- Title: ITALY: Florence awaits arrival of the Kim Kardashian and Kanye West wedding party
- Date: 24th May 2014
- Summary: FLORENCE, ITALY (MAY 24, 2014) (REUTERS) FLORENCE ROOFTOPS AND LANDMARKS TOWER OF PALAZZO VECCHIO PEOPLE ON VIEWING PLATFORM FLORENCE CATHEDRAL AND ROOFTOPS BINOCULARS ON VIEWING PLATFORM WITH BELVEDERE FORT IN BACKGROUND STATUES IN GARDEN OF BELVEDERE FORT SECURITY GUARD BY FENCE ON WALL OF BELVEDERE FORT VARIOUS OF CRANE USED TO LIFT GOODS INTO FORT EXTERIOR OF ST. REGIS HOTEL MAN STANDING OUTSIDE ST. REGIS HOTEL ENTRANCE (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) FANS, DESY AND LUCIA, SAYING: (DESY SAYING) "We're here for Justin. He's been invited to the wedding of Kim and should be staying at this hotel, we hope he'll arrive soon." (LUCIA SAYING) "Let's hope nobody else knows because so many people are waiting to see him so the fewer there are here the better the chances of meeting him seeing as he never comes to Italy." (DESY SAYING) "We've been fans since December 2009 so it's about time we meet him." (LUCIA SAYING) "Exactly." EXTERIOR OF WESTIN EXCELSIOR HOTEL VARIOUS OF SECURITY GUARDS OUTSIDE HOTEL (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) FAN, LORA MAROTTA, SAYING: "I've come here to see Kim Kardashian, I've been following her since 2008 and I like her a lot. I'm obsessed so I've come here to see her and will not leave until I've seen her." PONTE VECCHIO BRIDGE BY ARNO RIVER ROWER IN RIVER BELOW PONTE VECCHIO ARNO RIVER WITH BELVEDERE FORT IN BACKGROUND
- Embargoed: 8th June 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Italy
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Entertainment,General
- Reuters ID: LVABLT81RDJFUZT4NH0M44YUB8IH
- Story Text: Following a star-studded celebration at Versailles, the wedding party of U.S. television personality Kim Kardashian and rapper Kanye West was expected to arrive in Florence, Italy on Saturday (May 24).
The couple has rented the city's 16th century Belvedere Fort at a cost of 300,000 euros (408,900 U.S. dollars) for their wedding, local authorities confirmed last week.
The hilltop castle with views over Florence has been sealed off ahead of the ceremony to thwart the prying lenses of the paparazzi.
Few details have leaked out ahead of the nuptials, with a private security firm keeping curious fans and television cameras from getting too close to the site.
According to the local La Nazione newspaper, suppliers have been threatened with a $5 million penalty if they reveal details of the event and guests will be asked to hand in their mobile phones to stop anyone taking "selfies" or other pictures.
The couple will be accompanied by around 200 of their close friends, and the pair will also be joined by their daughter North, who West said in a recent interview was conceived among the splendours of Florence.
The guest list has been kept a tight secret but a source close to the planning said Hollywood actor Will Smith, TV host Oprah Winfrey and singers Jay-Z, Beyonce, Rihanna and Justin Bieber would be flying in to join the festivities.
Most will be arriving by private plane in Florence's main airport and leaving on Sunday (May 25) morning. They will be put up in two of the city's most luxurious hotels, the Four Seasons and the St. Regis, where around ten of West's assistants have been overseeing preparations for the past week.
Fans were staking out the hotels on Saturday morning, hoping to catch a glimpse of the happy couple and their famous guests.
"I've come here to see Kim Kardashian, I've been following her since 2008 and I like her a lot. I'm obsessed so I've come here to see her and will not leave until I've seen her," said Lora Marotta.
"We're here for Justin. He's been invited to the wedding of Kim and should be staying at this hotel, we hope he'll arrive soon," said Desy.
"Let's hope nobody else knows because so many people are waiting to see him so the fewer there are here the better the chances of meeting him seeing as he never comes to Italy," her friend Lucia said.
"We've been fans since December 2009 so it's about time we meet him," added Desy.
The guests will be escorted by city police to the event where they will dine on catering provided by Galateo, one of Florence's most famous caterers, and residents in the San Nicola area of Florence have received letters warning them that music will be booming out until midnight.
Vanessa Beecroft, an Italian-born artist and friend of West, whose performance art pieces regularly feature groups of nude female models, has set up a show within the fort and has promised to leave one of her works to the city of Florence.
It is a closely guarded secret just how much the final bill will come to but if past celebrity practice is any guide, the couple may be able to cover some of the expense by selling exclusive coverage rights to specialist celebrity media. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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