Best Festive Celebrity Engagements and Weddings: Part 1

The festive season this year has seen many celebrities get engaged or married – ‘twas the season to be jolly.  Christmas and New Year’s Eve are two of the most popular times chosen to jump in at the deep end and go for the proposal, so it is not surprising that we experienced frequent news of engagements or surprise wedding ceremonies from our favourite stars.

Here is a glance at some of the glamorous good tidings from celebrity A-listers which marked the joyful season.

Kevin Jonas & Danielle Deleassa

In a snowy and romantic New York in the lead up to Christmas, Kevin Jonas had the perfect wedding to his fiancé Danielle Deleassa, full of diamond-laden sparkle.  Teenage hearts broke everywhere when the eldest member (aged 22) of teen music sensation the Jonas Brothers decided to tie the knot on the 19th of December 2009.

The couple exchanged Jacob and Co. wedding bands at Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York with an attendance of 400 strong.

The pair got engaged back in July.

Deleasa's diamond eternity band was expertly crafted to feature 3.83 carats of round-cut brilliant diamonds set in 18-Karat white gold.  For his own wedding band, Jonas chose stainless steel with single rows of brilliant-cut diamonds (making 2.24 carats altogether) set along each edge and side.

For walking down the aisle, Deleasa also wore 30 carat marquise and pear-shaped diamond chandelier earrings complete with a 19 carat, emerald-shaped diamond bracelet.

 There was even more sparkle for the celebrations.

Mr. and Mrs. Jonas also received tailored wedding gifts designed by Jacob and Co. together with the couple’s wedding planner, Michael Russo.  They customized a signature monogram lapel pin for the groom, and a matching diamond pave pendant for the bride.

New Year’s Eve was not short of its romantic gestures this year either.

Russell Brand & Katy Perry

The English comedian and presenter Russell Brand, 34, proposed to American singer Katy Perry on New Year's Eve in India.

In Jaipur, Rajasthan, Brand presented her with a ring and popped the question just before midnight.  The two were dressed in traditional Indian outfits, and then took blessings from a spiritual guru in a private ceremony that took place in a tent at the foot of a Jaipur mountain.

Perry’s engagement ring is valued at an estimated £30,000 and is a 2-carat diamond set in a thick gold band.  Brand was spotted after Christmas picking out the ring in Cartier, London.

Brand has shocked the public with his apparent turn-around from his promiscuous past and falling for Perry, 25, but the couple seem unshaken by speculation and celebrated their engagement in Thailand following their romantic new year’s eve.

Vince Vaughn & Kyla Weber

Hollywood star Vince Vaughn demonstrated a private and picturesque wedding when he married his girlfriend Kyla Weber in a small, private ceremony before family and friends just outside his hometown Chicago, Illinois, where he grew up.

The actor and his wife maintained a low-key relationship away from the Hollywood press, and the nuptials were attended only by close family and friends.

The wedding took place on Saturday 2nd January and took place in a beautiful historic mansion. It was the first marriage for both the actor, 39, and his bride, a 31-year-old Canadian estate agent.

The couple had been dating for two years and in equal romance to the wedding, the actor proposed to Weber on Valentine’s day last year, in the traditional way down on one knee, holding out a less traditional four-carat diamond, clocking in at $125,000 (approx. £77,431).

Hearts were broken in the first few weeks of the new year, as early January 2010 saw several big heartthrobs become betrothed.

A.J McLean & Rochelle Karidis

On Friday the 8th January, Backstreet Boy A.J McLean proposed to his girlfriend Rochelle Karidis, much to the disappointment of his many female fans.

The couple had been dating for almost a year so McLean had been thinking of taking up the opportunity on new year’s eve; but deciding to wait a little while longer, he very publicly asked Karidis to marry him during a gig on Friday the 8th January, which coincidently also happened to be his 32nd birthday.

Overjoyed at her positive response, the star singer was happy to tell MTV about the bling he had given her:  "The ring is actually a one of a kind...it is a square head with princess-cut diamonds surrounding and a one-carat diamond in the centre and there's also about 20 or 25 princess-cut diamonds on the actual band. It's a gorgeous ring."

Check back for part 2 of the best celebrity engagements and weddings of the 2009 festive season!