15 Celeb Weddings And How Much They Cost

For many people, weddings are the best day their lives (or the worst). They’re also turning out to also be the most expensive. According to a 2018 survey from The Knot, the average cost of a wedding has soared to over $33,391.  That’s more than some people make in an entire year! But when it comes to A-list weddings, $30,000 is just the starting point.

The often-lavish ceremonies of expensive celebrity weddings can cost upwards of millions of dollars. Everything from the dress, venue, hair, makeup, and sometimes exotic locations run up a bill so large they’d make any financially responsible wedding planner dizzy. Some of the most expensive celebrity weddings in history belong to royalty. The May 2018 union between Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle is rumored to have cost a total of $45 million. Perhaps the most shocking expense is their invitations, which alone cost the royal couple a whopping $290,000.

As weddings have become increasingly extravagant, other couples heading to the altar don’t want to be overshadowed by the expensive celebrity weddings of Kimye, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, or George and Amal Clooney— all of which have been magnificent parties.

We looked at 15 of the most excessive, exorbitant, and expensive celebrity weddings and how they racked up such a hefty price tags.

Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra

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The two-day event cost the newly married couple a whopping $584,000.

When Bollywood superstar Priyanka Chopra met songbird Nick Jonas, sparks flew. Before we even had time to digest the new pairing, Priyanka had whisked Nick to India to meet the parents. But it was their multi-day wedding ceremony that had everyone glued to Instagram. The couple, who have a combined net worth of $53 million, spent over half a million dollars on the ceremony. Most of that was spent on the venue, the Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, which according to Brides cost an estimated $461,000.

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston

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Hollywood’s favorite former couple spent big bucks on saying ‘I do.’

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston famously tried to keep the details of the wedding secret and away from the tabloids. But photos revealed a luxurious and very romantic scene. The Malibu wedding had a gospel choir, fireworks, and apparently over 50,000 flowers. That’s one busy florist. All in all, the bill was settled at $1 million. But as we all know, things came to an unfortunate end five years later in 2005.

David and Victoria Beckham

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Over two decades later and they’re still happily married!

David and Victoria Beckham are a perfect pair. The megastar footballer and Spice Girl tied the knot in 1999, two years after they met at a charity soccer match. Their $800,000 wedding in 1999 would have a $1.2 million price tag today. Exchanging vows in front of 250 guests at Luttrellstown Castle in Ireland, the venue cost the couple at least $33,750. And not to be outdone by the venue, Posh Spice herself arrived wearing a $100,000 Vera Wang dress with a 20-foot train.

Sir Elton John and David Furnish

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This nearly $2 million event was luxurious and a whole lot of fun.

Sir Elton John’s wedding day in 2005 was ostensibly a star-studded event in and of itself. Guests included the Beckhams, Sharon Stone, Donatella Versace, and model Claudia Schiffer. There was reportedly caviar and pink champagne all night, which cost $130,000, while both David and Elton wore the slickest designer suits. It’s estimated that this lavish wedding cost somewhere around $1.8 million.

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas

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They tied the knot with a $1.5 million wedding in 2000.

How many tiers should a wedding cake have? It’s a special event, so four tiers may seem appropriate, but for Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, they needed a six-foot-tall cake with ten tiers that cost them over $7,000. But that wasn’t their only hefty expense. The couple snapped up every blushing bride’s dream venue, the Plaza Hotel In New York City. Zeta walked the aisle wearing a $140,000 Christian Lacroix gown and a $300,000 tiara.

Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky

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This was Elizabeth Taylor’s seventh husband — and eighth wedding— and she didn’t skimp on the costs.

In 1991, Elizabeth Taylor celebrated her eighth marriage to Larry Foretensky with a $1.5 million celebration. Famously held on Michael Jackson’s Neverland ranch, Jackson allegedly even pitched in by paying a large chunk of the costs. Taylor also later sold her wedding photos to People for $1 million. The couple divorced in 1996.

Christina Aguilera and Jordan Bratman

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This Nappa Valley wedding ran into the millions.

Pop powerhouse Christina Aguilera tied the knot with music executive Jordan Bratman in 2005. People estimates the ceremony to have cost upwards of $2 million. There was a five-tier cake, Aguilera wore a Christian Lacroix dress, and the guests were served a bounty of delicious comfort foods from roast chicken and mac and cheese. They later divorced in 2010.

Madonna and Guy Ritchie

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In December 2000, Hollywood’s biggest couple shelled out $2.1 million for their big day.

Madonna has always been a fashion icon, rebelling against the status quo at every move, so her wedding dress was bound to be a momentous occasion. Her $800,000 Stella McCartney dress was just one of many lavish expenses. Saying ‘I do’ in a Scottish castle, the wedding was a sight to behold. Despite a substantial bill of $2.1 million, things didn’t last forever. The couple split in 2008.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

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Kimye went from Paris to Florence for one of the most expensive celebrity weddings.

The Kardashians are never shy when it comes to splashing their money about, and Kim’s wedding to Chicago rapper Kanye West was no exception. While the Givenchy gown cost $500,000, the venue set them back another $400,000. But it was their slew of private jets — used for taking guests from the US to France and finally to Italy — that pushed the price tag up so high. We just wish we could have scored a slice of the seven-foot tall berry cake.

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin

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The formidable bachelor took himself off the market in this $4.6 million celebration.

When George Clooney and human rights barrister Amal Alamuddin met, the stars finally aligned. Until then, Clooney was a perpetual bachelor and seemed as though he was never going to give up the single lifestyle. But to mark their fateful meeting, the couple threw down stacks of cash so large we can barely fathom it. The couple, along with their guests, spent three days in Venice, which alone cost $3 million.

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel

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This very private ceremony ended up costing Justin and Jessica $6.5 million.

Former N*SYNC member Justin Timberlake and actress Jessica Biel tied the knot in a fanciful night of extremes. The week-long celebration included fireworks, and both the bride and groom sported designer digs. Justin sang during the ceremony wearing a Tom Ford suit while Jessica stunned in an haute couture gown by Giambattista Valli. E! reported that the $6.5 million price tag boils down to the very special Italian location. Can we get invited to these expensive celebrity weddings, please?

Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto

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For some couples, money is no object.

Us Weekly reported that basketball legend Michael Jordan’s second marriage to former model Yvette Prieto hit the $10 million mark. The star-studded RSVP list included Spike Lee, Scottie Pippen, and Tiger Woods, with performances by Usher, Robin Thicke, and K’Jon, who sang “On the Ocean” for their first dance as a married couple.

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian

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The tennis champion and Reddit co-founder made a splash with their nuptials in 2017.

This was one of the most expensive celebrity weddings of the year, and the biggest stars were attendance. Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Eva Longoria and Caroline Wozniacki witnessed Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian tie the knot. According to the Daily Mail, the event cost $1 million. We’re sure the New Orleans wedding had it all, but few details leaked thanks to a strict ban on cell phones. The good news is you can check out the exclusive photos over at Vogue.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

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In 2006, the former couple said ‘I do’ for a reported $3 million.

This one is a little different than all the other expensive celebrity weddings so far. The traditional Scientology wedding saw Katie Holmes stun in a $50,000 gown by Giorgio Armani at an Italian castle. The food and wine bill alone was $18,000. And like all extravagant ceremonies, there was an abundance of fireworks. According to E! the $3 million ceremony had everyone parting until the wee hours of the night. They later divorced in 2012.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana

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We can’t talk about weddings without mentioning this $110 million wedding, dubbed the event of the century.

No discussion about expensive celebrity weddings  is complete without mentioning Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s world-stopping wedding in 1981. According to Business Insider, adjusted for inflation, the wedding cost was likely around the $110 million mark. Security topped the list as the most costly expense for the day, but what everyone remembers about this day is, of course, Diana’s 25-foot long train, which was adorned with 10,000 pearls.

Are you as shocked as we are about these weddings? These expensive celebrity weddigns make a $30,000 ceremony seem like a bargain!