The minted centre-back, 30, has booked an entire five-star
Caribbean resort from Wednesday to Monday . . . and that's just for
the guests.
He and bride Rebecca Ellison will stay at a nearby
£50,000-a-week mountain-top villa, with a round-the-clock butler,
valet, chef and housekeeper.
Not bad for a boy from Peckham - the run-down South London
suburb made famous by Only Fools and Horses.
Rio and Rebecca's celebrations start on Tuesday when they will
fly to Peter Island, one of the exclusive British Virgin Islands,
on a private jet with their closest family and friends.
For unlucky guests who don't have a seat on that, second prize
is a first-class ticket on a scheduled flight the following
day.
And it's all courtesy of Manchester United and England ace Rio.A
source told News of the World: "He is spending an indecent amount
of money on his wedding.
"Rebecca doesn't like the limelight so their big day hasn't been
subsidised by any exclusive magazine deal. Rio has paid for
absolutely everything himself.
"Each and every guest is being treated to out-and-out luxury.
That is, first-class travel, first- class accommodation and first-
class food.
"It's going to be a first-class wedding."
Perhaps Rio, whose personal wealth is estimated at £30 million,
is rewarding 29-year-old Rebecca for her patience and
loyalty.
The couple have been together for seven years and have two sons
- Lorenz, who turns three next month, and nine-month- old
Tate.
But their relationship has been tainted with allegations of
Ferdinand's alleged infidelities.
One woman, air hostess Lauren Alcorn, even claimed in 2006 that
she had been sleeping with him for five years, behind Rebecca's
back.
The following year, Rio proposed to "long-suffering" Rebecca,
with a huge yellow diamond ring, while they were holidaying in Las
Vegas.
For their wedding, they will spend a week at the Falcon's Nest
Villa, a sumptuous mountain-top holiday home overlooking the
turquoise Caribbean sea.
It has six spacious master bedrooms, each boasting an ocean view
and exotic en-suite bathroom with a colourful laser-lit rain
shower.
The wedding ceremony, set to take place on Sunday, will be in
the villa's magnificent two- storey glass Great Room, which has an
elevated terrace.
Guests will then be ushered into the 4,000 sq ft outdoor
entertainment area.
It includes a waterfall, grotto and covered barbecue area with
swim-up bar. And the surrounding scented gardens contain the latest
two-tiered infinity pool.
Most of the 100 guests will arrive on Wednesday and stay at the
nearby Peter Island Resort - which has 32 ocean- view rooms and 18
beach-front suites - until Monday. They include Rio's Man Utd
teammates Gary Neville and Wes Brown, England pals Frank Lampard,
John Terry and Ashley Cole and Chelsea star Jody Morris.
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson and footballer-turned-actor Vinnie
Jones have also been invited, as have striker Wayne Rooney and his
five-month pregnant wife Coleen.
But it is not known if they will attend - as Coleen was upset
when her close pal Rebecca and Rio failed to show at their wedding
in Italy last June, despite Wayne sending a chauffeur- driven car
to their house to collect them.
For the guests who are going, Rio has booked up the first- class
cabins of several jets to take them to and from the Caribbean. They
will fly into Beef Island airport on the neighbouring island of
Tortola then be transferred to Peter Island by private yacht or
helicopter.
The following day, Thursday, the build-up begins in earnest with
an early-evening warm-up party.
On Friday night there will be a second party, at the Falcon's
Nest Villa. And on Saturday there is a Caribbean- themed
bash.
For each of the events, Rebecca has had a different
made-to-measure designer frock created.
A handful of guests unable to join the pre-wedding festivities
will arrive on Sunday morning, just in time for the non-religious
wedding service and reception. For this, the bride will wear a
show-stopping gown set to rival Coleen Rooney's stunning £200,000
Marchesa number.
And Rebecca's favourite hairdresser and make-up artist are being
flown in to make sure she is looking her best for her big
day.
The bride will make her entrance with her two sons, who are
pageboys, and four bridesmaids, including her sister. Rio's
footballer brother Anton - who plays for Premiership side
Sunderland - is best man.
Afterwards, the newlyweds are expected to continue holidaying on
the island, which has been named one of the "Best Places to Stay in
the World" by posh Conde Nast Traveller magazine. The extravaganza
has been organised by super-discreet party- planners-to-the-stars,
Rebecca Fairhurst and Jacqueline Harrison. The well-heeled ladies,
who run Cheshire-based firm Velvet Vision, often work with
celebrity chef Rick Stein.
Our source said: "Rebecca didn't want to take any chances with
anything going wrong with her big day so she put everything in the
hands of the experts.
"The company is run by two women who pride themselves as much on
their secrecy as their contemporary style and impeccably good
taste."
The £5 million bill is around the same amount that Wayne and
Coleen spent on their wedding - but half was paid for by a mag
deal. Posh and Becks paid just £500,000 but it was ten years ago,
in 1999.
Ashley and Cheryl Cole spent half a million on their festivities
in 2006. Steven Gerrard and Alex Curran paid £750,000 in 2007, and
John Terry and Toni Poole's do cost £1 million, as did Gary Neville
and Emma Hadfield's.
One of the most disastrous weddings was that of Michael Chopra,
who wed model Heather Swan on a Friday the 13th, in 2008. A month
after their £250,000 day, she kicked him out of their
home.
Last night Rio's spokesman said of his wedding: "This is a
private affair and we have no comment."
