Low Key Celebrity Weddings That Took Fans By Surprise

British pop star Lily Allen has entertained us with breakup revenge songs for years. But deep down, we all hoped that she would find her happy ending! It seems that love has finally happened for Lily with Stranger Things actor David Harbour. In 2020, the pair fled to Las Vegas and said their vows when no one was looking. Lily wore a 60’s style mini dress by Dior for the semi-formal occasion. Stranger things have happened, haven’t they?

When you’re a 23-time Olympic gold-medalist like Michael Phelps, you might think you have it all. But what about winning the game of love? Mike decided he wanted more in his life than crowds of adoring fans. That’s where model Nicole Johnson came in. As Miss California in 2010, a lot of guys noticed her at the Miss USA pageant. Clearly, that included a certain swimmer. Nicole agreed to be Mrs. Phelps back in 2016, not once, but twice. Why twice?

It sounds totally bonkers, but it really happened. After only two weeks of formal dating in 2018, model Emily Ratajkowski married actor and producer Sebastian Bear-McClard. Surprising fans, she put on this $200 outfit from Zara and headed to court. Emily explained: “I never loved the idea of wearing white for a wedding because I’m not a pure woman. I’m a woman with a lot of character and experience and life…I also just loved the idea of a suit, especially at City Hall because it’s like you’re taking care of business. I really wanted to wear red actually, initially…and then I just loved mustard yellow and just knew it was the one.”

Nobody saw this one coming! After a very public divorce from husband Seal, no one knew if Heidi Klum would be interested in marriage again. But when Heidi met Tom of the band Tokio Hotel, she was instantly smitten. Tom is 17 years younger than her, and this brought up a lot of chatter. Heidi shared that it was constantly being shoved in her face! The supermodel clearly didn’t care, though.

Back in the 2000s, Gwen Stefani was married to rockstar Gavin Rossdale. On No Doubt’s fourth album Return of Saturn, she sang about it: “All I wanted was the simple things, a simple kind of life. And all I needed was a simple man, so I could be the wife.” Perhaps she thought she had found it. But when a cheating scandal hit the tabloids, that dream ended. Would Gwen ever find her simple mind of life, for real?

Scrubs star Donald Faison is adored by millions for his silly streak. It’s no wonder he found a partner to laugh with, all life long. Cacee Cobb was a brand marketing manager who worked for celebs. She met the Scrubs funnyman at a party for colleague Zach Braff. Seven years later, it was final! Donald and Cacee wed in Zach’s backyard, who also stood in as best man. They chose blue-grass music and comfort food to set the mood.

Victoria’s Secret has had its share of angels over the years. It’s hard to choose a favorite, but model Jasmine Tookes certainly has her fans. Her biggest fan of all has turned out to be the son of the vice president of Ecuador. Juan David Borrero’s day job is director of international markets at Snapchat. As of September 20121: He’s her hubby! The fairytale wedding took place in a Catholic church in the middle of Quito, in Ecuador.

Chris Pratt got remarried recently, and he seems incredibly happy with Katherine Schwarzenegger. If her last name seems familiar, you would be right: Kat is the daughter of one other than Arnold Schwarzenegger., aka The Governator. Dad walked her down the aisle at the private ceremony that took place at San Ysidro Ranch in California. Instagram got to see a peek of the event, after the fact. They had plenty of questions. Like, what were the bride and groom wearing?

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas had a very special combo wedding, to the delight of family and friends. Over a three-day period, they had both an American and an Indian ceremony. The location? Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, India. Obviously, the outfits were amazing. The groom wore both a turban and a tux. The bride went from a hand-beaded dress designed by Ralph Lauren to a couture white gown. The attire put royal events to shame!

Actor Penn Badgley married fiance Domino Kirke in 2017. For Gossip Girl fans, this was both a sad and a happy day! On Instagram, he wrote to his new wife: “A super-brief review of your invisible qualities: A truly radiant soul, you seem to spark alight almost everyone you meet, like a 99% success rate. You encourage others to be honest, and brave, and gentle, and expansive…For me, it is a joy to witness you when you are happy. For you, I always hope to be a source of joy. I’m really glad we’re married.”

What in the world has Full House man Bob Saget been up to? No one really knew for a while, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t busy. Bob was courting TV host Kelly Rizzo, and it looks like he was successful. In 2018, the pair tied the knot on the beach in Santa Monica, California. It all went down in front of the guests you would expect: John Stamos, Dave Coulier, Lori Loughlin, Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, and the gang. Close pal John Mayer sang and actor Jonathan Silverman officiated.

After years of scandalous relationships with cheaters and liars, Ciara was happy being single. But surprise, surprise! There was still a happy ending in store. The singer found true love in 2020 with American footballer Russell Wilson. And just like a fairytale, they wed in an ancient castle in the English countryside. 100 guests watched her walk down the aisle in a custom Roberto Cavalli dress. How does Ciara explain her sudden twist of fate?

In 2017, tennis legend Serena Williams married a superstar in another field: Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. For those who don’t know by now, the pair met in Rome just before Serena’s first match at the 2015 Italian Open. Two years later, a wedding was on the calendar. They eventually had a star-studded ceremony in the Big Easy. Serena shared: “Alexis really wanted to do it here. It’s his favorite city besides Brooklyn. It’s got a heavy European influence, it’s fun, and has amazing food. He just loves the vibe.”

Glee star Dianna Agron married Mumford & Sons’ Winston Marshall. Both incredibly talented, both incredibly traveled. Where would they have their nuptials? Obviously, they had to go with the Beldi Country Club in Morocco. A lavish sunset ceremony took place in front of the closest family and friends. Winston wore an embroidered suit jacket, and Dianna wore a nude sequin Valentino gown. Allegedly, it cost $20,500. But was it not perfect for the scenery?

Goop goddess Gwyneth Paltrow got remarrieds in 2018. The lucky man? It was Brad Falchuk, whom she first met on the set of Glee way back in 2010. The ceremony was pretty private and took place in the Hamptons. Very little was released, besides a few photos to satisfy fans. Gwen’s love life has been a source of curiosity for years: We all remember her innovative ‘conscious uncoupling’ when she and ex Chris Martin parted ways. How is the actress approaching act two, in love?

Lizzie McGuire is all grown up: Hilary Duff is a married lady. After dating DJ and singer Matthew Koma on and off for two and a half years, he proposed with a diamond ring. The wedding took place in their Los Angeles backyard with close family and friends in 2019. The bride wore a specially designed dress by Jenny Packham, which featured cape sleeves. To top it off the couture look, there was a pearl and diamond headband.

Sweet-as-candy pop princess Mandy Moore got hitched to rocker Taylor Goldsmith in a boho-themed wedding in her own backyard. The photos posted to Instagram revealed that Mandy wore a multi-layered pink wedding dress by Rodarte, not a white one. To match, there was plenty of pink decor, as well as feathers flowers, and candles. It was whimsical, in the best way! On a serious note, Mandy’s agent, Raina Penchansky, officiated the wedding.

Hilary Swank won two best actress Oscars. Obviously, she would need a dramatic proposal. Entrepreneur Philip Schneider filled that role quite well. He popped the question a year and a half after they met on a trip in Colorado. Hillary recalled: “We stumbled upon a beautiful sanctuary deep in the mountains. It had a stunning waterfall that cascades down to rustic cabins built in the 1800s surrounded by beautiful pines and big skies. One evening, Philip dropped to his knee in front of the waterfall and proposed.”

Solange Knowles may be the sister of Beyonce, but she’s made quite a name for herself in recent years. With fans in both the music and fashion worlds, her wedding announcement created a lot of buzz. What would the bride wear when wedding music video director Alan Ferguson? As it turns out, a lot of different outfits. Solange wore a Humberto Leon for Kenzo dress when she posed for official photos. Later, she showed off a cream pantsuit and a cape by Stephane Rolland.

Singer Ellie Goulding and art dealer Caspar Jopling were married in a festive, romantic ceremony at York Minster. Guests included Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, Sienna Miller, and Princess Eugenie, to name a few. Tophats were seen in the audience, which may have amused modern fans. But the big deal was undoubtedly Ellie’s dress, which took more than 640 hours to create. Designed by Natacha Ramsay-Levi for Chloé, it featured incredible beading and lace, and embroidery of the couple’s initials. After the church service, everyone traveled 15 miles to a castle for a festival-themed reception. 

Shameless star Emmy Rossum married the creator of Mr. Robot, Sam Esmail after two years of dating. The ceremony took place with loved ones in New York City at the Central Synagogue. In front of an exquisite display of flowers, the bride wore an off-the-shoulder dress designed by Carolina Herrera. The wedding reception was at the Guggenheim Museum. All in all, it was a lavish affair. What motivated Emmy’s design choices? 

British director Guy Ritchie is mostly famous for two things: Cult classic film Snatch, and being the ex-husband of Madonna. But he was been divorced for many years, and some wondered if Guy would ever find his Hollywood ending. In 2015, it seems he did. Longtime model girlfriend Jacqui Ainsley became a bride at their shared England mansion. The wedding featured an exclusive screening of Guy’s latest film, and had a star-studded guest list.

Actress and model Kate Upton is off the market, to the great disappointment of males everywhere. She’s married! The lucky groom was Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander. They met filming a baseball commercial, and the rest is history. The wedding location? Super romantic Tuscany, in 2017. They chose the Rosewood Castiglion Del Bosco resort due to its incredible scenery and rich history. The look of this place inspired her dress, as fashionistas already suspected.

Sorry ladies, it’s all over now. Actor Idris Elba is a married man, and there is no more hope for you. But let’s look at the wedding, and enjoy that part, shall we? Somalian-American model and social media star Sabrina Dhowre is his lucky wife, and their life together started at a three-day event in Morrocco in 2019. Idris wore a three-piece Ozwald Boateng suit and Sabrina wore a Vera Wang gown. The Ksar Char Bagh hotel in Marrakesh served as the exquisite location for their marriage ceremony.
 

Kathy Griffin hasn’t really been single for a long time. But it seemed like she was comfortable being a girlfriend to longtime boyfriend Randy Bick. On New Year’s Eve right after midnight, and in the early hours of 2020, she was married. A few hours earlier, she had announced her engagement to fans on social media. And the next day, a full video was released to prove their union! At the time, Kathy tweeted: “We are in love and we cannot stop laughing.”

In 2014, Neil Patrick Harris got married in Italy to boyfriend David Burtka after dating for 10 years. It was about time! According to the actor’s rep, it was “an intimate ceremony surrounded by their close friends and family.” The ceremony was officiated by the How I Met Your Mother director, Pamela Fryman. Entertainment was provided by Elton John, who performed at the reception. Today, they still seem to be going strong!

This was a hard one to miss, but just in case: Ariana Grande is no longer a single lady. She doesn’t have seven rings, but she does have one special ring. That would be a diamond from real estate investor Dalton Gomez, who seems like a pretty regular guy. The pair started dating just before the corona quarantine and got engaged by December 2020. Then, they had a small, impromptu wedding in 2021.

British-American actress Lily Collins married film director Charlie McDowell in 2021. The ceremony took place at a Hot Springs retreat in Colorado with incredible waterfall scenery. Fans oohed and aahed over the bride’s gown choice, which featured a high neck, a short train, and long sleeves. The veil was hooded and absolutely darling. It was all custom-made by Ralph Lauren, and we haven’t seen a combo quite like it in this century.

Former NFL quarterback and current baseball player Tim Tebow had a long status as a single man waiting for the one. He famously decided to be a virgin until he got married, and we are happy to report that has finally occurred. In 2017, Tim married Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters after a year-long engagement, The ceremony took place in Cape Town, South Africa, near Demi’s hometown. 300 guests attended and ate both  American and South African cuisine. How unique!

TV host Maria Menounos married writer-producer Keven Undergaro after 20 years of dating. After waiting so long, they had to do something big! On New Year’s Eve in 2017, Steve Harvey officiated their union just before midnight. It all happened on TV in Times Square, in front of the nation. not just friends and family. But the following summer, they had a traditional wedding in Greece. How did that one go?

Justin Beber fans certainly didn’t miss this one, but what about everybody else? If you’ve been busy, we are here to report that Justin is officially a married man. He is now husband to longtime love, Hailey Baldwin, daughter of Stephen Baldwin. The pair united forever and ever at the Montage Palmetto Bluff hotel in South Carolina. There were a lot of familiar faces in attendance you might expect, like Usher, Jaden Smith, and Kendall and Kylie Jenner. Justin wrote a crisp tux and looked unusually clean-cut next to his bride in white. 

Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello got married in flash. Joe shared:  “Our first date was in June, and then I proposed to her on Christmas Eve; [we dated for] about six months. When you know, you know, and we knew right away — like, very quickly.” Only a year later, the two had their dreamy wedding in Palm Beach, Florida at The Breakers resort. It was one of the most luxe affairs Holywood saw in years, with a cost of $3 million. Yes, really!

Actors Ian Somerhalder and Nikki Reed are now a married couple. Perhaps you didn’t even know they were dating, but they were pretty busy falling in love in 2014. After dating for just one year, they got engaged and married. The wedding took place in Malibu, in secret. Only friends and family were in attendance. How did they manage to pull that one off? We’re impressed with their stealth, to say the least.

Nicky Hilton married James Rothschild in a splendid affair in 2015. The ceremony took place at The Orangery in Kensington Palace Gardens in London. The bride wore a Valentino Haute Couture dress that cost $77,000. What else would a Hilton heiress wear o her big day? No one was surprised by that, or the fact that famous sister Paris served as the maid of honor. After all was said and done, the couple jetted off to their honeymoon in Botswana.

Jim Parsons became believed to millions due to his silly antics on The Big Bang Theory. Maybe that’s what made husband Todd Spiewak fall in love, too. Just days after his character proposed on the show, the real-life pair wed in New York at the Rainbow Room in New York in 2017. Todd is a graphic designer. According to Jin, meeting him “was the best thing that ever happened to me, no contest.”

Singer Vanessa Carlton had a small ceremony when she married John McCauley, Deer Tick’s lead singer and guitarist. In 2013, Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac officiated the wedding. Vanessa actually has a song called “I Don’t Want to Be a Bride”. In it, she sang: “But I don’t wanna be a bride. Apologies to your mother, I wanna be your girl and spend this life with you.” Looks like she went back on that, here!

Mena Suvari has been out of the spotlight to some extent after her heyday in American Beauty and American Pie. But by no means have forgotten about her! Everyone was happy to hear that Mena recently found lasting love with her boyfriend Michael Hope. She had two failed marriages, and some might have thought she would be done with the institution. But no! Behind our backs, the pair got married in an intimate ceremony.