Party fever in Venice as Hollywood stars descend for Clooney wedding

The fresco-adorned Aman hotel on Venice’s Grand Canal is feverishly preparing for George Clooney’s wedding to Amal Alamuddin, his Lebanon-born British fiancee. Hollywood stars have already begun arriving for the nuptials of the world’s most sought-after catch, who will, sources said, celebrate with 136 guests at the exclusive seven-star hotel in the 450-year-old Palazzo Papadopoli. The pair are expected to be officially married in a civil ceremony on Monday, but the city of masks is preparing for a weekend of serious partying before then.

Clooney’s on everyone’s lips here in Venice, the girls in particular are all in a tizzy, they’ll be lining the banks of the canal to see him.

Bruno Bartolini, water taxi driver

Guests including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Sandra Bullock and Matt Damon are set to stay at the Hotel Cipriano on the island of Giudecca, where they are expected to dine in style Friday evening with the groom and his glamorous bride-to-be. The reception will take place Saturday at the luxurious water-front Aman, which will later be transformed into a nightclub, where they’ll dance the night away. Rome’s former mayor Walter Veltroni will be performing the civil ceremony, likely to be held in the town hall, the stunning Ca’ Farsetti 14th century palace opposite the Aman hotel.

The city’s ground to a halt because they’re using the grand canal, but what does that matter: there’s nothing better than getting married in Venice.

Bruno Bartolini

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