Alaska News

Facebook's Sean Parker fined for environmentally destructive wedding

Forget bridezilla. During the wedding between former Facebook president Sean Parker and singer-songwriter Alexandra Lenas, the couple apparently became something much worse: redwood-zillas.

According to a lengthy report by the California Coastal Commission, Parker had a series of massive, movie set-like structures installed for his wedding in the Big Sur.

The elaborate wedding, which cost $10 million, according to TMZ, came complete with an artificial pond, a stone bridge and other awesome sounding decorations. But Parker didn't get permits to ensure that the sensitive campground could handle those structures before he had them installed. "Structures, walls and elevated platforms have been constructed immediately adjacent to Post Creek with no setbacks employed," the Coastal Commission wrote. The report adds that the wedding put the many redwoods on the site at risk.

"Additionally, structures have been built up to and around existing redwoods and vegetation within the campground," the Commission said.

The Commission was tipped off about the wedding, which was on a closed campground owned by Ventana Inn & Spa, after neighbors complained, the Associated Press reported.

After the Commission report came out, however, Parker quickly agreed to pay $2.5 million for the destruction. Afterward, the Commission had much nicer things to say about Parker.

California Coastal Commission Executive Director Charles Lester announced that Parker has been "extremely cooperative," and the Commission added in a press release that the $2.5 million settlement "is consistent with Sean and Alexandra Parker's long?standing commitment to the conservation of the beautiful coastal environment in the Big Sur area."

Meanwhile, the Ventana Inn is negotiating a separate settlement for allowing the wedding, the AP reported.

ADVERTISEMENT