Celebrities who have married in 2022, including Jennifer Lopez and Nayanthara

Over the past two years, low-key and intimate weddings had become a trend, but in recent months, we've been seeing the return of lavish events and a rise in couples hosting more than one ceremony.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, for example, have now tied the knot twice, while Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker held three separate events.

Others are still choosing to opt for a more private and secretive approach, such as Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons or Rita Ora and Taika Waititi.

There have been plenty of examples of go-big-or-go-home, too — for example, Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz.

The same has been seen in Dubai and India, where Bollywood and local names have enjoyed opulent celebrations in some of the cities' grandest hotels.

These are some of the biggest and most talked-about weddings we've seen so far this year.

Sheryl Sandberg and Tom Bernthal

Former Facebook boss Sheryl Sandberg married businessman Tom Bernthal in a Western-themed wedding in Wyoming on August 20.

The couple got engaged on a ranch and share a love of country music, and it was only fitting for Bernthal to don cowboy boots and jeans for the occasion.

The couple's five children — Sandberg has a son and daughter, while Bernthal has three children — were part of the bridal party, while Rob Goldberg, brother of Sandberg's late husband, was their co-officiant. Goldberg had introduced the couple in 2019, and they started dating soon after.

Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams

Three years after getting engaged, Modern Family star Sarah Hyland and Bachelor in Paradise alumni Wells Adams tied the knot in an outdoor ceremony in California on August 20.

Family and friends were there to witness the event, including Hyland's sitcom co-stars Nolan Gould (Luke Dunphy), Sofia Vergara (Gloria Delgado-Pritchett), Julie Bowen (Claire Dunphy) and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Mitchell Pritchett).

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, known colloquially as Bennifer, first got married on July 16, in a small ceremony in Las Vegas.

They then had a larger, more lavish ceremony at the Argo actor's $8.1 million Georgia estate on August 20, where friends and family gathered for a three-day celebration.

British-Indian life coach Jay Shetty, a former Hindu monk, officiated at the ceremony, for which Lopez wore a custom couture Ralph Lauren dress.

Guests included director Kevin Smith, who posted a photo of himself at the event, as well as Affleck's long-time friend, Matt Damon.

Rita Ora and Taika Waititi

Rita Ora and New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi got married in a small, secret wedding ceremony on August 8, although they plan to throw a larger celebration in future, a source told British publication, The Sun.

In the meantime, the For You singer has changed her last name to Waititi-Ora and flaunted her wedding band on Instagram, confirming the news.

Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons

US actor Jesse Plemons, left, and US actress Kirsten Dunst attend the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022. AFP

After more than six years together, The Power of the Dog co-stars Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons got married in Jamaica in early July. The couple, who met on the sets of TV series Fargo, held the ceremony at the GoldenEye luxury resort in OracabessaOcho Rios.

They kept it quiet and refused to provide any more details.

They have two sons, Ennis Howard, 4, and James Robert, 1.

Alexandra Daddario and Andrew Form

Alexandra Daddario and Andrew Form officially tied the knot this June. The White Lotus actress and A Quiet Place producer got married at Preservation Hall in New Orleans, followed by a reception at Bar Marilou.

Daddario wore a stunning custom Danielle Frankel dress, while Form donned a Brunello Cucinelli pinstripe suit.

The pair met by chance walking along the streets of New York City and officially announced their relationship in May 2021.

Aziz Ansari and Serena Skov Campbell

Serena Skov Campbell, left, and Aziz Ansari at a fashion show in February 2022 in Los Angeles. Photo: Getty Images/AFP

American comedian Aziz Ansari married Danish forensic data scientist Serena Skov Campbell in early June. The wedding took place with about 120 guests in Tuscany, Italy. There weren't too many famous faces, although British actor Riz Ahmed was among friends and family who attended.

The pair first met in 2018 in London and were first photographed out together later that year at the US Open.

Britney Spears and Sam Asghari

Britney Spears married her Iranian fiance Sam Asghari, nine months after announcing their engagement.

The couple wed in an intimate ceremony in Los Angeles in early June, hours after Spears's ex-husband Jason Alexander attempted to crash the wedding site.

The ceremony took place at Spears's 12,464-square-foot Thousand Oaks, California home.

Nayanthara and Vignesh

On June 9, some of the biggest stars in India descended on the historical city of Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu to celebrate the wedding of South Indian superstar Nayanthara and film director Vignesh Shivan.

The couple, who had been in a relationship for seven years, tied the knot early in a traditional ceremony, followed by a star-studded reception.

The bride and groom's outfits were custom-made by Jade, the label by designers Monica Shah and Karishma Swali, known for their use of Indian arts and crafts.

Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Ewan McGregor, left, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead arrive at the 33rd annual Producers Guild Awards on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. AP Photo

More than four years after they'd reportedly first started dating, actors Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who met on the set of Fargo, tied the knot with friends and family in attendance. It was a low-key outdoor ceremony at their home in the Topanga Canyon area of Los Angeles. The two share a son, Laurie, who was born in June 2021.

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz

With a star-studded guest list, Nicola Peltz, daughter of billionaire investor Nelson Peltz and model Claudia Heffner, married Brooklyn Beckham, son of fashion designer Victoria Beckham and British footballer David Beckham, at the Peltz family's Palm Beach estate.

The ceremony took place on April 9, and celebrity guests included Venus and Serena Williams, chef Gordon Ramsay, Eva Longoria and two of Victoria's former Spice Girls bandmates, Mel C and Mel B.

The bride wore a Valentino couture gown with a showstopping train.

Jack White and Olivia Jean

American singer, songwriter and producer Jack White, of The White Stripes fame, married fellow musician Olivia Jean on Friday, April 8, during his Detroit homecoming show.

White, who has been married twice, invited Jean to join him on stage, introducing her as his girlfriend, then he asked her to marry him during a rendition of Hotel Yorba.

White then carried her offstage, before they re-emerged for an encore and married onstage in a ceremony officiated by Ben Swank, who co-founded White's record label.

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker walked down the aisle in Las Vegas in the early hours of April 4. While the marriage is not technically legal, as they had no licence, the couple stood at the altar before an Elvis Presley impersonator, who serenaded them and officiated the ceremony at the One Love Wedding Chapel.

The low-key wedding took place in the hours after the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.

In May, they legally married at a courthouse in Santa Barbara, California, followed by a third, more lavish wedding in Italy the next week.

Bonnie Wright and Andrew Lococo

Bonnie Wright, who famously played Ginnie Weasley in the Harry Potter films, married her partner Andrew Lococo in March.

She posted a photo of their hands sporting beautiful wedding rings to Instagram, with the caption: "Yesterday was the best day of my life. Thanks to my husband!!"

She has since posted pictures of the day, with her wearing a stunning 1930s vintage dress, marrying Lococo in front of a floral arch in a farm in California.

Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin

Fans were left wanting more after Crash Landing on You debuted on Netflix in 2019, but two of the K-drama's stars, Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin (born Kim Tae-pyung), have given fans a happy ending in real life with their marriage, which took place in March.

Their photos show the pair holding hands, with Son wearing two different wedding dresses (one from Vera Wang, and the other by Lebanese designer Elie Saab), while Hyun Bin is pictured in an all-white suit in one image and a classic black and white tuxedo and bow tie in another.

The couple announced their engagement in February and had been dating for more than a year.

Kris Fade and Brianna Ramirez

Australian-Lebanese radio presenter Kris Fade, who lives in Dubai, married long-term partner Brianna Ramirez in a lavish ceremony in March at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, at Jumeirah Beach Residence, and live-streamed the entire ceremony to his 250,000 Instagram followers.

The bride wore a form-fitting white gown with spaghetti straps, featuring an embellished lace top half. She wore her hair in a low bun with loose strands at the front, with a long lace veil, and carried a bouquet of white roses.

Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad

American musician Jon Batiste, who won five Grammys this year, revealed in April that he married long-time partner, Suleika Jaouad, 33, in a small, private ceremony in February, the day before his new bride underwent a bone marrow transplant.

Jaouad, a writer and motivational speaker, spoke about the marriage in an interview with CBS.

"We have known that we wanted to get married, I think, from the first week that we started dating. That's when Jon first brought up the topic of marriage to me. So, we've had eight years," Jaouad said. "This is not, you know, a hasty decision!"

The couple wed in a "tiny" and "perfect" ceremony, with Jaouad saying she walked into the hospital unit the next day “on cloud nine”.

"We were so happy, so brimming with love and positivity from this beautiful evening that we'd had,” she said. “And I really believe that that carried us through."

Farhan Akhtar and Shibani Dandekar

Bollywood actor and director Farhan Akhtar and TV personality Shibani Dandekar, who made their relationship public in 2018, got hitched in February at an intimate ceremony in Khandala, a picturesque town about 82 kilometres from Mumbai.

The wedding, held at a property owned by Akhtar's father, the renowned poet and Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar, was limited to only close friends and family.

Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan, Akhtar's childhood friend, attended the ceremony. Videos posted on fan social media accounts showed Roshan and Akhtar dancing to the song Senorita from their hit 2011 film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, directed by Akhtar's sister Zoya Akhtar, who was also at the wedding.

Mona Kattan and Hassan Elamin

Beauty mogul M ona Kattan married her fiance Hassan Elamin in a lavish and intimate ceremony at Dubai’s Raffles The Palm hotel on Twosday, or February 22, 2022.

The couple tied the knot in front of close family and friends, with the bride sharing snippets of the day on social media.

Kattan wore a one-of-a-kind Vera Wang dress to exchange vows, which she previously revealed she found at Dubai’s Esposa boutique. The ivory satin gown featured a Bardot neckline, fitted ruched waist and a fishtail skirt.

Mouni Roy and Suraj Nambiar

Bollywood actress Mouni Roy married businessman Suraj Nambiar, who lives in the UAE, in a traditional South Indian ceremony at a Goa resort in January.

The couple, who met in Dubai, brought elements of their respective cultures to the ceremony. Roy, who is from West Bengal, wore a traditional Bengali red-and-white bridal sari. Meanwhile, Nambiar, who is Malayali and from Bengaluru, wore a gold kurta paired with a silk mundu, the sarong-style menswear popular in South India.

Danielle Brooks and Dennis Gelin

Orange Is the New Black star Danielle Brooks married Dennis Gelin in a January ceremony in Miami, with their daughter Freeya Carel, 2, as their flower girl.

Brooks wore two gowns for the event: one custom three-in-one Christian Siriano piece and another custom dress by Alonuko.

Ricki Lake and Ross Burningham

American actress Ricki Lake wed third husband Ross Burningham in January in an "intimate" ceremony at their home.

Lake wore a golden orange dress and shared photos of the moment on Instagram. "We did it!" Lake wrote in the caption. "Ross and I said I DO!"

The Indian palace hotels where Bollywood and Hollywood celebrities have weddings — in pictures:

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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The biog

Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball

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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?

The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.

A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.

Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.

The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.

When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.