Celebrity Weddings

Eva Longoria & Tony Parker: A Fabulous French Wedding – Part 2

Chris Morton — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 20:07:45 +0000

Bridal Gifts

For bridal party gifts, Eva's bridesmaids were given Rafe Swarovski clutches that matched their dresses at a cost of nearly $400 each. As for wedding favors for the guests, each woman attending was given a lipstick in a color that had been custom created for the wedding (it was called Pink Romance) by L'Oreal Paris and an 18 carat gold bracelet from Van Cleef & Arpel decorated with a clover made from mother of pearl.

After the beauty of the ceremony, it was only natural to head to another fairy tale location for the reception and what could possibly be more fairy tale than a 17^th century castle such as the Chateau of Vaux le Vicomte on the outskirts of Paris? The sky above the castle was completely lit up by fireworks as a way of sharing their celebration with everyone in the area as well as their more immediate guests. Besides a very romantic first dance to Peter Gabriel's version of “Book of Love” by the couple, another high point of the event was a portrait painted on the spot of Eva by a French artist. Most of the guests were absolutely amazed at how fast he worked and how beautiful the painting turned out to be.

So What Can You Copy?

While your wedding budget may not be as large as Eva and Tony's, you can still find ways to incorporate some of their ideas into your event. Let's start with location. The couple picked France because it was where Tony was from and had special meaning for him. It probably didn't hurt that Paris is known for being a city of romance. Of course you don't have to go to Paris, but you can choose a location for your wedding that is meaningful for both of you. Don't just assume your only option is the church down the street. Even if you're on a tight budget, you can have a wedding in another location, although it definitely helps to have a wedding planner in that area making the arrangements on your behalf.

Also, if you are having a destination wedding, even in another state, make sure you know the guidelines for weddings in that location. Different states and different countries have different rules about how long you have to wait for the marriage license and whether a church ceremony is sufficient. Without that information, you could end up encountering plenty of problems for your wedding.

Welcoming More Friends

Eva and Tony also realized that some parts of their wedding should be for close friends and family while others could be open to a larger circle of acquaintances. That's something you should keep in mind when planning your wedding, too. If your budget doesn't allow you to invite 300 people to your reception, then invite those 300 people to your wedding and have a low-key reception for just your inner circle the next day. Or if you're having a destination wedding and can't afford to help pay the travel costs of 100 guests, just invite a handful of your nearest and dearest then throw a wonderful reception for everyone else when you get back. Remember sometimes the key to a great wedding is making concessions.

And definitely keep in mind the fabulous gifts Eva gave to her bridesmaids and to the female guests attending the wedding. An ordinary person probably can't afford those expensive gifts or even have lipstick custom made by a major cosmetic company. However, some online companies do offer custom-blended lipstick. BeYourselfBeauty.com will create a lipstick color for you based on a color sample for $25 per tube. That might be too pricey for a wedding favor, but it might make a nice gift for your bridesmaids. For bridal party gifts, you can give a present that will be useful at the wedding, such as earrings, a matching purse, or even custom lipstick – there's nothing wrong with that.

More Ideas….

For the wedding favors, consider having your own customized candy created. M & M's, for example, can be customized to match your wedding colors and to include special messages for your guests, plus they can be placed in decorative packaging and shipped to you so all you have to add is the tag and you're done. Pricing varies from nearly $4 per bag to well over $11 depending on the packaging you choose.

The bottom line is that you may not be followed by the paparazzi during your wedding like Eva and Tony were and you may not have any celebrity guests sitting in the back of your church, but you can still have a magical, fairy tale wedding that makes a great impression on your guests and that you'll love remembering for years to come.

Eva Longoria & Tony Parker:A Fabulous French Wedding – Part 1

Chris Morton — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 20:02:43 +0000

Most brides – and some grooms – dream of having an incredible wedding with plenty of beautiful decorations in a fairy tale setting, but only some can make that dream a full-fledged reality without having to stick to a budget. One of those happy brides is Eva Longoria, best known for her role as Gabrielle on Desperate Housewives, who wed NBA basketball player Tony Parker in July.

Romantic Country

Because Tony hails from France and is the captain of the French national basketball team, it was only natural that the couple would return to the most romantic country on earth to exchange their wedding vows before a large crowd of friends and family members. And while you may not be able to fly to France for a destination wedding or even get Jessica Alba to attend your big event, you can still learn a lot about having a fabulous wedding just by seeing what they've done.

Why Just On One Day?

One thing celebrities understand is that you don't have to celebrate your wedding on a single day when you can spread it out for an entire week. Eva and Tony started their celebration on July 2^nd with a a party in St. Tropez for them and thirty of their friends. The couple and their guests kept dancing and having a good time until almost 3 o'clock in the morning at one of the area's best night clubs.

Then, Eva and Tony had to have a civil ceremony. In France and many European countries, a church wedding doesn't seal the deal. You have to make things legal with the government separately – that's a little different than in the U. S. So the couple turned their civil ceremony into a private affair. The couple hosted a lunch in the afternoon for the small group of friends and family members who would be present then they were driven to the government building in white stretch limousines. After the civil ceremony, Tony and Eva went back to their $11,000 a night suite at the Park Hyatt in Paris.

And then…

Following a good night of sleep (hopefully), the couple made their way to the Church of Saint Germain l'Auxerrois near the Louvre in Paris where they would have their true wedding celebration. Their guest list included about 250 people, including the most of the Desperate Housewives cast, many of Tony's teammates, and dozens of other celebrities and sports professionals.

Because the couple had selected one of the most historic and beautiful cathedrals in Paris for their wedding, they didn't need to do a lot of decorating to make the location come to life. Instead, they simply decorated with more than 1,000 gorgeous flowers.

Singers & Short Engagements - The May Weddings of Two Amy’s

Chris Morton — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:50:22 +0000

While most of us fall in love, have a fairly long engagement, then get married, musicians do things a little faster. Back in May, two of the hottest voices in music today tied the knot after short engagements to their respective new hubbies. One of those voices was Amy Lee, lead singer for the multi-platinum Evanescence. The other was Amy Winehouse, a British singer most famous in the U. S. for her song “Rehab.”

Amy Lee was married on May 6^th just four months after becoming engaged to Josh Hartzler, a therapist she has been friends with for many years and for whom she wrote “Bring Me Back to Life” – one of her band’s hit songs from their first album. Unlike many celebrity weddings, Amy and Josh were married at her family’s home in Arkansas with her grandmother acting standing in as the ceremony performer. As one might expect from Amy’s clothing choices, her wedding dress was done in the Victorian style. While the real stand out of the wedding was the gorgeous cake decorated in an unusual brilliant blue color. Despite the color, the cake was really just layers of white and chocolate cake with a coconut filling and a dyed cream cheese icing. Afterward, the couple disappeared to the Bahamas for their honeymoon.

Amy and Josh’s engagement took forever compared to the Amy Winehouse’s. She became engaged to her on and off again boyfriend, Blake Fiedler-Civil who ran errands on music video shoots, in April and the two were married on May 18^th in Miami, Florida. While most of the details are pretty hush-hush, the gorgeous Tiffany engagement ring Blake gave her is definitely not a secret.

Stars’ Secrets

So what can ordinary couples take away from these two marriages from the music world? Well, one is that you don’t necessarily need a long engagement before you get married, especially if you’re planning something simple. Long engagements are nice because they give you lots of time to plan, but sometimes it can be nice to say “I will” just a few months before you say “I do.” At least you wouldn’t have as long to worry about the planning!

The other thing you can learn from Amy and Josh and Amy and Blake is the importance of staying true to your own style when you’re planning your wedding. If you’re known for loving gothic clothes, then don’t hesitate to wear a gothic wedding dress and to design your entire wedding around that theme. If you’re known for being a little wild and crazy, run off to Miami or some other city and tie the knot then come home for a reception with your friends and family. The important thing is that your wedding is a reflection of you – both of you – and that you’re happy with it whether it’s an elaborate church wedding with 200 guests, a private ceremony with your family, or an elopement in South Beach.

Rod Stewart & Penny Lancaster - Dreamy Destination Weddings

Chris Morton — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:43:02 +0000

The obvious connection between models and musicians continues as Rod Stewart and English model Penny Lancaster tied the knot in June. Stewart was previously married to slightly more famous model Rachel Hunter who left him in 1999 and ended the marriage in 2006. Stewart has also had children with a couple of other models, despite being significantly older than most of them. The age difference between Rod and Penny is 26 years.

Married in Style

Age differences and career choices aside, Rod and Penny do know how to get married in style. They rode his yacht, the Lady Ann Magee, into the Mediterranean along the French and Italian Riviera. After visiting many of the cities along the shore, they were officially wed in a civil ceremony in Santa Margherita by a town hall official. The next day the couple and one hundred of their closest friends and family members, including several of Rod’s seven children, gathered in a medieval abbey at La Cervara, a town near Portofino in Italy.

After the nuptials, the couple – Rod dressed in a light blue suit and Penny decked out in a white cocktail dress – were serenaded by kitled bagpipe players before heading back to their yacht. The couple’s honeymoon will just be a continuation of their trip through the Mediterranean.

Ideas to Copy

Most likely, you’re not a wealthy musician or a model, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take something away from Rod and Penny’s beautiful ceremony. For starters, you may not own a yacht but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t use one in your wedding. Yacht rental is big business and is probably more affordable than you think, especially considering the costs of booking on-land sites for your ceremony and reception. You don’t necessarily have to sail anywhere, but you can have the yacht docked off the coast of a gorgeous beach and exchange your vows with a glorious sunset in the background. Plus, the yacht’s captain might even be qualified to be your officiant – it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

Does a Destination Have to be Far Away?

Of course, if you’re not keen about getting married on a yacht, you could consider a destination wedding. You don’t have to travel to Italy or France. You don’t even have to travel very far at all to have a destination wedding. No matter where you live you’re probably within a few hours drive of a great romantic place where you can exchange your vows.

Even if you do have a destination wedding, you don’t have to leave your family and friends out of the festivities. Maybe you can’t bring 100 with you the way Rod and Penny did, but you could choose a few of the people closest to you to come along for the ride. If your budget lets you pay for their trip or part of their trip that’s great but if not just provide them with plenty of time to make their plans and to save up a great trip with you.

Garth Fisher & Jessica Canseco - A Home Wedding with Great Entertainment

Chris Morton — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:34:40 +0000

Lots of women have been told by their mothers to marry doctors but what about a doctor who is also the star of a reality television show? Wouldn’t that make him an even better catch? Only former Playboy model Jessica Canseco can answer that question. After a six month engagement, Jessica said “I do” and married Garth Fisher, the plastic surgeon star of Extreme Makeover on ABC.

Garth and Jessica had been dating for about a year before their engagement in December 2006 at the home of a friend. When they decided to tie the knot, they decided to get married in their own home in Bel-Air with more than four dozen of their closest friends and family members in late June.

Seasonal Style

The wedding itself was everything you might imagine. The ceremony was held in a blossoming orchard overlooking the mountains and the ocean. Instead of the traditional white wedding gown, Jessica opted for ivory (a popular color choice for celebrity brides this season). The dress was satin and covered in plenty of hand-stitched details, including crystals and pearls.

As a sweet touch, Jessica’s mother walked her down the aisle and also served as her maid of honor. Garth and Jessica’s daughters from previous relationships served as the flower girls in the procession.

During the reception, all of the guests were treated to a one-of-a-kind performance by members of the famed Cirque du Soleil group. Some of the five performers were able to do their contortion routines in the couple’s pool.

Could You Have a Home Wedding?

While not as fabulous as some celebrity weddings, there was plenty to love about Garth and Jessica’s romantic and fun special day. And there are a few things you can learn from it, too.

For starters, never underestimate the appeal of a home wedding. You don’t need an orchard overlooking the ocean to have the perfect site for your wedding. Even the blandest backyard can be spruced up with some plants, trees, rented fountains, and maybe an arched trellis. Of course, you don’t even have to go outside. A small ceremony in your living room or great room would be a good choice, too.

If you want a home wedding, but you don’t really want it to be your home there are options. You’d be surprised how many people are willing to rent out their homes for special events. If you know of a particularly beautiful home or backyard where you’d love to have your event, approach the owner. Also consider any historic homes in your area. Many times these are available for rent for weddings.

Another great idea from Garth and Jessica’s wedding was the entertainment. Cirque du Soleil are amazing performers, but you don’t have to hire a professional troupe of highly paid contortionist to make your reception entertainment a hit. But don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Your only choices are not just a band or a deejay. Consider hiring magicians, comedians, dancers, or artists to provide entertainment for your guests. If you don’t want that type of entertainment, rent a bubble blower, set off fireworks, have a dove release, provide hot air balloon or helicopter rides, rent a carousel. Don’t limit yourself to what you think you’re supposed to have at your wedding reception. Pick something that will be fun and different.

Can a Private Ceremony Be Romantic?

Chris Morton — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 06:40:28 +0000

John McGinley and Nichole Kessler’s Wedding Answers That Question

Not all celebrity engagements end up at the altar, that’s just a sad fact in Hollywood. Couples come and couples go. However, some couples not only end up saying “I do” but their ceremonies also illustrate some amazing ideas the rest of us can modify for our own special romantic wedding celebrations. John McGinley, who plays Dr. Cox on Scrubs, and his new wife Nichole Kessler, who is yoga instructor, are one such couple.

The couple already had a romantic engagement, but their small wedding ceremony at their own Malibu home surrounded by a few dozen of their closest loved ones also seemed like a fairytale.

Let’s look at just a few of the highlights. For one, John’s 9 year old son, Max, walked down the aisle with his new stepmother while John was accompanied to the altar by his two chocolate Labrador retrievers – a precious way to get the entire family involved.

Another interesting part of the ceremony was the officiant. Even before the service began, she told the couple they could be affectionate with one another, so John and Nichole exchanged a romantic kiss in front of everyone even before they were proclaimed “husband and wife.” Speaking of the ceremony, the couple also chose to write their own vows. John’s vows actually made all of the guests begin crying because they were so touching and sincere.

Afterward, the small band of guests enjoyed a reception of sushi and dancing then the group continued the party inside the couple’s garage until past 3 am.

This particular wedding demonstrates at least one of the newer trends becoming common in celebrity weddings today: staying at home. More and more couples are opting to exchange their vows in the privacy and comfort of their own homes (most are bigger than your average church anyway, right?). The good thing about this idea is it tends to reduce the bride and groom’s anxiety because they’re in a familiar setting, plus the ceremony is more cozy and intimate than it would be in a gigantic church or hall. Plus, you have more freedom to decorate, to choose wedding music, and to determine how long your reception will last. Plus, you probably won’t have to mail maps to your guests so they can find the location.

Another element of this ceremony that is really nice is the inclusion of John’s son and his dogs. Many couples do come into the relationship with a pre-existing family of kids or pets so finding ways to add their presence to the ceremony or reception is a nice idea. For example, the children could pass out wedding programs or help people find their seats at the reception while the pets can walk down the aisle as the ring bearers or flower girls (if they are well-trained, of course).

Besides the fun of the reception – which is, of course, what the reception should be all about – the other nice details that other couples should consider is the writing of their own vows. While there’s nothing wrong with reciting the traditional vows, there is something special about taking that moment to honestly communicate your feelings for one another in front of everyone you care about. Just remember to be sincere and to practice before the big day.

Jordana Brewster & Andrew Form

Chris Morton — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 06:35:27 +0000

Several Good Ideas for Engagements & Weddings

Meeting on the set of a horror movie might be enough to scare some couples away from the altar, but that’s not the case with one couple who announced their engagement in April 2007 and were married just one month later. Actress Jordana Brewster, who’s probably most well-known for playing Mia in The Fast and the Furious and for being named one of the sexiest women alive by Maxim in 2005, met her new husband, Andrew Form, on the set of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – The Beginning in 2005. Andrew was one of the film’s producers.

While their romance is interesting and may be a great story for their future children, what may be more important – at least for the rest of us – are some of the elements of that relationship. For example, Andrew had a sneaky way of picking out Jordana’s engagement ring. While the two of them were browsing through shops, he noticed her admiring a particular 3.2 carat diamond ring. Of course, that’s the ring he ended up choosing for her.

The choosing of the ring may have been smooth sailing but the engagement itself proved more difficult because Jordana suspected a proposal would soon be coming, especially when he took her on a vacation to a California ranch to celebrate their one year anniversary. Because he wanted to surprise her, he waited until things were going badly – they had a big fight in the middle of a department store – and then popped the question.

Just a short time after their engagement, the couple headed to the Bahamas and exchanged their vows in a private ceremony. Unlike high profile couples, they preferred to keep their special day low-key and special instead of turning it into a media circus.

So what can the rest of learn from their romance? Well, guys especially can learn some potentially useful tricks about how to get engaged without dropping too many hints. What Andrew did right was to pay attention during their jewelry window shopping to determine which ring Jordana would love. The nice thing is that local malls are usually full of jewelry stores so browsing doesn’t have to seem any more unusual than a trip to the mall.

However, Andrew clearly made a mistake by trying to surprise her with an engagement during a special trip and on an anniversary. For surprise engagements, you really want to choose a random date. Maybe even a weekday or a day when you always get together would be a good time for asking that all-important question. You don’t necessarily have to do anything special; the engagement itself will be special enough.

Their decision to have a short engagement and a private ceremony is another idea worth considering, especially for younger couples who are just getting started with their professional lives. Lavish weddings are costly and start many couples off in debt, especially since the average wedding costs around $20,000. Another option is to have a small wedding now, then throw a much bigger celebration down the road – perhaps to celebrate your fifth or tenth anniversary. Using this approach, you’ll end up enjoying the best of both worlds.

Another Engagement for Ugly Betty Cast

Chris Morton — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:14:16 +0000

Ashley Jensen and Ana Ortiz, who play Christina McKinney and Hilda Suarez respectively on Ugly Betty, recently announced that they were off the market. Ashley eloped with her long-time boyfriend in Big Sur while Ana will be marrying her musician-boyfriend in Puerto Rico in June. They're not the only ones getting married from the cast, however.

Wedding Announcement

Ugly Betty's executive producer and frequent guest Star, Salma Hayek announced in March that she was also going to be getting married. Her future husband is François-Henri Pinault, the CEO of the firm which owns Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. Hayek's future father-in-law is an avid art collector and owns more than 2,500 expensive pieces. As you might imagine, she's marrying into a financially secure family – their fortune is estimated to be around $7 billion, give or take a billion.

Forty-four year old Pinault formerly dated Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise's ex-wife, and was married himself for several years. Salma, who is 40, is used to dating actors, including Edward Norton and Josh Lucas.

Of course, the engagement and the success of Ugly Betty aren't the only pieces of good news for Salma lately: she's also pregnant with her first child. That may seem kind of fast since the couple have been dating less than a year, but sometimes things just fall into place at the right time (it probably doesn't hurt that his family is very well-off).

What to Wear?

Since no wedding date has been set and Salma is already starting to show, it raises an interesting question: what's a pregnant bride going to wear for her special day? While it used to be poor taste for a bride to walk down the aisle while clearly showing a pregnant stomach (remember the baby creating was supposed to be reserved for the honeymoon), today more women don't have a problem with being a clearly pregnant bride.

In fact, you can find special maternity wedding gowns designed specifically for pregnant brides. These dresses maximize the bride's comfort while also flattering her new figure. If you become pregnant while planning your wedding and don't expect to be showing that much on your big day, you could probably safely go ahead with the dress you originally selected but make sure to do your final fitting as close to the wedding date as possible. Ask anyone who has ever had a baby and you'll know just how quickly you can outgrow your clothes.

Health Thoughts Too?

Besides the dress, pregnant brides have other special concerns, such as their health. In those last weeks before the big day, stress is high. And stress can be a real problem for expecting moms, so it's important to do everything possible to keep that stress down. Brides also have a tendency to stop eating properly and dehydration sometimes occurs to brides on their wedding day because they never get a chance to drink anything except maybe a few glasses of champagne at the reception (a big no-no for pregnant brides anyway).

In reality, there's no reason why Salma or any other mom-to-be can't proudly walk down the aisle while she's showing, but they should take special precautions so they stay healthy for themselves and for their babies.

Ugly Betty Stars Finding Love & Marriage

Chris Morton — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 14:04:39 +0000

Fans of the ABC dramedy Ugly Betty might want to wonder what type of love potion the caterers are sprinkling over the food on the show's set. Within months, one cast member said “I do” while another said “I will.” And there was certainly nothing unattractive about either significant event.

At the end of January 2007, Ashley Jensen who plays Christina McKinney, a Scottish seamstress who works at fictional MODE magazine, on the series tied the knot with her boyfriend, Terence Beesley, who is also an actor and a writer. Even though the couple had plenty of time to plan a fabulous wedding – they've been a couple for over 7 years – they opted for a private elopement in California.

Spur of Moment

The whole elopement was a spur of the moment event. Ashley had a day off from shooting, so the couple brought along a minister and their dog, Barney, to be a ring bearer and exchanged their vows in the beauty of a Big Sur forest. Unlike many brides who love the idea of planning out all of the intricate details including picking the font for their wedding invitations, Ashley just wanted to focus on the special day not all of the details.

A few months earlier, Ana Ortiz who plays Hilda Suarez, Betty's older sister, became engaged to her boyfriend, Noah Lebenzon, a California musician. The couple planned a June 9th wedding to take place in Puerto Rico where Ana was born.

Traditional Too

The engagement, unlike co-star Ashley's elopement, was very traditional. Noah called her father to get his permission before going down on one knee to pop the question. Obviously, she agreed.

One thing we can learn from these celebrity stories of elopement and engagement is the importance of doing your own thing when it comes to your wedding. You don't have to choose a formal wedding with hundreds of guests, photographers, limos, and catering to celebrate your marriage nor do you have to find a secluded forest to tie the knot with your pet dog as a witness. You can have a traditional down-on-one-knee engagement or you can choose something more unique like the ring in the champagne trick.

Choose the Best for You

You can do whatever fits your style best. For example, if don't want to elope but you're not crazy about having a big wedding either, you could compromise. Have a private ceremony and invite only a handful of your closest family members and friends. You could hold the wedding in a small church, in a botanical garden, on a beach, in Las Vegas . . . you get the idea. Afterward, you could always host a larger reception for everyone else.

When it comes to engagements, you could be traditional like Noah or you could throw in your own special touches. For example, you could get engaged at the top of a ferris wheel or at the restaurant where you had your first date. For Noah and Ana, the engagement was a private affair, but it doesn't have to be. A surprise engagement party is a fun way to ask that important question and spread the news quickly among friends simultaneously, although it's usually only a good option if you're pretty confident the answer will be “yes.”

The bottom line is that whether you're planning an engagement, an elopement, or a formal wedding, find ways to add your own style to the event. You'll be happier with the results.

Elizabeth Hurley & Aran Nayar: Two Ceremonies; No Exes

Chris Morton — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 13:52:42 +0000

One of the most talked about weddings in recent months was between Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar in March 2007. Elizabeth, 41, is best known as an actress in films such as Austin Powers and Bedazzled, but she also recently launched a line of swim wear being sold through Saks Fifth Avenue and Harrods. Her new husband is the CEO of a software company.

Two Weddings Are Better Than One

The couple actually celebrated their wedding twice. First, they were married at Sudeley Castle in England. The elaborate wedding was said to cost around £2 million (just under $4 million USD). Hurley was walked down the aisle not by her father but by Elton John who is also the one of her son's godfathers. Although a number of British celebrities were in attendance, none of those guests included any of Hurley's ex-partners, including Hugh Grant who is also her son's godfather or Stephen Bing who is the father, or Nayar's ex-wife Valentina Pedroni, an Italian model.

After the British celebration, Elizabeth and Arun flew to India for a second wedding. Because Arun was raised in India, the couple decided to also be married in a Hindu ceremony at the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur. Instead of a Western wedding gown, Elizabeth wore a traditional sari designed for her by Donatella Versace.

Clearly the costs of both weddings puts such festivities out of the reach of ordinary brides and grooms, but there's still something to be gained from their huge event. First, there's an important consideration more and more couples have to make today: should we invite ex-partners?

Ex-Partners Too?

Etiquette books don't always cover this properly because when those rules were written women and men were getting married early and didn't have time to develop significant relationships with other people. Clearly, that's no longer the case. Elizabeth's relationship with Hugh Grant, for example, lasted thirteen years. Arun was married to his ex-wife for six years. Other “regular” people have similar issues, including the parents of their children, their ex-spouses, etc.

In the case of Elizabeth and Arun, they decided not to invite their ex-partners because it would be too sad of an event for them, although that may not be the whole truth. Elizabeth's most recent ex, Stephen Bing, fought her about paternity of his son and Arun described his marriage to Pedroni as “mental torture” so there may be other reasons for keeping them off the guest list.

Etiquette dictates only that you let your ex-partners know about the wedding, usually by sending them an announcement. If you're still good friends with them, then you could invite them to the wedding and/or reception but only if it's acceptable to the new partner.

Second, since Elizabeth and Arun come from different cultures, it makes sense to have two different culture ceremonies. There's no reason other couples can do the same thing. In some cases, it's cheaper for the bride and groom to fly to another state or country for a second ceremony than it would be to fly in family members from a long distance. If you both have different religions, having separate weddings is a good way to show respect for each other's faith but also a nice way to show respect for one another's families.

Like Elizabeth and Arun, more couples are facing these challenging choices because they are waiting longer to get married and are often marrying people outside of their immediate culture. Neither trend is bad – in fact, they may even be good – but they do force some couples to make tough decisions.