Katy Perry and Russell Brand’s wedding is happening this weekend in India. It seems like it’s very sudden, but it’s been in the works for a while, with Katy joking this spring that Russell was planning everything and had turned into a “Bridezilla.” They have either four or six days of festivities planned (reports vary) for their 75 guests, who are being flown in for their wedding this Saturday at a palace in the state of Rajasthan, India. Guests are staying at a luxury wildlife resort and several hotels nearby. US Weekly has some details in their print edition, and the Indian press has more.

Sources tell US Brand will ride into his ceremony on a horse, flanked by camels and elephants, during the processional at a palace in Rajasthan, India, where he proposed last New Year’s Eve. And Perry, for her part, will have a rotating bridal wardrobe from designers including Zuhair Murad and Donna Mizani. Needless to say, the Brands-to-be have spared no expense, flying nearly 75 guests in for the six-day extravaganza, which will feature folk dancers and fireworks. “It’s costing them hundreds of thousands of dollars,” the insider says. – US Magazine, print edition, November 1, 2010

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Suddenly… [a] luxury jungle retreat in Ranthambore has turned into a fortress with private security personnel cordoning off the whole area. All the entrances to the resort have been blocked. It was all for international celebrity couple Katy Perry and Russell Brand’s big fat wedding.

Sources said that Katy Perry and Russell Brand have arrived Rathambore for their much-awaited wedding this weekend, October 23. The wedding will [be] a four-day-affair from 23rd to 26th October.

Several hotels in Rathambore have been booked for the guests, who are expected to come for the wedding ceremony. The safari ride at the Rathambore National Park is expected to increase in the next couple of days with guests started pouring in. it is said that the locals have been asked not share the details of the wedding to the media. – OneIndia

[Sources in text]

US has pictures of the resort in their magazine, and you can see some more below. According to the resort’s website (which I’m not naming but it’s easy enough to find) they have 10 luxury tents that cost around $875 a night. It sounds like a very lavish expensive wedding that will be a ton of fun. I’m looking forward to seeing the inevitable photos, the sale of which will undoubtedly help defray some of the costs.

I wrote all that up when I noticed that Katy tweeted that she was hoping for privacy for her wedding. She wrote “Greatest gift u can give us is respect & ♥ during this private X. No use wasting ur X w/ STOLEN or FALSE info. Thnku for this.” I’ve redacted the name of one of the resorts where they’re staying and have not included the name of the rumored palace where they’ll be married, but I’m not going to scrap this whole story at this point. Does that mean Katy isn’t going to sell the pictures? Because I’m betting she will.

Photos below are from a resort they’re rumored to be staying at in India. Katy and Russell are shown at the Get Him to the Greek premiere on 5/25/10. Credit: Juan Rico/Fame Pictures. They’re also shown out on 6/6/10. Credit: WENN.com

Kate Moss has maybe married her boyfriend Jamie Hince. Kate and Jamie have been dating for… years? A few years, I think. Oh, it says that they got together in September of 2007. So they’ve been together three years. And they got engaged back in January. Anyway a source tells The Daily Mirror that Kate and Jamie were married “secretly” back in August. Nice. The details of the wedding are very airy-fairy though:

Model Kate Moss has married her long-term partner Jamie Hince. Kate, 36, went barefoot and wore a see-through white gown for the low-key ceremony in Sicily. Only close friends and family saw her tie the knot with rock guitarist Jamie, 40.

A source said: “It was quiet – but still very romantic.”

Only Kate Moss. Barefoot, see-through dress (happily no VPL), minimal make-up and a foreign clime – only Mossy could put on such a wedding. A modern-day Taming of the Shrew, I never thought I’d see the day this enigmatic, Croydon-born supermodel would walk down the aisle. But lanky, long-limbed rocker Jamie Hince has gone and done it – he’s persuaded Kate to give up her wild ways, and commit to him. For ever.

The couple, who met in September 2007, chose to wed in a small, picturesque church on the Mediterranean island of Sicily, away from all prying eyes. With only their closest friends in attendance, and Mossy’s daughter Lila Grace acting as one of three ring bearers, the whole day was relaxed, simple and, for Kate and Jamie, perfect.

I’m told: “Kate’s had a fairly turbulent love life but she’s a romantic at heart. The plans were kept very quiet as Kate wanted the day to be low-key and purely a celebration of their love. She’s never been one for convention or tradition, but Jamie’s been there for her through thick and thin, and she simply felt the time was right. They planned the day for weeks and were so excited. Kate didn’t want a stuffy, formal do, but something spiritual. Minutes after tying the knot, the giggling newlyweds were outside the church, dancing under trees.”

Adds the source: “Afterwards locals from the village were milling about, joining in the festivities. It was an incredibly happy day.”

While the couple, who got engaged on Kate’s 36th birthday in January, are deeply in love, it’s fair to suggest the path to August 7 hasn’t been without its bumps. Introduced by mutual friend Sadie Frost backstage at one of The Kills’ gigs, their nights out have been hit by frequent reported rows. Two years ago they had a three-day split after Kate threw Jamie out of her home. He was seen dejectedly dragging his suitcases along the pavement outside her London property. But the rocker has grown exceedingly close to Lila Grace, and has helped Mossy calm down her partying. Knowing Kate, marriage won’t change her – but it will provide some much-needed stability.

[From The Daily Mirror]

Well, it sounds nice and relaxed. Congratulations to them if this report is true. I doubt Kate will be “settling down” though – every time I see new photos of her at our photo agencies, she always looks crazy f-cked up. And usually Jamie is standing right beside her. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kate had another baby, this time with Jamie (Lila’s dad is Jefferson Hack). So, if she gets pregnant again, she’ll probably ease off the hard stuff. I do want to give Kate credit for something, though – if this report is true, and she got married in August before many of her friends, and we’re just finding out about it now, kudos to her. Kate does manage to maintain deep, loyal friendships with people who rarely discuss her business in the press. I’ve always respected that about her. She keeps the personal stuff quiet.

UPDATE: This was all just denied by Kate’s rep. Cocaine Kate is not a Sadie, Sadie Married Lady!

Photos courtesy of WENN.

I put “secretly” in quotes because at this point, most of what David Schwimmer does is “secret”. Meaning that few people really care. David’s post-Friends life hasn’t been uneventful in any way – he’s actually had some minor success as a director, and he seems to relish a low-key lifestyle. BUT – the physical change in David has been odd. All of a sudden the once groomed and normal-seeming Schwimmer took a more avant-garde, goth poseur turn. I think it was the influence of his girlfriend-now-wife Zoe Buckman. Zoe and David have been together since 2007, when Zoe was 21 and David was 40. I give him credit for staying with the same girl for years, and for marrying her quietly and discreetly. But there some vague weirdness to it too.

The perennially lonely guy of Friends is single no more. David Schwimmer has been secretly married to his British girlfriend Zoe Buckman for four months, the actor’s rep confirms to PEOPLE.

The two tied the knot in a small private ceremony in early June after having reportedly met in London in 2007, at the time Schwimmer was directing the romantic movie comedy Run, Fat Boy, Run, starring Simon Pegg and Thandie Newton.

A part-time photographer, Buckman, now 25, was waitressing at the Cuckoo Club in London’s West End when she served Schwimmer, now 43. She then reportedly left her home in north London and moved to Los Angeles to be with him.

In March, the two announced their engagement. News of the nuptials was first reported by EW.com. This is the first marriage for both.

Word of Schwimmer’s wedding first surfaced on the same day that Courteney Cox, who played his sister Monica (he played Ross) on NBC’s Friends, announced that she and her husband of 11 years, actor David Arquette, were separating.

[From People]

I tend to think Zoe is too young for him, and I tend to think David should know better. But maybe the fact that they’ve been together for years already, and that no one really cared that they were married, maybe that will help them be a more “normal” couple.

David has directed a second film, by the way. It’s called Trust, and he managed to talk CLIVE OWEN into starring in it. It’s all about Clive’s character’s daughter who goes online and meets a predator and sh-t happens. Clive + Schwimmer = ? Magic? Don’t know. Here’s the trailer:

It just seems like an extended Law & Order: SVU episode, right?

Anyway, congrats to David and Zoe.

Header: David and Zoe in 2008, credit: WENN.

It seems like we just heard that American Idol runner up Crystal Bowersox got engaged and now she’s married! Crystal, 25, married her fiance, Brian Walker, in Chicago over the weekend. While it seems like Crystal must not have known this guy for very long that’s not the case. They first met six years ago at an open mic night and were friends for a while before it turned romantic. They held their wedding reception at the very same venue where they met. Crystal’s one and a half year-old son from a previous relationship, Tony, was the ringbearer. That’s sweet! Here’s more, from People:

They had a whirlwind courtship and an engagement lasting only weeks, but Crystal Bowersox and Brian Walker were hardly strangers in love.

Longtime friends before things turned romantic in recent months, the American Idol runner-up was married to musician Walker in Chicago on Sunday, her rep tells PEOPLE exclusively.

“Our lives have never made more sense than they do right now,” Bowersox tells PEOPLE. “I can’t believe how incredibly lucky we are to have found so much laughter, love, and light within each other. We’re one happy WalkerSox family.”

Bowersox, 25, wore an Earth-friendly hemp and cotton gown from Vermont designer Tara Lynn that features macramé, seashell and bead detailing and was created in the designer’s solar-powered studio.

Their rings were designed by Walker and crafted by Chicago’s Traci Coughlin and Steve Quick Jewelers. The ceremony was held at the club where they couple met during Open Mic Night six years ago.

Among the 60 friends and family in attendance were Bowersox’s son Tony, 1 1/2, from a previous relationship, who served as ring bearer and wore a suit by LinenKids; Season 9 Idol contestant Didi Benami; and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor Lance Barber. The ceremony was led by the right reverend Michael Teach from Chicago Acoustic Underground.

The couple, who announced their engagement in September, planned to celebrate with a reception featuring a laughing Buddha cake from Bleeding Heart Bakery, a local organic and sustainable business, and performances from the groom and several musician pals.

[From People]

I looked up Crystal’s wedding dress designer and found her website along with examples of her work. Some of the dresses feature colorful embroidery and aren’t my style, but they’re pretty with a lot of details. (Check out the picture at the very bottom of the panel to the left in the last row, of “Rebecca and Raf.” She’s wearing a wedding gown and he’s in pajama pants, a linen shirt and no shoes. It cracked me up so hard.)

The cake artists that they used, Bleeding Heart Bakery, has a Flickr page with examples of their work and it’s incredible. My favorites are this Mountain Dew and Reeses cake, this Heinz ketchup cake, and this Lego cake.

Getting back to Crystal and Brian’s wedding, it must have been a lot of fun! She’s so talented and I hope we hear more from her soon. According to People, Crystal is working on her debut album now. She’ll probably have to take some time off if they’re planning on a honeymoon. Congratulations to Crystal and Brian!

Photos of Crystal and Brian are from 9/7/10, credit: Fame Pictures. Crystal is shown performing on 6/3/10. Credit: WENN.com

The star of one of my favorite shows got married this weekend! And no, not Johnny Knoxville. I mean, Johnny did get married, but Jackass isn’t one of my favorite shows. I’m talking about Bones and Emily Deschanel. I didn’t even know she had a long-term boyfriend, but apparently she did, and they got hitched yesterday in a “quiet evening ceremony.” The guy’s name is David Hornsby, and apparently he’s done some work on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Weird. I am alone in thinking Emily probably had an affair with David Boreanaz, her Bones costar? I think that because now we know that David is a cheating bastard, and because he and Emily always had so much chemistry, but I think Emily was turned off by David’s not-so-indiscreet relationship with Rachel Uchitel. Or maybe Emily and David are just friends and costars and Emily’s marriage to this dude is something other than a rebound after an affair went south. Who knows?

Actress Emily Deschanel,33, and writer-actor David Hornsby tied the knot in a quiet evening ceremony in front of family and friends in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles on Saturday, her rep confirms to PEOPLE.

The bride wore diamond clips in her hair by Neil Lane as well as diamond earrings by the jewelry designer.

Deschanel is currently starring in the sixth season of Bones, while Hornsby is best known for his work on FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

[From People]

Good on them for keeping it so quiet. And congratulations to them.

By the way, Bones fans: did the premiere suck or what? I was hoping for something… I don’t know, MORE. And since when do people get to leave Afghanistan just because a federal prosecutor wants to get the old team back together? And Emily’s new haircut is so NOT CUTE. Bangs Trauma. That’s all I’ll say. I have to admit, even though their relationship has at times annoyed the hell out of me, I’m liking the new chapter with Angela and Jack though. They were one of the highlights of a show which might have overstayed their welcome. We’ll see… maybe this season will get good. I hope.

Here are some pics of Emily and David Hornsby (he even has the same first name as Boreanaz!), and with David Boreanaz:

Chad Lowe married his longtime girlfriend, producer Kim Painter, in Los Angeles over the weekend. The couple’s 15 month old daughter, Mabel, was their ring bearer. It is the second marriage for Lowe, 42, who was married to actress Hilary Swank for nine years until their divorce in 2006. Lowe has been acting steadily on television, most recently with a recurring role on ABC Family hit Pretty Little Liars. Here’s more on his wedding:

It was a pretty little wedding for Pretty Little Liars actor Chad Lowe and his longtime girlfriend.

Lowe, 42, and film producer Kim Painter, were married Saturday in front of family and a small group of friends in an oceanside ceremony at Terranea Resort in Los Angeles.

Chad’s brother Rob Lowe was best man. The couple’s 15-month old daughter Mabel served as ring bearer.

Lowe and Painter began dating in January 2007. They welcomed Mabel in May 2009 – the first girl born into the Lowe family in nearly four generations.

[From People]

I will admit that I’ve seen most of season one of Pretty Little Liars. It’s really cheesy and over the top and is like I Know What You Did Last Summer with texting and more unbelievable plot twists, but I enjoy how trashy it is. Lowe is a very good actor, and there’s something quietly sad about him. It’s like his talents are wasted on that show, but at least he’s getting steady work.

I remember well how Swank threw Lowe under the bus with that tell-all Vanity Fair interview after their divorce four years ago. She claimed he was a drug addict and that it put a rift in their marriage, but that he was sober at that point. It was mean and she should have kept it to herself, but a lot of people wondered if that story was a smokescreen for some other issues they didn’t want to get out. Whatever happened back then, it seems like Chad is doing much better now and is hanging in there. I wonder if his career took a big hit from Hilary’s interview. He didn’t get much work after that and kind of stuck to television, but it’s not like he was known for his work in film, either.

Congratulations to Lowe and Painter! Their wedding sounds lovely and it’s nice that their daughter was a little older and could participate. You can see how happy they look in photos and I bet they’re overjoyed.

Photos are from 8/19, 4/30 and 3/1/10. Credit: WENN.com

According to Us Weekly’s sources, Sookie and Bill got hitched this weekend! Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer were married in a quiet, private ceremony in Malibu, surrounded by friends and family. They had been engaged for more than a year, but I honestly hadn’t heard that much about their wedding plans – looks like they pulled it off without it becoming some paparazzi haven, or without oversharing every last little detail. Good for them. Here’s more Us Weekly:

True bliss! True Blood stars Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer wed Saturday evening at a private residence in Malibu, Calif., UsMagazine.com has confirmed. Guests — many of them bearing gifts in purple boxes and with purple bows — included Elijah Wood and True Blood costar Carrie Preston with husband Michael Emerson (Lost). Paquin, 28, and Moyer, 40, exchanged their vows beneath a tent across the street from the beach.

The couple announced their engagement last August. Connecting over daily breakfasts at a West Hollywood cafe, they began dating a few months after filming first began in 2008 for HBO’s smash vampire series, now in its third season. On the show, Paquin (a 1994 Oscar-winner at age 11 for her role in The Piano) plays Sookie Stackhouse, the psychic, mortal lover to vampire Bill Compton (Moyer); their first kiss occurred onscreen.

But the duo waited until February 2009 to debut their real-life romance — a delay that was “very intentional on both our parts,” British actor Moyer explained at the time. “It was very important to me that the cast and crew we were working with didn’t feel it was fickle….We didn’t want to take anything away from the show.”

Moyer proposed to Canadian-born, New Zealand-raised Paquin on a Hawaiian beach, presenting her with a ring — a rustic diamond set in an antiqued platinum inset — he helped design with jeweler Kathy Waterman. Why Hawaii? “There was a song in the first season, ‘White Sandy Beach in Hawaii,’ which was kind of funny and ironic,” he told Access Hollywood last year. “[It] all started out as a joke and then we decided to go to Hawaii with my kids,” says the actor, who has a son, Billy, and daughter, Lilac, from two previous relationships.

These days, Moyer splits his time between his native London and the Venice, Calif. home he shares with Paquin.

“With Anna it’s just about pure trust, on camera and off,” Moyer gushed in the July issue of Playboy. “I have never trusted anybody like I trust Anna.”

“I feel so lucky right now,” Paquin says in the latest issue of Rolling Stone. “Life is pretty great.”

[From Us Weekly]

Aw, I do think they’re happy. Congrats to them! Last year there was some tabloid muttering about Anna maybe homewrecking Steven’s previous relationship with a live-in love, but I actually don’t think there was much there – he seems to have a good relationship with his two long-term exes (who also happen to be baby mamas), although his M.O. seems to be dumping a baby-mama a few years after she gives birth… but hopefully Anna is the exception. And I buy that they really are in love. I can’t believe he’s 40 years old, either.

Anna and Stephen on July 23, 2010 at Comic Con. Also, on June 8, 2010 and January 17, 2010. Credit: WENN.

I won’t buy a celebrity magazine for random wedding or baby pictures usually, but I love to look at my “friend’s” photos on Facebook. It’s not just wedding photos, I love baby pictures, showers, drunken college parties and vacation photos. I don’t know most of these people as I just have one Facebook account for Celebitchy. (Add me as a friend and I’ll check out yours. The other day I was checking out someone’s birthday vacation to Chicago, where she caught a Cubs game and took in the sights. I’m mentioning it to see if she reads this story.)

Anyway I knew when we saw just those blurry faraway photos of Hilary Duff’s wedding to hockey player Mike Comrie that she must have optioned the photos to a celebrity outlet. OK! Magazine has them, and Hilary looks really lovely on the cover. (If not a little ‘toxed and/or Photoshopped.) The cover promises to have “exclusive photos” and an interview with Hilary. I’ll buy the exclusive photos part, but I’m thinking the interview isn’t that extensive. Maybe I’m just so used to OK!’s bait and switch covers that I’m having trouble giving them props for an exclusive piece that they surely paid good money for. Here’s more, from E!, which has more of the story than OK! does on their site:

Hilary Duff’s big day began all wrong, but it certainly didn’t end that way.

“I started my day with a chipped tooth!” she reveals in the new issue of OK! “My wedding planner snuck me out to the dentist! Thank goodness it was fixed within the hour.”

Fortunately, everything else went smoothly for the 22-year-old bride as she tied the knot with Mike Comrie last weekend in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Walking down the aisle in front of about 100 guests, Duff wore a Vera Wang gown with an organza mermaid look that was adorned with giant blossoms while carrying a bouquet of blush dahlias.

“There are not even words to describe it,” says the starlet about her dress. “It’s exactly what I imagined, plus 10 times better.”

Duff says she also abided by the tradition of wearing something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.

“I wore blue underwear and borrowed all of the jewelry [from Van Cleef & Arpels], and the something old was my great-grandmother’s cameo, which I wore on the inside of my dress. The dress itself was new.”

Upon exchanging vows, the newly married couple joined their loved ones under a muslin tent for the reception, which, according to Duff, featured truffled corn ravioli, pepper-crusted rib-eye steak and miso-glazed black cod, as well as a dessert station that included ice cream sandwiches with hot fudge dipping sauce.

[From E! Online]

That must have freaked Hilary out to no end to have chipped a tooth on her wedding day! Thank goodness she was able to get it fixed right away and I wonder if it was even noticeable. Also, I love food “stations” at weddings! I once went to a wedding with different chinese food stations ahead of, unbeknownst to me, the main meal. I walked around and filled up and then we sat down for a few courses.

OK! has two photo sneak peeks of Hilary’s wedding on their site, a picture of the reception set up and a photo of her shoes overlaid with a couple of her diamond accessories. The reception looks gorgeous, with multiple understated chandeliers, lots of draped fabric, and pink and yellow rose bouquets. It must have been such a special day. I wish she was my friend on Facebook so I could just see the pictures there and look at all her friends’ comments on how drunk they got.

There’s a little more gossip on Hilary. US Weekly reports that she had a prenup with her new husband, who is a multi-millionaire hockey player in his own right and comes from a wealthy family with a furniture empire. An insider says “It was a totally amicable agreement. They love each other very much and knew this was just a technicality.” That was smart, and good for them. People get married thinking it’s going to last forever, but the truth is that we all have about 50/50 odds – maybe a little better but it’s smart to be prepared.

Alicia Keys and her baby-daddy Swizz Beatz were married on Saturday, in a ceremony in Corsica. Well, it looks like Life & Style got the exclusive photos from the ceremony, probably at a hefty price. Can I just say something? How budget is it to have your big wedding photo pictorial at Life & Style? No disrespect to L&S, but I would have thought Alicia and Swizz would have been big enough – or tabloid-friendly enough, what with all the baby-mamas – to warrant a People or Us Weekly cover. Anyway, L&S got it and they even have the details on the ceremony – DEEPAK!

“I love everything about her,” Swizz Beatz tells Life & Style about his new wife.

As the sun set over the clear-blue Mediterranean Sea on July 31st, singer Alicia Keys and her fiancé, music producer Swizz Beatz, exchanged vows in front of family and close friends, including Queen Latifah, Tommy Hilfiger, Christian Louboutin and Bono.

The private event was held at a seafront estate on the southern coast of the French island of Corsica, where the mind-body sage Deepak Chopra, the couple’s pal, officiated the intimate service. Swizz’s eldest son, 9-year-old Prince Nasir Dean — served as best man to his dad.

“The whole ceremony was magical, like something out of a dream,” an eyewitness tells Life & Style.

The beaming bride wore a custom-made, Grecian inspired one-shouldered silk Vera Wang gown with crystal detailing, a dazzling diamond necklace headband, custom made by Jacob the Jeweler, and jewel-encrusted Christian Louboutin sandals accented her feet. Swizz, whose given name is Kasseem Dean, sported a white Tom Ford tuxedo with a black bow tie.

The pair, who are expecting a child in early November, were overcome with joy. “I love everything about her,” Swizz tells Life & Style about his new wife.

For more on Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz’ Mediterranean nuptials, pick up this week’s issue of Life & Style, on newsstands now.

[From Life & Style]

What with the weird Star Wars/Princess Leia jewel-encrusted headpiece and the Louboutin sandals and the Deepak and the Bono, Alicia’s wedding seems very… “brought to you by The Oprah.” I wonder why Oprah didn’t come? Oprah and Alicia used to be tight. And Oprah didn’t go to Chelsea Clinton’s wedding either, from what I hear. Although – I think the Clintons are still pissed at Oprah, so there’s an explanation for that one. So why didn’t Oprah come for Alicia’s nuptials? Is it because even Oprah doesn’t want to whitewash Alicia and Swizz’s mess? Hm…

So, apparently we don’t have access to any photos of Chelsea Clinton in her strapless Vera Wang wedding gown, which is unfortunate. Chelsea was a very pretty bride, and if you go to MSNBC here, you can see Bubba walking her down the aisle. He looks like he’s about to cry, but to Bubba’s credit, he didn’t make the walk all about him, you know. He seems like he’s really trying (just by reading his body language, so this is subjective) to make sure the day is all about Chelsea. Good dad. Anyway, it seems like the wedding went off without a hitch and everyone had a great time. And of course, there were plenty of A-List guests (no Oprah, though):

RHINEBECK, N.Y. — Chelsea Clinton wed her longtime boyfriend under extraordinary security in an interfaith ceremony at an elegant Hudson River estate late Saturday.

Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton announced in a statement that their daughter wed investment banker Marc Mezvinsky after weeks of secrecy and buildup that had celebrity watchers flocking to the small village of Rhinebeck for the evening nuptials. The site of the wedding, a Beaux Arts riverside estate called Astor Courts, was sealed off from the general public.

“Today, we watched with great pride and overwhelming emotion as Chelsea and Marc wed in a beautiful ceremony at Astor Courts, surrounded by family and their close friends,” the Clintons said. “We could not have asked for a more perfect day to celebrate the beginning of their life together, and we are so happy to welcome Marc into our family. On behalf of the newlyweds, we want to give special thanks to the people of Rhinebeck for welcoming us and to everyone for their well-wishes on this special day.”

Chelsea Clinton, wearing a Vera Wang strapless white gown with a full skirt and silver beading around the waist and carrying a bouquet of white flowers, was escorted down the aisle by her father. The former president and the groom wore dark suits, while the mother of the bride wore a fuchsia dress designed by Oscar de la Renta.

It is estimated that hundreds of guests gathered at the historic estate near the end of a near-perfect summer day of warm temperatures, blue skies and cottony clouds. The ceremony honored both Christian and Jewish traditions as Chelsea Clinton is Methodist and Mezvinsky is Jewish.

The New York Times reported that the ceremony was conducted by Rabbi James Ponet, a Jewish chaplain at Yale University, and the Rev. William Shillady, executive director of the United Methodist City Society, and included friends and family reading the Seven Blessings, often recited at Jewish weddings after the vows and exchange of rings. The couple read a poem by Leo Marks titled “The Life That I Have,” according to the family.

The wedding was a mix of high society and high security. The road to Astor Courts was blocked off Saturday — neighbors received bottles of wine for their troubles — and the sky above was declared a no-fly zone by federal aviation officials. Police and security guards fanned out around this usually sleepy town.

Consistent with Chelsea Clinton’s desire for privacy, the family had released no details of the wedding beyond the date. But the scope of the event became apparent when more than a half-dozen busloads of wedding guests — men in black tie, women in dresses — were transported from a hotel in the village to the riverside ceremony as gawkers looked on.

Celebrities spotted in Rhinebeck for the event included actors Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, fashion designer Vera Wang, Madeleine Albright, who was secretary of state during Bill Clinton’s second term as president and Terry McAuliffe, former Democratic National Committee chairman. The former president’s half brother, Roger Clinton, was spotted early Saturday afternoon with his son Tyler, picking up food at a restaurant.

Danson and Steenburgen said they were excited about the upcoming ceremony as they strolled through Rhinebeck toward one of the hotels being used for the wedding.

“I knew her since she was a baby so this is a big moment,” said Steenburgen, who wed Danson in 1995. “She’s a lovely, lovely girl.”

Reporters, who had been searching for celebrities in vain for most of the day, quickly zeroed in on the couple, prompting Danson to ask, “Are we the only celebrities in town?”

Celebrity seekers jockeyed with reporters for sidewalk space over most of the day too. Donna Vena drove 50 miles to Rhinebeck from her home of Mount Kisco, N.Y., in the hopes of spotting a celebrity.

“Why not?” she asked Saturday morning, a camera slung over her shoulder. “Big story. Maybe see Oprah.”

Nearby, two young women passed out slices of pizza with “I do” written in pepperoni.
Meanwhile, a longtime Clinton family friend denied that the wedding would cost more than $1 million. The friend, who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with the family’s desire for privacy, said the cost will not exceed six figures. Wedding experts told The Associated Press the wedding could cost $2 million to $3 million, while other outlets said it could hit $5 million.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the hotel where many of the guests are staying were rewarded Friday night when the Clintons exited a van arm-in-arm outside the Beekman Arms Hotel.

Shortly before 11 p.m., the former first lady, wearing a long green dress, waved to the cheering crowd waiting behind metal barricades and quickly went into the hotel. She left with the former president about a half-hour later.

Earlier Friday, Bill Clinton made an appearance around lunchtime, popping out of a car and walking a few blocks, greeting people on his way to a restaurant. Looking fit and relaxed in blue jeans and a black knit shirt, he gave easy answers to questions shouted by well-wishers and reporters.

“We’re all fine. We love it here,” he said, when asked how he was. “Chelsea loves the area as well.”

And what do you think of Mr. Mezvinsky, Mr. President, someone asked.

“I like him very much,” Clinton said. “I really do. I admire him. Hillary feels the same way.”

Chelsea Clinton and Mezvinsky were friends as teenagers in Washington, and both attended Stanford University. They now live in New York, where Mezvinsky works at G3 Capital, a Manhattan hedge fund. Mezvinsky worked previously at Goldman Sachs as an investment banker.

Clinton completed her master’s degree in public health earlier this year at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Mezvinsky is a son of former U.S. Reps. Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky of Pennsylvania and Ed Mezvinsky of Iowa, longtime friends of the Clintons. His parents are divorced.

[From MSNBC]

You know what I like? That even though Chelsea likes things very private, and that her parents really fight to maintain her sense of privacy, that Chelsea didn’t get too overwrought with wedding details and photos and everyone paying attention to her. Her wedding became a public event, but in a really nice, respectful way. Congratulations and Mazel tov to the happy couple. Here are some additional photos from Rhinebeck of all of the town’s festivities and some more photos of Bubba and Hillary out and about for the pre-wedding festivities (check out Hillary’s muu-muu!):

Header: Chelsea & her now-husband Marc on September 25, 2009. Credit: WENN.