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Metro
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
I'm a luxury wedding planner — we should be thrilled by Jeff Bezos' celebrations
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have officially tied the not in a luxury Venetian wedding — and the celebrations have been about as over the top as you'd expect. The Amazon billionaire and his new wife celebrated in front of 200 VIP guests, following days of blatant excess in the floating city, two years after the billionaire proposed to the TV journalist on his $500 million superyacht. While locals have been protesting the 'absurd wealth theatre' on display – with creepy mannequins of the pair spotted floating through the Venice canals — Jeff has been pictured frolicking in the suds of a foam party aboard his lavish yacht before the big day. Guests began arriving earlier this week, with the likes of Ivanka Trump, Barbara Streisand, Kim Kardashian and Bill Gates jetting in. But things haven't exactly gone to plan: Thursday's pre-wedding party at the historic Madonna dell-Orto cloisters was hit by torrential rain. A-listers including Kylie Jenner were forced to take cover during the freak thunderstorm. Because even billionaires can't control the weather… yet. But according to top UK wedding planner Mark Niemierko, we shouldn't be rolling our eyes — we should be getting inspired. 'I think overall myself, and other fellow planners in the industry are excited,' he tells Metro. 'While their taste might not be to everyone's liking, I feel this is what is most important when it comes to planning and designing your wedding – being yourself.' Mark has been a luxury wedding planner for 20 years, with a client list that includes Julia and James Cordon and Rochelle and Marvin Humes. His company, Niemierko, has even planned weddings attended by royalty. After seeing enough drab wedding concepts while in the business, he's excited to see someone doing something different. 'I am thrilled we might have a break in the beige weddings taking over Instagram, the algorithm needs a refresh,' he says. 'Overall, I'm loving every minute from the leaked gift Registry card of the invites, to the foam party snaps, to the drama of having to move venues.' Mark knows a thing or two about excess — he's planned countless weddings, with the average budget stretching between £500,000 and £750,000, and some soaring into the millions. Think six-figure cake rooms, karaoke machines on the dance floor, private jets for a family's pet dog (and the pet's walker), entire countryside hotels restaffed top to bottom, and the London Museum's Christmas decorations removed overnight to fit a bride's specific vision. 'Very early on I learnt to listen to my couples, to ensure I created days around them – and not my own personal taste and style,' he says. 'Back in 2006, a bride told me she wanted this 'booth thing', a bit like at train stations where you have your passport photo taken. I immediately thought, what, that won't work. Well, it was and photo booths are now as common at weddings as confetti.' But, is there such a thing as too much? Mark says: 'The only time I draw a line is if it will ruin the guest experience. If it's a mad idea that'll work and keep guests guessing, and the night alive and not dull – I'm all for it. 'But if it's long-winded and service will be affected, I'll likely ensure we ditch it.' For Mark, the best weddings aren't just stylish, they're fun. 'Humour I think is a very important part of a wedding day, if it's all taking yourselves too seriously, posing for photos – where's the moment in that? Less fake, more fun I say,' he adds. If you're planning a wedding – but don't have quite the same budget as Jeff and Lauren, according to Nick there are still things you can do to make sure your nuptials have an A-list vibe. 'I think loos generally are the most important things,' he says. 'Whether you're at an airport or a nightclub, we all need to go for a wee. It shouldn't be an experience of 'Oh my God! I need to go for a wee, but I need to get out of this room so quickly'. 'It should be 'Oh my god, this is insane. I want to stay in here all night.' Mark doesn't hold back when it comes to styling the bathrooms at his weddings, adding everything from scented candles to tarot card readers to pleasantly surprise guests. One simple tip? He says: 'Get yourself crystal decanters, fill them up with mouthwash, get little paper cups and put them on the side. 'There's nothing more fabulous than being on a night out and thinking, 'I almost feel like I've brushed my teeth'.' Obviously, Mark adds, don't be stingy on your choice of soap, and if you can, add personal touches. 'I love doing a sweet jar full of every different coloured vaseline.' And, if he finds out which perfumes the couple wears, he might add little bottles of them in the bathroom. 'But, just beware. They're going to get nabbed,' he adds. 'A guest is going to take them. Someone will steal them.' Next on Mark's essentials list? The bar. And not just what's in it, but where it is. 'You could not be a drinker. But you still need a drink. So the bar is going to need to be fully stocked,' he says. 'If you can't afford to water and feed all of your guests, then don't invite them. Have a fully open bar if you can afford it.' You want to make sure it's close to the action. Mark advises: 'Don't have it separate from the dance room, because you'll end up with a split group, and you want it closer to where the dancing is. More Trending 'Not on top of the dance floor, but close enough to make sure it's flowing and whoever's managing it doesn't run out of glassware. It needs to flow.' You might assume it's all over when the music stops, but Mark wants guests to be surprised until the very last moment. He's even set up a Shawarma kebab stall for guests to enjoy on their way out. 'Can you imagine what the guests are saying to each other when they leave that wedding? They're drunk and they're turning to each other, probably talking with their mouths full, going, 'Oh my God! This is the best wedding I've ever been to'.' Battersea Power Station (pre-renovation) – one of Mark's early large-scale projects was held at Battersea Power Station when it was still derelict in 2012. He turned it into a grand-scale rock-and-roll wedding. He says: 'It's funny going back there now and it's all so polished and beautiful.' British Pullman Train – in 2012, Mark transported guests to a countryside wedding at Blenheim Palace via the Belmond British Pullman Train. 'Everyone got on the British Pullman, and we had a fabulous dinner on the train. Then you arrived in Woodstock, and your hotel was taken care of,' he says. The British Museum – Mark orchestrated the first-ever wedding at the British Museum for just 20 guests in 2018. 'Guests didn't know where they were going,' he says. 'We did a very simple registry office and then they got in cars to a mystery venue and pulled up at the British Museum. It was like Night at the Museum. Totally empty. And then you walked to the Egyptian galleries and that's where we had a dinner. It was quite epic.' Private jet for dogs – Niemierko has gone the extra mile for all sorts of guests. 'There's obviously been private jets for dogs, he says. 'We can't say where they were flying from, but we had to make sure that dog was somewhere else and they pretty much flew with a staff member on a private jet.' Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Who's who at Jeff Bezos's $10,000,000 wedding as A-list guests 'descend on Venice' MORE: Who's going to Jeff Bezos's wedding? The $10,000,000 guest list 'descending on Venice' MORE: Everything that's happened between Hailey and Justin Bieber as marriage breakdown rumours mount Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
Metro
an hour ago
- Politics
- Metro
Humiliated Putin loses warplanes worth £148,000,000 despite stepping up security
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Vladimir Putin has lost four warplanes worth £37 million each despite stepping up their defences after Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb. A pair of Su-34 fighters were destroyed and two more damaged after an attack on on Marinovka military airfield in Volgograd. Ukraine used long range drones to fly more than 200 miles to inflict the latest £148 million blow to Putin's aerial firepower. It came less than a month after Russia supposedly tightened its military air base security after 40-plus strategic bombers and spy planes were hit in Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb. Russia responded by hitting Ukrainian civilians with a strike on a 21-storey residential block in Odesa, killing a married couple and leaving at least 14 others wounded including children aged three and seven. Furious Russian military analysts confirmed the damage to the Su-34 multi-role fighters used on the frontline for bombing missions against Ukraine, including dropping guided aerial bombs. The latest attack was admitted by pro-war Russian Telegram channel Fighterbomber which raged that the hit 'could and should have been prevented'. 'There is no point in commenting on Marinovka….and it would be nice if not only the [Ukrainians] were held accountable….otherwise, it will continue like this.' The channel expressed fury at the 'multi-billion dollar' losses Putin's forces are suffering. Ukraine's SBU security service said: 'The Ukrainian Special Operations Forces and the SBU used long-range drones to attack Russian fighter jets. 'The attack also caused a fire in the technical and operational part of the enemy airfield, which is a critical infrastructure for a military facility. 'This is where the enemy prepares aircraft for flights, carries out their routine maintenance and repair work.' Ukraine staged the successful strike despite Russia reportedly boosting security around its key air bases. The Su-34s are the backbone of Russia's tactical strike aviation. In Operation Spiderweb drones were launched from trucks positioned close to at least four Russian airfields. In Odessa, fire swept through a residential building after the Russia strike. More Trending The bodies of a married couple – sleeping when Putin's forces struck – were pulled from the rubble. At least 14 were wounded in the strike, with dozens evacuated. Putin has repeatedly targeted civilians in a sign that he has no intention of seeking peace and intends to carry on with his bid to invade and subjugate Ukraine. 'A couple was killed – their bodies were pulled from the rubble of a damaged apartment building,' said Ukraine's national police. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Which countries have reintroduced conscription in Europe? MORE: Putin stages deadly war games after NATO agrees to increase defence spending MORE: Map shows safest countries to be in if global conflict breaks out
Metro
2 hours ago
- Business
- Metro
We're halfway to Christmas — start this savings challenge now to put away £2,850
The UK is currently enjoying a glorious heatwave so, understandably, the last thing anyone wants to think about is Christmas. But hear us out. As of right now, we're over halfway through the year, with 180 sleeps until the big day. While that may seem like light years away as you slap on the sunscreen and hit the pub beer gardens, it'll come around sooner than you think. This means the dreaded yearly panic will too — when you realise you haven't bought any of your loved ones' presents yet, nor do you have any disposable cash to do so. So, in the spirit of Christmas, and to make the stressful parts of the festive season easier, we thought we'd give you a financial helping hand in the form of a 150-day savings challenge. It's exactly what it says on the tin really: you save a slightly higher amount of money each day for 150 days, bringing you to up to the festive shopping season (just before the Black Friday sales, in fact) with a healthy few pounds in your back pocket. Maxine McCreadie, personal finance expert at UK Debt Expert, can't recommend starting to save early enough, commenting: 'It's easy for the huge costs associated with festivities to creep up on you, so planning ahead can make all the difference.' Before you begin the challenge, Maxine recommends working out how much you typically spend on presents, food, travel, and events. Then, divide it by the number of weeks until December. 'Saving even a little each week helps avoid the last-minute financial squeeze,' she adds. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video If you're feeling anxious about saving money each day, the first thing to do is find a vessel for your cash, or set up a separate account if you prefer to keep things digital. Certain banks also allow you to automate deposits (such as Monzo's Pots feature), which is particularly useful for those who struggle to stick to a plan due to sheer forgetfulness. Once you've sorted where your money is going to go, look at your finances and see how much you can afford. This challenge sees what you put away increasing by a set daily increment, but you can choose what that looks like for you. For example, if you wanted to start with 50p and increase the amount by 50p each day, it would leave you with over £5,660 in the bank by December. That said, towards the end, you'd be putting away £75 a day, which isn't doable for many. So, for the sake of this article, we're going to increase the amount daily by 25p. See the table below for an example of how much you need to save each day, plus the amount you'll have at the end. If you started tomorrow, going up in increments of 25p, this is what your savings schedule would look like… June 29: £0.25 £0.25 June 30: £0.50 £0.50 July 1: £0.75 £0.75 July 2: £1 £1 July 3: £1.25 £1.25 July 4: £1.50 £1.50 July 5: £1.75 £1.75 July 6: £2 £2 July 7: £2.25 £2.25 July 8: £2.50 £2.50 July 9: £2.75 £2.75 July 10: £3 £3 July 11: £3.25 £3.25 July 12: £3.50 £3.50 July 13: £3.75 £3.75 July 14: £4 £4 July 15: £4.25 £4.25 July 16: £4.50 £4.50 July 17: £4.75 £4.75 July 18: £5 £5 July 19: £5.25 £5.25 July 20: £5.50 £5.50 July 21: £5.75 £5.75 July 22: £6 £6 July 23: £6.25 £6.25 July 24: £6.50 £6.50 July 25: £6.75 £6.75 July 26: £7 £7 July 27: £7.25 £7.25 July 28: £7.50 £7.50 July 29: £7.75 £7.75 July 30: £8 £8 July 31: £8.25 £8.25 August 1: £8.50 £8.50 August 2: £8.75 £8.75 August 3: £9 £9 August 4: £9.25 £9.25 August 5: £9.50 £9.50 August 6: £9.75 £9.75 August 7: £10 £10 August 8: £10.25 £10.25 August 9: £10.50 £10.50 August 10: £10.75 £10.75 August 11: £11 £11 August 12: £11.25 £11.25 August 13: £11.50 £11.50 August 14: £11.75 £11.75 August 15: £12 £12 August 16: £12.25 £12.25 August 17: £12.50 £12.50 August 18: £12.75 £12.75 August 19: £13 £13 August 20: £13.25 £13.25 August 21: £13.50 £13.50 August 22: £13.75 £13.75 August 23: £14 £14 August 24: £14.25 £14.25 August 25: £14.50 £14.50 August 26: £14.75 £14.75 August 27: £15 £15 August 28: £15.25 £15.25 August 29: £15.50 £15.50 August 30: £15.75 £15.75 August 31: £16 £16 September 1: £16.25 £16.25 September 2: £16.50 £16.50 September 3: £16.75 £16.75 September 4: £17 £17 September 5: £17.25 £17.25 September 6: £17.50 £17.50 September 7: £17.75 £17.75 September 8: £18 £18 September 9: £18.25 £18.25 September 10: £18.50 £18.50 September 11: £18.75 £18.75 September 12: £19 £19 September 13: £19.25 £19.25 September 14: £19.50 £19.50 September 15: £19.75 £19.75 September 16: £20 £20 September 17: £20.25 £20.25 September 18: £20.50 £20.50 September 19: £20.75 £20.75 September 20: £21 £21 September 21: £21.25 £21.25 September 22: £21.50 £21.50 September 23: £21.75 £21.75 September 24: £22 £22 September 25: £22.25 £22.25 September 26: £22.50 £22.50 September 27: £22.75 £22.75 September 28: £23 £23 September 29: £23.25 £23.25 September 30: £23.50 £23.50 October 1: £23.75 £23.75 October 2: £24 £24 October 3: £24.25 £24.25 October 4: £24.50 £24.50 October 5: £24.75 £24.75 October 6: £25 £25 October 7: £25.25 £25.25 October 8: £25.50 £25.50 October 9: £25.75 £25.75 October 10: £26 £26 October 11: £26.25 £26.25 October 12: £26.50 £26.50 October 13: £26.75 £26.75 October 14: £27 £27 October 15: £27.25 £27.25 October 16: £27.50 £27.50 October 17: £27.75 £27.75 October 18: £28 £28 October 19: £28.25 £28.25 October 20: £28.50 £28.50 October 21: £28.75 £28.75 October 22: £29 £29 October 23: £29.25 £29.25 October 24: £29.50 £29.50 October 25: £29.75 £29.75 October 26: £30 £30 October 27: £30.25 £30.25 October 28: £30.50 £30.50 October 29: £30.75 £30.75 October 30: £31 £31 October 31: £31.25 £31.25 November 1: £31.50 £31.50 November 2: £31.75 £31.75 November 3: £32 £32 November 4: £32.25 £32.25 November 5: £32.50 £32.50 November 6: £32.75 £32.75 November 7: £33 £33 November 8: £33.25 £33.25 November 9: £33.50 £33.50 November 10: £33.75 £33.75 November 11: £34 £34 November 12: £34.25 £34.25 November 13: £34.50 £34.50 November 14: £34.75 £34.75 November 15: £35 £35 November 16: £35.25 £35.25 November 17: £35.50 £35.50 November 18: £35.75 £35.75 November 19: £36 £36 November 20: £36.25 £36.25 November 21: £36.50 £36.50 November 22: £36.75 £36.75 November 23: £37 £37 November 24: £37.25 £37.25 November 25: £37.75 TOTAL SAVED: £2,850 After seeing the figures laid out, this savings challenge still seem daunting. But remember, it's more of a guideline than a hard and fast order, and you can tweak it to suit your circumstances. That may mean skipping a few days, reducing the incremental increase, doing it for fewer days, or splitting the deposits with a partner — whatever works. Alternatively, if you're looking for some more general advice around saving up for Christmas, Maxine has shared her top tips to help families spread the cost. This includes making the most of cashback rewards and early deals: 'It's not just the gifts – food, travel, and social events can quickly add up,' explains the expert. To avoid becoming overwhelmed, she recommends creating a simple breakdown to track what you'll need for each area, adding: 'This gives you a realistic view of your total spend and makes it easier to stick to your budget.' According to Maxine, two-thirds of Brits start Christmas shopping as early as August. However, for those a little less eager (yet still eager enough to be prepared) she advises spreading out your purchases, alongside looking for early offers or discounts, so you can tick items off your list bit by bit. 'Even just picking up one or two gifts each month can help you avoid panic buying and inflated prices later on,' Maxine notes. 'There's no need to overhaul your spending habits, just be smart about how you shop,' says Maxine, adding that cashback apps and loyalty schemes can earn you money back on everyday purchases. More Trending Simply redirect those rewards into your Christmas savings pot to give your budget a helpful boost. Maxine has some strong words of advice here, and they couldn't be truer: 'Christmas is about joy, not debt.' Ultimately, if the numbers don't add up, don't be afraid to scale back. A 'thoughtful, well-planned Christmas' can feel just as magical – if not more – than if you burnt through your entire bank balance. View More » Plus, your future self will thank you for starting January without the stress of overspending. Because let's be real, many of us enter the New Year with a regular type of hangover, we don't want a financial one as well. Looking for another way to make a bit of disposable cash for Christmas? Anna Cash Davidson, from Margate in Kent, has a very fitting moniker. The 27-year-old works in the music industry, but significantly increases her income by buying vintage items in bulk and reselling them online. She's one of a growing group of Britons who are earning money from second-hand clothes, children's old toys and abandoned household items worth hundreds of pounds. Read Metro's full article, plus find advice for aspiring fashion side-hustlers here. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Credit card customers can save up to £1,679 with a simple debt 'spring clean' MORE: Pride doesn't come cheap — the LGBTQ+ 'queer tax' has cost us thousands MORE: Make money from your living room with these 7 investing tips for absolute novices Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
DW
3 hours ago
- Politics
- DW
Big attendance expected at Budapest Pride despite police ban – DW – 06/28/2025
The annual Budapest Pride march this year is expected to go ahead in the face of a police ban and government hostility. Organizers said they expect tens of thousands of people from dozens of nations to attend the event. LGBTQ+ rights supporters from some 30 countries are expected to join the Budapest Pride march on Saturday, defying a police ban imposed under legislation introduced earlier this year that forbids the exposure of young people to non-heterosexual lifestyles. The annual event has now come to symbolize resistance to a general repression of civil society in Hungary under the nationalist government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which is facing a growing challenge from center-right opposition leader Peter Magyar's Tisza party ahead of elections next year. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video More than 30 embassies have voiced support for the march, which will also be attended by European Commissioner for Equality Hadja Lahbib and about 70 members of the European Parliament. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called on Hungarian authorities to let the parade go ahead. "Our Union is one of equality and non-discrimination," von der Leyen wrote in a statement. She called these "core values" that "must be respected at all times, in all Member States." Anyone attending the march, however, risks being accused of a misdemeanor, while organizing such an event could carry the penalty of a one-year jail sentence, according to a letter sent to some foreign embassies in Budapest by Justice Minister Bence Tuzson. The so-called child-protection legislation that allowed the ban to be imposed also allows police to hand out fines and to use facial recognition technology to identify attendees. Over the past decade, Orban's government has frequently been at loggerheads with the EU over its increasing repression of civil liberties and press freedoms under the guise of protecting "Christian" values. The ban on the Pride march is being seen by opponents as part of a wider crackdown on democratic freedoms ahead of next year's elections, at which Orban's government is expected to face a stiff challenge from Magyar, whose party has been leading in opinion polls. The Tisza party, while avoiding taking a strong position on gay rights issues, nonetheless called on the government to protect anyone attending the march. "Peter Magyar has called on the Hungarian authorities and police to protect the Hungarian people this Saturday, and on other days as well, even if it means standing up against the arbitrariness of power," its press office said. Magyar himself has not planned to attend.
DW
3 hours ago
- Climate
- DW
Pakistan: Flash floods kill 11 amid heavy rain warning – DW – 06/28/2025
Pakistan's meterological department has said there is a risk of severe rainfall and more flash floods up until Tuesday. Flash floods in Pakistan's northwest mountanious province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have killed 11 people, including four children, the country's disaster management officials said. "In the past 24 hours, flash floods and landslides have claimed the lives of 11 people — including four children and three women — while six others have been injured," the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said in a report released late Friday. One person was killed in the Malakand district while the 10 others were killed in the Swat Valley, according to the report. Local media reported that families had been swept away and that the flooding had damaged 56 houses along the Swat river. Pakistan's local daily newspaper reported that rescue operations were underway in several other districts with people trapped in the water. Meanwhile the national meterological department warned of heavy rainfall and a possibility of more flash floods until Tuesday. Pakistan is among the world's more vulnerable countries to the effect of climate change with an increasing frequency of flash floods and other climate-related events impacting its 240 million inhabitants. In May, some 24 people were killed in severe storms in Pakistan. In August 2022, a third of the country was flooded due to unprecedented monsoon rainfall with more than 33 million people affected. Scientists from across the globe have since said that the climate crisis was to blame and that rising global temperatures will only make monsoons more intense in future. Pakistan's former climate change minister Sherry Rehman took to X, saying that the nation continued to "sleepwalk" on climate change and the threat it posed. She pointed to regular alerts issued by the national disaster management agency and said that local authorities had failed to take them seriously. "Not only did the provincial administration fail to understand the magnitude of the crisis, I keep repeating, so did denialist tourists. This is endemic to a system that thinks that climate change can just be put on a back burner, or that crises will not multiply in scale and intensity," she wrote. "These are not "natural disasters" which absolve all actors of responsibility, local, national and global. Super monsoons and flash floods are not the norm. They have been intensifying for decades," she added, urging the country to "wake up" the to the issue. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
