Celebrity Mound

Tepid interest in Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt’s wedding might be a sign of tough economic times in the magazine world, according to sources. Even though the new season of “The Hills” was watched by nearly 3 million people and the couple has been a newsstand success in the past, no magazine snatched up exclusive rights to photos for their wedding this weekend.

Why? No one weekly was willing to spend the cash the couple wanted. In tough economic times, not just any celebrity can command big bucks, and the couple could theoretically make more money by offering the photos to all the weeklies instead of just one.

“The total number that (Montag and Pratt) used to get from exclusive photos is down. It’s sometimes better to go all round with the deal and ensure you make money and get exposure, particularly when television shows are involved,” said In Touch’s Editor in Chief Richard Spencer.

The couple didn’t comment on their strategy, but a source close to them said that now that everyone’s watching their bottom line, there was no bidding war to drive up the price, and this all-around deal was the best way to make a buck in tough times.

“They’d rather be on page 50 of Us, People, In Touch or Life & Style than be on the cover of a magazine like OK! that isn’t going to sell. They need to make money, and so does the magazine. The formula is changing,” said the source.

OK!’s Editor in Chief Katie Caperton said she couldn’t comment on the record about any deals, despite rumors that OK! made an offer the couple turned down.

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt should be sure to take notes when they host a wedding special on MTV.

Four couples will ring in the new year by getting married live on MTV’s “Engaged & Underage: The Bridal Bowl.” The four-hour special will air at 1 p.m. EST on Jan. 1 from the network’s Times Square studio in NYC.

Alongside MTV News correspondents Tim Kash and Kim Stoltz, Montag and Pratt will host the event. The couple drew attention recently for eloping to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on Nov. 20. Because they wed outside the U.S., their nuptials were not legal. On the Dec. 22 finale of The Hills, the couple went to the courthouse, but Pratt opted to wait to give Montag the big wedding she’s always wanted.

On the New Year’s Day show, a different couple will walk down the aisle each hour, complete with footage of the couples’ lives and commentary from friends and family. The couples, all between 19 and 22 years old, will be saying their “I do’s” in front of a national audience.

The first hour, Stephanie, 21, and Adam, 22, from Kearney, Nebraska, will exchange vows. The couple — both have full-time jobs and are students — met through a mutual friend in April.

Texans Elizabeth, 21, and Amadeus, 22, have been dating since they were 14 years old and will wed in the second hour.

The third hour unites Alessandra and Jonathan, both of whom are 21 and met on MySpace, from Sarasota, Florida.

Amanda, 19, and Bradford, 20, will get married in the show’s final hour. From Sikesville, Maryland, they want to wed before Brad is deployed with the Navy.

(source)

In the final minutes of The Hills season finale, Spencer nixed his plan to legalize his Mexican wedding to Heidi Montag – at least for now.

After eloping in a Mexican ceremony on November 19, Heidi and Spencer both vowed to make their union legal stateside. Pratt told Ryan Seacrest recently they had done just that by marrying again in a Beverly Hills courthouse. Pratt said to Seacrest on his radio show: “We checked the confidentially box, so good luck [finding our marriage license] people!”

The Associated Press questioned the legality because the judge shown in the trailer doesn’t sit on the bench at the Los Angeles Superior Court, and civil wedding ceremonies are usually performed in chambers instead of courtrooms. At the time, a MTV spokesperson told Usmagazine.com in a statement: “MTV crews captured Heidi and Spencer at the Beverly Hills Courthouse with the Deputy Commissioner who handles all civil unions. We filmed after hours at the request of the courthouse so our cameras would not inconvenience other couples getting married that day.”

But in the end, it was their families that convinced Spencer not to follow through with the quickie courthouse ceremony. During the finale, Heidi’s mom, Darlene, told Spencer, “I know you manipulated and plotted this whole wedding. It’s too fast, too much. You know she had dreams of a bigger wedding. I can’t let you go to the courthouse and make this wedding legal.” Last month, Darlene Egelhoff told Us Weekly that she didn’t trust Spencer. “He’s manipulative and seems to have power over Heidi. I would like to see a blood test from Mexico. It wouldn’t surprise me if he had her drugged.” Pratt responded on Seacrest’s radio show, “I am sure she is just hurt and reacting crazy because she wasn’t there.”

Spencer’s sister, Stephanie also had a strong opinion about the civil ceremony, telling him, “”You can’t do this. She’s going to regret this. I think this is wrong.”

Finally, in front of Deputy Commissioner, Donna Jones, Heidi proclaims, “I, Heidi, take thee Spencer to be my lawfully wedded husband for better or for worse for as long as we both shall live.” After a tense few seconds, Spencer pauses, and tells Montag, “I feel like we’re doing something sneaky and shady.” As Montag begins to cry, she says, “Of course I want my mom here.” Pratt responds, “I just want to give you the wedding of your dreams that you have been talking about for three years. I’ll deal with it It’s worth it to be with you the rest of my life. We’ll do it the way you want, I’m sorry, I love you so much.”

On the Hills after-show, Pratt and Montag appeared live in studio for the first time. Said Pratt: “Things are better since we didn’t legalize the wedding. Now I can live throughout 2009. They didn’t show the look of death in her [mom's] eyes on the episode!” Added Montag: “I want cakes and bridesmaids, two of them are standing right here,” referring to Holly Montag and Stephanie Pratt.

(source)

Newlywed Spencer Pratt called Ryan Seacrest’s radio show Thursday to respond to comments made by Heidi Montag’s mom detesting their recent elopment in Mexico.

Heidi’s mom, Darlene Egelhoff, recently opened up to Us Magazine claiming that her daughter may have been drugged by Spencer prior to their trip to Mexico.

Egelhoff told Us Magazine she gives the new marriage “six months” saying “I think it’s the biggest mistake Heidi’s ever made.”

Pratt fired back quipping “It was totally spur of the moment, if i had planned it I think I would’ve stepped up my ring game a little bit.”

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“I can’t wait to prove her wrong and be married for the rest of our lives,” explained Pratt. “I’m sure she’s just hurt and reacting crazy because she wasn’t there.”

In the interview, Pratt said he filmed a scene for The Hills with Heidi’s mom Wednesday.

“We just filmed togther yesterday on The Hills which was pretty much the most insane day of my entire life,” said Pratt.

Will Spencer and Heidi be spending the holidays with Heidi’s mom?

“The Pratts – as in Heidi Pratt and Spencer Pratt – will probably have their own christmas tree,” stated Pratt.

(source)