Crazy Rich Asians: Expensive Destination Weddings That Will Blow Your Mind

With all the prominence of a wedding being the so-called most important day of one’s life, couples go to great lengths to ensure that the celebration turns out perfect. After all, it is a beautiful occasion which recognises the union of two people in the most solemn way possible. When it comes to throwing a wedding, Asian couples are known to take it to the next level with expensive nuptials. 

We take a look at some of the most massive and jaw-dropping weddings Asian couples have organised to kick off a momentous chapter in their lives!

1. Vanisha Mittal and Amit Bhatia

When one of the richest men in the world gets his daughter married off, you would envision it to be ostentatiously costly and luxurious. That was exactly how it was when Vanisha Mittal, the daughter of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, married Amit Bhatia in June 2014. The tycoon spared no expense on his youngest child’s nuptials. The lavish wedding was reported to cost a whopping US$63 million (SGD $85 million). 

The 6-day exuberant celebration kicked off with an engagement party at the Palace of Versailles. The grand French Chateau is noteworthy as the largest and most opulent castle worldwide. It was followed by a sumptuous dinner at Jardin des Tuileries – prepared by the finest chefs flown all the way from India. The wedding itself unfolded at The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte baroque palace. Kylie Minogue put up a spectacular performance amidst a mesmerising backdrop of fireworks and the iconic Eiffel Tower. 

Amongst the 1000 luminaries and guests in attendance were Bollywood celebrities Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai. They were flown to France via a private jet and put up at the Le Grand InterContinental Hotel.  It is reported that a night in one of the luxurious suites can set one back anything from €500 to €3000 .

The beautiful bride took the breath of her distinguished guests away by arriving in a bejewelled chariot donning a resplendent custom-made dress by renowned bridal gown designer Vera Wang – an entrance befitting for a princess. A makeshift castle was also temporarily erected in Parc de Saint Cloud to add on to the wedding grandeur.

2. Feiping Chang and Colin Li                                           

Feiping Chang, an Instagram fashion star, married financier Lincoln Li in the idyllic island of Capri, Italy. The scrupulously planned destination wedding took place in April 2017. 

The festivity commenced with a welcome dinner at the renowned restaurant De Paolin. It boasts an expansive terrace beneath a canopy of fragrant lemon trees. Guests feasted on mouth-watering southern Italian fares which comprised meter-long pizzas and pastas made in the hollow core of a cheese wheel.

They were also invited to bask in the glorious Italian sunshine and to dance the night away at Conca Del Sogno. The luxury beach club has been patronised by celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Orlando Bloom. 

The big day took place at Villa Lysis, an enchanting spot on a mountaintop offering awe-inspiring views of Capri and the majestic Mediterranean sea. The couple refurbished the villa to prepare it for the lavish wedding. They constructed a bridge to connect the grounds of the villa to the rooftop.

Feiping strutted down the aisle flaunting a haute couture wedding dress by Giambattista Valli enhanced by sparkling Nirav Modi jewellery. The dreamy wedding dress was an ethereal amalgamation of layers and layers of plicated tulle that took almost 10 months to be made immaculately.

A rooftop reception ensued after the bride and groom exchanged their vows. The magic-tinged decorations and pastel-coloured floral arrangements exuded a fairytale-like charm adding a dose of wonder and enchantment to the whimsical wedding. The night sky was aggrandised with a glorious display of fireworks. 

While no price tag has been ascertained, we can only imagine how much was disbursed to make this dream wedding come true.

Also read: 11 Best Wedding Venues in Bali for Your Fairytale Wedding

3.Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho

The wedding celebrations of Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho were truly fit for royalty. Vicki Belo is a celebrated dermatologist and doctor to the stars while her beau Hayden Kho, is a cosmetic surgeon and successful entrepreneur. 

After 12 years together, the couple were united in holy matrimony at the American Church in the city of love, Paris. The quaint church is the first American church established outside the United States with roots tracing back to 1931.

Following the intimate Christian ceremony was an exclusive reception at the Paris Opera House, Palais Garnier. Hailed as an architectural masterpiece, the extravagant Baroque interior of Palais Garnier complemented the lavish set-up by event stylist Robert Blancaflor and florist Anne Vitchen of The Ritz Paris. The newly weds made sure respectable guests feel like they were in the richest of royal palaces. 

World-class performers including Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez, opera singers and harpists serenaded the 200 guests present as they relished a sumptuous dinner prepared by the illustrious French catering service Potel et Chabot. The couple’s dramatic first dance was reminiscent of the Beauty and the Beast ballroom dance scene.

The magical occasion called for an equally exceptional gown for the bride. Vicki’s blush pink wedding dress, a Michael Cinco creation, was made of premium French lace with extraordinary decorative elements. It boasted a three-metre train embellished with Swarovski crystals all meticulously handcrafted by 11 seamstresses. Hayden Kho was believed to have sported a gleaming Tom Ford suit. 

The wedding had an alleged price tag of 80 million peso (SGD$2 million)!

4. Jay Chou and Hannah Quinlivan

Pop king Jay Chou married model Hannah Quinlivan in a wedding estimated to cost SGD$1 million. While the price tag is pared down as compared to other extravagant weddings, it was supposedly the most extravagant wedding in Taiwanese entertainment.

The grandiose affair took place in the historic Selby Abbey, North Yorkshire. It was an intimate affair which only saw the attendance of 50 of the closest family and friends of the bride and groom. The 946-year old monastery emanates an archaic Romanesque allure that is distinguishable making the exclusive ceremony even more enchanting.

The bride was dazzling a white princess ball gown designed by acclaimed Mikael Derderian. The heart-shaped cutout on the back of the dress accented the Medieval-inspired design and the cathedral wedding train. The ensemble was glamorised with a crown and necklace, courtesy of French jewellery house Chaumet. The groom looked debonair and dapper in a tuxedo with conspicuous golden linings. 

Jay Chou had composed a song specially for the special occasion. It was harmonised by a string orchestra as the bride was escorted up the aisle. 

The wedding reception took place at Castle Howard, the finest stately home in England situated within a sweeping parkland. The pre-wedding photographs captured by fashion and celebrity photographer Liang Su, in Prague, Germany and Paris made for the perfect accoutrement.

Guests were treated to a delightful performance by a rock band. The phenomenal event was aggrandised by luminous fireworks spiralling into the dark sky and slowing to a dramatic end. 

5. Jessica Goutama and Ken Tashiro

Every girl dreams of her own fairytale wedding and Jessica Goutama was no different. The Indonesian national who is the finance director of Orix Holdings, fulfilled her childhood fantasy when she married the man of her dreams, IT engineer Ken Tashiro-Meibergen.

The couple, who met and fell irrevocably in love with each while pursuing their education in a university in California, held their solemnisation somewhere close to their alma mater.

The entrancing Rose Court Garden of the Disneyland Hotel in California transformed into a scene out of Cinderella as the beautiful bride made her entrance by graciously stepping out of a crystal carriage. Her arrival was complete with a regal white horse and footmen in livery. Even the wedding bands were placed in a glass slipper.

The celebration continued with a luxurious wedding reception which saw a staggering 600 guests at the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore – a sophisticated venue with high ceilings and exquisite chandeliers. It was graced by high-profiles including the family of former Indonesian president Sukarno.

Jessica’s expensive wedding gown, a gorgeous white Monique Lhuillier creation, was truly put together for a princess with its intricate floral beadwork and long sleeves. Her Prince Charming looked royal in a black tuxedo, complementing the classic look. The couple had flown to Paris, China, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Japan to get their pre-wedding photos taken.

The magical wedding which came with a price tag of $500,000 was completely worth it for the husband and wife. Flight tickets and accommodations for the 70 people in attendance of the intimate affair were taken care of. 

These couples’ displays of extravagance certainly shattered the proverbial glass ceiling and set record-breaking standards of what an expensive wedding can be like – if you are rolling in money that is!