Weddings are big, important days for the bride and groom. While some choose to marry at City Hall or in front of a small number of friends and family, others prefer to have their nuptials in front of hundreds of their nearest and dearest. And why not? Love is a beautiful thing, and there is nothing wrong with celebrating it.
But at what cost? If you have money to burn, then why not throw a giant, lavish party? The only potential problem with spending boatloads of cash on a single day is the possibility that one day that marriage will end in divorce. But no one is thinking about that on their wedding day.
Over the years, some of our favorite celebrities have spent unbelievable amounts of money on their wedding day. With everything from extravagant gowns to firework displays, no stone was left unturned. But unfortunately for them, their weddings might have been the high point in their marriages.
Here are some of the most expensive and extravagant weddings over the years — all of which ended in divorce.
7. Mariah Carey and Tommy Mottola
Grammy Award winning singer Mariah Carey and Sony Musical President Thomas Mottola walk down the stairs at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in New York on June 4, 1993, following their wedding.(AP Photo/Mike Alexander)
Back in 1993, when Mariah Carey and Tommy Mottola got hitched, $500,000 was a lot to spend on a wedding. (Ok, it’s still a lot to spend on a wedding today, but not for the mega-rich.) The pop star and her Sony Music mentor spent their cash on a Vera Wang gown with a 27-foot train and 10-foot veil. They were also serenaded by a boys choir, and surrounded by 50 flower girls. They divorced in 1998.
6. Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston
Images courtesy of Wikipedia
America’s It-couple wed in 2000. When Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston got together, all seemed right in the world. The movie stars spent a cool $1 million on their gathering. They had 50,000 flowers and finished off the night with fireworks. Their marriage ended in 2005 and Pitt went on to marry his Mr. and Mrs. Smith co-star Angelina Jolie.
5. Madonna and Guy Ritchie
Photographs by Kathy Hutchins and David Shankbone
No one ever thought that the Material Girl could be tied down. But in 2000, Madonna married English filmmaker,Guy Ritchie. The celebration cost $1.5 million. $80,000 of that price tag went to a Stella McCartney dress and an unknown amount was spent on the rental of a Scottish castle. They ended up divorcing in 2008.
4. Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren
Elin Nordegren talks to her then-husband, Tiger Woods during the first quarter of Game 4 of the NBA basketball finals in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
When Tiger Woods married Swedish model Elin Nordegren, no one imagined that the marriage would ultimately be doomed. Their big day in 2004 reportedly cost $1.5 million. Woods rented an entire luxury hotel and beachfront resort area, complete with two golf courses and club houses. He had 500 red roses flown in for the event, and Hootie and the Blowfish performed for the guests. Their marriage went south in 2010.
3. Christina Aguilera and Jordan Bratman
Christina Aguilera and husband Jordan Bratman as they arrive at the People Magazine Grammy Party in Los Angeles on February 11, 2006. (AP Photo/Chris Polk)
Mega pop-star Christina Aguilera married her love, Jordan Bratman, in 2005. For the lavish affair, the couple spent $2 million. They rented a private orchard for the party, and a 14-piece orchestra played for them. They split in 2011.
2. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party February 26, 2012 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)
Who can forget the Tom Cruise / Katie Holmes wedding in an Italian castle in 2006? The pair spent $3 million on the day, which concluded with a fireworks display. Katie’s gown was custom-designed by Giorgio Armani. The couple famously divorced in 2012.
1. Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries
Photographs by Keith Allison and Eva Rinaldi
The 72-day marriage heard round the world belongs, of course, to Kim Kardashian and NBA player Kris Humphries. Their wedding also happens to be the most expensive on our list, at $10 million. When the couple wed in 2011, they spent $6,000 on the cake, $2 million on flowers, and $2.5 million on the bride’s diamond headdress. Kardashian also wore three Vera Wang gowns over the course of the day (which was filmed for an E! special which later aired).
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