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This was published 8 years ago

Private Sydney: Jerry Hall and Rupert Murdoch wedding packing them in the aisle

By Andrew Hornery
Updated

Her 20 carat $4 million "marquise cut" diamond engagement ring was probably a good indicator that Jerry Hall, 59, intended to have all the bells and whistles when she marries her 84-year-old media mogul fiancee Rupert Murdoch in London's pretty Fleet Street church St Brides this weekend.

PS can reveal that Jerry and Rupe's bridal party will be quite a considerable one, and with 10 offspring between them and Rupert's small village of grandchildren, there are ample candidates to fill the roles of maid of honour, bridesmaids, flowergirls, best man, groomsmen, page boy and even an usher or two.

All six daughters between the couple have been called upon to take on the roles of bridesmaids, with Jerry's two knockout daughters to Mick Jagger, Georgia May and Lizzy, joining Rupert's four daughters, Prudence, Elisabeth, Grace and Chloe.

"All the daughters are being included, from both sides ... it was a very specific request to bring them all together for the wedding," a source close to the wedding party informed PS.

Jerry Hall's daughters to Mick Jagger, Elizabeth Jagger and Georgia May Jagger, will be bridesmaids at the wedding.

Jerry Hall's daughters to Mick Jagger, Elizabeth Jagger and Georgia May Jagger, will be bridesmaids at the wedding.Credit: WireImage

As for what they will be wearing, rumours around London this week predicted the bride would don a gown created by one of her favourite designers, iconic British label Vivienne Westwood, the same designer who created the fitted black sequinned gown the former supermodel wore by Murdoch's side at this week's Vanity Fair Oscars after party in Hollywood.

Hall has been particularly judicious with her footwear since she began dating Murdoch, opting for "flats" rather than regulation high heels at red carpet appearances as her statuesque frame in heels would see her towering over Murdoch.

Neither of the couple's former partners, Mick Jagger and Wendi Deng, are expected at the wedding, with the latter said to be most underwhelmed about the marriage, especially coverage of Hall's huge rock which is much larger than the one Wendi received.

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Indeed marquise diamonds of that size are incredibly rare, though Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham has one.

Grace Murdoch will be a bridesmaid, but Wendi Murdoch isn't expected to attend.

Grace Murdoch will be a bridesmaid, but Wendi Murdoch isn't expected to attend.Credit: Getty Images

The shape was originally commissioned by King Louis XV in 1745 reportedly to create a diamond that resembled the smile of his mistress Madame de Pompadour.

And Jerry has certainly been smiling since going public with her unlikely beau just four months ago.

The couple are to marry at the historic St Bride's on Fleet Street, the spiritual heartland of the English newspaper industry which Murdoch so comprehensively gutted during the 1980s when he moved his legions of reporters out.

As for where the couple will honeymoon, PS hears it could well be aboard Murdoch's massive superyacht, Vertigo, sailing around some of the world's most exotic tropical hotspots, though exactly where remains a closely guarded secret.

Better pack an extra tub of the 50+ Jerry.

Stubbing out obstacles to romance

Mariah Carey is reportedly well down the wedding planning path for her upcoming nuptials to James Packer, however PS hears there is at least one potential stumbling block which could thwart "Jamiah's" hopes for wedded bliss: James' smoking.

Friends report that Mariah, who is reportedly set to get married to Packer in Tahiti any time between now and June, though the tropical paradise is the latest in a long line of potential venues named around the globe, has been expressing her concerns over James' constant smoking.

Friends report that Mariah, who is reportedly set to get married to Packer in Tahiti any time between now and June, though the tropical paradise is the latest in a long line of potential venues named around the globe, has been expressing her concerns over James' constant smoking.Credit: Bloomberg

"It's her voice she worries about and the twins too. She doesn't want them being exposed to James' cigarette smoke ... it's becoming a bit of an issue," claims a close pal.

Just like his old man Kerry Packer, James too has developed a taste for the ciggies and is often spotted puffing away with abandon, whether it be on the deck of one of his superyachts or in a private dining room at his mate Neil Perry's smoke-free Rockpool restaurant.

Only last year Carey gave an interview in which she talked about her own misspent youth smoking cigarettes.

She told US Weekly: "I smoked quite frequently from the time I was 12 to when I was 18. I gave up smoking in one day and never went back. I absolutely detest cigarette smoke now."

Good luck James.

Kylie struts on the conservative side

Kylie Minogue performs at the Qatar Airways Gala Dinner.

Kylie Minogue performs at the Qatar Airways Gala Dinner.

Her infamous gold hot pants would have probably been deemed a little too hot for the sensibilities of His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, the chief executive officer of Qatar Airways who was among the 300 VIPs invited to see Kylie Minogue welcome the airline's inaugural flight from Sydney on Thursday night.

Instead Minogue opted for a more restrained ensemble - a bedazzled harem pant suit with a glittery shawl - and performed a medley of her hits including Wow, Better The Devil You Know and Step Back In Time for the VIPs invited to the swanky soiree at Darling Harbour's Dockside floating event space, with female guests asked to dress "modestly", which considering Sydney's usual fleshy red carpet dress codes presented quite a challenge for some.

Among those VIPS warmly welcoming the Qatar crew were NSW minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events, Stuart Ayres, Sydney Airport CEO Kerrie Mather, Chairman of the Australian Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mohamed Hage, billionaire fast food baron Jack Cowin and Destination NSW chairman John Hartigan.

Cowboy's law of suppliers and demands

Judging by self-styled Sydney playboy Ricardo Castillo's New Year's Eve photos surrounded by a bevy of beauties sipping champagne aboard a superyacht, the last thing on the restaurateur/impresario/lothario's mind was the mounting bills piling up around him - to the tune of $150,000 following last year's disastrous Day Of The Dead parties in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Self-styled Sydney playboy Ricardo Castillo.

Self-styled Sydney playboy Ricardo Castillo.

Indeed Castillo - who also goes by the names of Ricardo Amare and Ricardo Amare del Castillo, depending on which city he is in and which Australian Securities and Investment's Commission documents you choose to go on, the latter of which also feature several birth dates which put his age somewhere between 31 and 34 -clearly had his hands full with other matters than worrying about unpaid DJs, event companies, venues, make up artists and various other "suppliers" who claim they have been "ripped off".

Ricardo chose not to return PS' repeated calls to his mobile and his restaurant, Darlinghurst taco joint Playa Takeria, however a not so happy conga line of creditors were more than willing to spill the beans, including Phil Barker, the creative director of Sydney events company The Artistry. Barker says the Day Of The Dead parties have left a $150,000 hole in the business after Ricardo indicated he was unable to pay the outstanding bills.

"We are working to get our money back but this sort of recovery isn't easy and it takes time," Barker told PS.

"We'll recover from the blow, but to see someone who owes us a lot of money living a champagne lifestyle, while we have suppliers to pay, staff with mortgages and kids, is disgraceful."

High profile international DJ Shane "SOS" Barnes added: "As an International DJ for nearly 20 years I have played in many countries from Europe to Asia including Ibiza and all over Australia. In all this time I have never NOT been paid. Ricardo is the very first promoter to have this 'honour'.

Peter Whelan from Glownet, a cashless payment system, said his company soon realised they were "dealing with a cowboy" and "limited the exposure to any losses we were going to face."

Bank's beige goes rainbow

Corporate Australia has managed to do what many of our leaders in Canberra have failed at –embracing the gay and lesbian community.

This year's Mardi Gras has set the scene for some truly impressive overtures from big corporations such as banking giant ANZ, which managed to transform its Oxford Street branch over just 48 hours into something that resembles Liberace's bathroom, with faux marble floors, ornate gilded columns and frescos of nubile nymphs and muscle men adorning the otherwise beige banking space.

The ANZ Oxford Street branch, rebuilt for Mardi Gras.

The ANZ Oxford Street branch, rebuilt for Mardi Gras.

The bank, a major sponsor of Mardi Gras, has copped plenty of flak from detractors on social media, but as Taylor Swift sang, the haters are always "gonna hate, hate hate".

Interestingly PS hears that over in Toronto, Canada's recently elected progressive pin-up Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has signed up to march with his gay and lesbian constituents in the city's Pride march in June. Note to Malcolm Turnbull – it's not too late to beat him.

Instagram beats Tammy's splash

The absence of Brynne Edelsten and her replacement Gabi Grecko from the media landscape has left a shapely void, one which is being amply filled by Liberal party staffer Tammy Candy who has been enjoying blanket media coverage largely thanks to the Murdoch press, who can't seem to get enough of her.

Coalition staffer Tamara Candy, 27, aka Tammy Candy.

Coalition staffer Tamara Candy, 27, aka Tammy Candy. Credit: Instagram

Indeed Candy has become quite an adept player at the fame game despite living in Canberra, a city which does not boast any paparazzi let alone have many candidates worthy of such attention.

Indeed at least one Sydney pap has been lured to Canberra in recent times to capture the busty blonde's various shenanigans in the nation's capital. The photographer was conveniently tipped off about Candy's next swimsuit appearance.

The latest set of images PS saw on Friday showed Tammy wearing what appeared to be a two-sizes too small swimsuit and stripper-style high heels as the petite blonde jiggled about a swimming pool with an unnamed "male model" and a rather conspicuous bottle of vodka and cans fo Red Bull nearby.

But at $275 a pop, the shots remained unsold, though PS was assured they could be ours for the bargain basement price of $100. But why pay when she posts so many equally, ahem, beguiling shots for free on Instagram?

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Original URL: https://www.watoday.com.au/link/follow-20170101-gn9662