Three weddings... Two down, one to go for Mrs Liz Nayar

Don't some weddings just seem to go on and on? There's the service, the photographs, the speeches, the second service, the flight to India, the third service, the cricket match...

Guests at the marriage of Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar are only just over halfway through the celebrations this morning, after yesterday's lavish do at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire.

The actress and the businessman were actually married there in a civil ceremony with a registrar and only two witnesses on Friday. But last night they held an Anglican service and a reception at the 15th-century castle.

The best man was Elton John, who sang. Patsy Kensit read the lesson. Guests included Victoria Beckham and Donatella Versace. There were rumours of Hugh Grant's car being seen in nearby town of Winchcombe but as the service began last night it was unclear to those outside whether Hurley's lover of 13 years was attending. The actor's close friendship with his ex was said to be one reason for his recent split from Jemima Khan.

Those who did attend said security was tight and cameras banned so as not to spoil an exclusive magazine photo deal. Hurley wore a Versace dress, and wept as she said her vows.

Not everyone could (or wanted to) get in to the chapel, which a guest described as "small and very cold" - so a huge screen relayed the action back to a marquee in the grounds owned by the family of Hurley's friend, Henry Dent-Brocklehurst.

He was one of the ushers, along with the financier Alessandro Tome, who introduced the actress to the Indian textiles heir at a dinner party. That was shortly after the arrival of her son Damian, now four, born of a short-lived affair with the American movie mogul Steve Bing.

Yesterday's event was a highly traditional English wedding day, with a choir and hymns, the local vicar and a four-course reception with a dress code of black tie. Just like Four Weddings and a Funeral, then. Except that this bride had left lavish presents off the list in favour of animals such as a Gloucestershire Old Spot sow for her organic farm.

The Rev John Partington claimed to be "only as excited as I would be for anyone's wedding", but in Winchcombe shops put up balloons and good luck signs. "I have been on the lookout for Hugh Grant," said Rachel Jones, hairdresser at the Cats' Whiskers salon. "I wish some of the guests had come in here for a hair cut. I could have done a really good hairdo for Liz."

The bride, 41, was already in the castle when the groom, 42, arrived in a blue Bentley yesterday afternoon. Sir Elton arrived by helicopter. Tonight about 250 guests will join the couple on a Virgin flight to Mumbai, with orders to wear pink at the Hindu service in Rajasthan.

The venue has been reported as the Umaid Bhawan Palace, a magnificent building, but some of the guests have been warned they are going to be staying in tents. Some very famous faces have been persuaded to try classical Indian dancing, while others will be rounded up for a game of cricket. But then, as yesterday, the question many guests will be trying not to ask is, "Where's Hugh?"