Lavish Wedding Bells Ring for Trump

Property mogul and reality television star Donald Trump married Slovenian model Melania Knauss on Saturday at a lavish social event in this resort town.

Trump -- star of NBC’s “The Apprentice,” on which he dismisses contestants with the catch phrase “You’re fired!” -- and his bride were married at an evening ceremony at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, which was decorated with white gardenias.

Trump, 58 and marrying for the third time, and Knauss, 34, drove off in a black stretch limousine for a reception at Trump’s nearby Mar-a-Lago estate, which was heavily guarded for the occasion by police and private security guards.

Knauss appeared this week on the cover of Vogue magazine in her Christian Dior wedding gown, satin embroidered with 1,500 crystal rhinestones and pearls.

But Trump, an able self-publicist, and his wife turned coy for the actual event and closed it to all but their 350 or so guests and an exclusive photo deal.

Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, singers Billy Joel and Tony Bennett, rap music impresario Russell Simmons, talk show host Star Jones and television personalities Katie Couric, Matt Lauer and Barbara Walters were among the guests.

The guests spilled out of the church to wave off the newlyweds as Trump and Knauss smiled from their limousine at a crowd gathered on the street.

According to media reports, Trump made several business deals to offset the cost of his wedding.

The New York Times said he paid half price for a $1.5-million engagement ring from diamond sellers Graff in return for the publicity.