The flowers had been bought, the dress made, and the menu all but chosen.But Playboy founder Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris will not be walking down the aisle this weekend.
"The wedding is off. Crystal has had a change of heart". This was how the 85-year-old broke the sad news on his Twitter account. Crystal also took to the social networking site to explain her decision. "After much deep reflection and thought, I have decided to end my engagement with Hef," wrote the 25-year-old. "I have the utmost respect for Hef and wish him the best going forward." Hugh has been keeping fans up to date with how he's feeling, telling them: "The breakup is a heart breaker, but better now than after the marriage." He seems to have kept his sense of humour about the whole thing, adding: "Since we're not getting married on Saturday, I've scheduled a movie: Runaway Bride. Seems appropriate. As news of the split broke there were a spate of stories claiming Crystal had a secret boyfriend - songwriter Jordan McGraw, the son of TV therapist Dr Phil McGraw. Crystal's representative has strenuously denied the reports, saying ending the relationship was a mutual decision. "It was an amicable split up, and they will remain good friends," he told the New York Daily News.Hugh announced in December that he and the former Playmate were getting married, tweeting that he had given his girlfriend an engagement ring. "I wasn't planning on getting married again but we've been together two-and-a- half years and I can't imagine meeting anyone I'd get on better with," he said this month.
The wedding was scheduled for this Saturday at the Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills, California. Three hundred guests had been invited to attend the lavish ceremony, which Crystal had promised would be "the most romantic wedding ever".A Playboy spokesperson added that "no expense is being spared". Hugh, who is worth an estimated $43 million, is said to have decided against signing a pre-nuptial agreement. Crystal said their relationship was based purely on love. 'I'm no gold digger and I'm not interested in his money - I love him!' she said. "I'd sign a pre-nuptial agreement. Hugh doesn't throw money at me at all and I don't ask. I get paid for my music work and modelling." The marriage would have been Hugh's third. He married his childhood sweetheart Mildred Williams in 1949 and they had two children – Christie, now 58, and David, now 55 – before splitting ten years later. Then, in 1989 he married Playmate Kimberly Conrad and had two sons – 20-year-old Marston Glenn, and 19-year-old Cooper Bradford. After 11 years of marriage Hef filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. It became official last year.