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George Clooney Paid to Beef Up Wedding Security—Find Out How the Venice Police Seriously Cashed In!

Actor said "I do" to Amal Alamuddin in Italy in late September

By Alyssa Toomey Oct 01, 2014 11:37 PMTags
George Clooney, Amal Alamuddin, Clooney WeddingAP Photo/Andrew Medichin

To say that George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin's nuptials were any less than lavish would be an understatement, and luckily for us all, the newlyweds decided to share their special day with the world. 

Whether the actor and his beautiful bride were busy greeting fans, handing out tequila to paps or posing for pics for photogs, the lovebirds were hardly shy as enjoyed their whirlwind wedding weekend in the public eye. 

And despite the fact that George and Amal loved "sharing their excitement at getting married with the entire world," as one source told E! News on Sunday, there were a number of precautions put into place to ensure those trips through the Grand Canals were all smooth sailing. 

Namely, the paparazzi were hit with some heavy fines by the Venice police for the privilege of snapping a shot of the happy couple. 

PHOTOS: George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin's road to engagement

ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images

A source estimates that paps, in total, were penalized anywhere between $10,000 and $20,000 in boat fines, adding that some paps received several 100 euro fines (about $126) a day. "It was mayhem," the insider said. 

Photographers were fined for posing as taxi drivers in unlicensed boats, as well as driving too fast in addition to other offenses. All in all, that brings the estimated cash total from fines up to $30,000 for the full four days Clooney was in town. 

To put things in even simpler terms? Adding together the fines on shutterbugs and unlicensed boats, local officials collected an estimated $30,000 from those trying to snap money shots of Mr. and Mrs. Clooney. 

But the paps weren't the only ones shelling out cash! The 53-year-old Hollywood hunk also paid a pretty penny to the traffic police for their assistance with the wedding. 

ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images

"The Venice traffic warden police unit has received a total of 2,848 euros ($3,603) from Clooney for services relating to his wedding," town municipality official Michela Camozzi tells E! news. 

Additional security was put into place on the night of Clooney's nuptials. "On September 27, two boats, with two agents aboard from the traffic warden police unit's water traffic department took to the waters as a result of the noticeably higher presence of taxis and boats that were travelling to the parties," Camozzi said. 

And police presence was only increased on the day the two legally wed following their lavish Italian ceremony. "On September 29 from 12.00 to 14.00 in front of Ca' Farsetti, where the town municipality of Venice is headquartered and where the (registry office) wedding ceremony took place, some six traffic wardens were in service to executive the measures banning pedestrian access to the area, which had been introduced several days before the event itself was due to take place in forecast of the larger number of people that were going to be in the area."

—Additional reporting by Jen Paul and Senta Scarborough