Bernie Ecclestone: ‘Tamara’s wedding party was too lavish’

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone refused to attend his daughter Tamara’s wedding party in France earlier this month (Jun13) as he feared the lavish four-day celebration was “too much”. The billionaire racing boss flew to the French Riviera to give his daughter away when she married Jay Rutland in an extravagant ceremony, which was part of four days of events rumoured to have cost around $5.4 million (£3.5 million).
The socialite reportedly hired chart-topping acts Sir Elton John, Lionel Richie and Mark Ronson to perform during the celebrations, but Bernie admits he left before the end as he didn’t see the point of the parties.
He tells Britain’s The Times, “I don’t celebrate. I don’t see the point. I went to my daughter’s wedding last week and walked her down the aisle. But I didn’t go to the celebrations the next day. I went home. I was there to do a job (give her away) and was happy to do that. I didn’t want to hang around. The whole thing was a huge affair, too much really.”
However, the 82-year-old mogul insists he didn’t open his wallet for his daughter’s big day, leaving his ex-wife Slavica to foot the extortionate bill: “I didn’t pay for it. My ex-wife did.”
Bernie and Slavica, who also have a 24-year-old daughter named Petra, divorced in 2009.