Despite our current obsession with celebrity, it is the royal family who has provided us with the most memorable wedding of all time, with Charles and Diana topping a new poll carried out on behalf of Cancer Research UK*.
The survey was conducted to highlight how couples tying the knot this year can make an impact with their wedding, without a VIP guest list or magazine deal. Cancer Research UK’s Give in Celebration is an alternative wedding list, allowing people to fundraise for the charity in celebration of their marriage, either instead of or in addition to more traditional gifts.
The survey showed that Charles and Diana’s 1981 wedding, which was watched by a TV audience of more than 750 million worldwide, was the runaway winner.
The future King also claimed the number three spot with his wedding to Camilla Parker-Bowles. At number two were the King and Queen of Celebrity, Posh and Becks, who made second place with their typically lavish wedding bash. Elton John’s distinctive and flamboyant style took his civil partnership with David Furnish to number four.
The poll, carried out to mark the start of this year’s wedding season, saw two of the most talked about couples of recent years, Peter Andre and Jordan and Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, take fifth and sixth place respectively. Proving that a memorable wedding does not necessarily mean a long lasting one, Brad and Jen were in at seven, followed by the only fictional wedding in the line-up, that of Scott and Charlene in Neighbours. The top ten was completed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono at nine and Elvis and Priscilla Presley at ten.
Poppy Ahern, online manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “Over the years, there have been endless wonderful celebrity weddings, which have successfully grabbed the public’s attention at the time. Some of these are soon forgotten, but we were curious to find out which ones had a lasting impact.”
“Give in Celebration gives people a way for their special day to make a real difference, without having to have a celebrity lifestyle.”
Setting up an alternative list on Give in Celebration is quick and easy. You can personalise your web page by uploading your own photos, writing a personal message and using a selection of images and page colours to decorate it. You can also send out emails to friends and family inviting them to visit your page and make a donation.
The site can provide you with regular updates on who has donated and all donors will receive a ‘thank you’ email from Cancer Research UK, leaving you more time to organise the flowers, the hen party and of course the honeymoon.
To find out more visit our Give in Celebration homepage.
ENDS
* The survey of 1,000 people was conducted by BMRB, with one point allocated per couple for every vote received in the top ten.
For media enquiries, please contact Lisa Flanagan or Anna Hilton on 020 7061 8308 / 8314 or, out-of-hours, the duty press officer on 07050 264 059.
ENDS
The top ten most memorable celebrity weddings are:
- Prince Charles and Princess Diana
- David and Victoria Beckham
- Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles
- Elton John and David Furnish
- Jordan and Peter Andre
- Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
- Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston
- Scott and Charlene
- John Lennon and Yoko Ono
- Elvis and Priscilla Presley
About Cancer Research UK
- Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK’s vision is to beat cancer.
- Cancer Research UK carries out world-class research to improve understanding of the disease and find out how to prevent, diagnose and treat different kinds of cancer.
- Cancer Research UK ensures that its findings are used to improve the lives of all cancer patients.
- Cancer Research UK helps people to understand cancer, the progress that is being made and the choices each person can make.
- Cancer Research UK works in partnership with others to achieve the greatest impact in the global fight against cancer.
For further information about Cancer Research UK’s work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 020 7009 8820 or visit our homepage.