Saturday July 29, 6:30
pm
Pitt and Aniston tie the
knot
[Photograph: MICHAEL SANVILLE
/ AP ]
Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and
Jennifer Aniston have got married in a private ceremony estimated to be
costing $1m. Some 200 guests were invited to the wedding, held as the sun
set (6:30 pm) over the Pacific Ocean. The wedding was held at the estate
of television executive Marcy Carsey in Malibu, California.
The actresses Salma Hayek and
Cameron Diaz and the Scottish actor Alan Cumming were there, as was the
rest of the cast of Friends. Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry and
David Schwimmer.
However, Aniston's mother was
not present - because of a long-running dispute between mother and daughter.
Nancy Aniston, 60, has said she fell out with her daughter in 1996 when
she made some comments on an American tabloid TV show about Jennifer's
hair. After the show was broadcast, she said her daughter phoned and screamed:
"I will never forgive you". Mrs Aniston has recently written a book, called
"From Mother and Daughter to Friends: A Memoir",
Police ensured that there was
tight security for the event, with airspace over the site restricted to
prevent helicopters with photographers disturbing the ceremony. Privacy
was further guaranteed by a large white tent erected on the Malibu cliffs
and head of security was Moshe Alon - a former Mossad operative often hired
by Elizabeth Taylor. Part of the Pacific Coast Highway was shut down to
accommodate the guests and workers and coloured balloons 300 ft overhead
were intended to discourage paparazzi helicopters. Pitt's lawyers had warned
helicopter companies in the area that if they hired out their craft to
anyone who broke California's privacy laws, they could be prosecuted.
Pitt, 36, and Aniston, 31,
have been together for almost two years. Pitt proposed to Aniston on millennium
eve. Speculation that they were about to tie the knot has been in the air
for several months but the anticipation only reached fever pitch last week.
The intense interest in the couple's union is not surprising since it brings
together two of Hollywood's hottest names.
More:
The rings used by Brad and Jen: designed by Italian jeweler Silvia Damiani
and engraved with "Brad" and "Jen" "2000". The rings are in white gold
and joined by 20 sterling white diamonds.
Aniston wore a floor-length
white satin silk gown, pearl beaded with a plunging back, designed by Lawrence
Steele and a matching veil that cascaded down her hair. Her ivory-colored,
suede high-heel sandals were designed by shoemaker Manolo Blahnik for Steele.
Her bouquet where white roses. The bridesmaids wore pale green silk chiffon
slip dresses with pale tafetta mules.
Pitt wore a black tuxedo designed
by Hedi Slimane. His attendants wore black tuxedos designed by Prada.
Before the wedding, the couple had reportedly enjoyed pre-ceremony
massages in beach side bungalows owned the wedding host and TV producer
Marcy Carsey.
Lanterns decorated the trees and a string quartet played for guests
upon their arrival. White wedding program scrolls awaited everyone on their
seats. At ten 'til six, Jennifer's father, John Aniston, arrived in a black
limo, eady to walk his daughter down the aisle. Two flower girls were eagerly
anticipating their moment, as a gospel choir prepared to sing. There was
an "aisle" - a stretch of white silk laid over "zen-style" Japanese-style
rush matting. And there were flowers everywhere.
After the nuptials, Brad and Jennifer celebrated to the Isley brothers'
song "Love is a Wonderful Thing," and Joe Cocker's "You are so Beautiful."
The partying continued in the large white reception tent next door, where
guests dined on spinach pie along with a wide variety of caviar, prime
rib and Maine lobsters.
Part of the reported one 100
thousand dollars spent on entertainment went to a 12-year-old Frank Sinatra
impersonator, who sang "The Way You Look Tonight" at Jennifer's request.
A special lounging area for smoking was set up outside -- and nearby stood
a trendy martini bar which featured specialty drinks like watermelon and
peach. A Don Perignon champagne toast was followed by dessert: a six tier
white confection decorated with flowers (from Rosebud Cakes). The evening
came to a close with the fifteen minute long fireworks spectacular, complete
with red, heart-shaped explosions.
The event cost $1 million, according to widespread media reports, including
$100,000 for security, $75,000 for flowers and $20,000 for fireworks. A
publicist did not immediately confirm those reports.
Top of
page
