Have you ever wanted a behind-the-scenes look at a high-profile celebrity wedding? Most of us would kill to be a fly on the wall for these lavish affairs to see how some of the richest folks celebrate their matrimony. Because none of us are turning into flies anytime soon, we’ll have to settle for what celebrities have allowed to become public about their exclusive weddings. While most celebs are pretty relatable there are some that really aren’t like the rest of us. We’re talking eccentric wedding ceremonies with quirky activities and weird goings-on.
We decided to take a deep dive into some of the strangest celebrity wedding details and things that they’ve tried to keep secret about them. Yes, one celebrity couple had 70,000 white orchids to decorate a venue. Another hired an elephant for their wedding photoshoot. There is no shortage of strange details and facts about celebrity weddings for you to discover. Take a look at some of the most outrageous below!
Learn Which Celebrities Have Had the Most Unbelievable Weddings!
David Harbour and Lily Allen Celebrated Their Wedding at In-N-Out Burger
“In a wedding officiated by the king himself, the people’s princess wed her devoted, low-born, but kind credit card holder in a beautiful ceremony lit by the ashen skies courtesy of a burning state miles away in the midst of a global pandemic,” Harbour wrote on Instagram beside photos of the couple at the Graceland Wedding Chapel, and later, at In-N-Out. “Refreshments were served at a small reception following.”
Lily Allen and David Harbour were married on September 7, 2020. They decided to go ahead and get married during the pandemic because of Allen’s two daughters, Ethel and Marnie. The girls struggled with Harbour’s place in their family prior to the wedding.
“We were riding around the beginning of pandemic — she has two kids, these beautiful daughters, 8 and 9 — and we were riding bikes out in the country trying to figure out what we were gonna do for the next year or however long it was going to take,” Harbour said in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel. And the little one was riding along and she was going like, ‘David, Dad, David, Dad.’ Because the ‘d’ got her confused,” he noted. “And the older one got very upset with that, which I understand, and was like, ‘He’s not our dad! He’s not our dad!’”
Joe Manganiello Did a ‘Magic Mike’-Inspired Dance at He and Sofia Vergara’s Reception
Joe Manganiello recreated his Magic Mike XXL convenience store dance number when the couple’s wedding DJ played “I Want It That Way” at the 2015 reception. The steamy performance followed the actor’s vows with Sofia Vergara at The Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Florida. the bride and groom said “I will” instead of exchanging “I dos.”
“Joe made a beautiful speech pledging his eternal love and adoration in both English and Spanish, followed by Sofia’s which she prefaced with, ‘Oh, mine is not so good!’” a source told People at the time.
There Were Giant, Rotating Cakes on Each Table for Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker’s Cermony in Italy
Yes, on each table for Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker‘s wedding, there were three-tier, tall, rotating cakes. It was just one of many extravagant details about the couple’s wedding in May 2022 in Portofino, Italy.
There was also a live performance of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” sung by opera legend Andrea Bocelli. Further, the entire event was hosted by Dolce & Gabbana. The venue as well as a yacht belonging to the luxury brand were used by Kardashian and Barker. They and other members of their families were also outfitted in garments from D&G.
Julia Roberts Walked Down the Aisle Barefoot
Julia Roberts walked down the aisle barefoot for her first marriage. She married Lyle Lovett in 1993. The Pretty Woman actor opted for an understated Commes des Garçons white dress for the 1993 nuptials, which People reported happened after a whirlwind romance with Lovett of “three or four weeks.”
The marriage later ended in 1995. Julia went on to marry cinematographer Daniel Moder in 2002, while Lyle married April Kimble in 2017, Buzzfeed reports.
Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka Had an ‘Orange Boy’
Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka had an unusual part of their wedding ceremony involving their son. He had a special request for his dads on what he wanted to do for their
During an episode of Live! With Kelly and Michael, Kelly Ripa, who was a guest at the 2014 ceremony, explained this cute and offbeat wedding detail. Neil and David’s son, Gideon, was originally going to be the ring bearer at their wedding but instead said, “I want to be the orange boy.” Kelly recalled that Gideon “passed out oranges to everybody as he came down the aisle.” Neil and David’s daughter, Harper, served as the flower girl.
Ripa also revealed that there were fireworks, magic tricks, and a performance by Sir Elton John. She elaborated on the magic portion of the ceremony saying it was done “Because you know, Neil is way into magic.” So, it’s clear this was no ordinary ceremony!
Sarah Jessica Parker Did Not Want a White Wedding Dress
Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick got married in 1997. The couple sprung a surprise wedding on unassuming guests, inviting friends to New York for what they thought was a party. 100 guests gathered at New York’s Angel Oresanz Synagogue. SJP chose an unconventional black dress to wear for the wedding. Apparently, the risk was not worth the reward and the actor later regretted the choice.
“I wore black on my wedding day, and I really regret that. I was too embarrassed to get married in white, and both Matthew and I were reluctant to have people pay so much attention to us,” SJP told Marie Claire. “Which is ridiculous, because that’s when you can relish the attention when it’s natural. We treated it like it was a big party on a Monday night, and I regret it.”
They could always have a do-over!
Keanu Reeves Showed Up to Robert Downey Jr.’s Wedding on a Motorcycle
Want to hear the most Keanu Reeves thing ever? He attended Robert Downey Jr.’s 2005 wedding to producer Susan Levin. But, he showed up in style. He came on his motorcycle to the wedding that was held underneath a gazebo built for the occasion. on Long Island. You know, he just showed up in formal wear on a motorcycle, as one does.
Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli Chose A Very Unique Wedding Theme
Funfetti was the theme of Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli‘s cute 2917 wedding. “My favourite detail from that wedding turned into confetti everywhere,” Samira told The Knot of the unusual theme. “We had a confetti cannon … It shoots thousands of pieces of confetti right after the beat drops. It’s amazing.” Sounds festive!
Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto Pitched a HUGE Tent
Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto used the biggest wedding tent in history for their 2013 nuptials. The tent was also larger than Michael’s own home — his house takes up 35,000 square feet, Buzzfeed reported. The tent totalled 40,000 square feet! If it sounds like that would be rather expensive, you’d be right! The price tag for the wedding topped $10 million. Wowza!
Idris Elba’s Tattoo Inspired Part of Bride, Sabrina Dhowre Elba’s Wedding Gown
Sabrina Dhowre Elba‘s wedding train was embroidered with a message inspired by her husband, Idris Elba‘s tattoo. Designer Vera Wang custom-made Sabrina’s wedding gown for the 2019 ceremony. Vera explained to Vogue that Sabrina asked for the bottom of her train to be embroidered with the phrase, “This train carries no wrong-doers” as a tribute to an arm tattoo that Idris has.
Not only was the dress special, but the location for the Elbas’ wedding was also pretty unique. The couple was married in Marrakesh, Morocco over the course of a three-day extravaganza that included plenty of camel rides, and fire-eaters, acrobats, and belly dancers performing. Sounds like a real party!
Katie Holmes’ Disappeared on Her Wedding Day with Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ $3 million wedding was filled with drama. Before the ceremony even began, Katie’s parents, who are practising Catholics and who raised their daughter to be also, refused to attend the wedding because of her choice of partner (Katie’s dad thought Tom seemed like too much of a control freak) and the whole Scientology thing. The couple moved forward with the wedding without her parents only for the bride to go missing on the big day.
Tom was standing at the alter waiting for Katie to join him with all the A-list guests in attendance. Leah Remini, who was in attendance, wrote that it felt like an “eternity.” Finally, after keeping guests and her groom waiting for longer than 20 minutes, Katie emerged. The couple’s marriage only lasted six years but perhaps the strange wedding should have been a red flag.
Alexis Ohanian Did a Carousel Reveal for Serena Williams
Alexis Ohanian did the most for his bride, the iconic, Serena Williams. The couple’s 2017 wedding had a sort of fairytale theme with chandeliers outfitted with gold birdcages and throne chairs for the happy couple to sit on. The wedding was already magical, but as the party went into the early hours of the next day, Ohanian revealed a white carousel for Williams as a surprise. Now, think of the biggest thing you’ve ever been surprised by. Can you imagine finding a magical carousel at about 1:30 AM? What a dream!
A Live Elephant Attended Nicole Richie and Joel Madden’s Wedding
Nicole Richie and Joel Madden‘s 2010 wedding had a larger-than-life guest in attendance. On the day of their nuptials, an elephant was seen at Nicole’s father, Lionel Richie‘s home, which is where the ceremony took place. Is this the weirdest celebrity marriage detail on this list? It’s possible! What’s even more interesting about it is that Nicole had talked about wanting an elephant at her wedding for years! It was always her plan.
In 2005, Nicole said on Larry King Live! that she wanted “a very, very big wedding” with “hundreds of people and elephants.” She explained that she wanted an elephant present “because elephants are really good luck, and they’re beautiful animals.” You got to give it up for this animal-lover who always knew what she wanted for the big day.
Arthur Miller Married Marilyn Monroe Using a Borrowed Ring
Here’s a bit of a blast from the past. Arthur Miller married Marilyn Monroe in 1956 and on the day of their ceremony, Miller gave his bride a borrowed ring! Yes, Miller used a ring borrowed from his mother to marry Monroe. Three days after the nuptials, Miller gave Monroe her actual wedding ring which was inscribed with the message, “A to M, June 1956. Now is forever.” Unfortunately, that was not how things shook out. The couple divorced in 1961.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Wedding Outfits Were from Their Children
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had some really cute contributions from their kids incorporated into their wardrobes for the big day. Angelina’s wedding dress and veil were created with the help of the late Versace tailor, Luigi Massi. Luigi sewed in “dozens of designs” that were hand-drawn by her and Brad’s kids, according to People.
Ms Jolie was not the only person who got some help from the kids. Pitt reportedly forgot the tie he had planned to were for the ceremony and, instead, wore one that he borrowed from one of his sons.
Despite all of the good fortune you’d expect for these touches from the kids to bring, the couple split after Jolie filed for divorce in 2016.
Meghan Markle Carried a Very Special Bouquet on Her Wedding Day
America’s very own royal, Meghan Markle and her husband Prince Harry had a huge wedding celebration that became a sort of national holiday in the UK. Despite the extreme scale of the ceremony (and all the other events around it), Markle carried a very humble wedding bouquet down the aisle. Prince Harry handpicked the flowers in it which included a very special flower for him.
One of the flowers in the special bouquet was forget-me-nots. The name and symbolism alone are sweet but it’s even more special when you understand that they were Princess Diana‘s favorite flowers. How heartwarming is that?
It Was a Really Long Table for Kim Kardashian and Kanye West
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West had an over-the-top wedding in Florence, Italy in 2014. Guests were seated at a 224-foot-long marble table to take in the skyline views of the city. It might be hard for you to imagine a table this length and you’d be totally right to not comprehend what such a monstrosity might look like. To put it into perspective, if you stood the table up, lengthwise, it would be 3/4 the height of the Statue of Liberty!
The rest is history as this couple’s marriage ended after seven years in 2021.
Beyonce and Jay-Z’s Flower Power
Superstar couple Beyonce and Jay-Z had a lavish wedding in 2008. It included, among other luxe features, a whole bunch of dendrobium orchids, Beyonce’s favorite flower. How many? 70,000 orchids were flown in from Thailand for the event. It was an exotic detail that really made the event so bright and special.
Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher Did Not Drop the Big Bucks on Rings
Mila Kunis shared on Conan in 2016 that Ashton Kutcher bought her a “stunning” engagement ring. But that wasn’t necessarily the case with the wedding bands she chose for their nuptials. Both were more humble rings from Etsy; Mila’s band cost $90, while Ashton’s was just $100.
Priyanka Chopra’s Wedding Dress Was On Another Level
For the 2018 wedding of Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, the bride’s dress was bedazzled beyond belief. Chopra wore no fewer than two gowns for the ceremony. One of which was a custom dress designed by Ralph Lauren. The creation of the ensemble included adding 32,000 pearlescent sequins to Priyanka’s hand-embroidered coat, plus embellishing the strapless dress worn underneath it with over two million more sequins, according to Vogue. You read that correctly! That’s a ton of detail!
Ariana Grande Wore Mismatched Earrings for Her Wedding to Dalton Gomez
Ariana Grande wore mismatched diamond and pearl Lorraine Schwartz earrings for her 2021 wedding to Dalton Gomez. The earrings were a very special part of her ensemble as they matched the engagement ring she wore and were worn in a unique way to offer meaning to the bride. One was placed normally and the other was attached upside down. According to Vogue, this combination “represents appreciating the lowest or the ‘upside down’ moments in [Ariana’s] life and how they have contributed to where and who she is now.”
That’s certainly a bit different than most!
Victoria and David Beckham Turned to a Disney Classic for Their Wedding Theme
It’s been a minute since Victoria and David Beckham tied the knot. The couple wed in 1999, and they’ve been going strong ever since. They turned to a pretty unconventional Disney animated film to help inform the aesthetic of their wedding, 1973’s Robin Hood. Hello! Magazine reported that colors from the movie, purple, green, and burgundy, all became the color scheme for their wedding!
There you go! We hope you enjoyed these wild celebrity wedding facts and secrets. Sometimes the stars seem just like us while others seem completely out of touch. We hope these wedding details helped you see how interesting celebrity wedding ceremony choices can be! If you like them, perhaps you’d like to take a look at the flip side of celebrity weddings: their divorces!
Discover the Celebrities Who Have Been Divorced Three Times or More Below:
25. Angelina Jolie
After actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt split in 2016, it became Angelina’s third divorce. Angelina was first married to actor Johnny Lee Miller, whom she met on a film set. Angelina then married Billy Bob Thorton. None of her marriages have lasted for longer than three years. Honestly, who could blame her? She’s got so much talent and power why waste all of that on just one man?
24. Drew Barrymore
Actor and living legend Drew Barrymore married her first husband, Jeremy Thomas, in 1994. After that, she tied the knot with comedian Tom Green and before they celebrated their first anniversary, the couple split. More recently, Drew married Will Kopelman in 2012. That ended in divorce in 2016.
23. Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez has also divorced three times. First with Cuban actor Ojani Noa, then with backup-dancer Cris Judd, and finally Marc Anthony. We know the fourth time’s a charm! She’s engaged to Andrew Rodriguez and they’re not rushing anything after they announced their engagement in March of 2019.
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22. Tom Cruise
Actor and Scientologist Tom Cruise first got married in 1987 to Mimi Rogers. He tried again with actor Nicole Kidman, who famously had a difficult time divorcing him. The last time Tom was married was to actor Katie Holmes and they ended up divorcing in 2006.
21. Halle Berry
Academy Award-winning actor Halle Berry has also been married and divorced three times. She first married baseball player David Justice in 1993. She married Eric Benét in 2001 and that marriage ended in 2005. Her last marriage was to Olivier Martinez and the couple split in 2016.
20. Jane Fonda
Actor Jane Fonda first married Roger Vadim in 1965 and the marriage lasted nearly a decade until it ended in 1973. Next, she married Tom Hayden the same year of her first divorce. That marriage lasted until 1990. That was a good run! Finally, Jane tried again with billionaire Ted Turner. Their marriage lasted a decade before they divorced in 2001. She’s been happily single ever since.
19. Demi Moore
Demi Moore married singer Freddy Moore in 1980 when she was only 17 years old (just a baby). The two were together for five years before they divorced. Demi went on to marry Bruce Willis in 1987 and they share three children together. That marriage fell apart and the couple split in 2000. Shortly after her divorce from Bruce, Demi started dating Ashton Kutcher and they were an item for five years before getting married in 2005. The couple was married for seven years and they eventually split in 2013.
18. Pamela Anderson
Model and actor, Pamela Anderson has also been married three times. We’re not ones to judge, but we’re not the biggest fans of any of her previous husbands. They include Tommy Lee, Kid Rock, and lastly Rick Salomon. Her marriage with Rick was hot and cold and they split up a few times before finally calling it quits in 2015.
17. Nicolas Cage
So far, the celebrities on this list have had three divorces. Allow Nicolas Cage to welcome you to the Four-Or-More Club. Nicolas has been married four times. First, he married Patricia Arquette in 1995. Next, he and Lisa Marie Presley wed in 2002. Then, he married Alica Kim in 2004. His fourth marriage coincidentally only lasted four days. He married Erika Koike in 2019 and four short days later, the couple filed for divorce.
16. Melanie Griffith
Actor Melanie Griffith got married for the first time when she was 18-years-old to Don Johnson. The couple divorced after six months and then Melanie married Steven Bauer. She left Steven in 1989 and then remarried Don the same year. She got the seven-year-each (does that even count?) and divorced Don again. She married Antonio Banderas in 1996 and their marriage lasted until 2015.
15. Liza Minelli
Icon Liza Minelli took the lyrics, “Life is a Cabaret” to heart. She’s been married four times over four decades. She was first married to Peter Allen, then Jack Haley Jr., followed by Mark Gero, and finally David Gest in 2002. David and Liza turned some heads together when they were together and it was wild!
14. Christie Brinkley
Model Christie Brinkley has been married a total of four times. Notably, her second husband was musician Billy Joel. Before Billy, there was artist Jean-Francois Allaux. After was Richard Taubman and then, Peter Cook.
13. Geena Davis
Go Geena, Go Geena! Geena Davis is truly in a League of Her Own. She’s been married four times, including once to Jeff Goldblum. Her other husbands include Richard Emmolo, Renny Harlin, and finally Reza Jarrahy (that last one’s sort of up for debate). Geena Davis is a legend and we hope she’s very happy these days.
12. Marc Anthony
Sensational musician Marc Anthony has also been married four times. Of course, we all know about the time he married Jennifer Lopez. But, JLo was not the only one he needed to know. He also married and divorced Maria Von Ritchie Lopez, Dayanara Torres, and Shannon De Lima.
11. Sean Bean
Actor Sean Bean has been married and divorced four times in total. He married his school sweetheart Debra James in 1981. After they divorced, he married Melanie Hill and that marriage ended in 1997. Next, he tried again with Abigail Cruttenden the same year as his previous divorce. That marriage lasted three years. He took eight years away from married life before tying the knot again with Georgina Sutcliffe. That marriage lasted two years before ending in divorce. Sean took another seven years away from the whole marriage thing before he met Ashley Moore. They married in 2017 and are still currently married.
10. Joan Collins
British actor Joan Collins crossed the pond to play her legendary character, Alexis Colby, in Dynasty. Joan has also had four divorces over the years. She first married Maxwell Reed in 1952, when she was 19. Then, Anthony Newley in 1963. Followed by Ron Kass in 1972 and then, Peter Holm in 1985. The marriage to Peter lasted a couple of years before it ended in divorce in 1987. She didn’t get married again until 2002 when she married Percy Gibson who is 32 years her junior. Apparently marrying someone 32 years younger than you is the trick! They’re happily married to this day and even renewed their vows in 2009.
9. Martin Scorsese
Director Martin Scorsese met his first wife while studying at NYU. He married Laraine Marie Brennan in 1965. That marriage ended in 1971 and he remarried writer Julia Cameron the same year. The second marriage was short-lived and only lasted a year. He followed by marrying iconic actor Isabella Rossellini in 1979. Unfortunately, that marriage also ended in divorce. He then went on to marry Barbara De Fina, who was a movie producer he’d worked with. That marriage also ended in divorce in 1991. His fifth marriage to Helen Morris in 1999 is still going strong 21 years later!
8. Gary Oldman
Actor Gary Oldman seems like a nightmare to be married to. He’s been divorced four times, including marriages to some of the most beloved actresses in the world. Leslie Manville, Uma Thurman, Donya Fiorentino, and Alexandra Edenborough have all been married to old Gary. He’s been married to his fifth and current wife, Gisele Schmidt since 2017. We hope it’s going great!
7. Rue McClanahan
Everyone’s favorite dirty Golden Girl, Rose, was played by actor Rue McClanahan. Rue is part of, what we’ll affectionately call the “five-hive.” She divorced five men and because she was an absolutely legendary queen, we know it wasn’t on Rue. Of all of her marriages, the one that lasted the longest was to actor Peter DeMaio for seven years.
6. Billy Bob Thorton
Strange man, filmmaker, and actor Billy Bob Thorton is also part of the five-hive. In addition to being married to the very first celeb on the list, Angelina Jolie, Billy has also been married to and divorced: Melissa Lee Gatlin, Toni Lawrence, Cynda Williams, and Pietra Dawn Cherniak. He is currently married to his sixth wife, Connie Angland. And they’ve been married since 2014. While we haven’t seen them wearing vials of each others’ blood, we have high hopes for this couple.
5. Danielle Steel
Romance novelist Danielle Steel has written over 179 books. Although she’s remained unmarried since 2002, she managed to make it into the five-hive before she took a break. She first married French-American banker Claude-Eric Lazard when she was just 18 in the early 1970s. They were divorced by 1974. She was also married to Danny Zugelder, Bill Toth, John Traina, and Tom Perkins.
4. Larry King
Grouchy old man and TV host Larry King got married for the first time in 1951 to his high school girlfriend Freda Miller at the age of 18. The marriage was later annulled. Between 1961 and 1983 he married and divorced five women, including Playboy bunny Alene Akins, whom he married and divorced twice. After all of that, he married singer Shawn Southwick in 1997. The couple came close to divorce in 2010 but decided against it. They’re still married to this day. In case you lost count, Larry has been divorced a total of six times.
3. Zsa Zsa Gabor
Glamorous Zsa Zsa Gabor was a Hollywood and eventually TV mainstay from the 1950s through the 1990s. She famously said, “I am a perfect housekeeper: every time I divorce I keep the house.” In total, Zsa Zsa married and divorced seven times.
2. Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney’s movie career spans over 80 years and in that time and he appeared in his first film in 1927. Over the years, he managed to get married and divorced a few times as well. Mickey divorced seven times, a feat which once led the actor to joke that his standard marriage contract reads, “To whom it may concern.” His final marriage was to Jan Chamberlin with whom he shared over thirty years until his death in 2014.
1. Elizabeth Taylor
Legendary actor, Elizabeth Taylor had a storied career with a multitude of professional achievements. Although her work should speak for itself, she became more commonly known for the highly publicized ups and downs of her personal life. In total, Elizabeth was divorced seven times. When asked about her many marriages, she joked, “I am a very committed wife. And I should be committed too – for being married so many times.” Her final marriage ended in 1996 and she never remarried.
Can you imagine being married to seven different people? We’re not here to judge, it just seems exhausting. Celebrities because of their very visible personal lives often fall victim to their marriages playing out in the public eye. Is it the price of fame? Perhaps. However, we know how hard it can be to make a marriage work. And sometimes, no matter how hard you want it, a relationship ultimately doesn’t work out. We’re proud of the celebs on this list who never felt defeated and instead tried again and again and again and again. We hope we have that much love to give.