People Magazine
May 26, 2003
Exclusive coverage of the wedding of the year:
Britney and Justin: A Mother's Day Wedding Full of Joy
Their romance began in 1993 when they were too young to drive let
alone vote. Britney and Justin met when they were both mousketeers
for the New Mickey Mouse Club. When they locked eyes at the audition
they knew they had something special, they soon became inseparable.
Only to have fate and bad ratings interfere, the show was canceled and
they had to move on. Britney to trying to live life as a typical high
school student. While Justin tried to pursue the dream they both
shared. It wasn't too long though before Britney got restless and
wanted out of the small town. She began working to also achieve that
elusive dream. It wasn't until then that the two would talk on the
phone to each other on different occasions. But it was always when
his mom would call for hers or vice versa. Justin tells us of how
his mother was trying to start up a new girls group and he went o her
and suggested Britney. She jumped at the chance and flew down to met
with the others but although she didn't think the group was the thing
for her it started a telephone relationship between the two . And
when NSYNC had needed an opening act well she was the first one who
we thought of. Says manager to both NSYNC and Britney Johnny Wright.
Justin and Britney had been talking on the phone for a few months but
had never really seen each other since the end of the mouse club. It
was at that initial meeting when they say each other again that
ultimately led to an exchange of wedding vows in Orlando last week.
If it's not obvious that Britney Spears has shied away from the
spotlight for the past few months, then the very fact that she wanted
her wedding day to be more about her guests than herself is proof
enough.
The wedding of Britney, the 21 year old pop princess turned movie
star to pop prince Justin Timberlake of NSYNC was a gigantic family
reunion and Mother's Day celebration rolled into one. Britney told us
that it had been so long since she had seen some of her friends that
she just wanted time to sit back and reunite with them. The same was
the case for Justin, so they picked this one day to do just that. It
was a day to reconnect to the past and start a new future.
Guests were invited to spend the weekend in Orlando where the couple
wed. They all stayed at Raddison Barceló Hotel courtesy of the stars
management firm WEG Entertainment. The festivities began on Thursday,
as friends and relatives began arriving, and ended on Sunday with a
Mother's Day brunch at the grooms mothers house. The Bride and groom
had given the bride parents a new home in the Orlando area as a
wedding thank you gift for always being so supportive. As well as a
home in the New Orleans area for the groom's parents. That was says
Timberlake, "We will always be close by."
The affair went off without a hitch -- even the constant
photographers who staked out the day didn't rain on their parade. "It
was crazy all day, but that was nothing that we weren't used to so we
dealt with it. I don't think it really affected me at all until the
minute I was ready to leave my parents' house," says Britney. "I was
literally walking out the door when they really started to bother me.
For once I wanted something to be private. I didn't mind all the
events leading up to the wedding but this was different. All I can
remember is Rob being there and him scooping me up and running to the
car. Once we were in it we were all laughing about it. It was the same
way at the church so I literally sprinted into the church."
Following an hour and a half ceremony, 320 guests, including the
governors of Florida, Tennessee and Louisiana. Along with mayors of
several Louisiana cities as well as Orlando, Tennessee and Los
Angeles were in attendance. The heads of major record labels and movie
studios. As well as the couples' friends from The MMC. It was a mix of
a down home wedding with a little Hollywood glamour thrown in. As the
guest list included everyone from MTV Icons to old high school
friends of the couple.
The seven-hour reception which was held at Cinderella's castle at
Walt Disney World lasted well past midnight after which the bride
groom and their friends headed off to another party at Roxy that
lasted until early the next morning. Don't let anyone tell you that
the boy bands don't get along they were all in attendance at the
wedding and all partied together after. The first to leave were Nick
Lachey and fiancée Jessica Simpson, who we hope (but I'm sure she
was) taking notes on how the put on a wedding.
Friends and family were treated to a choice of different southern
dishes. When we spoke to Lynne Spears she said the only thing that
Britney and Justin really knew they wanted as far as food went was
gumbo and Justin's grandmothers peach cobbler. So she lovingly handed
the recipe over to the caterers to make Justin his favorite dessert.
The menu turned out to be very eclectic and not having a set theme at
all. It was just all of the bride and grooms favorites. And of course
the seven tier wedding cake topped off with a bride and groom wearing
mouse ears. Which was courtesy of Timberlake's band mate and fellow
Mickey musketeer JC Chasez.
"Justin and I saw ourselves as hosts of a huge party and wanted our
guests to have as much fun as we did," says Britney. "We succeeded.
We brought the whole family together. We brought our friends
together . We didn't care what any of the details were. We didn't
care what the press said about it or how they viewed it. We were much
more concerned about the people and making sure everyone had a good
time." . The evening ended with guests swaying arm-in-arm and
singing "God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You"
The couple honeymooned on a private island in Aruba. Upon their
return Justin finished working on his first solo CD which is slated
for release sometime around Christmas.