Famecrawler
Chelsea Clinton’s $2 Million Wedding; 20 Times the Cost of Jenna Bush’s Nuptials
As far as recent presidential weddings go, Chelsea Clinton’s will take the (wedding) cake. According to ABC News, Chelsea’s star-studded affair taking place July 31 in tony Rhinebeck, N.Y., is estimated to cost $2 million, about 20 times Jenna Bush’s 2008 wedding, which is thought to have set the Bush’s back about $100,000. And Chelsea’s big day will cost a whopping 100 times the national average of about $20,000. Luckily the Clintons, estimated to be worth about $34 million, can afford it. And Chelsea’s groom, Marc Mezvinsky, isn’t exactly poor either. So how does one go about spending $2 million on one day? Per an insider, following is the estimated breakdown of the costs for the 500-guest celebration:
Reception Space: $125,000 to $200,000: The estate is currently on the market for $12 million, so renting it isn’t in the normal bride’s budget. But as you’ll see, Chelsea is no normal bride.
Catering: $750,000: The wedding will be catered by three different businesses — Blue Ribbon Restaurants, St. Regis and Olivier Cheng Catering and Events. Why three caterers? Well, why not! The more the merrier! There’s nothing a caterer loves more than having to coordinate with two other caterers.
Flowers: $250,000: Are they bringing in exotic plant species from another planet?
Music: $40,000: Someone named Jimmy Vali is handling the music, and unless he can single-handedly reenact the greatest Rolling Stones concert ever, I’m not sure why the high price tag… Plus, Barbra Steisand is invited — can’t she just sing for free since she’ll be there anyway?
Wedding Dress: $15,000: Well, at least she’s not wearing a $100,000 dress. Let’s give the girl that!
Photography and Videography: $60,000. Hey, if Oprah was coming to your wedding, you’d want to make sure you caught it on high-quality film, too.
Lighting: $75,000 to $100,000: Um, people? It’s a wedding, not a movie set.
Hair and makeup: $20,000. This includes the bridal party, thank goodness. I’m not even sure Mariah Carey spends that much on hair and makeup.
Invitations: $40,000 – $50,000: They sent out their engagement announcement via e-mail. Couldn’t they have done the same with the wedding invites and fed a small country for a year in lieu of a formal written invitation?
Party Planner: $175,000: Clinton could have kept in touch with his old White House social secretary; I’m sure she would have done it for less than almost $200k.
Rehearsal Dinner: $250,000: Finally! Something the groom has to pay for… The dinner will be at the Grasmere Estate in a refurbished stone barn. A very fancy refurbished stone barn one would hope with this price tag.
Security: $30,000. Isn’t that what the Secret Service is for?
Miscellaneous: $50,000: I would imagine “miscellaneous” might include the valium Bill Clinton had to take before writing out all the checks.
Okay, I think these estimates are ridiculously high and the person who came up with them is off her rocker. $250,000 for flowers and a rehearsal dinner? Absurd! But ABC News doesn’t, and they probably know better than I do. What do you think?
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17 Comments
Mama Bear commented on Jul 26 10 at 9:19 amIt’s all trade outs – hence the high values.
Jane Roper commented on Jul 26 10 at 9:44 amThis borders on immoral extravagance for a family that has dedicated so much time and energy to humanitarian and social causes. I’d fully expect them to spend a few hundred thousand. But this is messed up.
Melinda Bates commented on Jul 26 10 at 4:16 pmChelsea is their beloved only child. Most of us think the Clintons have more than passionately demonstrated their lifelong commitment to the cause of bettering people’s lives. They don’t live extravagant lives. Why shouldn’t they have this indulgence without being criticized for it?
AndyTheGameIventor commented on Jul 26 10 at 5:27 pmHang on – these are so-called (read: self-professed) “Expert” estimates. We have no idea what the budget really is. It gives the “expert” more TV face time than if they said that the budget would be $250,000. The budget may well be much, much lower than these guesstimates. Some of the breakdowns I had read made little sense – $100K for lighting? $50K for Invitations? Only way to do that is to pay a top designer to create something truly custom. (Or, given the secrecy, courier each of 500 invitations rather than leave them in mailboxes.) $60K for a photographer? Most pros charge around $2.5K. My cousin was married two years ago and they hired the best-known photographer in Houston (and believe me the guy was the best I’ve ever seen, hands-down) and he was $5K. $250K for a rehearsal dinner? Even if 100 of the 400 guests are invited at $500 a head, that’s only $50K.
Brenda Rogers commented on Jul 27 10 at 5:18 pmI don’t understand why people are so worried/concerned about what the Clinton’s are spending on this wedding. If they can afford it, it is their business. As for “us” paying for it, we pay for all the big celebrity weddings, too. We buy the movie tickets, etc. What is the difference? I know folks here in my small town who have spent way more than is normal for a child’s wedding….$40,000-$50,000. It’s their choice…that’s why we call this America.
wahab commented on Jul 28 10 at 8:54 pmIts OK, We should not criticize the expenses. first of all its their emotion and we should respect them next we are forgetting that the money is going to the people who are working in different sectors as for example growing flowers. So why not respect their personal ego-?
claudia commented on Jul 29 10 at 6:49 pmThis money is going to vendors and to the surrounding communities. I don’t know about you, but if I were one of the vendors, I would WELCOME the extravagence of this wedding. Might even help employ extra workers, maybe only for the short term, but it’s still a paycheck going to someone.
Paulaconlon commented on Jul 29 10 at 11:11 pmThis is an atrocious waste of mney. If people truly have this much money to spend on weddings, they should give it to people who really need the money and the less fortunate. Even if the money is going to local businesses it is obscene how much money is being spent on weddings.
Nick Mayor commented on Jul 30 10 at 5:14 pmMoonshine comes cheap so the Bush wedding was less costly. Rush Limbaugh spent a MILLION dollars alone on paying Uncle Tom Elton John to perform and it was the fourth time that some woman made the mistake to marry that fat pig.
Bonnie commented on Jul 30 10 at 5:20 pmFirst of all, there’s no reason to believe that these “expert estimates” are at all correct. Second of all, I bet they are not paying near full price for a lot of it. Famous people are given things for free all the time because of all the publicity it brings to companies. And lastly… who cares?
Anne Monroe commented on Jul 30 10 at 7:51 pmThe cost of the flowers alone would pay off all of my family’s debts.
Barbara Saieed (sunnyB) commented on Aug 02 10 at 12:05 pmAlright, regardless of the “true” amount ~ ~ ~ this is out-of-mind-spending!!! Take a GOOD look ~ ~ ~ ~ how much over-board spending $$$$$ have gone to the homeless, children without parents or enough food to stay (get) healthy !!! Sure, it was their special day, but get a grip ~ ~ ~ just HOW self-centered can you get ??? Their wedding day ~ ~ ~ wonderful ~ ~ ~ they have been together forever, and to spend this outrageous amount to make it legal ~ ~ ~ ~ damn!!
Cathy Stansbury commented on Aug 02 10 at 1:49 pmOh, so now it is ok. I get a little annoyed when those who are sticking up for Clinton were the same ones who criticized the Bush wedding. I am assuming it is ok to have money as long as you speak the speak. How about putting your money where your mouth is. Quit spending my money for his welfare programs. If Soros, Paulson, Clinton, Gore, R. Emanueal, etc. donated 1/10 of their income to pay off the national debt, we would be well on our way to getting our economy rolling again. Why make the little guy pay while they continue to make millions off of legislative policies. Gore on Carbon Credits. Soros in Petro in Brazil.
Nancy Hill commented on Aug 02 10 at 5:18 pmI really don’t care what the Clinton’s spent on the wedding. However, it does seem to be a little hypocritcal to lavishly – whether it is there only child – lot so people have only children — spend this kind of money when they are the “progressive” liberals that keep preaching that the rest of the world should be “spreading their wealth around”! Just think what the additional $$’s over $250K could have provided to all those unfortunate folks. Until these “progressive” liberals, who present themselves as “everyday folk”, actually live like “everyday folk”, I’m stone-deaf to the words “spreading the wealth around”. Now, that I’ve said that — I have no problem with anyone spending their wealth as they see fit — just don’t get on TV later and be a hypocrit to get me to split with mine.
But now that the wedding is over — and the need for secrecry is gone, I’d like to see some more pictures — of the attendants, the reception, etc. Chelsea was a beautiful bride and I’m sure she and Marc had their special day! Congratulations and best wishes to the couple — and many happy years!
Ann Boldt commented on Aug 02 10 at 5:40 pmWhy does anyone care what the Clintons spent of their only child’s wedding. It is their business…..not ours!
Anne Boldt commented on Aug 02 10 at 5:42 pmWhy does anyone really care? Are you jealous? It’s their only daughter and they have the money to spend it on her!
Ms A. commented on Sep 21 10 at 11:43 amIt’s their money, and they can do whatever they want with it? The taxpayers did not pay for Chelsea’s wedding. No one has a right to tell them or you how to spend your money.
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