Expenses for celebrity weddings can reach dizzying heights, and the nuptial celebration of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce—which, as you might have heard, took place on Friday—makes clear. Even a ceremony of modest means involves a financial output for a ceremony venue, the bride’s dress, and more. When that bride and groom-to-be are famous, the pressure is even higher to throw a wedding that’s as spectacular as it is lavish.
Swift and Kelce won’t be the last couple to hold a celebration with a massive price tag, we can be certain of that. And as this list of the most expensive celebrity weddings proves, they definitely weren’t the first.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana
With an estimated cost of nearly $46.89 million in July 1981—the equivalent of about $139.52 million today—the most expensive wedding in history remains that of Charles III and Lady Diana.
When you’re destined to become the king of England, nothing is over-the-top. More than 3,500 guests, a grand ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, and a custom-made wedding dress that has become iconic: Every detail of this event contributed to making it a true spectacle, and an exorbitantly expensive wedding.
Lady Diana and Prince Charles
Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The price tag for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to say “I do”? $54.9 million.
Nearly 600 guests were in attendance, including Oprah Winfrey, Idris Elba, David Beckham, and Elton John, who even performed several songs during the reception. Eagerly anticipated around the world, this royal wedding is considered one of the most spectacular in the history of the British royal family—but also one of the most expensive.
