The world's 10 most expensive weddings

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If you thought your wedding budget was getting out of hand, wait until you see the wedding budgets of some of the world’s wealthiest lovebirds.

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No. 10 – Larry Fortensky was husband No.8 for screen legend Elizabeth Taylor and, though hers was the least expensive wedding on our list, it’s nothing to sneeze at given her wedding cost a whopping $3.8 million.

Sadly, it lasted just five years

No.9 – The daughter of Judy Garland, Liza Minelli wed concert promoter David Gest in a lavish $4.3 million ceremony. It was the fourth of her four marriages and lasted about 1.5 years, though it was five years before they officially divorced.

No. 8 – As the daughter of former US president Bill Clinton and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Chelsea Clinton is the closest thing to political royalty the US has. So, when she married investment banker Marc Mezvinsky in 2010, chances are the couple didn’t need to take out a wedding loan to cover the costs of her reception, her stunning Vera Wang gown or their $11,000 wedding cake!

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No.7 – Manchester United footballer Wayne Rooney wed his childhood sweetheart in a lavish Italian ceremony which was followed by a masked ball. Despite the unseasonable rain which almost ruined their perfect day, their $7.7 million nuptials were summed up quite simply by London’s Telegraph: “The bride cried, the guests cheered and the groom looked “sporty but elegant”

No.6 – A local wedding band or DJ doesn’t cut it at a wedding between a Russian billionaire and a model turned pop star, so when Andrey Melnichenko married Aleksandra Kokotovich on France’s Cote d’Azur, only international superstars such as Christina Aguilera and Whitney Houston would do. Both were flown to France on private jets courtesy of the bride and groom. Ohhhh, that’s where the wedding costs must have blown out…

No.5 – What a wedding England’s Prince William had when he married commoner Kate Middleton. Though the ceremony, held at the venerable Westminster Abbey, was filled with pomp and circumstance, the couple obviously had a blast – and love each other dearly. Though tears were shed, it wasn’t over the cost of the wedding, which was picked up by British taxpayers. Ouch.

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No.4 – When the daughter of India’s richest man marries, you can bet the wedding is going to be impressive to say the least and boy, oh, boy was it! The seven-day celebration was held in France. It started with a ceremony at the Palace of Versailles and ended with fireworks over the Eiffel Tower, but only after a performance by Aussie songstress, Kylie Minogue.

No.3 – Despite being held three decades before their son William’s marriage to Kate Middleton (No.5), Prince Charles and Lady Diana’s wedding was far, far more expensive, costing nearly four times as much. Bet they didn’t have to take out a wedding loan for that one…

No.2 – Want to save money on your wedding? Take a leaf out of billionaire Indian industrialist Subrata Roy’s book and hold a double wedding! Subrata saved a pretty penny when his sons Seemanto and Sushanto Roy held their ceremonies together. Do you know how much he saved on not having to hold TWO weddings and invite TWO sets of guests? Now, that’s financially savvy…
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No. 1  – Gong for the most expensive wedding ever goes to the United Arab Emirates’ Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum whose 1979 wedding to Hind Bint Maktoum cost a whopping $137 million – and that was nearly 35 years ago. Sheikha Hind is the most senior of his 40 wives.