I actually bought the People Magazine issue with the Brangelina wedding on the cover. I remembered too late, and I thought I wouldn’t be able to find a newsstand copy, but there it was at CVS this past weekend. I just bought it because I’m a Brangeloonie (I’m polishing my Brange Badge as we speak) and because I wanted to see the photos close-up. As it turns out, the Brangelina wedding was sort of boring as far as “Celebrity Weddings” go. There were no A-list guests, no pizzazz or anything. I mean, the kids were lovely and it really felt like Brad and Angelina mostly did the wedding for the kids, because the kids wanted it so much.
Anyway, as it turns out, most people were sort of “meh” about the wedding photos too. While the People Magazine issue sold relatively well, it wasn’t some major sales bump. And as for those reports that Brad and Angelina sold the wedding photos for $5 million… maybe not? The NYDN says the pics went for $2 million.
People Magazine scored when it landed exclusive shots of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s nuptials. But the issue didn’t provide much of a sales boost, considering the shots’ $2 million price tag. Confidenti@l has learned the Sept. 15 issue sold around 1 million copies, according to early figures, which represents a small spike above a typical week.
A People rep told us the issue sold 28.3% more than the average for 2014. In contrast, when the magazine published the first pictures of Pitt and Jolie’s twins, Vivienne and Knox, the weekly racked up an enormous sale of 2.7 million — some 1.2 million beyond the previous issue.
“There’s really no drama about Brad and Angelina getting married,” said an industry insider. “They’ve been together for 10 years, and some readers probably think they’re already married.”
People split the cost of the pictures (which went to charity) with Britain’s Hello! magazine, which also ran shots. While some call the newlyweds American royalty, they can’t beat actual royalty. The Brangie issue’s sales paled in comparison to People’s coverage of the birth of Prince George, the heir to the British throne. The mag’s former editor, Larry Hackett, said that issue sold 1.4 million copies.
Yeah, I’d probably be more likely to pick up a magazine with Prince George’s grump-face too! That being said, I don’t think this is bad news for Brangelina. After ten years and six kids… they are Establishment. They are the No-Drama Jolie-Pitts. That could be their new thing!
But really, I think there wasn’t a huge run on the wedding issue because the photos were actually rather boring. The Wedding Industrial Complex is a multi-billion-dollar industry force-feeding the notion of “Bigger! More Expense! More food! Bigger cake! Fairy-tale Princess Wedding!” down everybody’s throats, and the Brangelina photos were just so STARK and minimalist. I realize Brad likes everything to be clean and industrial, but I would have loved to have seen some extra details.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, covers courtesy of People, Hello.
Yes.
They are together over ten years and have six kids and we are supposed to be interested in WEDDING PHOTOS? They have it totally backwards.
They would have sold out had the cover story been “Brad & Angie Surprise Split – The details”.
Cover up everything except for her hands and I would cry BS to anyone who said this wasn’t a photograph of a 90 year old woman.
Thanks to Micheal K. all I can see is the hand.
The HELLO pictures were better and bigger than those in the People Magazine. The HELLO pictures were crisper and you could see more details on the dress, the rings, Ect.
I was happy that Brad and Angelina got married, but it wasn’t an OMG moment. I felt like after ten years and six kids, they were in it for the long haul. Maybe deep down inside there’s a little bit of traditionalists in all of us.
I think covers that have a baby on them tend to sell better than wedding covers. Of course, I bought the Brang wedding issue, cause I am a loonie. But I had already seen all the pictures online, so if I weren’t a loonie, I wouldn’t have bought it…
Exactly. Why buy the magazine, when we have the pictures on the computer at home? I THOUGHT about buying it~seriously, the last People I bought was the Princess Diana issue after she was killed. Than I looked at the pictures, to see if they were any better than online, and decided they weren’t and put it back.
+1 Diana was my last People purchase.
No Drama until Pax starts dating Kylie Jenner.
Hahahaha
No drama, plus the pics were everywhere online for free.
Plus George’s grump face is epic.
The pictures were every where. Except for the dress there wasn’t much to see. This wedding seemed very sedate. I’d rather see pictures of a baby giving people the stink eye anyway.
I clicked, saw the wedding photo and went ‘Oh, right, that happened’. I’d honestly forgotten they’d even gotten married. So not surprised the cover didn’t sell unusually well, it just wasn’t that interesting for anyone who isn’t weirdly over-invested in their kids.
People want to see a beautiful wedding.I like them both but I was expecting more.She is so beautiful.She should have gone all out with her hair and gown.I think it is nice the kid’s were included but I think people wanted to see romance and glamour.
I refuse to give People Mag, my money these days. I truly hate that magazine.
George is a sweetie, but those were many peoples first look at George for the most part. Still Those numbers on George are nothing compared to what his Grandmother a princess Diana use to sell. PEOPLE will never see those days again.
People Magazine basically suxs, these days. I go to other celebrity magazines, if I want celebrity news. Also HELLO pictures were a lot better.
Angelina and Brad were still a hit and sold huge numbers even if not overtaking GrumpyGeorge , he’s so cute.
Many covers do sell well. People have said themselves that ‘real life people’ often sell better than celebrities in 2013.
The sales numbers for the births of the JP children were insane and that was with online views too. Many celebs are actually great for sales but Jolie is usually not one of them unless it’s to do with her children.
Plus since they are still THE quintessential moviestar couple of modern day, it’s surprising that they didn’t bump up sales.
And yes, the sales weren’t bad at all. There is still enough interest to warrant them being paid so much to expose their private lives. The problem with them is that they set a standard. An insane one so everything that falls under their usual standard is considered not so good. I remember their ‘first kiss’ and ‘first couple picture’ being chased after like they were gods. Their children the ‘messiahs’. Compared to that, you can say that the audience has moved on after 10 years.
Online media has ruined the traditional magazines I am afraid.
I bought two of the magazines because I am also a proud member of the Brangelicious (oops I meant Brangeloony) club.
I think because there was no drama, Hollywood glamour at all it was a bit uninterested.
This was a wedding filled with love, laughter and it was very obvious that this couple will last to the end.
I found People here last week, to my astonishment. Along with Hello, I’ve a little stash now of gorgeous pics, and meself, I think they are quite perfect. I don’t go for weddings (or babies), but these photos are sheer blissikins, I love the pared-back/down vibe!
(What I would really like now is a visual tour of that house…..the little decor one can see makes me sure it would be quietly fabulous.)
I thought including the kids’ drawings was cute but I hated them being on her dress/veil. But their wedding wasn’t for me.
Love the pic of them kissing though.
Yep. Putting the kids’ drawings on the dress/veil was hideous. I don’t see that catching on. But I get that they did the whole thing mainly to indulge their children, it wasn’t my day, glad they did what they wanted, love reigns supreme, etc.
I think that the dress would’ve been better, if they would’ve had their kids draw something specifically for the gown–instead of just putting random drawings all over the back. And it also would’ve been better if the embroidery had been in black or silver on the veil. That would’ve been really pretty. But I did love the gown from the front.
And Angelina’s wedding dress probably isn’t something people are going to forget about. I don’t remember what Kim Kardashian’s dress looked like (beyond the fact that it was really tacky with side cutouts), wouldn’t be able to pick it out of a line up–but I’ll never forget Angelina’s gown.
@Virgilia Coriolanus: Agreed about the front. I’m not wild about the fabric choice, but the cut of it is flattering, pretty and feminine. (I like anything which emphasizes the waist!) Silver embroidery would have been an improvement for sure. The drawings randomly sprinkled around in primary colors was a super odd choice especially on a dress that was otherwise distinctly un-playful. Then again, many people thought my wedding dress was odd too, and I didn’t care anymore than Angelina does. 🙂
Do people really buy those mags? I can see enough here for free.
+1
I bought the issue as well (on vacation) which I haven’t done since I was in college. That said, it was extremely boring, and I wanted more pictures of the kids, more pictures of the actual ceremony, more pictures of Angelina with Brad’s sister, brother, and parents, and more pictures of James Haven (he always looks so interesting). When it was stated, “You can now kiss the bride,” did he plant a big,wet kiss on his sister? Plus, I bet Mindy Cohn was there on dl, and I would have loved to see pictures of her with her godchildren, Viv and Knox (joking- though I kind of do believe she is the secret best friend of Angelina and Brad).
James Haven has gotten SO much more attractive, now that he’s older. When he was younger, he was way too pretty for me.
Btw, Angelina and James’ former nanny/friend of Marcheline Bertrand’s gave an interview explaining why Angelina and James kissed at the Oscars, and why Angelina was so emotional during that time. It was their mother’s first day of cancer treatment–the day that they went to the Oscars. She said that they went with their mother to her treatment at the hospital, and then went home and got dressed to go to the Oscars.
This is what she said:
“The day she kissed Jamie at the Oscars, it was the first day Marcheline was treated for cancer. They left the hospital together and got ready together,” she said. “Nobody in the world knew that they spent the day in the hospital. It was like, ‘Look where we’re at now.’ But the world saw something incestual. It was meant to be ‘Here we are.’ They only ever had each other. They had a very tight relationship with each other and their mother.”
http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2014/09/angelina-jolie-demons-revealed-secret-hospital-stay-self-harm-incest-rumors/
The magazine sold very well at my stores that I go to often. Yes some people still do buy magazines.. just like some people still buy books and newspapers.
I bought both People and Hello because I’m a fan. And looking at the media coverage all over the world it was not a Meh moment.
People who are not fans have some weird sense that everyone thinks and feels as they do. Brad and Angie are still huge. I find it funny that there are stories about how the mag sold. Mainly to try and make it seem as if there is not interest in them. NOT the case. I laugh at sites like Dlisted that spend all their time hating this couple and saying how no one cares. yet read many random thread on that site and they have to mention Brad or Angie when they have nothing to do with the topic or celeb.
People still comment and follow them and what they are doing.. despite all the claims otherwise.
I’m waiting for the divorce issue next year. These two just did the deed for their Oscar campaigns.
So the wedding pictures paled in comparison to Prince George’s cover and yet George’s cover paled in comparison to the Knox and Vivi cover from 6 years ago?
I guess Brad and Angelina won’t be packing and moving to Green Acres anytime soon.
Personally, this is the first People wedding issue I ever bought and the only reason I did was because of Brad, Angelina and their kids. Usually if they are on the cover for a legitimate reason, I will buy it. As for other celebs, especially weddings- no, mainly because HW marriages don’t last. I think that Brad and Angelina are for keeps and was charmed by their wedding pics and am anxiously waiting for my local bookstores to get Hello.
I’m pretty sure that baby issues always sell better than wedding issues. A better comparison would be to other wedding photos. Besides Brad and Angelina have been together for 10 years. It was a “wow, they did” moment but not a “I have to see the pictures” moment. Also the photos were online for 4 or 5 days before the magazine came out. I’m baffled why they were released so quickly online. That must hurt sales a lot although it may have increase website traffic. Overall the cover didn’t bomb and made the magazine a lot of money.
I’m pretty sure Brangelina doesn’t care if the magazines sell or not. They just want to stop the hunt for their wedding pics at the onset and let their charities benefit from the sale.
Angie has just signed up for her next directing gig that is what admire about her and Brad.Instead of TALKING about directing,traveling ,having a large family,etc…They JUST do it.
As for wedding pics I will wait for the financial statement from their JP foundation.I dont trust some tabloid.