Highlands set for another celebrity wedding

A small Highland town was today preparing to host a second celebrity wedding after racing driver Dario Franchitti and Hollywood actress Ashley Judd formally gave notice of their intention to marry there.

The couple have moved their wedding banns to Dornoch, and have given the proposed date for the ceremony as December 12.

Madonna and Guy Ritchie tied the knot a Skibo Castle near Dornoch last year, and had their son christened in the town’s cathedral. Guests included pop star Sting and designer Stella McCartney.

Indycar driver Franchitti and actress Judd had originally posted their notice of intent to marry at nearby Bonar Bridge, giving the proposed date as January 31.

However, the new banns were today on display in Dornoch.

The notice gives their names as George Dario Marino Franchitti and Ashley Tyler Ciminella.

The unusual move was confirmed by a local registrar Lesley Connor, who said she only received notice of the change from the General Register Office in Edinburgh yesterday.

She said today: ‘‘I had notification of it yesterday.

‘‘They have requested through the GRO to have it changed. Edinburgh agreed that rather than having them go through another 14 days notice, their notice would just be displayed here.’’

The couple’s lavish ceremony, which has been reported as costing £1.3 million, is rumoured to be planned for the prestigious Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle.

Stars reportedly invited include Carnegie Club regular Michael Douglas and his wife Catherine Zeta Jones, as well as Speed star Sandra Bullock.

Guests are rumoured to be arriving at Inverness Airport on Sunday.

Dornoch provost and local councillor Duncan Allan said today: ‘‘I hope that the people who come north will receive true Highland hospitality, which includes not interfering with their privacy.

‘‘In Dornoch we treat celebrities with amusement, we see a lot of them coming here to play golf, we’re quite used to it.’’