Celebrity weddings are often the stuff of fairytales — extravagant ceremonies, lavish receptions, and wedding dresses that set the trends. When one read about celebrity weddings, sometimes it is mind-boggling how much they spent on the smallest things.

When celebrities get married, no price is too high to achieve the perfect fairytale wedding. However, no matter how outrageous the wedding may be, the things that will be talked about in the tabloids the next morning are the wedding dress, the reception party and what matters the most is who attended the wedding.

Not only that they make an extra effort to go out of their way to plan their wedding but they add personal touch to their wedding making it exclusive. Here aresome of the lavish wedding of the celebrities. — Agencies

Celebrating love lavishly

Rajasthan’s picturesque lake city Udaipur has become a favourite destination for celebrities to exchange their wedding vows. The latest in line are US millionaire NRI and hotel tycoon Vikram Chatwal and model Priya Sachdev.

Awed by the beauty of the city, both Vikram and Priya decided to have their pre-wedding parties in Udaipur before they actually tied the knot on February 19 in New Delhi. Udaipur’s famed City Palace was the centre of action where a gala party was held at its Janana Mahal. The Laxmi Chowk in the palace was done up beautifully and caught the fancy of the guests.

A number of celebrities including Samajwadi leader Amar Singh, Steel king Laxmi Mittal’s son Aditya Mittal, super model Naomi Campbell, actor Arjun Ramphal, Asha Parekh particpated in the wedding celebrations. US president’s wife Hillary Clintion and daughter Chelsea was also expected but then they could not make it. Vikram Chatwal had been planning the wedding for a year making an effort to show off India to his important visitors from all over the world.

Private affair

The three-day celebration of Bollywood star Aamir Khan ‘s wedding to his girlfriend Kiran Rao culminated to a grand reception party in Panchgani attended by several film stars, including Rani Mukherjee and Anil Kapoor. Food and drinks were seen being loaded into the venue — ‘Meherbai House’— an old Parsi bungalow, and there was a steady stream of cars going in and out for the grand reception.

This was Aamir’s second marriage after he divorced his first wife Reena some time back, but first one for Rao. Apparently, Kiran had done most of the wedding planning. She organised a musical festival at a private bungalow in Wai, featuring Sufi, Rajasthani folk, classical, ghazal and jazz music. A fleet of six limousines have been booked to take Aamir’s guests to Panchgani.

The Kapoor style wedding

Top stars of Bollywood attended the sangeet ceremony and the wedding of Riddhima Kapoor, daughter of Rishi and Neetu Kapoor. Riddhima tied the nuptial knot with Delhi-based businessman Bharat Sahni at ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton in Mumbai on January 25.

Both the wedding and the mehendi and sangeet were star-studded affairs attended by Bollywood celebrities including Shah Rukh Khan with wife Gauri, Salman Khan , Dilip Kumar with wife Saira Banu, Anil Kapoor , Rekha , Farhan Akhtar , Karan Johar , Rakesh Roshan , Sridevi with husband Boney Kapoor, Urmila Matondkar and Dimple Kapadia . But it was the sangeet ceremony that saw elaborate celebrations from the stars.

The wedding was a lavish affair and why shouldn’t it be. Riddhima is the member of the illustrious Kapoor family, the first family of Indian Cinema. Salman Khan was also present, sporting his new bald look. Salman is Riddhima’s childhood crush. She said that his presence was her best wedding gift.

Sophisticated wedding

The Grand Hyatt, Mumbai, was all set to host what was probably its event of the year — Fardeen Khan’s wedding on December 14, and reception on December 16. The ballroom and courtyard bustled with activity, and staff were found arranging things even into the wee hours of December 12.

The hotel’s Executive Sous Chef Anish Padgaonkar lead a team of about 80 to lend perfection to an elaborate buffet that, as usual, was the hallmark of the marriage. Cocktails flow was generous, of course, and to set the tone of the evening, there was lip-smacking items like Barbecue Chicken, Cilantro Fried Fish Tarts and Falafel with Chilli Tahina. The Fardeen Khan-Natasha Madhwani wedding was synonymous with sophistication. The elegant sophistication of the wedding held the city of Mumbai spellbound. Fardeen’s sister, Laila Khan Rajpal, an established artist, designed the wedding invitation with an elegant combination of Allah and Om and the initials of the bride and the groom in gold and silver. The reception attended by every Bollywood star and celebrity to follow soon after - looked resplendent with flowers, swathes of lame and silk and flickering lights. According to reports, this wedding was the most unusual in the history of Bollywood.

A one of its kind wedding ceremony

This is the couple whose wedding made news all over the world, as they arrived at the very posh Annabel’s nightclub in London for their engagement party. Vanisha, the bride, is the daughter of the richest Indian on the planet, London-based steel tycoon Laxmi Niwas Mittal.

Amit Bhatia, the bridegroom, is an investment banker based in the City, as London’s business district is called. He is the son of Delhi businessman Arun K Bhatia and his wife Renu and is an alumnus of Delhi’s St Columba’s School and British School. He is currently employed at the Credit Suisse First Boston investment bank in London. Their wedding went on for a week and they spent about millions of pounds.

The venues for the occasion were no less than the awesome Palace of Versailles. The guest list of 1,200 included the pick of Indian and British society. Bollywood stars were also present at the wedding and it is said that Javed Akhtar had written a one-hour play to be staged during the run-up to the wedding.