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Love is in the Venetian air! George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin played host last night at their bachelor and bachelorette dinner parties in Venice ahead of today's nuptials. The couple left the Belmond Hotel Cipriani last night and kicked off the festivities. Some of their friends who celebrated with them included Vogue EIC Anna Wintour, Matt Damon and his wife Luciana, Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, and Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber.
All of the ladies got on a water taxi and headed to a private dinner at the Aman Resort, their ceremony venue. Alamuddin wore in a red and black printed custom dress from rumored wedding dress designer Alexander McQueen. "They dined on the second floor," a source told Us Weekly. "There were candles on a terrace overlooking the Grand Canal. Gondolas were parked up outside the venue, and one of the gondoliers even serenaded them from the water!"
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Meanwhile, Clooney and his guy pals headed to his favorite restaurant in Venice, Da Ivo. Us reports, "They arrived around 9.30 p.m. and dined amongst other patrons. They didn't leave until 12:30 a.m., when George's driver pulled up in a grand taxi boat to pick them up. There was a crowd of well-wishers who cheered loudly when George came out. He flashed a beaming smile and saluted everyone who was there, it was very sweet."
High on Clooney's list of priorities for the weekend are having his mother and father present to see him tie the knot, as well as making sure his fiancée has the best time of her life. "George more than most things, is excited to have his father, whom he has so much respect for, be there to see his wedding along with his mother," a source told Us. The source continued saying, "George wants to make sure Amal is comfortable and to be honest she's not comfortable with all the attention, that's not the kind of the girl that she is and that's why George loves her. They want something fun, a party, but don't want it to be a spectacle so that her family is comfortable."
The happy couple will marry around 6 p.m. local time tonight. It's going to be a grand party: stay tuned for all the details!