Almost ten years ago, the most expensive wedding in Australian history took place, between Australian businessman Geoffrey Edelsten and TV personality Brynne Gordon. It was a lavish, star-studded affair, estimated to have cost about $3.3 million in Australian dollars, or roughly $2.5 million USD. The bride, now known as Brynne Edelsten, recently shared her reflections with News.com.au about the ceremony, nearly a decade after the fact.
The three biggest names at the wedding included Margot Robbie, who was an Australian TV star at the time and just beginning her journey towards Hollywood mega-stardom, along with Jason Alexander and Fran Drescher. Both Alexander and Drescher were hired to narrate an invitation DVD produced by Garry Marshall, which commemorated the marriage and was distributed to all the guests. Brynne notes that the wedding was so grand that she wasn’t even aware of all the celebrities in attendance at the time.
Brynne stated, “I didn’t realize Margot was there…At that point, I was just starting to get familiar with Australia in general, let alone know who the people were at the wedding. I didn’t actually understand, let alone appreciate how lucky I was to have those people there. I didn’t realize how big a deal it was…Now I look at some of the guest list, and it’s actually really impressive. I was a bit oblivious to it all at the time.”
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The wedding ceremony was hosted at the Crown Casino in Melbourne. The luxurious event featured a commemorative short film, indicating that no expense was spared. Guests entering the Palladium Ballroom were greeted by a custom-constructed helicopter and a luxury car owned by the wealthy Geoffrey Edelsten. The helicopter was reportedly used to escort Brynne down the aisle, partly due to the overwhelming presence of the press and other onlookers.
Reflecting on the chaotic atmosphere, Brynne recalls, “There was press everywhere…Going into Crown right before the ceremony, I had to be taken through the Crown kitchen and we had to cover ourselves with paper bags because people were trying to get photos…It was a lot of chaos in an already overwhelming moment.”
Although Geoffrey and Brynne have since divorced and have been separated since 2014, their wedding remains a significant chapter in Australian history. The divorce is reportedly final, but they have yet to "settle things financially," leading to ongoing tension and rare communication between them. Nonetheless, the record for Australia’s most expensive wedding still stands strong.
