Rufus’ wedding gift has a hitch
Rufus Wainwright is tying the knot on Thursday. As we reported in March, the singer and his longtime partner, Jorn Weisbrodt, will make their union official on Aug. 23 in Montauk. But the most interesting aspect of the upcoming nuptials is the request the couple has made to attending guests.
According to an insider, instead of traditional wedding gifts, Wainwright and his beau have asked for money in lieu of physical presents in order to pay off the 25-foot Airstream, a sleek aluminum travel trailer the couple has recently ordered but has not yet had delivered.
At that length, a new Airstream can run anywhere from $55,000 to well over $75,000, depending on how much customization is required.
The couple sent out save-the-date videos announcing their upcoming nuptials in February, with a clip shot by Weisbrodt, a theater producer. In it, Wainwright is pictured writing out the details of the big day in the sand on an East End beach.
Wainwright and Weisbrodt, who are the parents of a 1-year-old daughter, have been engaged since November 2010.
A source tells us the couple plan to marry at Wainwright’s house in Montauk, with a dinner at the Clam Bar in Amagansett. An after-party is set to be held at Shagwong Restaurant on Main St. in Montauk.
The insider says a minister is planning to marry the 39-year-old composer and his partner. Wainwright and Weisbrodt are planning to jump into the ocean after the ceremony is finalized.
Guests attending the nuptials better hope for warm weather and calm seas: The couple is encouraging guests to join them in getting wet afterward.
Those attending the wedding who don’t plan on vacationing in Montauk for the week will be “bused in from Manhattan” and have been told it’s “very casual” and that “they can wear whatever they want.”
The couple has asked friends and family attending to keep the details of their big day a secret.
Those who were gifted an invite were told specifically “not to tweet or Facebook” about the wedding after it takes place, however, for the high-profile couple’s privacy.
While “there’s a possibility” that the multi-talented musician, who was named the best new artist by Rolling Stone in 1998, may perform at his own wedding, the insider says he has selected “other performers” to play, although no names were given.
If the couple is planning a honeymoon, it will have to wait until after Aug. 26, when Wainwright is scheduled to perform at the Salome Music Festival in East Hampton’s Guild Hall.
A spokeswoman for Wainwright did not return our request for comment.