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SATURDAY MARCH 16 Newlywed Liza Minnelli dressed in
scarlet & celebrated her first night as Mrs David Gest
by dancing alone to Gloria Gaynor's anthem for jilted
women I Will Survive.
Behind a strict security cordon around the St Regis
Hotel on Wall Street, New York the Cabaret star waved
a red feather boa while the 70s singer belted out her
anthem.
Minnelli's new husband finally broke away from his
male friends & led her by the hand from the dance
floor & back to their table as the week-long wedding
celebrations wound to a close.
The guest list of 500 included the Hollywood names of
Michael Jackson, Lauren Bacall, Joan Collins, & Robert
Wagner - who arrived with his daughter Kate - & a
British C list containing former EastEnders actresses
Anita Dobson [with husband Queen guitarist Brian May]
& Martine McCutcheon, who was a bridesmaid. They were
expecting Minnelli herself to take to the stage.
Instead they were entertained by 54 acts.
[Besides Gloria Gaynor scheduled performers included
Vikki Carr, the Doobie Brothers, Little Anthony & the
Imperials, the Pointer Sisters, Phoebe Snow, & Dionne
Warwick. Bridesmaid Mya also indicated she'd be
singing at the reception. Natalie Cole sang
Unforgettable as the wedding's processional taking
over the "spot" from Whitney Houston who cancelled her
performance of The Greatest Love of All. Cole had
previously joined Donna Summer & Valerie Simpson to
sing Isn't She Lovely at Minnelli's bridal shower.]
The wedding & reception were anything but traditional,
despite Minnelli's insistence onwearing white, a Bob
Mackie ivory gown, for the church ceremony. The couple
tied the knot on Satuday at New York's Marble
Collegiate Church. It was 56-year-old Minnelli's
fourth trip up the aisle & the first for the
flamboyant Broadway producer Gest 48.
Minnelli arrrived an hour early - & ten minutes
ahead of the bridegroom. Chief bridesmaid Elizabeth
Taylor & singer Jackson, who walked Minnelli down
the aisle, held up proceedings when they arrived 14
minutes late for the ceremony. Other guests strolled
in after the service had begun.
OK! magazine, which has paid a reported 500,000
pounds for exclusive rights to the 2 million pound
wedding, insisted on tight security & 20 guests were
ejected for carrying cameras.
White tents were placed at the front & side entrances
of the Fifth Avenue church to hide the arrivals, but
Hollywood's finest - & oldest - ignored the secrecy
edict & greeted the waiting fans with an enthusiasm
not seen in many of today's screen stars.
Mickey Rooney, a former child star & contemporary of
Minnelli's mother Judy Garland, could not contain his
delight & he told anyone that would listen, "Liza's
had a hard life & she deserves this happiness." Fellow
Hollywood veterans Kirk Douglas, Andy Williams, Janet
Leigh & Jane Russell also worked the crowds.
Minnelli's stepfather Sid Luft even ventured into a
barricaded area of mainly teenage fans to explain that
he was Garland's third husband. He then introduced his
new wife Camile, a blonde young enough to be his
granddaughter.
The hour long ceremony was conducted by the Rev Arthur
Caliandro, the protoge of America's first TV
fundraising evangelist Norman Vincent Peel. When he
pronounced the couple man & wife they kissed for a
full two minutes.
Emerging from the church Minnelli hid her gown under a
full length white mink coat, threw caution to the wind
& waded into the crowd. At the hotel she did another
quick change into her scarlet sequinned mini-dress &
the festvities began in earnest.
Michael Jackson kicked off the proceedings by offering
a toast to the couple. He stood up & in a barely
audible voice squeaked : "I am a man of few words but
here's to the bride & groom."
THE SCOTSMAN March 17
(Thank you Terence from Malaysia for the following article.)
Liza Minnelli and her fiancé, David Gest, continue the discreet planning of
their small, understated nuptials on Saturday. Yesterday, their spokesman
trumpeted 54 acts on the bill — count them, 54 — in a release that promised
"more than 200 stars confirmed to attend." Though some of the
"stars" may be
in the eye of the beholder.
Certainly some big names are due at the Marble Collegiate Church on Fifth
Ave. when Liza takes her fourth trip down the aisle. Those said to be
expected as Whitney Houston belts out "The Greatest Love of All"
include
Elton John, Michael Jackson, Anthony Hopkins, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elizabeth
Taylor, Michael Douglas, Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson.
Among the TV stars due to bear witness are Diane Sawyer, Rosie O'Donnell,
and Barbara Walters and her sidekicks from "The View." The list goes
on to
include showbiz legends such as Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall, Tony Curtis,
Lee Grant, Jane Russell, Gena Rowlands, Jennifer Jones, Dina Merrill and
Debbie Reynolds. Also mentioned are Dudley Moore, Joan Collins, Mia Farrow,
Clive Davis, Usher, Natalie Cole, Paula Abdul and Dionne Warwick.
But what really get our hearts racing are names like Phyllis Diller, Charles
Bronson, Debra Paget, Patrice Munsel, Vikki Carr, Norm Crosby, Robert
Goulet, Gale Storm, B.J. Thomas and Paul Williams. Toss in reggae star
Shaggy, and you have a party.
Guests will move on to the Regent Hotel on Wall St. There, a 60-piece
orchestra will back up performers including Usher, Andy Williams, Chaka
Kahn, Ray Conniff, Ashford & Simpson, the Doobie Brothers, Little Anthony
and the Imperials and some of the Jacksons. Spokesman Warren Cowan promises
"the music will go on into the wee hours of the morning, with breakfast
being served at 2 a.m. for those who wish to jam all night."
And you thought Charles and Di's wedding was something.
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