(MENAFN- Arab Times) VENICE Sept 27 (Agencies): George Clooney said goodbye to bachelorhood in Venice on Friday with a stag party at his favourite restaurant with a host of Hollywood chums. The actor had swept into the floating city on Friday with his British fiancee Amal Alamuddin on a watertaxi dubbed 'Amore' zipping up the Grand Canal to cheers from fans at the start of nuptials set to draw out over the weekend. As evening approached and girls across the world sobbed he set out in black tie for an all-boys do with friends to celebrate one of his last nights as a single man.
After shaking off paparazzi Clooney headed to Da Ivo near Saint Mark's Square where his security detail was spotted lurking as the star and friends dined on the venue's prized Venetian and Tuscan delicacies. He was then reported to have headed to the luxurious Cipriani hotel where he was set to sleep but not before rounding off the evening with big celebrations. Clooney's Lebanon-born bride-to-be was spotted in a long red gown heading off to her own soiree at the fresco-adorned Aman hotel with close friends including Ellen Barkin who threw the 36-year-old human rights lawyer a hen party several weeks ago. Tipped Matt Damon Cindy Crawford and her husband Rande Gerber tipped to be Clooney's best man were just a few of the stars in Venice for the wedding with Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie and musician Bono tipped to follow on Saturday. The couple are expected to be officially married in a civil ceremony on Monday but will have to work hard not to succumb to a hangover before then with a party for 130 or so guests at a reception on Saturday. The rich and famous will be escorted by police boats to the exclusive seven-star Aman resort within the 450-year-old Palazzo Papadopoli to keep over-excited Clooney admirers and hundreds of photographers at a distance. They'll be met with lashings of fizz and canapes in the garden an oasis sheltered from the bustle of the canal before sitting down in the main library to a sumptuous five-course dinner according to a source close to the hotel. The Aman's restaurant will be turned into a nightclub where they'll dance the night away with Lana Del Rey reportedly preparing to serenade the couple and Clooney dedicating the song 'When I fall in Love' to Alamuddin. A string orchestra and jazz trio are also expected to perform a number of songs including the uber-romantic 'Smoke gets in your eyes' a ballad made famous by The Platters in 1958. Rome's former mayor Walter Veltroni a long-term friend of Clooney's will be performing the civil ceremony which is likely to be held in the town hall the stunning Ca' Farsetti 14th century palace opposite the Aman hotel. Alamuddin moved to Britain as a three-year-old and her rights work has involved representing Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Propelled Clooney was married once before to 'Mad Men' actress Talia Balsam but the pair split in 1993 just before his breakout role in 'ER' propelled him to the status of global sex symbol. Clooney vowed he would never marry again giving hope to millions of women that they one day might get their chance at romance with Hollywood's most eligible bachelor. And for more than two decades Clooney's love life has been tabloid fodder as he carried on romances with a series of models and actresses a cocktail waitress an Italian starlet and a former professional wrestler before meeting his match in human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin. It has not been reported if Michelle Pfeiffer has called him on his $100000 bet that he would indeed never marry again following his four-year marriage to Talia Balsam which ended in 1993. And it is unknown how many hearts have been broken by Clooney's renunciation of his sworn bachelorhood but there are plenty. 'I am going to tell all the women who are sad because George is getting married: Yah you lost this one because he is an honorable sensitive intelligent sweet guy' said Howard Bragman vice chairman of reputation.com and a long-time Hollywood publicist who has observed Clooney in action on sets and at events. Bragman said Clooney 'holds a very unique place in Hollywood.' 'George is a contemporary throwback star' he said. 'He is contemporary in his thinking. He has taken stands on politics in presidential elections on Darfur and other causes. But in terms of his respect and his place in the Hollywood system he is very traditional. He is a throwback to at timeless movie star almost Cary Grant.' They come from different worlds. And he had vowed never to marry again. But George Clooney appears finally to have met his match in the form of Amal Alamuddin. The couple met at a charity event a year ago after which 53-year-old Clooney often described as one of the world's most eligible bachelors is said to have pursued the 36-year-old British human rights lawyer with a string of flirty emails. Oxford-educated Alamuddin was initially reluctant according to reports. But she eventually surrendered to the Hollywood heartthrob's charms and the couple announced their engagement barely six months later in April. And while their mutual attraction radiates for all to see their relationship is no doubt based at least in part on another shared passion: human rights and fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves. Few would have predicted their marriage even until recently. Clooney was married to 'Mad Men' actress Talia Balsam from 1989-1993 but had shown little interest in settling down since instead dating a string of younger model and actress girlfriends over the years. Even after striking up a relationship with Lebanese-born Alamuddin he was typically self-deprecating when talking about his first stab at wedded bliss.
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