Kim Kardashian to make $17.9m from wedding - News.com.au

Kim Kardashian is set to make big bucks from her wedding. Picture: AP Source: news.com.au

Kim Kardashian, right, and her fiance, NBA basketball player Kris Humphries on August 17, 2011. Picture: AP Source: news.com.au

KIM Kardashian and her basketball-playing hubby, Kris Humphries, raked in a lot more than a few toasters when they tied the knot -- scoring about $17.9 million (A$17.24m) by turning the ceremony into a media extravaganza.

The exclusive photo rights to the Hollywood super nuptials were sold to People magazine for $2.5 million (A$2.4m), a source told the New York Post.

But that was just the icing on the couple's cash cake.

Their biggest payout will come from turning Saturday's ceremony into a four-hour, two-part TV spectacular called Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event, which will air on E! in October.

The special is expected to pull in between $12 million and $15 million (A$11.5m and A$14.4m) for the Kardashian family franchise and for the show's producer, Ryan Seacrest.

The wedding likely cost the celebrity couple very little, if anything at all, experts say.

LA celebrity event planner Tony Schubert said many vendors would have either comped or given huge discounts to the couple in return for the publicity.

"It benefits the vendors, their goods and services [to be] shown to millions of people," he said.

The 30-year-old star of Keeping Up with the Kardashians picked the Sotto Il Monte estate in Montecito, California, for the black-tie affair.

She got three $20,000 Vera Wang gowns -- one for the ceremony and two for later in the evening -- all free, and $400,000 worth of Perrier Jouet Champagne also gratis.

Her $15,000, 10-tiered wedding cake with chocolate-chip icing and black and white decorations made by Hansen's Bakery was comped, too.

In addition, the $10,000 worth of invitations by Lehr & Black were free.

"It seems they released the invitation a few weeks ago for obvious reasons. It's all part of the game," Schubert said.

Other costs would have included $2 million for Mark Gardens floral arrangements of African white roses and black and white decor, tents, lighting and favors.

Caviar, Kobe burgers, truffles, cupcakes and other tasty tidbits for the reception racked up a sweet $750,000 tab for the nearly 500 guests, which included Seacrest, Lindsay Lohan, Eva Longoria, and Carmelo Anthony and his wife, La La, People reported.

The $3 million in wedding bling -- including the couple's $1 million nuptial bands and Kim's $2 million engagement ring, all by Lorraine Schwartz -- was deeply discounted.

Even the $50,000 bachelorette party was sponsored, by Tao of Las Vegas.