Donald & Melania Trump’s 20th Anniversary: Revisiting Their $2.5M Wedding | @RumourJuice

Donald and Melania Trump just hit a major milestone, their 20th wedding anniversary. Can you believe it's been two decades since their lavish $2.5 million wedding? Of course, Donald marked the occasion with a throwback wedding photo on X, paired with a sweet message for Melania. He also shared a tribute on the official POTUS account, calling her an extraordinary wife and wonderful mother. And I have a first lady who's been incredible. Speaking of their wedding, let's revisit what might be And it was a long engagement. It was. Why? Well, you know, we just had a great time and we didn't worry about it. First up, the venue. Donald and Melania tied the knot on January 22, 2005 at the stunning Bethesda-by-the-Sea Church in Palm Beach, Florida. This historic church, built in 1925, can seat over 700 people. Fun fact, NBA legend Michael Jordan also said, I do here in 2013. What was the wedding like? Fantastic. We had a great time. After the ceremony, the party moved to Donald's Mar-a-Lago estate, just a few miles away. Now, Mar-a-Lago's ballroom isn't your average reception venue. Oh no, it's a $35 million Versailles-inspired masterpiece, complete with crystal chandeliers, cream and gold accents, and enough flowers to make a botanical garden jealous. 10,000 of them, to be exact. Guests enjoyed caviar, tenderloin, and champagne serenaded by the Michael Rose Orchestra. And let's not forget the wedding cake, a $50,000 chocolate masterpiece so impressive that guests took home miniature versions as souvenirs. This is a beautiful evening. This may be the most beautiful evening of the year. Melania later reflected on the day in her memoir, She wrote, She also admitted the pressure to make sure everything went perfectly was real, but ultimately focused on celebrating love and commitment. Are you nervous? No, not at all. Not at all? Not at all. Now, we have to talk about the dress. Melania's custom Dior gown was the stuff of bridal dreams. It took over 500 hours to create, weighed a whopping 60 pounds, and was made of duchess satin adorned with 1,500 diamonds and pearls. And that skirt? A show-stopping 90 meters of fabric. She completed the look with a 16-foot veil and a strand of rosary beads instead of a bouquet. Can you imagine walking around in something that elaborate? And of course, the bling. Donald gave Melania a wedding ring estimated at $1.5 million. The 13-carat emerald-cut diamond ring designed by Graff was set in platinum and, unsurprisingly, turned heads. You don't think about carrots? No. I bet you do. I bet you know exactly how many carrots it is. I do, actually. But what's a wedding without a guest list? The Trumps had 350 attendees, including some very unexpected names. Hillary and Bill Clinton were there. Yes, the same Hillary Clinton who would later face Donald in the 2016 election. It's just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country. Because you'd be in jail. The guest list also included Barbara Walters, Heidi Klum, Simon Cowell, and Tony Bennett, to name a few. Richard Branson, known for his Virgin Empire, was in attendance, as was real estate tycoon Steve Wynn. Even Mohamed Al-Fayed, former owner of Harrods, was part of the glittering crowd. And the list didn't stop there. Shaquille O'Neal, Kelly Ripa, and Billy Joel made an appearance, too. The ceremony was very traditional. According to their wedding planner, Preston Bailey, the vibe was all about socializing. He described it as party, party, party, with no downtime at all. There was even an after-party by the pool. Now, about the honeymoon. Instead of jetting off to some exotic island, the newlyweds stayed put at Mar-a-Lago. Why leave when you've got private chefs, a polo ground, chandeliers everywhere, and pools that scream luxury? They don't call Palm Beach for no reason. We have the most beautiful palm trees, right? So why are we going to leave our gorgeous, beautiful house called Mar-a-Lago and venture out into some tropical island where things aren't clean or whatever? Classic Trump. Now, let's talk about how it all began, long before Mar-a-Lago became their luxurious retreat. Their story takes us back to the early days of Melania's journey. First, we should rewind to January 1987 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, back when it was still part of Yugoslavia. I grew up in Slovenia, and I went to school there. I studied design and architecture, and then I moved to Milan and Paris to live there. In her home country, Melania was known for her striking looks and reserved personality. Friends remember her as serious but with a sharp wit. What was Melania like as a roommate? The perfect roommate. Clean, neat, domestic, you know? Her family was close-knit, with her dad, Victor, working as a mechanic, and her mom, Amalia, in fashion. They instilled in her a strong work ethic and a love for education. My elegant and hard-working mother, Amalia, introduced me to fashion and beauty. My father, Victor, instilled in me a passion for business and travel. Melania often dreamed of the amazing place called America. Sounds like a classic American dream in the making. And soon, fortune smiled on her. Melania, just 16, was spotted by photographer Stane Jerko while leaning on a fence. Jerko saw potential in this tall, slim girl with long hair and decided to take her photo. Despite her initial shyness and reserve, Jerko saw something special in her. The photos turned out great, and her modeling career took off from there. And I travel around the world modeling and had a great career. Fast forward to 1992, and Melania lands in Milan, still using her original name, Melania Knobbs. She was a bit of a risk-taker, even doing a shoot where she played a fictional female US president. Little did she know, life would mirror that shoot decades later. I'm proud of it. Yes, I am. By the mid-90s, Melania is in New York with just a small apartment and big dreams. The fashion scene was wild. Think supermodels and over-the-top glamour. I arrived in New York City 20 years ago, and I saw both the joys and hardships of daily life. She had some risque photo shoots and even became the face of camel lights. Despite being a bit older than most new models, she made a mark with her seriousness and focus. Then came her big break in 1998 when Paolo Zampoli introduced her to Donald Trump. We met in New York. And it was a party, big party. So we met there. Now Trump, with his flashy reputation, didn't exactly sweep Melania off her feet right away. In fact, she famously didn't give him her number immediately. So he asked me for the number, and I said, I will not give you my number. So if you give me your numbers, I will call you. Classic move, Melania. And it turns out Trump fell for this trick not once, but twice. His first wife, Ivana, also didn't give him her number right away. Looks like Trump has a thing for a little mystery. I don't know what is Melania's problem. She just has to get over it. She's first lady of America, but I'm first lady Trump. Excuse me. Their relationship started off a bit unconventional. I mean, Trump was even talking about universal health care, which is definitely not what you'd expect from him. But as Melania got to know him, she realized he was serious about running for president one day. I have been with Donald for 18 years, and I have been aware of his love for this country since we first met. They eventually tied the knot in a lavish 2005 ceremony, surrounded by flowers and celebrities. But almost none of Melania's old friends were there. Guess those high-profile guest lists come with a few trade-offs. Did you feel different when they said man or wife? No, I felt that it was just so natural. By 2014, Donald Trump was so obsessed with politics that even his advisors were wondering what he was thinking. One time on a flight to Buffalo, Trump's father-in-law, Victor, asked campaign advisor Sam Nunberg if Trump knew what being president actually meant. Nunberg quipped, There were only two people who seriously thought Donald Trump would win the presidency — him and Melania. Were you involved in the decision of your husband to become president? We discussed a lot, yes, and I encouraged him. Now it seems like Melania's life was a series of lucky breaks. But once she moved into the White House after Trump's inauguration, the media scrutinized her like never before. I think people will always judge. Maybe they will say, That's part of the job that I was doing. I was a very successful model. Opinions on Melania are as divided as ever. Liberals see her as a figure of pity, with her tenure marked by a notable absence. Remember that cringeworthy video where she dodged Trump's hand-holding attempts? Yikes. And that awkward smile at the cameras? No wonder people think she's not exactly thrilled with her husband. You're not the first First Lady to have to deal with her husband's alleged infidelities. Has this put a strain on your marriage? It is not concern and focus of mine. The hashtag I'm Free Melania captures the sentiment of those who see her as a prisoner of her own making. And don't even get started on the conspiracy theories about her having a body double, or the criticisms of her pricey wardrobe, like that jaw-dropping $51,000 Dolce & Gabbana jacket. But Trump's diehard fans see her as the epitome of charm and elegance. Former Trump adviser Seb Gorka gushes, Melania truly is the embodiment of grace. Her old school friends are not buying the bimbo label. Petra Sadej, one of her childhood pals, says, I think she's happy. She's smart enough to handle it all. I'm my own person. He's his own person. And I think that's very important. I don't want to change him. He doesn't want to change me. Former friend and aide Stephanie Winston Wolkoff shared that people often see Melania as a counterbalance to Donald Trump, giving the impression she's a hostage hoping to be freed. But maybe that's not the case. As Wolkoff wrote for The Daily Beast, the truth is Melania knows and supports Donald and his viewpoints. Do you love your husband? Yes, we are fine. Yes. It's what the media speculates and it's gossip. It's not always correct stuff. So through all the highs and lows, Melania has stood by Donald's side, navigating their unpredictable journey together. Their bond has endured, proving strong and unique after 20 years of marriage. Here's to celebrating their anniversary and whatever the future holds for this one-of-a-kind pair.