WHAT REALLY HAPPENED THE DAY KEITH MARRIED NICOLE

IN AN EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT, NEW DETAILS SHED LIGHT ON THE WEDDING OF THE CENTURY

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Controlling the message was paramount for both Keith and Nicole, something that Father Paul Coleman, who was to conduct the marriage ceremony, learned very quickly. He innocently told a reporter that the service would be short, sweet and simple, and that the couple was “very much in love”.

Soon after, the padre was quietly told to “cool it” by the team running the big event, headed by Nicole’s publicist, Wendy Day. Day had been down this road before, having corralled the media during the marriage of Russell Crowe, another high-profile client, to Danielle Spencer back in April 2003.

A few days prior to the wedding, some twenty photographers, who had set up camp outside the Kidman family home, started to stir when the garage door began opening. But they were very surprised by what they saw. Two unfamiliar women stood there, carrying a slab of beer and some water bottles. Sitting on top of this gift was a note: “Enjoy! Nicole and Keith.”

Earlier in the day, the assembled paparazzi had sung ‘Happy Birthday’ to Nicole – she turned 39 on June 20 – via the intercom. They had flowers for the birthday girl, who emerged, smiling. “Thank you for the flowers and the singing,” she said, before heading back inside. Nicole had history with ‘paps’, having famously clashed with photographer Jamie Fawcett in January 2005. She and Keith played this situation beautifully.