John Terry and Toni Poole
England captain John Terry and wife-to-be Toni Poole
The match
Quintessential childhood sweethearts, from Barking and Dagenham respectively, they have been together for nine years. The 24-year-old former beautician is a pretty blonde-next-door who, unlike other WAGs and her 26-year-old hubby-to-be, has an apparent aversion to nightclubs and prefers to stay at the couple’s £3million mansion in Oxshott, Surrey, with their one-year-old twins, Georgie John and Summer Rose.
John gave Toni an £80,000 Franck Muller watch to celebrate their children’s birth. So it must be love!
Kick-off
Starts at 4pm at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, built for the first Duke of Marlborough in 1705, and set in a 2,100-acre estate. Sly Stallone got married here in 1997. Eton-educated international party planner Peregrine Armstrong-Jones, a younger half-brother of the Earl of Snowdon, is in charge of the event. His previous bashes include Posh and Becks’ nuptials, and Liz Hurley’s.
He also organised Russian billionaire Andrei Melnichenko’s wedding, complete with a performance by Whitney Houston and phalanxes of heavily built men in grey suits with earpieces, so he knows all about creating the perfect romantic atmosphere. The cream mock-croc invitations are particularly tasteful. Huge security is expected for the star guest, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and his Russian entourage.
Team strip
Toni has spurned the WAGs’ favourite wedding designer Vera Wang, but sources say that she has plumped for a couture gown by Givenchy, with a tight silhouette and spectacular ruffles on the shoulders. Terry will be wearing a white suit by Tom Cruise’s tailor, Richard James.
Guests
Not the Beckhams. Sadly, David has training ahead of a crucial Real Madrid game, but who cares when Roman Abramovich is going to be there. The question on everyone’s lips is whether the recently-divorced billionaire will bring his beautiful young girlfriend, Russian socialite Daria Zhukova.
Wayne and Coleen will arrive by helicopter. Also attending will be a slew of Terry’s Chelsea team-mates: Wayne and Vanessa Bridge, Frank Lampard and Elen Rives, Joe Cole and Carly Zucker. Jose Mourinho and Peter Kenyon will also be there with their partners.
Entertainment
Although Lionel Richie was approached, it’s understood that Atomic Kitten will serenade the happy couple and their celebrity entourage into the early hours.
Budget
In excess of £1 million for 250 guests. This includes flowers from Rob Van Helden, who did the blooms at the Beckhams’ Full Length And Fabulous party last year and an enormous marquee for dancing.
Red card
JT’S allegedly chequered past. He has always refuted claims of infidelity, but a string of women have maintained otherwise - eight in the past seven years.
Among the more notable are Lianne Johnson, who said they "romped" in a cubicle in Browns nightclub while she was on crutches, and Shalimar Wimble who said they had a liaison in fellow Chelsea star Wayne Bridge’s Surrey mansion. Terry excused his poor performance, saying he was exhausted after training and had only eaten two Jaffa Cakes. Let’s hope he tucks into the wedding buffet.
Extra time
Instead of a honeymoon, the groom is going on a belated stag trip with his friends to Las Vegas. Who said romance was dead!
Read all about it
OK! Magazine is thought to be paying £750,000 for the privilege of covering this glitzy do. It’s probably spare change to Terry, who earns £90,000 a week. |