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Trump and Melania's $2.5 million wedding was so god damn extra

Photo credit: Lucien Capehart - Getty Images
Photo credit: Lucien Capehart - Getty Images

From Cosmopolitan

When it comes to, well, pretty much everything, Donald Trump isn't one to do things by halves – and the same certainly goes for weddings. When he and third wife Melania (née Knauss) tied the knot fifteen years ago, back on 25 January 2005, it was a star-studded, costly and extravagant affair. The price tag? A rumoured $2.5 million (a casual $100,000 of which was spent on Melania's custom-designed Dior dress).

Given that the couple have recently departed the White House (with the former President of the United States now awaiting trial for his second impeachment), many are now wondering what will come next for them. While their future is still largely unknown, we decided to take a look back at the big day that officially cemented their union...

The dress

Melania opted for a custom-made Dior gown that weighed in at 60lbs (which, to put into context, is the equivalent of carting around eight average-sized newborn babies on your person). According to Vogue, who put her on the cover wearing it, the dress featured 1500 diamonds and pearls, and took over 500 hours to create. Phew! Oh, and the price tag came in at $100,000 (£73,237). She paired it with some equally OTT headgear, jewels (including a hand-bracelet adorned with white roses) and a seriously impressive up-do.

Shortly after the event, The New York Times shared further details, saying it "included 90 meters of white satin, [a] skirt so wide and voluminous that for the wedding supper [Melania] was to be seated on a bench".

Photo credit: Jeffrey Langlois/Pb Daily News/Palm Beach Daily News/Shutterstock - Getty Images
Photo credit: Jeffrey Langlois/Pb Daily News/Palm Beach Daily News/Shutterstock - Getty Images

The venue

For the ceremony itself, the pair said their vows in Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, Palm Beach, Florida (and according to The New York Times, the part about having to "obey" was removed).

Following the formalities, the newlyweds and their guests returned to Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort (situated just a short car journey away) for supper, dancing in the newly renovated ballroom and a slice of 200lb wedding cake (said to have cost $50,000).

Photo credit: CAPEHART - Getty Images
Photo credit: CAPEHART - Getty Images

The ring

When Trump proposed in 2004, he presented Melania with an engagement ring from high-end jewellers, Graff, which in the past has been reported to be worth anything between £1m and £2.3m– so, naturally, the wedding band had to have some serious weight about it too. Also from Graff, the ring Melania was given on her big day is a white emerald cut diamond in platinum (estimated to have cost somewhere in the region of £500,000):

Photo credit: Stephen Lovekin/FilmMagic.com
Photo credit: Stephen Lovekin/FilmMagic.com

However, over the years it seems Melania prefers to wear her spennier engagement diamond over her actual wedding band:

Photo credit: Ken Cedeno - Getty Images
Photo credit: Ken Cedeno - Getty Images

The guests

Attended by 350 of their nearest and dearest, celebrities including Billy Joel, Simon Cowell and supermodel Heidi Klum were amongst those who witnessed Donald and Melania say "I do!". Trump's lawyer and former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani (yeah, the guy who had the leaky hair dye disaster and who featured in the second Borat movie), was also present.

Photo credit: Marc Serota - Getty Images
Photo credit: Marc Serota - Getty Images

The honeymoon

Where else but Trump's very own Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, of course? In fairness, Trump did buy the sprawling estate for $8m back in 1985 (meaning its value today is... a lot) and it comes complete with private chefs, chandeliers, a polo ground, swimming pools etc. etc. (basically think of any typical rich person thing and it's there).

Photo credit: CAPEHART - Getty Images
Photo credit: CAPEHART - Getty Images

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