3 Outfit Changes, 1 Tiara & a Carousel Cake: This is What A $43 Million Wedding Looks Like
Huang Xiaoming and Angelababy kiss during their wedding ceremony. Photo: Getty Images
A woman named Angelababy, one of the most famous Chinese actresses today, married Huang Xiaoming in a wedding that reportedly cost nearly 200 million yuan — that’s $43 million. The bride, who was born Yeung Wing and got her unique moniker by combining her chosen English name, Angela, with her nickname, baby, is basically China’s Kim Kardashian equivalent (she has one of the most followed Weibo accounts in the world) and threw an extravagant celebration, widely considered to be one of the biggest in the world.
To put this into context, Kevin Kwan, the author of Crazy Rich Asians explained the affair as such: “If Chris Evans were to marry Jennifer Lawrence in a very public, all paparazzi invited wedding held at Radio City Music Hall, that would not even come close to the magnitude of this wedding.”
The massive venue decorated in pinks, purples, neon lights, and flowers. Photo: ziwuwu.com
The over-the-top affair took place at the Shanghai Exhibition Center, a 200,000 square foot space, with 2,000 of the couple’s closest friends in attendance. The venue was decorated in pinks and purples, with the hall transformed into a romantic fairytale set straight out of a movie. Some of those theatrics included a castle projected via hologram and lights displayed in the shapes of stain-glass windows. Funny enough, just like the Wests, a giant wall of white flowers was erected for photo opps.
The cake was taller than the bride and groom. Photo: ziwuwu.com
Among the 75 tables of guests were many media correspondents who took care of publicizing the highly-sponsored event. This might seem shocking to have advertisers involved in a wedding, but Kwan said that “of course it’s no surprise if there were brand sponsors, as this was the wedding uniting two huge celebrity brands.” Security guards (nearly 200 of them) watched over the red envelopes, a traditional monetary gift given during special occasions, while luxury cars including Ferraris and Rolls Royces idled outside. If the multiple-course meal didn’t fill everyone up, the cake, taller than the bride and groom with a rotating carousel as one of the many layers, certainly did.
Angelababy’s engagement ring. Photo: @angelababyct/Instagram
Angelababy, who, like Kardashian, serves as a fashion inspiration to millions, wore a custom Dior couture gown. It took five months and two fittings to create, from Angelababy’s conception translated onto paper by a pattern maker to the finishing touches. The piece required nearly 115 feet of satin organza, 170 feet of tulle crafted into seven skirt layers, and a 10-foot-long train. Nearly a hundred flower bouquets of Chantilly lace were cut and stitched by hand on the fabric. Each rose is composed of seven layers of muslin, colored pink using an airbrush. Xiaoming wore a made-to-measure Tom Ford tuxedo.
Huang Xiaoming and Anglababy during their wedding ceremony at Shanghai Exhibition Center on October 8, 2015 in Shanghai, China. Photo: Getty Images
Bridesmaids — five in all — wore lilac dresses in varying silhouettes while invitees Li Bingbing (Fan BingBing didn’t make it but sent her regards on social media), Ni Ni, pianist Li Yundi, and more Mainland celebrities all dressed to the nines and waked a red carpet in designer clothes. A traditional ceremony also took place, with Angelababy wearing a gold dress with a high neck and thigh-high slit, while Xiaoming opted for a traditional black silk Changsam. She also changed for the party, wearing a red (the color is symbolic for love and prosperity) and white mini dress.
Photo: ziwuwu.com
“These are two of Asia’s biggest stars, and this was the biggest wedding of the year in China, maybe even of the decade. Weibo, WeChat, WeNameIt — every social media outlet in Asia was EXPLODING,” Kwan wrote to Yahoo Style from a stop on his book tour for China Rich Girlfriend. “In terms of actual extravagance, it was actually pretty tame. These are actors, after all — they are not the true China Rich. There are so many Crazy Rich and China Rich couples that have had weeklong weddings that jet set from Shanghai to Paris to Sydney and cost more than $50 million.”
“After two fittings and nearly five months of meticulous work, discover a radiant Angelababy subliming her Dior bespoke ivory satin organza wedding dress, accompanied by her husband Huang Xiaoming. #StarsinDior” Photo: @dior/Instagram
Just days after her nuptials, Angelababy lugged her massive rock to court where she’s suing a clinic for defamation after it alleged she had plastic surgery done on her face. She willingly underwent a medical examination of X-rays and proddings from doctors, concluding her looks are authentic with journalists and notaries looking on. If anyone would know if Baby was faking it, it would be her loving husband. "Actually she sometimes looks quite ugly to me,“ he said. "I’m not an idiot, I definitely can tell she hasn’t had plastic surgery, sometimes she doesn’t put on make up and she really looks like those ugly pictures of her.”
Here’s to the happy couple — for better or worse (unattractiveness included).
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