Wedding World Records

Monday, January 26, 2009

I came across this article today on MSN.com and thought it was a bit of fun facts for all you newly engaged out there! It's all about the biggest and most expensive wedding details on record from wedding cakes to wedding parties to the most dogs. At a time when most couples are cutting back either due to finances or because it is the tasteful thing to do in this economy, I thought this was an interesting read!

And, yes, yes, yes, I know I have been a very bad blogger, but my regular blogging will be back this week! I have lots of great events and planning tips planned so check back regularly! While, I know it's a terrible excuse, it truly has been a very busy holiday season and even busier engagement season. Congrats to all of the newly engaged couples out there, specifically to the ones I am now working with! It's such an exciting time and you should enjoy every minute of it!!!


Wedding World Records
From the most expensive wedding to the biggest wedding cake ever, these over-the-top nuptials will amaze you and offer key wedding-planning advice.
By The Knot Editors

Think you've been to some over-the-top weddings? Here are a few of the biggest, oldest, and most expensive all-time wedding records, plus our take on how these impressive feats can inspire your own wedding.

Biggest Wedding Cake Ever
The towering wedding cake for Don Corleone's daughter in The Godfather has nothing on the confection baked by a team of 58 chefs at Connecticut casino Mohegan Sun in 2004. The seven-tiered cake weighed more than 15,000 pounds (with nearly 5,000 pounds of frosting!) and required some cooking tools not found in most kitchens — it took two forklifts to raise each tier.

Our take: The vanilla and almond frosting sounds delicious, but these days, bigger wedding cakes aren't always better. Cupcake stands in lieu of a wedding cake have been popular for a few years, and the hottest trend in wedding cakes right now is serving small, two-tiered cakes that double as centerpieces on each table.

Most Expensive Wedding
Though a billionaire Indian steel baron threw a $60 million wedding for his daughter in 2004, factor in inflation and the most expensive wedding was a seven-day affair for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, and his bride, Princess Salama. The 1981 wedding, which would cost $100 million today, included a stadium big enough for 20,000 wedding guests built especially for the celebration.

Our take: Every couple that struggles to stick to their wedding budget can learn a valuable lesson here: The bigger the guest list, the bigger the bill. Invite 20,000 of your nearest and dearest, and a price tag in the millions is understandable. If you're looking for ways to save, though, start by cutting your guest list.

Longest Wedding Dress Train
Here's a real nightmare for the bride who worries about tripping on her train during her walk down the aisle: The longest wedding train ever was 4,468 feet long, made by a bridal salon in Cyprus.

Our take: Your wedding dress is once-in-a-lifetime attire, and eye-catching details are great for the bride who relishes being in the spotlight. But it could take hundreds of bridesmaids to manage nearly a mile of fabric. Consider less hazardous add-ons, like silk flowers, lace cutouts, or intricate beading.

Oldest Bride
The oldest women to say "I do" was Minnie Munro, who was 102 years old when she married a man nearly 20 years her junior.

Our take: Amazing story, and totally in line with a trends we've seen for a while now, couples are waiting until they're a little older to get married, especially if they're paying for their own wedding.

Oldest Bridesmaid
Next time you hear someone complain about being too old to be a bridesmaid, think about Edith Gulliford of the UK, who was a bridesmaid at the age of 105.

Our take: Your bridesmaids should be the friends and family members closest to you. If one of those people happens to be a centegenarian, all the better!

The Longest Engagement Ever
Octavio Guillen and Adriana Martinez from Mexico certainly didn't rush down the aisle. The pair married when they were both 82 years old, 67 years after getting engaged.

Our take: An extended engagement certainly has its benefits — some of the best wedding vendors book more than a year in advance, so you'd have lots of time to plan ahead. But when an engagement turns from years to decades, it's worth having a discussion about potential commitment issues.

Biggest Dog Wedding
Residents of Littleton, Colorado, witnessed something in May 2007 that's never been seen before or since: the union of 178 canine couples.

Our take: We love the idea of including a pet in your wedding, but hundreds of dogs make for pretty substantial postwedding cleanup. Stick to training your dog to walk your rings down the aisle.

Sources: Guinness World Records; Forbes.com

3 comments:

TAL said...

Yes, these are definitely some wedding records.

I can't imagine having 58 wedding cake bakers/decorators make my wedding cake, or even spend 100 million on my wedding...that is crazy! I guess if you have the money, why not?!?

Great post.

Calvin Dunn said...

OMG! To think we were worried about you.

Now we know that you are too busy to to contact family over the holidays or your birthday.

Anyway, we miss you, your editorials are great.

Hey call us some day.

Dad

YEAH! said...

I love that the oldest bride was 102! I would have loved to have seen that wedding. Thanks for the post.