Rio's £5m wedding
Man United star Rio Ferdinand is to tie the knot in the costliest wag wedding EVER
WAGS TO RICHES: Rebecca and Rio
FOOTY ace Rio Ferdinand is treating his bride to the World Cup of weddings next weekend - a whopping £5 MILLION five-day do.
The minted centre-back, 30, has booked an entire five-star Caribbean resort from Wednesday to Monday . . . and that's just for the guests.
He and bride Rebecca Ellison will stay at a nearby £50,000-a-week mountain-top villa, with a round-the-clock butler, valet, chef and housekeeper.
Not bad for a boy from Peckham - the run-down South London suburb made famous by Only Fools and Horses.
Rio and Rebecca's celebrations start on Tuesday when they will fly to Peter Island, one of the exclusive British Virgin Islands, on a private jet with their closest family and friends.
Problems
For unlucky guests who don't have a seat on that, second prize is a first-class ticket on a scheduled flight the following day.
And it's all courtesy of Manchester United and England ace Rio.A source told News of the World: "He is spending an indecent amount of money on his wedding.
"Rebecca doesn't like the limelight so their big day hasn't been subsidised by any exclusive magazine deal. Rio has paid for absolutely everything himself.
"Each and every guest is being treated to out-and-out luxury. That is, first-class travel, first- class accommodation and first- class food.
"It's going to be a first-class wedding."
Perhaps Rio, whose personal wealth is estimated at £30 million, is rewarding 29-year-old Rebecca for her patience and loyalty.
The couple have been together for seven years and have two sons - Lorenz, who turns three next month, and nine-month- old Tate.
But their relationship has been tainted with allegations of Ferdinand's alleged infidelities.
One woman, air hostess Lauren Alcorn, even claimed in 2006 that she had been sleeping with him for five years, behind Rebecca's back.
The following year, Rio proposed to "long-suffering" Rebecca, with a huge yellow diamond ring, while they were holidaying in Las Vegas.
For their wedding, they will spend a week at the Falcon's Nest Villa, a sumptuous mountain-top holiday home overlooking the turquoise Caribbean sea.
It has six spacious master bedrooms, each boasting an ocean view and exotic en-suite bathroom with a colourful laser-lit rain shower.
The wedding ceremony, set to take place on Sunday, will be in the villa's magnificent two- storey glass Great Room, which has an elevated terrace.
Guests will then be ushered into the 4,000 sq ft outdoor entertainment area.
SPLASHING OUT: The villa where they'll wed
HOT SHOT: Aerial view of the resort where couple's guests will stay
INFINITE LUXURY: The amazing two-tier swimming pool at Falcons Nest
GOAL IS TO RELAX: Island boasts stunning beaches
NETTING HIS BRIDE: Where vows will be said
Pool
It includes a waterfall, grotto and covered barbecue area with swim-up bar. And the surrounding scented gardens contain the latest two-tiered infinity pool.
Most of the 100 guests will arrive on Wednesday and stay at the nearby Peter Island Resort - which has 32 ocean- view rooms and 18 beach-front suites - until Monday. They include Rio's Man Utd teammates Gary Neville and Wes Brown, England pals Frank Lampard, John Terry and Ashley Cole and Chelsea star Jody Morris.
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson and footballer-turned-actor Vinnie Jones have also been invited, as have striker Wayne Rooney and his five-month pregnant wife Coleen.
But it is not known if they will attend - as Coleen was upset when her close pal Rebecca and Rio failed to show at their wedding in Italy last June, despite Wayne sending a chauffeur- driven car to their house to collect them.
For the guests who are going, Rio has booked up the first- class cabins of several jets to take them to and from the Caribbean. They will fly into Beef Island airport on the neighbouring island of Tortola then be transferred to Peter Island by private yacht or helicopter.
The following day, Thursday, the build-up begins in earnest with an early-evening warm-up party.
Gown
On Friday night there will be a second party, at the Falcon's Nest Villa. And on Saturday there is a Caribbean- themed bash.
For each of the events, Rebecca has had a different made-to-measure designer frock created.
A handful of guests unable to join the pre-wedding festivities will arrive on Sunday morning, just in time for the non-religious wedding service and reception. For this, the bride will wear a show-stopping gown set to rival Coleen Rooney's stunning £200,000 Marchesa number.
And Rebecca's favourite hairdresser and make-up artist are being flown in to make sure she is looking her best for her big day.
The bride will make her entrance with her two sons, who are pageboys, and four bridesmaids, including her sister. Rio's footballer brother Anton - who plays for Premiership side Sunderland - is best man.
Afterwards, the newlyweds are expected to continue holidaying on the island, which has been named one of the "Best Places to Stay in the World" by posh Conde Nast Traveller magazine. The extravaganza has been organised by super-discreet party- planners-to-the-stars, Rebecca Fairhurst and Jacqueline Harrison. The well-heeled ladies, who run Cheshire-based firm Velvet Vision, often work with celebrity chef Rick Stein.
Secrecy
Our source said: "Rebecca didn't want to take any chances with anything going wrong with her big day so she put everything in the hands of the experts.
"The company is run by two women who pride themselves as much on their secrecy as their contemporary style and impeccably good taste."
The £5 million bill is around the same amount that Wayne and Coleen spent on their wedding - but half was paid for by a mag deal. Posh and Becks paid just £500,000 but it was ten years ago, in 1999.
Ashley and Cheryl Cole spent half a million on their festivities in 2006. Steven Gerrard and Alex Curran paid £750,000 in 2007, and John Terry and Toni Poole's do cost £1 million, as did Gary Neville and Emma Hadfield's.
One of the most disastrous weddings was that of Michael Chopra, who wed model Heather Swan on a Friday the 13th, in 2008. A month after their £250,000 day, she kicked him out of their home.
Last night Rio's spokesman said of his wedding: "This is a private affair and we have no comment."
