EVERYONE loves to read about celebrity weddings - from the proposal to the exorbitant prices they pay. And of course, look at the ooh-soo-gorgeous pictures.
1. Tony Leung, actor, 47 and Carina Lau, actress, 44
Claim to F(l)ame: Their highly-anticipated wedding in Bhutan on 21 Jul was touted as one of the grandest and most lavish ever in Asian entertainment history.
The Story So Far: It took Carina and Tony 20 years to do it, but boy, was it worth the wait.
Though we weren't fortunate enough to make it to their invite list - one that included their chums singer Faye Wong, director Wong Kar Wai and former actress Lin Ching-Hsia - it was nevertheless a thrill just to read how the proceedings of Hong Kong's 'wedding of the century' went.
The 5 1/2-hour wedding ceremony at the hilltop resort of Uma Paro cost the equivalent of $6 million.
Their 100-plus guests feasted on a nine-course menu provided by the resort, a five-tier wedding cake flown in from the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok and 30 bottles of champagne.
The Bhutanese royal family reportedly decked them out in traditional wedding costumes.
He/She said: In an interview with a Shanghai TV station just before the wedding, Tony said: 'Carina looks strong but is inwardly weak. I am both strong outside and inside, we match.'
Carina told Apple Daily Hong Kong before their big day: 'I will take care of my husband my whole life. Tony is a small kid, every man is a small kid.'
Next Change: Tony Leung can be seen swashbuckling away in John Woo's epic Red Cliff 2, now in theatres.
No reported upcoming projects for Carina Lau though. We figure she is likely to be enjoying her tai-tai lifestyle.
2. Kelly Chen, singer, 36 and Alex Lau, businessman, 37
Claim to F(l)ame: On 3 Oct, Hong Kong singer-actress Kelly Chen sealed her 16-year courtship with businessman Alex Lau in a multimillion-dollar wedding at the InterContinental Hotel.
The Story So Far: In the world of Hong Kong entertainment, where the paparazzi behave like wild horses on the loose, it's amazing how Kelly Chen had always managed to be evasive and tight-lipped about her rumoured beau.
But in June, during her concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum, Kelly sprang a surprise on her fans.
She announced: 'It's my last show here before the Coliseum undergoes renovation, and it feels like I have just completed a huge mission... but, I have an even bigger mission - to get married.'
Alex, who runs a business manufacturing silk flowers, had proposed with a six-carat ring.
On the wedding day, Kelly looked like a glowing princess, wearing a specially-designed gown with a 10m-long train that trailed down the ballroom stairs, decorated with 999 hand-made cloth peonies, matched by a 15m veil.
The banquet cost about HK$3 million ($557,000) and the media were generously treated to a separate buffet dinner that cost HK$888 a head.
She said: Kelly told Hong Kong reporters that Alex's devotion is what she appreciated most.
'At times during our courtship, his friends would be out in pairs, and they would tease him about his 'invisible girlfriend'.
'But he was always there, taking care of me.'
Next Change: Marriage hasn't slowed Kelly down one bit. She is compiling songs for a new Mandarin album with many 'happy tunes'.
Alex should love it.
3. Kwon Sang Woo, actor, 33 and Sohn Tae Young, actress, 29
Claim to F(l)ame: Korean heart-throb Kwon Sang Woo, who shot to fame in the popular drama Stairway to Heaven, defied unkind criticism by fans and media by marrying the love of his life, Sohn Tae Young, on 28 Sep.
The Story So Far: Usually, wedding announcements are met with loud cheers and hearty congratulations.
In Sang Woo's case, it was the opposite.
When he first announced that he would marry beauty queen-turned-actress Tae Young, instead of giving their blessings, some fans wondered if she is 'good enough' for him.
They voiced concerns that the marriage would dent his raging popularity with a largely female fan base.
Also, they gossiped about Tae Young's bountiful dating history, questioning her commitment to Sang Woo, for she was notorious as a playgirl, having been previously linked to a string of male celebrities.
Worse still, the sudden wedding news had shaken advertiser confidence in Sang Woo, and reports said he would lose an income of 10 billion won ($13 million) if his upcoming projects fell through.
Sang Woo, like a true man, stood by his girl all the way and went ahead with the wedding.
Their courtship was so sweet that it seemed to have leapt out from a romance novel - he proposed to Tae Young on a hot-air balloon in Australia.
He/She said: At a press conference where Sang Woo broke the news to reporters about his impending marriage, he said, 'Sohn Tae Young is the most precious person in my life.
'She is the biggest energy of my life, she makes me laugh and gives me hope.'
Awww.
Next Change: Sang Woo returns to Korean TV in April this year, in a new series Cinderella Man, about a young man's life-changing tale.
On the big screen, he will play the leading role in tearjerker A Sad Story, slated for release in March.
Meanwhile, his wife, Tae Young, stars as an art teacher in an upcoming drama series I Am Sam.
This article was first published in The New Paper on Jan 19, 2009.
