marry a stunning human rights lawyer with beauty and brains. The couple got hitched in 2014, and they chose to shell out $4.6 million to exchange their vows at the Palazzo Ca’ Farsetti in Venice, Italy. This made it one of the most expensive celebrity weddings of all time.
As well as spending a huge amount of money on their venue, Amal's wedding dress, their wedding rings and their wedding cake, the couple also paid for their guests to stay at the prestigious Belmond Hotel Cipriani.
Salma Hayek and François-Henri Pinault - $3.5 Million
In 2009, famous actress Salma Hayek married French billionaire businessman François-Henri Pinault in one of the most expensive weddings of all time. The couple tied the knot in Venice and flew out A-list guests such as Penelope Cruz and Charlize Theron for the big day. While Salma stated that she never wanted a "big" wedding, François-Henri made sure to spare no expense when it came to the decoration, the wedding cake, and their outfits.
In fact, François-Henri even planned a surprise vow renewal for the couple while they were vacationing in Bora Bora in 2018. This didn't cost as much as their $3.5 million wedding, though.
David and Victoria Beckham - $800,000
David Beckham was at the top of his soccer game when he married Spice Girl Victoria Beckham. And while his managers tried to convince him to make the most of the female attention that was coming his way, he knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Victoria. So, he happily dropped $800,000 to make their big day a reality and booked an Irish castle for the event.
Alongside this, Victoria chose a beautiful Vera Wang wedding dress, and they decided on matching purple outfits for their evening reception. Their first son, Brooklyn, was even there to make the happy day even happier.
Liza Minnelli and David Gest - $3.5 Million
It's not uncommon for musical legends to find their way to each other, and in 2001, Liza Minnelli and David Gest were first introduced. In fact, they were introduced by Michael Jackson himself! They quickly entered into a whirlwind relationship and tied the knot just one year after they met, shelling out $3.5 million for a lavish celebrity wedding surrounded by some of the biggest names in the music industry.
Huge chunks of their budget went into booking a 50-piece orchestra to keep them entertained throughout the day and a 12-tier wedding cake to keep their guests' bellies full. Sadly, they broke up just one year later.
Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise - $2 Million
Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise's marriage certainly raised eyebrows. At the time, both Katie and Tom were practising Scientologists, which meant that their wedding was dubbed a "double-ring" ceremony. The couple chose to do this at Castello Odescalchi in Bracciano, Italy, in 2006, and they both wore a custom Giorgio Armani suit and wedding dress for the event. Not only that, but they also hired Andrea Bocelli to sing to them and their guests.
Speaking of guests, it's reported that Katie and Tom foot the $900,000 bill to fly all of their friends and family to Italy for their wedding - so it wasn't long before they reached their final wedding bill of $2 million.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle - $45 Million
You probably don't need us to tell you that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding is still one of the most-talked-about celebrity weddings of the past decade. While their relationship was met with some criticism, they proved to everyone on their wedding day that they were committed to each other and their love for each other. To celebrate this, they planned an extravagant royal wedding watched by millions of people around the world.
Overall, the whole day cost around $45 million - but $40 million of that was spent on security alone. It's also been estimated that Meghan spent around $400,000 on her wedding dress, their wedding cake set them back $67,000, and wedding rings cost them $8,000.
Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto - $10 Million
When you think of professional basketball, you might immediately think of Michael Jordan. After all, this guy is known for being one of the biggest names in the sport. But he's also known for having one of the biggest and most expensive celebrity weddings of all time after he tied the knot with Yvette Prieto in 2013. The couple married in Palm Beach, Florida, and it's been noted that they invited 2,000 guests for the big event.
Everything from the wedding dress to the wedding cake set the couple back a small fortune, and it's been noted that they spent a whopping $10 million on their big day.
Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel - $6.5 Million
Many celebrities choose to travel abroad for their big days, and that's exactly what Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel decided to do. They flew themselves and all of their guests out to Borgo Egnazia Resort in Puglia, Italy, for their celebrity wedding in 2012, and it's believed that they shelled out a huge portion of money to keep the resort free from prying eyes. And their final bill came to $6.5 million.
This also included flying their friends and family out to Italy, putting them up in the hotel, Jessica's custom-made Giambattista Valli Haute Couture wedding dress and Justin's designer tuxedo from Tom Ford.
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco - $70 Million
Many celebrity weddings are simply expensive, but the wedding of Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco in 2011 was both expensive and life-changing. In fact, their two-day wedding was declared a national holiday in their home country of Monaco, meaning their guests and country folk could take time off work to truly celebrate the Monagasque lovebirds. For the big event, Princess Charlene even wore two wedding dresses designed specifically for her by Armani.
Alongside this, the couple made sure to make the whole event a public affair, with locals being invited to the palace for concerts, buffets, and fancy balls. All in all, the wedding reportedly set them back $70 million.
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston - $1 Million
In July 2000, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston solidified their status as one of the most impressive power couples in Hollywood. And while we all know it wasn't meant to be, there's no denying that their wedding was one for the ages. They exchanged their vows on the clifftop of Malibu, Hawaii, and said, "I do," surrounded by a makeshift meadow of wisteria, tulips, and roses. To make things even more romantic, only 200 of their closest friends and family were invited.
As well as offering their guests a gourmet buffet spread, the couple also paid for a giant fireworks display to finish off the night. With all this in mind, it shouldn't surprise you to learn that it cost them $1 million.
Kate Moss and Jamie Hince - $1.3 Million
Although they divorced in 2016, Kate Moss and Jamie Hince tied the knot five years earlier in 2011. The supermodel and her musician boyfriend decided to stay close to home for their big day, which is why they opted to get married in a church ceremony in Gloucestershire in the UK. And in true musician form, Jamie encouraged some of his musical friends to perform for them on their wedding day.
In fact, Snoop Dogg, Iggy Pop, and Shirley Bassey were just a few of the singers who performed at their wedding reception. And when you add in the price of a six-tier wedding cake and a champagne fountain, it's no surprise their wedding cost them $1.3 million.
Prince William and Kate Middleton - $34 Million
As their heir to the throne, Prince William's wedding day was always going to be a big affair - but most people didn't expect it to be quite so big. All in all, it's believed to be one of the most expensive weddings of all time, thanks to its $34 million price tag. However, only $2 million of that huge chunk of money was actually spent on wedding essentials such as wedding rings, wedding dresses, and cakes.
The other $32 million was spent on security for the event, which was declared a national holiday in the UK. Because of this, security personnel were hired to keep everyone safe.
Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones - $1.5 Million
When Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas started dating, some people questioned their rather large age gap. But this celebrity couple has proved year after year that they're perfect for each other, as they tied the knot in 2000 and have been married ever since. Their wedding has gone down in history as one of the most iconic celebrity weddings of all time, as they exchanged their vows in the legendary Plaza Hotel in New York City.
They invited over 350 guests for the magical event, and no expense was spared to make the day utterly perfect. Because of this, they were happy to foot the $1.5 million bill.
Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian - $10 Million
Fans of Keeping Up with the Kardashians will know that Kim's wedding to Kris Humphries wasn't a small affair. Everything about the big day was planned to perfection, and it's been noted that the whole event set them back a whopping $10 million. Of course, the venue was one of the biggest expenses, but Kim's outfit was also a huge expense as she wanted to look perfect for her big day.
On the day, Kim wore a custom Vera Wang wedding dress with a matching headpiece and veil. Sadly, this lavish wedding didn't result in a happy marriage, and Kim filed for divorce just 72 days later.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana - $110 Million
There was once a time when King Charles was just a young prince looking for love. And when his family wouldn't allow him to marry Camilla Parker Bowles, he decided to settle down with Diana Spencer instead. The two lovebirds tied the knot on July 29th, 1981, in one of the most expensive celebrity weddings of all time. Everything from the dress to the tiara and the glass carriage and the guest list was over-the-top... and pricey.
In today's money, the royals shelled out a whopping $110 million to make this fairy-tale wedding a reality. And what you might not realize is that a huge chunk of that budget was spent on security.
Pierce Brosnan and Keely Shaye Smith - $1.5 Million
Pierce Brosnan and Keely Shaye Smith are still going strong today after getting married in 2001. But what you might not realize is that this was Brosnan's second marriage. He found Keely when he needed her most, as he was grieving the death of his first wife. And while Brosnan had been married before, he wanted to plan the perfect day for his new wife - so they booked the Old Irish Abbey of Ballintubber in County Mayo.
It's believed that he shelled out $1.5 million for this wedding, with huge portions of that going towards a giant fireworks display and an equally giant 6-tier carrot wedding cake.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West - $2.8 Million
Kanye West was Kim Kardashian's third husband, and after the extravagance of her second wedding, she seemed to reign herself in for her third wedding. All in all, they spent $2.8 million on their big day, but it's fair to say that it was so much more than one single day. In fact, the couple threw a huge pre-wedding party at the iconic Palace of Versailles in France before flying their guests out to their wedding venue in Italy.
They splashed out on private jets for their guests, and in true Kim Kardashian fashion, Kim wore a stunning Givenchy Haute Couture wedding dress that set her back a whopping $500,000.
Guy Ritchie and Madonna - $2 Million
You might not remember them together, but Guy Ritchie and Madonna actually got married in 2000. Instead of getting hitched in Madonna's home country, they decided to exchange their vows at the Skibo Castle in the Highlands of Scotland - and Guy even wore a kilt for the big event. However, Madonna decided against tartan and opted for a $80,000 Stella McCartney wedding dress instead, and she looked absolutely stunning.
The $2 million wedding was rooted in Scottish traditions, with guests eating smoked salmon and haggis at the reception and dancing along to Scottish songs to finish off the night.
Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman - $1 Million
Although Anne Hathaway is one of the most famous women in Hollywood, she likes to keep her personal life to herself. Because of this, we wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know that she had married Adam Shulman in an expensive wedding back in 2012. The couple kept this day low-key and found a private venue at Big Sur in California to exchange their vows and become husband and wife.
Although they kept things small and intimate, the couple still shelled out money on the wedding buffet, wedding dress, wedding rings, and wedding cake. They even got Americano Social Club to play for them.
Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren - $1.5 Million
When Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren, they didn't particularly like each other. But as they spent more time with each other, they fell in love and decided to make their love official. They didn't just want a big day, though. They wanted to have a big week, which is why they flew all of their friends and family out to Barbados for a fun-filled wedding week that set them back $1.5 million.
In fact, they booked out the whole resort, including all of the rooms, the beach, the golf courses, and every single amenity that the resort had to offer. And we bet they had a ball.
Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky - $2 Million
Elizabeth Taylor was no stranger to a wedding. She was famously married eight times to seven different men, and her eighth marriage was to American construction worker Larry Fortensky. Despite the fact that Larry wasn't famous or in the public eye, Elizabeth wanted to pull out all of the stops for their wedding and reportedly spent $2 million making their day perfect. She even asked Michael Jackson to get married on his Neverland Ranch.
Hundreds of guests descended on the ranch for their big day, including movie stars and royalty. And while they decided to go their separate ways five years later, they stayed close friends.
Marc Mezvinsky and Chelsea Clinton - $5 Million
With a name like Clinton, you probably assumed that Chelsea Clinton's wedding would be a grand affair. When Chelsea married her long-term boyfriend, Marc Mezvinsky, they decided to go all out with the planning. Their interfaith wedding took place in 2010 at the prestigious Astor Court Estates in New York, and was attended by some of the biggest names in politics and popular culture as a whole. They even ordered air-conditioned tents to keep their guests happy!
All in all, their big day set them back around $5 million. But as the couple is still together today, it's safe to say that it wasn't a waste of money.
Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson - $1.4 Million
When Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson got married in 2014, they had already had their big celebrity wedding with their first marriages. So, while they wanted their day to be special, they didn't want to go overboard and spend too much money. They opted to spend $1.4 million in the end, creating an intimate and woodland-themed wedding at the San Ysidro Ranch Resort in California with 280 friends and family around them.
The couple was even married by Jessica's father, who got himself ordained just before the big day. Jessica also wore a stunning Carolina Herrara wedding dress for the big occasion.
Elton John and David Furnish - $2 Million
After many years together, Elton John and David Furnish finally made their love official on December 21st, 2005 - the same day that Civil Partnership in the UK became legal. They spared no expense for their big day, shelling out a whopping $2 million on the venue, food, decorations, wedding cake, and more. In fact, it's been noted that the singer and his husband spent $130,000 on champagne and caviar alone!
They rented out the Old Windsor Mansion for their evening reception and filled it with 700 of the most famous men and women in the celebrity world, including David and Victoria Beckham and Donatella Versace.
Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello - $4 Million
It was a sad day when Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello announced their split, but fans can look back fondly on their amazing celebrity wedding that took place in 2015. The couple planned their lavish ceremony and reception to take place in Palm Beach, Florida, and they made sure to invite everyone they knew - from friends and family to A-list celebrities. In fact, Sofia didn't hold back with the details.
She wore a custom Zuhair Murad wedding dress for her big day, and she even had a flower canopy made specifically for the venue. All in all, it set them back $4 million.
Paul McCartney and Heather Mills - $3 Million
After the death of his first wife, Paul McCartney found love again in the form of Heather Mills. In 2002, they decided to make their love official and got married in one of the most lavish celebrity weddings of all time. They headed into the remote hills of Ireland to get hitched in a historic castle with their closest friends and family around them, and it cost them $3 million overall.
Amazingly, Heather designed her wedding dress herself, and they finished off the night with live music, bubbles, and vegetarian food for all of their 300 guests. Their marriage ended in 2006, however.
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban - $250,000
It's hard to imagine a time when Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban weren't together, but they only tied the knot in 2006. Although they could have planned an extravagant and lavish celebrity wedding, they decided to go a little more low-key. They exchanged vows at the Cardinal Cerretti Memorial Chapel in Sydney and kept things simple but romantic with an aisle surrounded by candles and roses. However, Nicole did splash out on her wedding dress.
She wore a stunning Nicolas Ghesquière Balenciaga wedding dress with a matching veil and was driven to the venue in a Rolls Royce limo. With all this on the invoice, they paid $250,000 for their wedding.
Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter - $4 Million
Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter met under unusual circumstances. They found each other on the popular dating show The Bachelorette, but they still knew that they had something special. And while they're not celebrities in the traditional sense, they still had one of the most expensive weddings on this list. All in all, the wedding set them back $4 million - but that didn't come out of their pockets. Instead, ABC paid for the whole thing in return for filming it.
The price of this expensive celebrity wedding was bumped up by many little details, including a $70,000 wedding dress and a pair of $25,000 wedding rings to signify their love.
Eddie Murphy and Nicole Mitchell - $1.5 Million
In 1988, everyone wanted a piece of Eddie Murphy. But it seemed as though there was only one woman for him, and that woman was model Nicole Mitchell. The couple tied the knot five years later in 1993, and they hired out the iconic Plaza Hotel in New York for their big day. They even foot the bill for many of their 500-strong guest list to stay at the hotel for the festivities.
Everything from the dress to the decorations cost around $1.5 million, but one of the biggest expenses from the day was the wedding cake that set them back a whopping $25,000.
Christina Aguilera and Jordan Bratman - $2 Million
Before they called it quits in 2011, Christina Aguilera and Jordan Bratman pulled off one of the most expensive celebrity weddings in 2005. The singer and the music producer tied the knot in a private vineyard in Napa Valley and settled on a winter theme to celebrate their love. The traditional Jewish ceremony was also a nod to Bratman's faith, and they spared no expense on the decorations or Christina's wedding outfit.
The singer wanted to look her best on her big day, which is why she splurged on a Christian Lacroix wedding dress, expensive Christian Louboutin shoes, and a priceless vintage rosary covered in jewels.
Petra Ecclestone and James Stunt - $20 Million
Although you might not know their names, Petra Ecclestone and James Stunt are both incredibly rich. James is a businessman, while Petra is a former model and the daughter of billionaire Bernie Ecclestone. Because of this, no expense was spared for their wedding in 2011. The couple traveled to the Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, Italy for their big day, and booked the likes of Andrea Bocelli and the Black Eyes Peas perform for them and their guests.
Although they divorced a few years later, it seemed as though they had no regrets in spending $20 million on their big day, as it was well worth it in their eyes.
Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar - $2.5 Million
When English actress Elizabeth Hurley got engaged to Indian entrepreneur Arun Nayar, there was no doubt about the fact that they would celebrate both of their heritages on their wedding day. So, they had a typical English wedding in an English castle, followed by a Hindu wedding in India. All in all, both of these ceremonies set the couple back a whopping $2.5 million - and their Indian wedding lasted a whole week.
Throughout this week-long event, Elizabeth and Arun enjoyed delicious food, amazing decorations, and other details that made it one of the most expensive weddings ever. But in comparison to other celebrity weddings, it was relatively cheap.
Vanisha Mittal and Amit Bhatia - $66 Million
You may not have heard her name before, but Vanisha Mittal is the daughter of one of the richest men in the world; Lakshmi Mittal. And when he learned that she would be marrying Amit Bhatia, he told her that he would spare no expense to make her big day the best day of her life. As a result, their wedding was one of the most expensive weddings of all time, with a price tag of $66 million attached to it.
The couple flew all of their friends and family to France from India and chose multiple locations for their multi-day event, including the Palace of Versailles and a reception at the Eiffel Tower itself.
Kim Zolciak-Biermann and Kroy Biermann - $1 Million
Kim Zolciak-Biermann and Kroy Biermann are both famous in their own right, so it was no surprise that they decided to splash the cash on their wedding day. In fact, they had even more money behind them as their big day was filmed by the Bravo team for the show Don't Be Tardy. The couple opted for a beach wedding surrounded by their six children and their closest friends and family.
Overall, their wedding cost them $1 million, and Kim had a huge part in the planning process. She even designed the whole wedding cake herself to make the whole thing even more personal.
Khloé Kardashian and Lamar Odom - $1 Million
The Kardashians are known for planning large and extravagant weddings, and Khloe did just that when she married NBA player Lamar Odom in 2009. Although the couple had only been dating for a month when they got engaged, they wasted no time in planning a lavish $1 million wedding in Beverly Hills. They didn't hold back on the details, either, as the whole thing was filmed for their reality show.
While the venue set them back a small fortune, Khloe's Vera Wang wedding dress and Chimmy Choo shoes were also a huge expense they had to factor in to the big day.
Coleen McLoughlin and Wayne Rooney - $7.7 Million
British soccer star Wayne Rooney and Coleen McLoughlin got hitched in 2008 but have been dating since they were teenagers. So, it seemed only fitting that they went all out for their big day. They flew all of their friends and family to Italy for their wedding, and exchanged their vows in the 14-century abbey in Santa Margherita Ligure. Not only that, but Coleen wore a designer wedding dress and expensive shoes.
As if that wasn't enough, the couple booked British boyband Westlife to perform for them in the evening, and they pulled off their perfect day for around $7.7 million overall.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner - $1 Million
It probably shouldn't surprise you to learn that Ivanka Trump married Jared Kushner at one of her father's many establishments. The couple tied the knot in 2009 at the Trump National Golf Club, and the big day was attended by some of the biggest names in politics and popular culture as a whole. In fact, there were over 500 people there on the day to wish the newlyweds a happy marriage.
When you take into account Ivanka's custom Vera Wang wedding gown and her impressive collection of jewels, you can see why this wedding cost them around $1 million to organize.
Matt Damon and Luciana Barroso - $600,000
Although we've seen countless expensive celebrity weddings on this list, Matt Damon and Luciana Barroso decided to do things a little differently when they tied the knot in 2005. Instead of opting for a big or expensive wedding, they decided to focus on their love and exchange their vows in a low-key ceremony at New York City Hall. In fact, many of their friends and family didn't know they had got married until the wedding rings were on their fingers.
Because many of their family felt left out, the couple decided to plan a bigger vow renewal in 2013, when they spent $600,000 flying them all out to St. Lucia.
Tori Spelling and Charlie Shanian - $1 Million
Although Tori Spelling has suffered from financial difficulty over the years, there's no denying that she comes from a rich family. Her TV producer father has amassed a huge fortune, and that has paid off in the form of a stunning home - which is where Tori decided to get married to Charlie Shanian in 2004. They welcomed 350 guests for their big day, and the little details all added up to $1 million.
In fact, the couple went all out and booked celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck to provide the food for the wedding. But this wasn't enough to keep their marriage in one piece.
Nicky Hilton and James Rothschild - $unknown
Every so often, there's a celebrity wedding that turns heads, and that happened in 2015 when hotel heiress Nicky Hilton married James Rothschild. Both surnames are at the top of the socialite food chain, and their nuptials seemed like the perfect mixture of old money and new money. But while it's easy to see that they spent a huge amount of money on their wedding, the exact number is unknown.
What we do know is that the couple tied the knot at Kensington Palace in London, and Nicky wore a $100,000 Valentino wedding dress for the event. Not only that, but all of the items on their registry came to a whopping $28,000.