We’ve all heard of George and Amal’s, Kim and Kanye’s, and Justin and Jessica’s weddings in Italy, and Tom and Katie’s, et al, in France. These European places are popular choices of stars for their destination weddings. Other than venues, what gets the most attention is the bride’s wedding dress. But not all celebrity destination weddings are held in ultra-luxurious hotels or medieval castles. And recent Hollywood brides are opting to be married in gowns that are not created by iconic designers.
Here are famous couples who picked locations that aren’t on the wedding venue radar of celebrities, and brides-to-be who said their “I do’s” in dresses that didn’t cost millions but were just as gorgeous and romantic.
1. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds
The Green Lantern co-stars were wed in September 2012 and chose Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. It is also the film setting for the movie The Notebook, aside from being a former slave plantation. The Gossip Girl star wore a wedding gown by Marchesa and had Martha Stewart’s team overseeing the preparations. Six years after walking down the aisle, Hollywood’s sweetest pair has two daughters.
2. Brody Jenner and Kaitlynn Carter
Brody Jenner, The Hills actor who is the older brother of Kendall and Kylie Jenner, married his fiancée of five years, lifestyle blogger Kaitlynn Carter at the Nihi Sumba Resort on the island of Sumba, off the Indonesian coast, in June 2018. His famous sisters and father did not attend, but that didn’t stop the couple from having a fun and romantic event. The bride, wearing a dreamy white silk gown with a beaded veil, was photographed being carried in Brody’s arms for the wedding pic.
3. Katy Perry and Russell Brand
Pop singer Katy Perry and British comedian Russell Brand chose exotic Rajasthan, India for their October 2010 wedding, complete with elephants and horses. On the fringes of the five-star and exclusive Aman-i-Khas resort is a national park with a tiger sanctuary. The couple spent for their guests to fly in and treated them to a week’s adventure including a jungle safari. While the groom donned the traditional Indian attire, the singer-bride was in an Elle Saab gown. Fourteen months later, they divorced.
4. Felicity Jones and Charles Guard
The Oscar nominee and Rogue One actress married her director boyfriend in an elegant and private ceremony at the historical fifteenth century Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire, England. It was a small wedding with A-list actors Tom Hanks and Eddie Redmayne in attendance. Jones kept everything low-key, from her “budget” wedding dress to doing her own make-up, and keeping everything hush-hush.
5. Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender
Swedish actress and Tomb Raider star Alicia Vikander and Irish actor Michael Fassbender tied the knot in October 2017 sans publicity in La Granja, a farm turned resort in Ibiza, Spain. With only a few family members and close friends in attendance, the media didn’t have a clue on the activities and the wedding ceremony itself. There is no picture of Alicia in her wedding gown, but the guess is, it’s white.
Young A-listers are bucking the trend of sinking tens of thousands of dollars in a gown they will only wear once, and are being practical in their choices. And with shops like JJ’s House offering affordable and glamorous dresses, their fans can feel as beautiful as their idols on their wedding day.
6. Barron Hilton and Tessa von Walderdorff
Barron Hilton, the low-key younger brother of Paris and Nicky, married Tessa, descended from German royalty, in June 2018. It was held at the plush Villa La Plage, in St. Bart, a Caribbean island vacation spot for the rich and famous. The Hilton family were all in attendance, with Paris serving as the DJ. For a wedding that combined royalty and old money, the bride wore a gown bought from a US retailer.
