First meetings with your partner's friends and family can be daunting, even for celebrities such as Amal and George Clooney.
The Intolerable Cruelty actor, 62, had been a bachelor for several years before he met human rights lawyer Amal (nee Alamuddin), 45, in 2013. He was previously married to Talia Balsam from 1989 to 1992 but admitted he "loves" that his first marriage was largely forgotten by the public.
© PIERRE TEYSSOTMore widely known were his relationships with stars such as Lisa Snowdon, Elisabetta Canalis and Stacy Keibler. But what did his friends think when George announced his plans to settle down with Amal?
In his wedding speech, George's close friend John Lambros said that he had "not changed as a friend one bit." He continued: "George is one of the most present people I know. He is 'in the moment' always when he is with his friends. He is perceptive, sensitive, sharp, smart, funny, participating in the conversation and always leading the storytelling. As a friend, George elevates you. You engage.
"You are present with him as he is with you and frankly, you have to be because the pace with which the inside joke or the political debate or prank travels around the room in his presence is remarkably quick."
In a nod to George's love life, he jokily added: "To say we, George's friends, have been waiting for you, Amal, for a while is an enormous understatement."
George and Amal met in Italy in 2013 during dinner with mutual friends, and he revealed: "I thought she was beautiful." After getting engaged, they chose to return to Venice, Italy for their wedding day the following year.
© Chris Jackson"We met in Italy. We have a home there. We knew that was where we wanted to get married," he told HELLO!. In September 2014, the Ocean's 11 star gathered his family and friends at the Aman Canal Grande hotel for his "intimate yet vibrant" wedding ceremony.
Amal looked striking in a custom-made Oscar de la Renta wedding dress covered with French lace and embroidered with pearls and diamantés, while George looked dapper in a black tuxedo by Giorgio Armani and cufflinks gifted from Amal.
© GettyTheir big day took place after George had come to terms with the idea that he would never marry again, convincing himself that he was content with his life as it was. "I was like, 'I’m never getting married. I’m not gonna have kids,'" he told GQ in November 2020.
"'I’m gonna work, I’ve got great friends, my life is full, I’m doing well.’ And I didn’t know how un-full it was until I met Amal." The couple are now parents to twins Alexander and Ella, who were born in June 2017.
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