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The co-founder of a website which ranked Amal Alamuddin as the hottest barrister in London has hit out at her "unseemly and in-your-face" wedding to George Clooney.

Natalia Naish has slammed what she described as the "back-patting smugness that has accompanied the entire courtship and ceremony" between the couple.

Ms Naish previously put 36-year-old Ms Alamuddin at the top of her Barrister Hottie list for her website Your Barrister Boyfriend.

But in an article for Legal Cheek, she criticised the London-based lawyer for selling pictures of her wedding in Venice to glossy magazines - even comparing her to Hollywood socialite Kim Kardashian.

She wrote: "The problem I have with the Clooney wedding was not the excessiveness per se, but the back-patting smugness that has accompanied the entire courtship and ceremony.

"Even though George and Amal careened around Venice in speedboats, posed up a storm for the paparazzi like modern-day royalty and sold their wedding photos to glossy magazines, they received none of the tut-tutting that was directed at Kim Kardashian.

"Why? Because Kim Kardashian is perceived as vacant and shameless while George is supposedly a sophisticated humanitarian."

She continued: "The entire Clooney/Alamuddin wedding was a masterful piece of Hollywood magic. It was wildly expensive, carefully choreographed, predictably sentimental and satisfyingly public."

Ms Naish went on to accuse Clooney, 53, of being hypocritical for publicly slating the behaviour of tabloid newspapers despite selling pictures of his wedding to Hello! magazine.

She said: "Hello! Magazine has just come out with an exciting 40-page spread of the wedding, giving us unlimited access to their intimate and heartfelt ceremony. This seems quite rich given George’s hatred of tabloids and his very public spat with the Daily Mail."

Yesterday Ms Alamuddin's best friend Jae Kim said men had been "intimidated" by her before she met Clooney.

She told People magazine that she had concerns her friend would not end up in a lasting relationship after she was voted the most attractive barrister in London.

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Speaking to a media conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, PTI Chairman Imran Khan asked the government to either form the Judicial Commission by January 18 or they would take to the roads again.

He said they would bring the whole country to a grinding halt if and when they wanted to. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Jehangir Tareen and other party leaders flanked him.“But we don’t want to do this. The government has time till January 18 to form the Judicial Commission to probe last year’s general election or we will announce our future line of action on January 18,” he warned.

He claimed there were as many as 30,000 bogus votes in NA-122, whereas in Jehangir Tareen’s constituency, 49,000 bogus votes were traced, which spoke volumes about rigging. Imran again said they had proof of counterfeit ballot papers, which were printed and distributed among the PML-N candidates.

About reports of his marriage to a female TV anchorperson, Imran played very carefully and smilingly promised to share the good news during this week.He said being Sunnat-e-Rasool it was not a crime towed and added one could marry if and when he wished and it was not like cheating on one’s wife.

The PTI chief acknowledged that divorce was already quite painful to his children and he never wanted to hurt them further by marrying again. He continued now that he had met his sons, he would share the good news within a week.

He said, “Marriage is not a crime and I don’t believe in hiding it. I will share good news with the nation within this week when I am in Pakistan,” he said.He confirmed that he had married for the second time — to former BBC presenter Reham Khan.

The News has learnt from a source close to Imran Khan and Reham Khan that they don’t plan to hold a grand wedding ceremony and the public part of their wedding will only be a “formality”. But a family source has told The News that the two tied the knot several weeks ago and any ‘public display of a Nikah’ will be for the public consumption only, aimed at controlling the ‘fallout’.

“Khan Sahib plans to announce his Nikah plan and date of the Nikah at a pro-PTI private television show,” said the source requesting anonymity, but confirming that themarriage decisions of Imran Khan had rocked the party and Imran Khan’s family in Pakistan and London.

On Monday night when Imran Khan reached the Heathrow Airport to board the PIA flight to Islamabad, Geo News was the first to ask Imran Khan directly if he was going to make a “major announcement” in Pakistan about his wedding following a meeting with the core committee, Imran Khan initially hesitated but then, following another question, spoke out for the first time stating that “marriage is not a crime, tell me please if it’s a crime?”.

Imran Khan was surprised that there was so much interest shown in his marriage but smiled broadly when congratulated on his marriage by this correspondent telling him that interest in his marriage was the result of his current level of popularity in Pakistan.

Imran Khan’s sister reacted furiously to the news of the marriage stating she was taken aback and shocked and that she doesn’t want to meet Reham Khan. But Imran Khan told a press conference in Islamabad that marriage was the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) and it was his right to marry anyone of his choice.

“A person can marry whenever he/she wants. I didn’t think of my marriage for 10 years after my divorce because my children were young. I do not ever think of hurting my children’s feelings,” Imran Khan said in reference to his visit to London over the weekend where he talked to his sons Suleman Isa Khan and Qasim Khan and attempted to explain to them about his marriage to Reham Khan.

Earlier, Imran Khan had said that rumours of his marriage were “greatly exaggerated” and Aleema Khan, his sister, said the family challenged him “a few days ago” over the news and he denied it.

When contacted by Daily Mail that her brother had revealed he had actually married, Aleema Khan said: “Really? Really? Let’s see if he announces it officially. I am taken aback. This is a real challenge for him. We haven’t met her and I don’t know that we want to meet her.

“It is his decision, he is a grown up. It is more important how the children feel. I suppose in any situation like this the children will not feel good about it. They do look up to their father.” She hoped Reham Khan “will be good for Pakistan and our brother”.

Jemima Khan, ex-wife of Imran Khan, hoped the former cricket hero will be happy in his new phase of life and wished him well. But Jemima Khan’s tweets suggested that all was not well between Imran Khan and his sons and Jemima herself when she profusely thanked thePakistanis for their affection and support but didn’t thank Imran Khan. Sources say Jemima and her sons are upset with Imran Khan for keeping his secret marriage a ‘secret’ from them.

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If you run a business or offer a service that could help make a couple’s big day, the wedding fayre at the Mercure Hull Grange Park hotel in Willerby is one not to miss. And if you';re a bride or groom-to-be, make a note in your diary. Admission is free!

It’s the most special day in any couple’s life, and when it comes to getting married, it’s important that every detail is right.

But with the dress, the suits, the flowers, the food and much, much more to organise, it can be overwhelming.

That is why the Hull Daily Mail, publishers of The Journal, has teamed up with the Mercure Hull Grange Park hotel in Willerby to organise the wedding fair of the year.

Taking place on Sunday, March 8, it promises to be the biggest and best in East Yorkshire.

Hundreds of brides and grooms-to-be who have registered an interest with the hotel, a popular venue for weddings, will be contacted, along with couples who entered the newspaper’s recent highly successful Win a Wedding competition and invited to attend.

Plus the trusted local reach of the Hull Daily Mail and its various online and printed publications will ensure the fair receives more attention than any other.

Steve Newby, sales manager at the hotel, said hosting the prestigious event would be a privilege.

“It’s going to be a fantastic day,” he said.

“We aim to make this the most successful wedding fair ever and the biggest in the East Yorkshire.

“It’s a chance for us to showcase where the wedding market is and all the brilliant products and services that are out there.

“And from our perspective, we want people to see our property and to get our interactive wedding brochure, which we believe is the first of its kind, out there.”

Among the exhibitors already attending is Sasha Stamford, of the sought-after Chocolate Fountain Experience, based in Hull.

Sasha believes the best way for potential customers to experience the fountains, and other ways to make a wonderful wedding, is to see her and her team in action at the fair. She said: “It’s lovely to meet couples when they are planning their wedding and then see them again on the big day.

“They can also put a face to the name, which is really nice and so much more personal.”

Fair organiser Jane Smallwood urged other exhibitors to book their place before it is too late.

She said: “The fair will be an inspirational day for brides and grooms where they can quickly and simply buy or book exactly what they want for their wedding while businesses are pitching right in front of them.

“What makes this fair different is that we can make contact with more couples than anyone else in the area.

“Over the course of a week, for example, we reach 287,000 people in print and online, so the opportunity to join us on March 8 is one that will really benefit businesses. “With packages starting at just £90 plus VAT, there is something for everyone.”

The fair runs from 11am to 4pm.

Free parking is available and entry is free to the public.

Why I'm taking part

Sasha Stamford, of Chocolate Fountain Experience, will be at the Hull Daily Mail Wedding Fayre.

She said: “I’ve been running the business for just over 12 years, predominately in the Hull area, but we do travel.

“I believe I have the largest selection of chocolate fountains available in the area and we have got lots of different sizes to suit all kinds of weddings and venues.”

Prices start from just £300, including set-up and staff, offering the perfect way to get guests talking at everything from an intimate gathering to a party for 1,000 people.

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Bridesmaid for Hire consists of 4 packages for brides to choose from, with prices ranging from a few hundred dollars to $2,000.

A new trend is catching on in the wedding industry and already, some 'sophisticated' brides might consider hiring aprofessional bridesmaid for their big day.

So, if you are getting married this year and don't want to go through the hassle of deciding which of your friends should be on your bridal train, you can hire the services of a professional bridesmaid for $2,000 (N382,599.38).

We all know weddings are very stressful and one minor mishap can turn a bride from beautiful to bridezilla. In order to avoid this, 26-year-old Jen Glantz, a copywriter and author of All My friends Are Engaged, created BridesmaidforHire.com. In a nutshell, her services acts as a "gal pal" for the bride.

Bridesmaid for Hire consists of 4 packages for brides to choose from, with prices ranging from a few hundred dollars to $2,000. The cheapest package is a virtual consultation where they will assist with planning, problem solving and to-do lists through the use of an online video collaboration tool.

Of all the packages, the most expensive one is the hands-on "bridesmaid by your side" option for $2,000, which will provide on-ground support for all pre-wedding events and actual participation as a bridesmaid or maid of honour in the wedding party. According to Glantz, the average package sold is between $1,000 to $1,200.

The concept of hiring a wedding professional may be approaching a cultural watershed. Just as it was depicted in the recently released movie, "Wedding Ringer" that chronicles the story of a socially awkward guy who hires a professional who provides best men for needy grooms. Separately, the 2011 hit "Bridesmaids" showed the disaster that can ensue when you opt to go the traditional route with friends.

The increasing popularity of hiring professional wedding party participants begs the question of the price tag that we are willing to allocate to look good in front of other people. So how much is your ego really worth?

Glantz decided to start the business a little over a year ago, when she had attended so many weddings that her friends nicknamed her the "Professional Bridesmaid." She posted an advertisement on Craigslist that quickly went viral.

The demand from women all over the country asking for professional bridesmaid services ultimately became so overwhelming that she decided to create the website. That became a platform to assist many brides in need.

"When I was in multiple weddings for friends, I saw behind the scenes for the wedding … I saw there was a lack of a person who is designated for the bride and her personal needs," said Glantz.

Though the concept of renting a bridesmaid or groomsman may seem ridiculous to some, the demand that Glantz experienced is indicative of the changing landscape of personal connection. The necessity is so strong that people are now paying for it.

Would you hire a professional bridesmaid for your wedding? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.

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