AS a millionaire veteran of countless Hollywood blockbusters, Michael Douglas is no stranger to the big budget production.

But even he might be feeling a slight twinge in the wallet at the soaring cost of his forthcoming marriage to Catherine Zeta Jones.

Three weeks before the ceremony, the Welsh actress is believed to have spent almost £1.5million on her big day.

And the bills keep on coming.

'There seems to be no stopping her,' said a friend of 31-year-old Miss Jones, who gave birth in August to Douglas's son Dylan.

The friend claimed she was paying £180,000 simply on deco­rations in the Grand Ballroom of the New York Plaza Hotel, where the wedding will take place. Another added that the bride's dress, which is being kept under wraps until the big day, is costing well over £100,000.

She's known to have met David Emanuel, who with his wife Elizabeth designed the wed­ding gown worn by the late Diana, Princess of Wales, in her native Swansea this month.

And while 56-year-old Douglas has just paid a relatively-modest £3,500 for his own Welsh gold wedding ring, his wife-to-be is expected to choose a far more costly option to complement her £500,000 engagement ring.

Douglas has already promised to fly Miss Jones's entire family from Wales in a private jet for the wedding. The 200-plus guest list is said to include Sir Michael Caine, Sharon Stone, Sir Sean Connery, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston.

The bridegroom originally set aside £350,000 for the nuptials, but doubled it after Miss Jones threatened to use her own money to make her 'dream day' complete. That figure now seems a distant memory.

Money matters have so far figured large in the couple's relationship.

Last month Douglas, whose films include The War of the Roses, about a feuding couple, finally agreed that if the marriage should end in divorce he will pay £l million-plus for every year it lasted.

Despite their cash wrangles, the couple have been keen to promote giving as one of the key themes of their union.

Weeks after selling their first baby pictures to OK! magazine for a reported £600,000, they sent out wedding invitations urging guests to donate generously to the newly-created Dylan Douglas Foundation.

They read: 'No personal gifts but try writing a cheque to infant Dylan Michael Douglas's charitable fund; a wonderful means of teaching him the joy of giving to others who are less fortunate.'

QUESTIONS:

1. What do you know about Michael Douglas?

2. Why might he be feeling a slight twinge in the wallet at the soaring cost of his forthcoming marriage to Catherine Zeta Jones?

3. How much did Catherine spend on her big day?

4. Where did the ceremony take place?

5. Why was the bride’s dress kept under wraps?

6. Who designed the wedding dress?

7. What wedding ring was Catherine expected to choose?

8. What celebrities did the wedding list include?

9. Why did the bridegroom double the sum he had originally set aside for the nuptials?

10. What is one of the key themes of the couple’s union?

11. How much did Douglas agree to pay if the marriage should end in divorce?

12. Why did they urge guests not to bring any traditional gifts?

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16