By Fiona Hudson and Paul Kent
June 20, 2007 12:00am
A FLOTILLA of “love boats” last night carried James Packer and Erica Baxter’s wedding guests to a private beach party in the south of France.
Seven luxury Mangusta cruisers – each with blue and white flags with the initials E & J flown at half mast – ferried guests including TV star Eddie McGuire and PBL head John Alexander to a secluded beach near St Jean Cap Ferrat, where they met up with Tom Cruise and family.
Cruise and wife Katie appeared happily in love throughout the five hour party, parading their baby Suri and posing on a wharf for family shots. Ms Holmes drew admiring glances from the French paparazzi as she stripped to a black one-piece bathing suit, revealing a super-buffed body.
The party was the latest event in a week-long $6 million celebration, with the couple tipped to marry late tonight Sydney time.
Mr Packer and bride-to-be Erica went ahead of the main group on News Corporation board member Lachlan Murdoch’s boat, with Ms Baxter looking radiant in a silky green sun dress.
Each wedding guest has been issued with a canvas beach tote branded with two kissing sea-horses and containing a black towel and white towel monogrammed with Erica and James’s names, and a small parasol to protect from the sun as temperatures hit 30C.
Dozens of party-goers, including Shane Warne and wife Simone, had to catch a mini-van after space ran out on the boats.
Hollywood superstar Cruise, wife Katie and their young daughter Suri were driven to the party in a luxury silver car, zooming out the front gate of the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc where many of the guests are staying.
Mr Packer, his bride to be and their sea-going guests struggled to reach the beach party after their giant boats couldn’t dock in choppy seas after a rough 40-minute ride.
Weather forecasters had predicted perfect conditions but a sudden wind change threw plans into disarray.
The group had to land at a small nearby port before being driven to the party.
Security at the small, pebbled beach was tight, with French police stopping cars on the approach road and private security keeping a close eye on any boats trying to navigate near the coast.
Small tents dotted the beach, and there were white beds and tables set as if for a giant, relaxed “love-in”.
A housekeeper in the nearest home to the beach said the sprawling property was owned by an Australian but would not reveal the owner’s identity. (Source: The Daily Telegraph)
Cruise family joins Packer celebrations
By Valkerie Mangnall
Tom Cruise, wife Katie Holmes and their daughter, Suri, joined in the wedding celebrations for James Packer and Erica Baxter in the French Riviera.
The Cruise family were at the exclusive Hotel du Cap Eden Roc, which Mr Packer has hired out for the wedding party and guests ahead of the nuptials, which are expected to take place on Wednesday night local time.
Rumours were gathering pace in the south of France and on Hollywood gossip websites that fellow Scientologist and movie star Cruise would act as celebrant at the wedding.
Cruise is now apparently qualified to perform Scientology weddings.
Cruise, wearing a striped polo shirt, walked down the front steps of the hotel with his wife, who had what appeared to be a black wrap draped over her shoulders and was wearing a pair of giant sunglasses while carrying the couple’s 14-month-old daughter.
They got into a waiting silver car and waited for a short time, possibly discussing how to evade the throng of photographers and camera crews gathered at the front gate.
The car then drove off, using a side exit before driving straight past the main entrance with the media in hot pursuit.
Earlier, Mr Packer and Miss Baxter caught a zodiac across to the hotel from their luxury cruiser, the Arctic P.
They were joined on the jetty by Packer family matriarch Ros, who was wearing a striking full-length leopard-print dress with turquoise beading around the neckline, and several friends, many of whom carried matching white and blue beach bags packed to the brim.
The party has well and truly started on the Cote d’Azur. Now, all that remains is the wedding ceremony itself.
But exactly where, when and how Mr Packer and Miss Baxter will marry remained a tightly-protected secret as preparations continued.
Friends and guests of Australia’s richest man jetted in from all corners of the globe for the $A6 million wedding, but none admitted to knowing what they were in for.
“We’ve all been kept in the dark, so it’s a nice surprise,” said Sarah Murdoch, the wife of Packer’s mate Lachlan Murdoch.
The wedding of the 39-year-old media and gaming mogul to the 29-year-old model turned singer from Gunnedah looks set to take place aboard the Arctic P.
The converted icebreaker last year hosted Cruise and Holmes on their honeymoon.
Much of the pre-wedding action has been taking place on the cobalt waters of the Mediterranean off Cap d’Antibes.
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch enjoyed time on his yacht, the Rose Hearty, with his wife, Wendi Deng, and their two daughters, Grace and Chloe.
Murdoch’s son Lachlan swam to his father’s craft from his own yacht moored nearby, the Graziella, spurning an offer of a lift with his wife, Mr Packer and Miss Baxter as they sped past in a zodiac.
Ms Murdoch said she had been looking forward to days of water sports and relaxation, adding: “All the Aussies are here.”
As with all good weddings, details of the bridal gown remain a closely-guarded secret, although one report suggests it will be a $A100,000 haute couture number.
For guests, the dress code for each lavish occasion appeared to be one thing they had been briefed on.
Ms Murdoch, who married Lachlan in 1999, will appear at the wedding in an outfit by Australian designer Willow.
Nine Network reporter Leila McKinnon, who is married to former Nine boss and Mr Packer’s close friend, David Gyngell, will wear a dress by Carolina Herrera.
Television and AFL personality Eddie McGuire said he won’t be acting as MC, which perhaps points to broadcaster and Packer friend Alan Jones filling that role.
“I’ll be giving them a toaster,” Mr McGuire said of his wedding gift.
Mr Jones was tight-lipped about the wedding, saying only that it would be “interesting and involved” and there would be “something for everyone”.
Mr Gyngell predicted the wedding would be “amazing”, and said of Packer: “I’ve never seen the guy so happy in my life.”
Miss Baxter will walk down the aisle with her father Michael, a solicitor from Gunnedah in north western NSW. (Source: Ararat)
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