Russell Brand and Katy Perry tied the knot in front of scores of celebrity guests at a lavish ceremony at a luxury resort near a tiger sanctuary in India. Elephants, a tiger and a fortune-telling parrot formed part of the extravagant event at a reserve in Rajasthan on October 23, 2010. Fourteen months later, Brand announced their separation, with the divorce finalised in 2012.
Celebrity guests at the Indian-style wedding
Among the stars reported to have attended the Indian-style wedding at the Aman-i-Khas resort were singer P Diddy, children's author David Walliams, comedian David Baddiel and TV presenter Jonathan Ross, who along with Brand left lewd messages on the answerphone of Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs during a 2008 radio show.
P Diddy was rumoured to have performed for the couple at the five-star Taj Rambagh Palace Hotel in Jaipur.
The ceremony and celebrations
Media at the time reported only 80-85 guests went to the wedding, which was staged near a tiger sanctuary. A representative for Perry and Brand described the affair as "very private and spiritual".
Brand met US pop star Perry on the set of Get Him to the Greek while he was at the peak of his fame in Hollywood. The pair were reacquainted in 2009 at rehearsals for the MTV Video Music Awards. Perry reportedly threw a bottle of water at Brand's head.
He said of the encounter: "I was really annoyed, but when she came up to me she was so mouthy, smart, and cocky. It made me really interested."
Wedding details and the tiger incident
They got engaged in India on New Year's Eve and returned to the country to wed near the Ranthambhore National Park wildlife resort. On the night before the big day, the couple threw a Bollywood-themed party for their guests. Perry wore a red sari while Brand donned a white kurta pyjama, an Indian outfit made up of loose trousers and a shirt.
Guests were treated to dance and musical performances, enjoyed shopping sprees and went on safari during the week-long celebrations. On the wedding day itself, two elephants, named Laxmi and Mala, entered the venue walking on a red carpet. While influenced by the Hindu faith and Indian wedding traditions, the ceremony itself was performed by a Christian minister.
While the whole affair was carried out in private and under strict security, there was one gate-crasher, according to reports. Armed guards had to step in at one point when a man-eating tiger was discovered some 50ft away from party-goers, apparently attracted by the music and lights. An official told The Sun newspaper the tiger had killed before, entered the wedding compound at about 11pm and "caused pandemonium among staff".
Brand, meanwhile, gifted Perry a Bengal tiger called Machli, who lived in the park, with the money he paid for her contributing to her care.
Aftermath and later life
Media at the time also reported that the fortune-telling parrot predicted Brand and Perry would enjoy long lives, a lasting marriage and successful careers. What the feathered friend failed to predict was that the marriage would end about 14 months later and Brand would be convicted of rape.
Brand reportedly informed Perry of the end of their marriage in a text message sent shortly before she was due on stage. In a 2013 interview with Vogue, Perry said: "I felt a lot of responsibility for it ending, but then I found out the real truth, which I can't necessarily disclose because I keep it locked in my safe for a rainy day."
Brand described the marriage as "chaotic", insisting they fell apart as her career continued to rise and his emotional needs grew. He went on to marry his current wife, the author and illustrator Laura Brand, née Gallacher, the daughter of former Ryder Cup winning golfer Bernard Gallacher. The Brands married at St Nicholas Church near Henley-on-Thames in 2017, with celebrity guests including Noel Gallagher, Ross, Baddiel and Hollywood actor Jason Segel.
