celebrations and ceremonies that primarily refer to the union of two people through wedding, but they also serve as opportunities to display wealth, social standing, and historical significance.
Generally, and prosperous families have thrown beautiful weddings to display power and forge social alliances. Celebrities and celebrities have long held luxurious and expensive functions to celebrate their marriages, continuing the tradition of hosting lavish wedding ceremonies.
In the past years, but, marriages have gotten smaller. According to a study of 10, 000 couples from The Knot, in 2023, the common wedding group consisted of eight people over 10 in 2019, and the average tourist list was 115 than 131 in 2019.
According to a study from the wedding planning and registration site Zola, the average bride will price$ 29, 000. The amount may vary according to the brides and grooms ‘ choice of food, entertainment, photography, weddings, and even the bread.
According to counselor Tirrell De Gannes, millennials see relationship as less critical “due partly to famous television shows’ that trivialize it’ — like’ Married at First Sight,’ ‘ 90-Day Fiancé’ or ‘ Love is Blind,'” WWD.
De Gannes said,” It’s great to have the normal, conventional wedding celebration but also great to have that incredible factor that will walk out in terms of reminiscences.”
In March, Pinterest released its 2024 wedding report, which reinforced the ongoing shrinking size of gatherings. People on Pinterest are choosing venues that connect with nature, such as gardens, forests, and small backyards, as they plan smaller nuptial events like wedding dinner parties this year, according to Sydney Stanback, global trends and insights lead at Pinterest.
This altered outlook on marriage has also had an impact on the wedding industry, with designers making a transition to accommodate a new bride who seeks out unconventional dresses and even outfits that can be worn again after the wedding.
In 2022, Pronovias released its Unconventional Brides Collection, which featured crepe wedding trousers, a long-sleeve crepe blazer and a crepe halter top, among other contemporary styles. Designers who include this new bride’s gowns include Vera Wang, Danielle Frankel, and Sally LaPointe.
However, not everyone is adopting the quiet lifestyle trend for their wedding ceremonies. For some with boldface names, their wedding plans— and gowns — are still crafted to impress.
Iris van Herpen made headlines in May when she designed the first legal representation of Brazilian tax lawyer Mariana Pavani to enter the aisle. The classic wedding gowns that were introduced at her immersive New York Luxury Bridal Fashion Week presentation in April also served as romantic inspiration.
WWD takes a closer look at some of the most expensive weddings of all time and the gowns that paraded down the aisles here.
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Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant,$ 600 Million
Image Credit: Getty Images Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Asia’s wealthiest man, Mukesh Ambani, married Radhika Merchant on Friday in Mumbai. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the ceremony was estimated at$ 600 million, making it one of the most expensive in history.
The wedding celebrations began in January 2024. It included a May European cruise with Backstreet Boys and Katy Perry concerts, as well as a traditional sangeet night in Mumbai featuring Justin Bieber.
Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates were among the notable guests at the ceremony’s closing ceremony, along with numerous international dignitaries.
The bride wore a 5-meter head veil, a tissue shoulder dupatta, and an ivory Zardozi skirt with a trailing design. The entire outfit was embellished with stones and sequins. For jewelry, the bride wore a set of diamonds that her grandmother, mother and sister had worn at their respective weddings.
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Amit Bhatia and Vanisha Mittal,$ 55 Million
Image Credit: AFP via Getty Images The wedding of Vanisha Mittal, daughter of steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, to London-based banker Amit Bhatia in 2004 reportedly cost around$ 5 million, an average of$ 99 Million after inflation, according to the Guinness World Records.
Their engagement ceremony was held at the Palace of Versailles, while the wedding ceremony took place at the Vaux-le-Vicomte, a historic 17th-century castle 55km from Paris.
According to India Today, the wedding outfits were created by a team of top Indian designers, including Tarun Tahiliani, Suneet Varma and the duo Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla.
More than 1, 000 high-profile guests were flown in on private jets, including celebrities, businesspeople and global dignitaries. The wedding celebration featured Kylie Minogue giving an exclusive performance.
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Prince Charles and Princess Diana,$ 48 Million
Image Credit: Bettmann Archive The wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana continues to be the priciest royal wedding ever. According to Business Insider, their ceremony, held on July 29, 1981, at the St Paul’s Cathedral in London, cost$ 48 million, which would be an average of$ 164 million today after inflation.
Dubbed the “wedding of the century”, the ceremony was attended by 3, 500 guests and watched by an estimated 750 million people worldwide on television.
Diana wore a with a 25-foot train, considered the longest in history. David and Elizabeth Emanuel, also known as the Emanuels, designed the dress.
The gown was crafted from ivory silk taffeta and antique Carrickmacross lace, which had previously belonged to Diana’s great-grandmother-in-law, Queen Mary. Embroidery, sequins and over 10, 000 pearls adorned its waistline, hem and train. The dress later fetched$ 381, 000 at auction.
Charles and Diana split up in 1992, and they divorced in 1996.
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Prince William and Kate Middleton,$ 37 Million
Image Credit: Getty Images Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding took place on April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London. According to CBS, the ceremony reportedly cost an average of$ 34 million, or$ 48 million after inflation.
Sarah Burton designed the outfit for Alexander McQueen, and Middleton wore it. The dress, crafted by 30 seamstresses, featured intricate lace work and a 9-foot-long train and took a year to complete. She also wore the Cartier Halo Tiara, borrowed from Queen Elizabeth II’s vault.
The event was attended by 1, 900 guests and watched by an estimated global TV audience of 300 million people, with 72 million live streams on YouTube.
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Queen Letizia and King Felipe of Spain,$ 25 million
Image Credit: Getty Images King Felipe of Spain ( now King Felipe VI ) and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano married on May 22, 2004, in Madrid. According to BBC Mundo, the ceremony cost$ 25 million, which translates to$ 41 million after inflation.
The Cathedral Santa Mara la Real de la Almudena hosted the ceremony. Letizia wore a Prussian Diamond Tiara, which her mother-in-law Queen Sofia had loaned to her, and a gown by Spanish fashion designer Manuel Pertegaz. Her dress was Valencia silk, with a high collar, long sleeves, and a 15-foot train-sized skirt. It had gold embroidery that portrayed wheat ears and fleur de lys.
A lunch for approximately 1, 500 guests was served at the Prince’s Patio of the Royal Palace, where both King Juan Carlos and Prince Felipe gave speeches.