Who Wants to Pay for My Daughter’s Wedding?

He may have acted like Daddy Warbucks on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, but when it came to paying for his own daughter’s wedding, Regis Philbin channeled Star Jones.

According to a well-placed ABC insider, Philbin—who’s known around the network as “King of the Freebies” despite a reported $20 million a year salary—used his star power to strong-arm several luxury outlets into pro-bono sponsorships of his daughter Jennifer's wedding this past Sunday.

We hear Philbin talked renowned dress shop Kleinfeld Bridal into furnishing seven bridesmaid gowns for free, plus a tiara when it turned out Jennifer’s Monique Lhuillier dress didn't come with one, sources say.

As for the event’s coiffures, we’re told the doting dad also tried wrangling complimentary services from Fifth Avenue salon Louis Licari. (A manager there did not return calls for comment.)

Finally, for the gala reception at New York’s Pierre--produced by party-planner-to-the-stars Preston Bailey--we’re told the Live With Regis and Kelly host chiseled the hotel into giving him one of the lowest rates it has ever charged. Still unsatisfied, sources say he further insisted he not have to pay extra if the party ran after midnight, even though union rules require that employees be paid overtime.

Reps for Kleinfeld Bridal and the Pierre declined to comment on their surprising largesse, and a spokeswoman for Philbin would only say, “You’re misinformed,” before declining to discuss the matter further.