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George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin wedding: Historic parts of Venice shut down, as former Mayor of Rome set to lead ceremony

On Thursday (25 September), the city issued an order to close walkways accessing the 16th Century Cavalli Palace for at least two hours on Monday

Jenn Selby
Sunday 28 September 2014 10:38 BST
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Those who thought George Clooney’s wedding to hot shot human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin was going to be a modest affair may wish to reconsider.

Because as pictures surface of the couple speeding along the Italian waterways with A-list friends like Matt Damon and Ellen Barkin, historic parts of the Grand Canal are being closed to keep the crowds away from the ceremony.

On Thursday (25 September), the city issued an order to close walkways accessing the 16th Century Cavalli Palace for at least two hours on Monday 29 September citing the “George Clooney wedding” as the reason.

The official, who apparently spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity because they were not permitted to provide information to the media, said the request was made by the city police to prevent a potential safety risk.

He added that such closures had taken place in the past for both public and private events.

The Cavalli Palace overlooks the famous Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal and is frequently used for civil ceremonies.

In one more extravagant twist, the couple are rumoured to have given Walter Veltroni, the former mayor of Rome, the honour of presiding over the ceremony.

The Italian journalist and politician served over the capital city from 2001 to 2008.

A close friend of Clooney’s, who the actor once likened to Barack Obama for his messages of hope and pursuit of a cleaner environment, will apparently conduct the nuptials as a representative of the Venice Municipality.

It will, of course, be the second wedding for Clooney, who married Talia Balsam in 1989. The couple divorced, however, in 1993.

“I haven't had aspirations in that way, ever,” he told Esquire of his now famous pledge that he would never marry again. “I was married in 1989. I wasn't very good at it. I was quoted as saying I'll never get married again pretty much right after I got divorced and then I've never talked about it since.”

The marriage will be Alamuddin’s first.

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