Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck hold lavish estate wedding

WASHINGTON, United States - Celebrity couple Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck tied the knot Saturday -- for the second time in just over a month -- in a lavish ceremony at the "Good Will Hunting" star's estate, US media reported.

The A-list lovebirds already wed in Las Vegas in mid-July, but made it official again, this time in front of friends and family at Affleck's 87-acre (35-hectare) waterfront compound in the southeastern US state of Georgia.

Among the Hollywood types in attendance at the three-day affair were longtime Affleck pal Matt Damon and director Kevin Smith, People magazine reported.

Guests wore all-white while Lopez donned a Ralph Lauren dress made in Italy, according to Fox News.

Images posted by celebrity gossip site TMZ ahead of the wedding showed dinner seating being arranged on what appeared to be a large, covered dock, with a substantial barge for pyrotechnics floating nearby.

The pair -- he is 50 and she is 53 -- first met on the set of the widely panned movie "Gigli" in 2002.

They became a media sensation as they dated but postponed their planned 2003 nuptials, then announced their relationship was over in early 2004.

"Bennifer" -- the couple's public nickname from their first highly publicized relationship -- set the internet alight last year when photos of them together again began circulating. 

Lopez and Affleck announced their engagement in April.

Lopez posted a video of herself appearing emotional and admiring a green ring in her newsletter, "On The JLo." US media reported that the ring was an emerald-cut pale green diamond.

This is the fourth marriage for Lopez and the second for Affleck.

Lopez discussed her renewed relationship with Affleck in an interview with People in February.

"It's a beautiful love story that we got a second chance," she said.

Agence France Presse

UK PM Johnson marries in low-key, surprise ceremony

LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson married his fiancee Carrie Symonds at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday, capping a week of political drama with a wedding kept so under wraps that his office did not confirm it until the following day.

The event was not announced in advance and media reports on Saturday evening said guests were invited at the last minute to the Roman Catholic cathedral in central London, adding that even senior members of Johnson's office were unaware of the wedding plans.

"The Prime Minister and Ms Symonds were married yesterday afternoon in a small ceremony at Westminster Cathedral," Johnson's office said on Sunday. "The couple will celebrate their wedding with family and friends next summer."

Johnson, 56, and Symonds, 33, have been living together in Downing Street since Johnson became prime minister in 2019. They announced last year that they were engaged and their son, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, was born in April 2020.

The Conservative prime minister faced a barrage of criticism over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic after former chief adviser Dominic Cummings told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday that his failings had caused thousands of unnecessary deaths.

Johnson brushed aside the allegations, saying on Thursday that "some of the commentary" bore no relation to reality. He said the government had done its best to follow the data and guidance it had to contain the pandemic.

SMILES AND FLOWERS

A wedding photo issued by the prime minister's office showed the couple smiling in the garden of 10 Downing Street after the ceremony.

Symonds wore a long white gown and a garland of white flowers in her hair while Johnson wore a dark suit, blue tie and a floral buttonhole.

The ceremony had to be low-key: weddings in England are currently limited to 30 people due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Media reports said that the cathedral was suddenly locked down at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and Symonds arrived 30 minutes later in a limo.

Earlier this month the Sun had reported that wedding invitations had been sent to friends and family for July 2022.

Johnson, once dubbed "Bonking Boris" by Britain's tabloid media, has a complicated private life.

He was once fired from the Conservative Party's policy team while in opposition for lying about an extra-marital affair. He has been divorced twice and refuses to say how many children he has fathered.

Johnson's last marriage was to Marina Wheeler, a lawyer. They had four children together but announced in September 2018 that they had separated. 

(Reporting by Alistair Smout and Paul Sandle Editing by Mark Potter, Alison Williams and Frances Kerry)

-reuters-

LOOK: Jinri Park gets married in Australia amid COVID-19

“I can’t wait till the virus dies down so I can wear my wedding dress and have my dad walk me down the aisle.”

This was what TV host and model Jinri Park wrote as she shared this Saturday that she and her non-showbiz partner had to settle for a low-key ceremony for now, until the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis ends.


On Instagram, she posted a photo of her and her partner, John, whom she had already married in a Korean wedding ceremony, sharing a kiss after marrying again at a church in Sydney, Australia. She added that only John’s family was present as their witnesses.

Park, a former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate, was clad in a simple white dress, and she wrote in the caption that she is still very much looking forward to the day their planned church wedding with friends and family would push through.

“Today was our wedding day but due to the virus we decided to postpone it. We still went to the church to legally sign the registry and got married. The weather was perfect and we had John's family there to witness,” she told her fans, before reminding them to stay safe during this time of crisis.

Earlier this week, Park admitted that she felt “upset” over postponing their wedding because of all the stress she had to go through with planning it.

She did say that she understands the need for the measures against COVID-19, and told her fellow brides who had to move their weddings that “we now have a story to tell our grandchildren.”

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LOOK: Miss Universe 2017 ties the knot with retired NFL star Tim Tebow

Former NFL star Tim Tebow and Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters has tied the knot, the couple shared on Instagram. 

The two, who both wrote "forever" in their captions, married in a ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa. 


This was confirmed Tuesday by US-based magazine People.

"I've been looking forward to three things," Tebow said of the wedding. "The first moment I see her in her wedding dress, the first kiss, and the first dance together as man and wife. It's such a special night." 

According to People, Nel-Peters walked down the aisle in a custom-made gown from David's Bridal, a clothier in the US. 


Tebow, a collegiate football champion who previously played for NFL teams the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets, got engaged to Nel-Peters in January. 

He was born in the Philippines where his parents served as Baptist missionaries. His family moved back to the US when he was 3. 

He currently plays minor league baseball. 

Nel-Peters, who is from South Africa, won Miss Universe in 2017. 

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Former Miss USA Olivia Jordan ties the knot

MANILA – “We did it!”

Former Miss USA Olivia Jordan made this statement on Instagram after tying the knot with actor Jay Hector in Palm Springs, California.

Among those who congratulated Jordan was Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach. 

The two became close after being roommates during Wurtzbach’s Miss Universe reign.

“Congratulations, my love! Stay in love forever,” the Filipina beauty queen told her second runner-up in Miss Universe.

Jordan has gained a fan base in the Philippines for her closeness to Wurtzbach. 

Naturally, many of them asked the American beauty queen why the Miss Universe 2015 titleholder was not at her wedding.

“She was invited but due to the location and timing, it didn’t work,” she explained. “We will always remain friends no matter how far apart or how often we see each other.”

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Wedding misery for man named Thomas Cook as travel firm collapses

LONDON - A British man named Thomas Cook said Monday he feared his dream wedding in Greece was ruined after the collapse of the holiday firm with the same name.

Cook, 29, is on the island of Rhodes with his partner Amelia Binch, 27, and their two children ahead of their planned wedding on Friday.

But they worry the ceremony may not go ahead while they wait to be repatriated, while some guests are still in Britain, the Nottingham Post newspaper reported.

"Thomas Cook promised us a surprise on our wedding because of my name but this was not the surprise we were expecting," he told the paper.

The couple, from the town of Hucknall near Nottingham in central England, said they had spent almost £10,000 (11,300 euros, $12,400) on a wedding package with Thomas Cook.

"I am just devastated. We have got 30 plus friends and family coming out, half are stuck at home in limbo. My best man is still in England. No one here knows anything," Cook said.

"I have been planning this for two years and it has all gone to pot. We have paid for everything. It is shattering. We don't know what we can do."

The travel group collapsed into bankruptcy on Monday, leaving around 600,000 holidaymakers stranded.

The British government is planning to bring home around 150,000 Britons stuck abroad, in the country's biggest repatriation since World War II.

ar/jwp/pld/dl

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Thai king surprises with royal wedding ahead of coronation

BANGKOK - Just days before his official coronation, Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Wednesday married the deputy head of his personal guard force and gave her the title Queen Suthida.

The surprise announcement was carried in the Royal Gazette, and footage from Wednesday's wedding ceremony was later shown on the nightly Royal News segment aired on all Thai television channels.

Vajiralongkorn, 66, also known by the title King Rama X, became constitutional monarch after the death of his revered father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in October 2016, after 70 years on the throne.

He is due to be officially crowned in elaborate Buddhist and Brahmin ceremonies on Saturday, followed by a procession through Bangkok the next day.

In 2014, Vajiralongkorn appointed Suthida Tidjai, a former flight attendant for Thai Airways, as a deputy commander of his bodyguard unit.

Some royal observers and foreign media had linked Suthida romantically with the king, but the palace had previously never acknowledged a relationship between them.

The king made Suthida a full general in the Royal Thai Army in December 2016, and the deputy commander of the king's personal guard in 2017. He also made her a Thanpuying, a royal title meaning Lady.

Among the dignitaries at the wedding were Prayuth Chan-ocha, the leader of the military junta that has run Thailand since a 2014 army coup, as well as other members of the royal family and palace advisers, the wedding footage showed.

Vajiralongkorn has previously been married and divorced three times and has seven children.

While the king took the throne after the death of his father, his formal coronation follows a mourning period for King Bhumibol, whose royal cremation was held a year after his death.

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Sophie Turner, Joe Jonas are now married

Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas are finally married.

The two supposedly wed in a surprise ceremony in Las Vegas immediately after the Billboard Music Awards on Wednesday night (Thursday in Manila), according to a report by E! News.

Happenings from the much-talked about wedding were captured on video by Diplo, which he shared to the social media world through his Instagram stories.

Following their wedding, all the Jonas brothers are now legally hitched.

Turner and Jonas surprised their fans when they announced their engagement on Instagram in October 2017.

The “Game of Thrones” star and the musician started dating in 2016.

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Hillary Clinton joins Bollywood stars as super-rich Indians wed

MUMBAI - The daughter of India's richest man got married on Wednesday in a traditional ceremony in Mumbai attended by Bollywood stars and former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The marriage brings together 2 of India's most influential families. The bride, Isha Ambani, 27, is the daughter of Mukesh Ambani, head of the vast Reliance conglomerate whose net worth Forbes put at $43 billion.

Her groom, Anand Piramal, 33, is heir to a real-estate and pharmaceutical business.

The wedding bash took place at Ambani's Mumbai residence, an extraordinary 27-storey structure known as one of the most expensive homes in the world. It was covered in red roses and decorated with lights and flowers for the occasion.

The groom and his family arrived in vintage cars as security guards onlookers and photographers from the narrow lane in south Mumbai that leads to the residence.

India's Filmfare magazine said 600 guests were expected at what media have dubbed the "the big, fat Indian wedding".

The festivities were a culmination of lavish pre-wedding celebrations in the desert city of Udaipur over the weekend, which featured a private concert by American singer Beyonce.

As well as Clinton, who according to Indian media reports has an association with the Ambanis that goes back more than 18 years, attendees included newly-weds actress Priyanka Chopra and singer Nick Jonas, former Indian finance minister P. Chidambaram, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, and Bollywood actor Aamir Khan.

Many in India, where millions of people live in dire poverty, have closely followed the wedding preparations, including the couple's engagement at a luxury hotel on Italy's Lake Como.

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Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas celebrate wedding at New Delhi reception

NEW DELHI - Priyanka Chopra, star of Indian film and US television, and Jonas Brothers singer Nick Jonas celebrated their wedding at a glitzy reception in New Delhi on Tuesday, joined by celebrities ranging from India's prime minister to Hollywood stars.

The event at a New Delhi hotel followed the couple's 3-day long wedding celebration at a heritage Indian palace atop a hill in the western city of Jodhpur, which included cricket matches and Bollywood songs.

The guest list on Tuesday's reception included Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who posed for pictures standing next to Chopra, who wore a sequined Indian outfit, and Jonas, who was dressed in a blue-black tuxedo.


Chopra, 36, and 26-year-old Jonas were engaged earlier this year after a whirlwind courtship that began at an Oscars after-party last year.

Chopra, a former Miss World, starred in 3 seasons of ABC's "Quantico," becoming the first Indian to headline a US television drama. In India, she is one of Bollywood's highest paid film stars.

Nick and his brothers Kevin and Joe formed a pop-rock band, The Jonas Brothers, in 2005 and soared to fame as members of Disney's stable of teenage stars. The band split up in 2013.

During Tuesday's gathering, the couple were also joined by their families, as well as Jonas's brother Joe's fiancée, Sophie Turner, who stars in the critically acclaimed HBO series "Game of Thrones."

The couple had largely been tight-lipped about the details of the actual wedding that took place over the weekend. Earlier on Tuesday, Chopra posted a few pictures of her wedding celebrations on her Instagram account, saying: "And forever starts now..."

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Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas marry in Indian royal palace: magazine

MUMBAI - "Quantico" actor and Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra married U.S singer Nick Jonas on Saturday in a Christian ceremony attended by close family and friends at one of India's most opulent royal palaces, People magazine reported.

The couple are due to have a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on Sunday and host a reception in New Delhi next week.

The bride, groom and other members of the wedding party wore outfits designed by Ralph Lauren, the design house said on its Twitter account.

The wedding was officiated by the groom's father, Paul Kevin Jonas, People said.

Chopra, 36, who headlined three seasons of the ABC crime drama "Quantico", is one of Bollywood's biggest female leads with acting credits in several big-ticket films.

Nick Jonas, 26, and his brothers Kevin and Joe formed a band, The Jonas Brothers, in 2005 and soared to fame as members of Disney's stable of teenage stars. The band split up in 2013.

Representatives for the couple were not reachable for comment. The venue of the wedding, the Umaid Bhavan Palace in the Indian city of Jodhpur, has been cordoned off to outsiders and no media were allowed near.

Local police on Saturday had to intervene after the couple's security men had an altercation with photographers who were trying to take pictures of the venue, a Reuters witness said.

The palace is the home of the Jodhpur royal family, but part of it has been converted into a hotel with peacocks roaming 26 acres of landscaped gardens. 

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Princess Ayako marries commoner Kei Moriya, loses royal status

TOKYO - Princess Ayako, the youngest daughter of Emperor Akihito's late cousin, got married to commoner Kei Moriya on Monday at a wedding ceremony at Tokyo's Meiji Shrine.

The 28-year-old princess lost her royal status after her marriage to the 32-year-old employee of shipping company Nippon Yusen K.K. was legally registered following the ceremony.

Arriving at the shrine in traditional court clothing -- kimono robe and "hakama" skirt -- with her hair tied in the "osuberakashi" ancient style for noblewomen, the princess smiled at Moriya, who had been waiting for her in a morning suit.

The couple exchanged rings and read out the wedding oath during the Shinto ceremony attended by about 30 people including family members.

"How happy I am that many people have celebrated (our marriage). We want to make efforts to become a couple like my mother and father," the princess told reporters following the ceremony.

She also said her late father Prince Takamado, who died in 2002, "would have rejoiced at my marriage" if he were alive, adding the top hat Moriya was holding had been her father's.

Moriya said, "I want to support her firmly and hold hands to look forward and build a family full of smiles."

It was the first marriage involving an imperial family member since October 2014, when the princess' older sister Noriko, 30, married Kunimaro Senge, 45, a senior priest of Izumo Taisha, a Shinto shrine in Shimane Prefecture.

With the departure of Princess Ayako, the number of imperial family members will fall to 18 and that of female members to 13.

Emperor Akihito, 84, will also abdicate on April 30 next year after he signaled his wish to do so due to concern about his age and failing health. After retirement, he and Empress Michiko will not engage in public duties.

Hanako Takeda, a 27-year-old friend of the princess from her school days, said, "I was overwhelmed when I saw the bride and groom together as I remembered past times with the princess. I want her to create a bright family that can make everyone smile."

"I'm delighted at this happy occasion. Mr. Moriya looked cool, as he usually does. I hope they will make a wonderful couple," said Yasuyuki Goto, 33, a friend of Moriya.

The couple first met last December when they were introduced by Princess Ayako's mother Princess Hisako, who had long known Moriya's parents and met with the groom last November at a photo exhibition of a nonprofit organization supporting children in developing countries.

The widow of Prince Takamado was hoping to spark her daughter's interest in international welfare activities by meeting with Moriya, who is a board member of the nonprofit group Kokkyo Naki Kodomotachi (Children without Borders).

The princess' mother said in a statement she had raised her daughter to "prepare for the day when she stands up for herself" and hopes the couple "will build a good family full of joy and happiness."

On Tuesday, a banquet will be held at Hotel New Otani in Tokyo, attended by Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, the heads of the three branches of government as well as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who will make a congratulatory speech.

The couple is not planning a honeymoon.

Princess Ayako graduated from Josai International University in Chiba Prefecture and earned a master's degree there in 2016. She is currently working as a research fellow in the university's Faculty of Social Work Studies.

Moriya went to kindergarten in Paris and attended schools in Switzerland and Britain before graduating from Tokyo's Keio University. He enjoys running in marathons and competing in triathlons.

Under the Imperial House Law, women lose their royal title after marrying a commoner, but the shrinking number of imperial family members has raised concerns about the stability of the imperial succession and how to alleviate the burden of performing public duties on the remaining members.

On Friday, Imperial Household Agency officials said the princess will retain honorary positions at two organizations even after leaving the imperial family, in what would be the first such instance.

Based on the law on imperial household finance, the princess will receive about 107 million yen ($950,000) from the state.

==Kyodo

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Justin Bieber engaged to model Baldwin: reports

NEW YORK - Trouble-prone pop star Justin Bieber will be a married man after popping the question to model Hailey Baldwin whom he has dated for one month, reports said on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Canadian heartthrob, who has become better known for his off-stage antics, proposed to the 21-year-old over dinner Saturday night at a restaurant in The Bahamas, the celebrity news site TMZ said.

The site quoted witnesses at the restaurant, who said that Bieber's security team asked them all to put their phones away for the proposal.

A representative for Bieber did not comment but relatives of the couple suggested that the news was true.

"Proud is an understatement! Excited for the next chapter!" the singer's father Jeremy Bieber wrote on Instagram with a picture of his son.

His mother, Pattie Mallette, simply tweeted: "Love Love Love Love Love Love Love."

Hailey Baldwin, a model who has taken small acting roles, is the daughter of "The Usual Suspects" actor Stephen Baldwin and niece of Alec Baldwin, the "30 Rock" star and nemesis impersonator of US President Donald Trump. The model's mother is from Brazil.

Bieber has been romantically linked with many famous young women including fellow pop singer Selena Gomez and model Sofia Richie. He was first seen dating Baldwin a month ago.

Bieber, while remaining a top-selling pop star, became a fixture of tabloids over incidents including racing a car through Miami and throwing eggs at a neighbor's house in Los Angeles.

He abruptly ended his global tour last year after more than 150 shows, explaining that he was trying to deal with his insecurities.

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Indonesia takes a bite out of food waste one wedding at a time

JAKARTA - In the slums of Jakarta, Indonesia's poor are getting a taste of how the other half live thanks to a new program that aims to take a bite out of its mammoth food-waste problem.

Called a Blessing to Share, the service supplies leftover wedding dishes to some of the poorest members of society in the sprawling capital.

Even as it struggles with poverty and malnutrition, the Southeast Asian nation bins more edible food per person than any other country except Saudi Arabia, according to an Economist Intelligence Unit survey last year.

Indonesia's 260 million citizens each throw out an average of almost 300 kilograms (660 pounds) of food annually, ahead of the United States in third spot, the survey said.

The country's food waste problem can be partly chalked up to local hospitality, which calls for ample helpings at all celebrations.

Hosts often err on the side of abundance, and many hungry revellers' eyes are bigger than their stomachs -- meaning lots of uneaten food.

Globally, about 30 percent of food produced every year is tossed out or spoiled -- about 1.3 billion tons -- which translates into some $1 trillion in economic costs, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Association.

That's where a Blessing To Share comes in.

"There are lots of weddings in Indonesia and lots of extra food," said program founder Astrid Paramita.

"And there are lots of hungry people unfortunately, so this programme is trying to close that gap between the rich and needy."

So far the program is fairly limited, but Parmita has big plans and hopes to expand to other cities and also start sourcing edibles from company meetings and conferences.

Since starting in November, about 50 weddings have participated in the program with about 1.6 tons of food collected for distribution through a local food bank.

For 60-year-old scavenger Efendi, getting a meal from one couple's lavish nuptials across town was a welcome surprise.

"I didn't expect this -- suddenly I'm getting free food," he said.

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Royal Wedding: 'Black Beverly Hills' pumped for its princess

LOS ANGELES - In the upscale Los Angeles community known as the "Black Beverly Hills" where Meghan Markle's mother lives, the neighbors are delighting in the frenzy around the upcoming Royal Wedding.

"This has probably been the number one topic for a long time in this neighborhood," Windsor Hills resident Earl Hutchinson, an author specializing in African American rights and history, tells AFP.

Markle was born and raised an hour's drive north in the San Fernando Valley, where her father worked as a lighting director for TV shows, and she was educated at exclusive Hollywood private schools.

But in the streets where her mother Doria Ragland has a Mexican-style colonial house surrounded by cacti and agave plants, residents see Prince Harry's fiancee as one of them.

"A bit like a native daughter, she's known here, she's been here. We feel like we have a vested interest in (the wedding) too, almost a bonding," added Hutchinson. 

The future Duchess of Sussex brings the modern touch -- and no small amount of glam -- to the British monarchy as a successful actress who played a tough, sexy lawyer in the USA series "Suits." 

An American divorcee like Wallis Simpson, whose intended marriage to Edward VIII led to his 1936 abdication, the 36-year-old is a committed feminist and philanthropist. 

LOCAL GIRL 

She will be the first mixed-race member of the Royal Family, a fact not lost on Windsor Hills-View Park area, the country's wealthiest African American enclave. 

"Who would think that a royal wedding in Britain, thousands of miles away, would connect to (Windsor) Hills-View Park, Los Angeles, which is seen as a mostly African American neighborhood?" Hutchinson wondered. 

Local real estate developer Jimmy Thurgood said the people of Windsor Hills and View Park were elated to discover Harry was marrying a local girl. 

"That means that the prince she's marrying is colorblind. He only believes in love, which is what we need not only in America, but in the world," Thurgood told AFP at his View Park home, opposite jazz-blues legend Ray Charles's mansion.

Preparations for watching the wedding are well underway across Los Angeles, with celebrations planned at Hollywood's iconic Chinese Theater and at big-screen projections in British-themed bars. 

"There are a few parties going on. A lot of the older ladies are very into it and the younger ones are getting some interest," Windsor Hills resident Petra Pavajeau told AFP.

The retired medical professional said the area was not known for its support of the British royal family before Markle hit the headlines.

'WONDERFUL NEIGHBORHOOD' 

"Maybe Princess Diana was the closest thing to an interest, because she was a giver and thought of other people. Otherwise, we're not in touch at all with the royals," she added.

Windsor Hills looks like the archetypal Angeleno suburb, its palm-fringed streets overlooking the city from the side of a hill decorated with lush lawns, studded with cacti.

It has been home at one time or another to numerous celebrities of color, including Ike and Tina Turner, basketball legend Magic Johnson and celebrated filmmaker Charles Burnett. 

The black middle class of Los Angeles moved into the neighborhood in the 1950s and 60s, after the abolition of the so-called "Jim Crow" residential racial segregation laws, to pursue the American Dream.

"This is a good place to stay for a long time. People have been living here 40, 50 and even 60 years," added Pavajeau.

"We felt how wonderful that a royal could understand diversity, embrace it. She seems to be a very grounded, intelligent, beautiful, successful lady so he's lucky to have her, and she comes from a wonderful neighborhood."

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Royal wedding fever sweeps Britain

Souvenirs featuring Britain's Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle sit on display in a shop near Windsor Castle in Windsor, Britain, in this picture taken on April 1, 2018. Souvenirs and items related to the royals are flooding the market in the run up to the May 19 wedding of the prince and his American fiancee. 

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600 invited to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding

LONDON - Some 600 people have been invited to the wedding of Britain's Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle, Kensington Palace announced Thursday.

The invitations were posted earlier this week, Harry's official residence said -- without revealing who had made the guest list.

Harry and his US actress fiancee are set to tie the knot at Windsor Castle, west of London, on May 19.

The 600 invitees will attend the service in the castle's St George's Chapel, followed by the lunchtime reception hosted by Harry's grandmother Queen Elizabeth II at St George's Hall.

Later, around 200 guests are being invited to a private reception at Frogmore House given by Harry's father Prince Charles, the heir to the throne.

The venue for the evening party, in the park outside Windsor Castle, is where Harry and Markle posed for their official engagement photos.

The invitations, issued in Charles's name, were on thick white card gilded along the edge, which were die-stamped in gold and then burnished.

The invitations read: "His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales... requests the pleasure of the company of... at the marriage of His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales with Ms Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on Saturday 19th May, 2018 at 12 Noon followed by a reception at Windsor Castle."

The names of the invited guests were added in later by a calligraphy printer.

UNIFORMS, ELDERFLOWER CAKE

The invites indicated that the dress code is uniform, morning coat or lounge suit, or day dress with a hat.

Harry, a former soldier who also holds ceremonial military roles, is therefore likely to be wearing his highest-ranking uniform for the wedding.

The prince and his bride-to-be have been increasingly busy this month in the build-up to the big day.

On Tuesday, the couple announced they had chosen London-based US pastry chef Claire Ptak to make a lemon elderflower wedding cake, to be covered with buttercream and decorated with flowers.

Queen Elizabeth published her formal consent to the marriage on March 15.

By law, the monarch must give consent for the marriage of the first 6 people in line to inherit the throne.

Harry, 33, is fifth in line after his father Charles, brother Prince William and William's children Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

He will be bumped down to sixth place when William's wife Kate gives birth next month.

On March 12, Markle took part in her first official event with Queen Elizabeth, accompanying Harry to a Commonwealth Day service at London's Westminster Abbey.

Markle, 36, was baptized by the leader of the Church of England earlier this month out of respect for the sovereign's role as head of the denomination.

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UK royal wedding cake to be made by London-based California baker

LONDON - Britain’s Prince Harry and his fiancée Meghan Markle have chosen an east London bakery to make a lemon elderflower cake for their wedding in May, his office said on Tuesday.

Harry and U.S. actress Markle will be married at his grandmother Queen Elizabeth’s Windsor Castle home and picked Claire Ptak, who runs Violet Bakery, to bake the cake.

“It will be covered with buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers,” Kensington Palace said in a statement. “They are very much looking forward to sharing this cake with their wedding guests on May 19th.”

Ptak is originally from California and worked at Chez Panisse in Berkeley under chef Alice Waters before moving to London. She started her own business by cooking at home and selling cakes at a stall on east London’s Broadway Market. She set up Violet Bakery in 2010.

“I can’t tell you how delighted I am to be chosen to make Prince Harry and Ms. Markle’s wedding cake,” Ptak said in a statement.

“Knowing that they really share the same values as I do about food provenance, sustainability, seasonality and most importantly flavor, makes this the most exciting event to be a part of.”

Markle had previously interviewed Ptak for her former food and lifestyle website The Tig, which she ran for three years before it closed last year as public interest in her relationship with Harry grew.

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Javi Martinez shares details of wedding to Tim Yap

MANILA – Host Tim Yap and events director Javi Martinez surprised their social media followers early this week as they announced that they got married in New York.

The couple’s wedding ceremony last Christmas Day was so simple and intimate that it only involved four other people – the officiant, the events manager of Peninsula New York, and two witnesses.

They chose their friend Marcel Crespo and Broadway star Lea Salonga to witness their union at the hotel rooftop.

“We have this shared love for Lea, and she and Tim have been friends for a long time,” Martinez said in an interview with Preview.ph published Tuesday.

“When I found out that we needed a witness for our ceremony, the first name that came to mind was [hers]. We knew she was going to be in New York [at the time] to perform for ‘Once on this Island’ as Ezrulie the Goddess of Love. And true enough, we were blessed by her love.”

When asked why they opted for a low-key wedding in New York, a far cry from the extravagant events they organize in Manila, Martinez replied: “It was actually Tim’s idea to keep it simple. We are used to creating huge and extravagant productions for our clients. I’m [usually] busy taking care of every single detail, but this time I wanted to enjoy with Tim and just focus on ourselves, without having to face an audience. This time, we wanted to focus on our message for each other.”

Martinez went on to share that “everything fell into place in just one day.”

“On the day [itself] in the morning, we met with our friends from The Peninsula New York, found an officiant, and scouted for a venue within the hotel. After lunch, we went to the City Clerks Office to file our marriage license. And while walking back to the hotel, we bought our outfits along 5th Avenue,” he recalled.

To same-sex couples who are considering getting married, Martinez gave this advice: “When you believe you make each other better individuals and bring out the best in each other, I think it is but right to take it to the next level. Don’t be afraid of it. It’s something to look forward to and embrace.”

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Marcos grandson weds presidential rival’s granddaughter

Love conquers all, even political differences.

The marriage this week of the grandchildren of former president Ferdinand Marcos and former senator Raul Manglapus signals the end of a decades-long rivalry, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos said Saturday.

"Many years ago my father was . . . gravely disappointed and saddened by the (loss) to the Supreme Court in his right to travel back home. That is the Supreme Court case Marcos vs. Manglapus," Marcos said during a thanksgiving celebration of the wedding of her son, lawyer Ferdinand Michael Manotoc, to Carina Amelia Manglapus.

"Tonight we have reversed that miserable ruling . . . Cara joining our family, love wins."

Manotoc and Manglapus' wedding on Wednesday was held privately in Makati.

On Saturday, Laoag Bishop Renato Mayugba presided over a thanksgiving mass held at Paoay church. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, presidential adviser Francis Tolentino, and presidential spokesman Harry Roque were in attendance.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos said: "I'm very, very happy today because two families that are in contrast for so many years suddenly fell in love."

Ferdinand Marcos won the 1965 presidential election over Raul Manglapus, who later became one of the pro-democracy opposition leaders based in the US.

Manglapus served as the foreign affairs secretary of former President Cory Aquino.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, meanwhile, thanked the Marcos family for helping her father President Rodrigo Duterte during the 2016 elections.

The mayor said she's also grateful that some of the wedding gifts will be donated for the rehabilitation of Marawi City. — With reports from Kim Lorenzo, ABS-CBN News

source: news.abs-cbn.com