Inside Trump’s Third “Wedding to Remember” – Over-the-Top Cake, 350 Guests & High-Society Glamour

Thursday, July 17, 2025  Read time1 min

SAEDNEWS: A lavish January 22, 2005 wedding at Mar‑a‑Lago saw Donald Trump and model Melania Knauss tie the knot in front of 350 elite guests, with a 200‑lb Grand Marnier cake and couture gown that made headlines.

Inside Trump’s Third “Wedding to Remember” – Over-the-Top Cake, 350 Guests & High-Society Glamour

According to Saed News, Donald Trump’s third and most extravagant wedding—held at Palm Beach’s Bethesda‑by‑the‑Sea church in January 2005—blended opulence and spectacle. Melania, then a 34‑year‑old Slovenian model, arrived in a custom Christian Dior gown reportedly valued around $100,000, featuring a 13‑foot train, 16‑foot veil, and around 1,500 Swarovski crystals—all weighing an estimated 60 lb . After the ceremony, she changed into a lighter Vera Wang silk‑tulle dress for the poolside festivities .

trump wedding

trump wedding

trump wedding

trump wedding

The reception at Trump’s Mar‑a‑Lago estate featured 10,000 floral arrangements, Cristal champagne, caviar canapés, and a legendary 200‑lb, seven‑tier Grand Marnier chiffon cake adorned with 3,000 icing roses, crafted over two months and costing around $50,000 . Each guest also received a miniature chocolate wedding cake to take home.

Approximately 350 guests attended, including high-profile figures such as Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barbara Walters, Heidi Klum, Simon Cowell, Billy Joel, and Katie Couric . Tables set with gold-leaf linens and crystal chandeliers reflected Trump’s signature baroque style.

Wedding planner Preston Bailey credited Melania’s precise vision for coordinating the ornate details. Trump himself praised her as “extraordinary,” with People magazine recalling a ceremony infused with personal warmth amid the grandeur.

This spectacular event foreshadowed the couple’s ascent into global prominence. As they prepare to mark their 20th anniversary later this month, the wedding remains a defining moment of glamour, celebrity, and social status—echoing themes that would shape Trump’s later political brand.