Step inside a Nigerian oil billionaire's son's incredibly lavish £5 million wedding at a British palace
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Folarin Alakija, the son of Nigerian oil billionaire Folorunso Alakija, married Iranian model Nazanin Jafarian Ghaissarifar, at the Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, this past weekend in an extremely oppulent ceremony.
Alakija's mother, Folorunso Alakija, is the vice chair of Famfa Oil, a Nigerian oil company, and one of the richest black women in the world, with an estimated fortune of £2.1 billion ($1.68 billion), according to Forbes.
The Daily Mail reported that the wedding cost roughly £5 million.
It was attended by celebrity guests, including Victoria's Secret Model Shanina Shaik, and featured a million white roses, a 12 foot cake, and a live performance from Robin Thicke.
Take a look inside the incredibly lavish fairytale-like ceremony below.
Folarin Alakija, the son of a Nigerian oil billionaire, married Iranian model Nazanin Jafarian Ghaissarifar in an extremely lavish ceremony this past weekend.
There was truly no expense spared at the the wedding, which is estimated to have cost around £5 million. It took place at Blenheim Palace, in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill and main residence of the Duke of Marlborough.
The venue was adorned with one million white roses. There was also a 12 foot cake.
Celebrity florist Jeff Leatham arranged the incredible flower displays.
Leatham, who is the fiancé of American actor Colton Haynes, frequently designs flowers for stars, including Oprah and the Kardashians, and is also behind floral arrangements for various Four Seasons Hotels.
Every intricate detail had been carefully thought through to match the fairytale-like theme. Guests were treated to a lavish five-course menu, which included foie gras, beef, and sole with alternative choices like crispy duck egg and guinea fowl.
American singer-songwriter Robin Thicke serenaded guests with a surprise performance.
Nazanin, or Naza as she is known by her friends, had eight bridesmaids and a flower girl. She wore a stunning strapless lace white dress with a train during the ceremony...
...And slipped into a sheer lace dress for the evening dancing.
The night ended with a spectacular display of fireworks.
Supermodel Shanina Shaik was among the star-studded guest list. Her dress was designed by Galvan London (£869), shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti, and jewellery by Gemporia.
Fashion blogger and vlogger Temi Otedola, behind JTO Fashion, who has almost 90,000 followers on Instagram, was also among the wedding guests.
Alakija's mother, Folorunso Alakija, is the vice chair of Famfa Oil, a Nigerian oil company, and one of the richest black women in the world, with an estimated fortune of £2.1 billion ($1.68 billion).
Alakija tragically lost his first wife Chena, with whom he had a daughter, to cancer six years ago. The newlyweds met through mutual friends.
• I've studied happiness for years — here are the 12 best pieces of advice I'm giving my daughter
• Everything you need to know about Gal Gadot, the badass actress who stars in 'Wonder Woman'
• These are the 9 highest-paid Victoria's Secret models
Read the original article on Business Insider UK. © 2015. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments