23 MAY 2002
Just 48 hours before their star-studded nuptials, Claudia Schiffer and Matthew Vaughan announced Thursday that they have opted not to draw up the usual celebrity prenuptial agreement. This decision, says the pair, represents the “trust” they have that their upcoming marriage will last a lifetime.

The glamorous bride and groom, set to wed on Saturday, have agreed not to make claims on each other’s property in the “unlikely event of a split”, read the joint statement. “This agreement is verbal and is representative of the trust that both have in the strength and longevity of their relationship.”

The couple released the notice on Thursday, hitting back at reports that the German supermodel had arranged a £1.5 million lump sum payment for Matthew in case of a divorce.

The model’s big day has been planned to the last detail, from the floral displays, which will be created by Pierce Brosnan’s wedding florist Rob Van Helden, to the traditional German wedding cake the model selected, decorated with sugar roses. Though the celebrations are intended to be “strictly no razzmatazz”, they certainly won’t be without fun – there will be an Eighties disco and a football match the following day.

“Claudia is as professional as a bride-to-be as she is a top model,” says designer Valentino, who crafted the bride’s ivory silk gown with a five-yard train. “Every little detail regarding the wedding has been personally followed by herself, every flower, invitation, the food – she tried everything and she chose it all herself.”

The happy couple’s carefully-planned wedding list is comprised of 423 items chosen from a prestigious Mayfair glass and chinaware shop. Adding up to a comparatively modest £26,233 – other celebs have requested hundreds of thousands in gifts – the list includes simple pieces such as a £17 butter dish, as well as more expensive items like a giant crystal glass for £900. The gifts may be intended to furnish the new £5 million Elizabethan manor house in Suffolk where she and Matthew plan to marry.