Why do rich people do this at their weddings…?

Ahh, the rich and famous: they’re just like us! They fall in love, get engaged… and wed in gazillion-dollar celebrations complete with private Beyoncé concerts. Oh, wait.

Have you ever seen a ridiculously lavish wedding and thought, “But… why though?” This article is for you. We’ve compiled the most bizarre and ostentatious additions from rich weddings through the ages.

From towering cakes that could double as skyscrapers to floral arrangements costing more than a luxury car, these are the weddings that redefine the word ‘extra.’ Whether it’s a dress embedded with diamonds or a venue that’s literally a castle, these nuptials are all about pushing the boundaries of extravagance.

Private concerts

Do you have a favourite artist? Or maybe you’re planning on hearing that one special song as you advance down the aisle. Well, what about shipping that artist in for one private concert? When multi-billionaire Anant Ambani and his fiancé, Radhika Merchant, recently tied the knot, they flew none other than Justin Beiber in for a pre-wedding performance. While it’s undoubtedly excessive, this is one ostentatious display of wealth we would invest in, given the resources. Who would you have behind the mic at your wedding? If past weddings are anything to go by, you could get anyone from Bruno Mars to Elton John to perform.

High-tech invitations

Whatever happened to a classic paper wedding invitation? Or the modern-day casual equivalent: the wedding invite SMS. LED wedding invitations were the go-to for the union of mining baron G Janardhan Reddy’s daughter, Brahmani Reddy and Industrialist Vikram Deva Reddy’s son Rajeev Reddy. The invitation consisted of a royal blue box equipped with an LCD screen, which played a three-minute-long video of family members in multiple luxurious outfit changes, surrounded by flowers and — naturally — white horses.

Paid celebrity appearances

This is one Richy McRich wedding choice we don’t understand. Having a VIP invite list is one thing, but to pay people to attend your wedding? Surely, your guest list should feature your nearest and dearest. As to who you can have in attendance with the right connections (and capital), the list is under wraps. However rumour has it, for a pretty penny, socialite-extraordinaires Kim and Khloe Kardashian will show up to your big day to help you celebrate!

International chefs

Catering is one of the most important parts of a wedding—after all, no one wants to deal with a throng of hangry wedding guests. Regardless of who is behind the pots and pans, a grazing table laden with sweet and savoury treats or a decadent three-course meal is a delight. However, those with a little extra coin will sometimes opt for a celebrity chef to create a custom menu for their wedding feast. The famous Wolfgang Puck is one culinarian gun-for-hire favoured by the elite.

27 wedding cakes

Red velvet? Traditional fruit? Something a little fun and tropical? The options for a delicious wedding cake are only as limited as your palate. Did you know that Princess Diana and Charles had 27 wedding cakes for their 1981 wedding? The main one was a whopping five feet tall and weighed over 100kg. You or I might wolf down a helping of wedding cake like it’s nothing, but some more savvy guests pocketed their little slice of history — pieces of the wedding cake were still being auctioned off years later!

Historical sites

At Easy Weddings, we adore a picturesque wedding venue as much as the next bunch of romance enthusiasts. The rich and famous take it to a whole different level, though! Imagine renting THE Palace of Versailles for your wedding bash. That’s what Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni did for their 2008 wedding ceremony. Oh, and did we mention this was merely 11 weeks after the couple first met? The French president and iconic beauty even spent their wedding night in a historical lovenest: The Versailles hunting lodge. Sacré Bleu!