Inside Messi’s wedding: Swapping gifts for homes for needy

Add ARY News on GoogleFollow on Google DiscoverImage Courtesy/ InstagramAAResizeLionel Messi and Antonela Roccuzzo’s wedding was one of the grandest celebrations of 2017. The couple got married on June 30, 2017, at the City Center Hotel-Casino in Rosario, Argentina.

The couple used their big day to help the needy courtesy of their star-studded guest list. Around 260 guests attended the ceremony, including Messi’s Barcelona teammates and several of his close friends from football.

Gerard Pique and Shakira were among the high-profile guests, while players such as Luis Suarez, Neymar, Sergio Busquets and Xavi were also present.

Reportedly, instead of receiving the usual gifts, the pair asked their guests to donate the money to the Techo organization, which is an NGO that builds emergency houses for families in Argentina. They raised $11,386 (Dh 41,815) in total through their guest list and helped build 10 emergency homes.

Read More: Lionel Messi signs off in tears after one last Argentina master class

Some believed the amount was underwhelming given how wealthy the invitees were. Apart from their interesting rule, other details of the wedding also showcase how simple yet fancy the day was.

The luxury hotel and casino hosted the ceremony and reception, while the couple arranged extensive security for the star-studded guest list. Around 300 police officers were involved in the external security operation, with private security also protecting the venue.

RAWALPINDI: At least 18 terrorists of Fitna al Khawarij and Hindustan have been killed in separate security operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, ARY News reported on Wednesday, citing well-placed sources. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, security forces conducted a successful intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan under the Azm-e-Istehkam vision, killing 13 terrorists, according to security sources. […]