22 Celebrity Couples Who Had Top-Secret Weddings

Our invites must have gotten lost in the mail.

Celebrity couples who had secret weddings

Photos: Getty Images

Updated Mar 05, 2025

Remember how gorgeous Leighton Meester looked in her wedding dress when she married Adam Brody? Or how much fun Beyoncé and Jay-Z's reception looked? Yeah—neither do we! While many A-listers give us a front-row seat to their lavish nuptials, blessing our feeds with some of the most iconic celebrity wedding photos, not all do. In fact, some secret celebrity weddings have been so private and hush-hush that we haven't even seen blurry paparazzi shots from the celebrations.

The Knot's Favorite Celebrity Weddings from Last Year

If you, like us, can't help but wonder what even the most secret celebrity weddings were like, you're in luck. We've done some ~~internet digging~~ professional research to uncover as many details as possible about the private, exclusive nuptials among Hollywood's elite. From Emma Stone and Dave McCary to Matt Bomer and Simon Halls, here's what we know about 22 secret celebrity weddings.

The Knot's Favorite Celebrity Weddings from Last Year

Beyoncé and Jay-Z

Security was airtight at Beyoncé and Jay-Z's super-private 2008 wedding, which took place at their apartment in NYC's swanky TriBeCa neighborhood. Seventy thousand white orchids were flown in from Thailand for the luxe nuptials and only 40 guests (including Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Chris Martin) were invited. The power couple opted to not have a wedding party, and the unplugged ceremony was very "spiritual," per sources. Years later, the musical power duo indulged fans by sharing a few grainy images of their lavish ceremony as background visuals during their On the Run Tour together. In 2020, Beyoncé's mom Tina Knowles celebrated her daughter and son-in-law's ninth wedding anniversary by sharing a never-before-seen portrait of the couple at the ceremony.

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker

It's true that not all of Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's wedding ceremonies were secret, especially their multi-day extravaganza in Portofino, Italy. But before their European festivities, they did pull off one of the most surprising secret celebrity weddings. Following the Grammy Awards in April 2022, the A-list couple discreetly swapped vows during a secret ceremony led by an Elvis impersonator at a chapel around 2 a.m. When news of the late-night nuptials leaked, fans simply lost their minds. It was later revealed that this wasn't an official wedding, as they didn't have a marriage license. Luckily for Kardashian fans, the couple heavily documented their subsequent (legal) marriage proceedings.

Gabby Windey and Robby Hoffman

Former Bachelorette Gabby Windey and her girlfriend, comedian Robby Hoffman, also ran off to Las Vegas for their secret wedding. After the couple evacuated their LA home due to the wildfires in January 2025, they landed at a hotel in Sin City. When they serendipitously ended up staying in the penthouse suite, they made a spur-of-the-moment decision to get married. Once they were settled in, Hoffman proposed with a custom crossword puzzle designed to spell, "WILL YOU MARRY ME, GABBY." The next day, the couple tied the knot in a 15-minute ceremony (complete with Chappell Roan's "HOT TO GO" as the processional song). Looking back, Windey told Cosmopolitan that their non-traditional wedding was perfect for them: "I just love being with Robby, so knowing that I got her one-on-one to celebrate this beautiful night, I could cry. It was joy."

John Mulaney and Olivia Munn

Saturday Night Live writer-turned-comedian John Mulaney and model Olivia Munn quietly tied the knot at a friend's home in New York during the summer of 2024. A source told People this secret celebrity wedding took place over the Fourth of July weekend in front of just two guests: their son, Malcolm, and an unnamed witness. The insider called it a "simple, intimate ceremony," and we're still hoping the couple will one day share photos.

Leighton Meester and Adam Brody

Not even Gossip Girl could leak the private details of Leighton Meester and Adam Brody's secret celebrity wedding. The actress, best known for her role as the iconic Upper East Sider Blair Waldorf, wed the OC star in 2014. In fact, information about the wedding is so sparse that fans have had to piece together details from various reports. US Weekly confirmed in February 2014 that the couple had tied the knot; One day later, E! News interviewed a source who shared that the wedding was low-key and intimate. "Leighton and Adam got married in Northern California by the ocean a couple of weeks ago," they told the outlet. "It was a very small and intimate wedding with close family and friends. It was beautiful."

Despite fan curiosity, that's likely all the details that will be publicized. "We're homebodies," Brody told GQ in 2019. "We don't go to a lot of things that perhaps we could and don't seek out promotion in that way. We've found this great balance so far that really works for us. We're also not very active on social media."

Matt Bomer and Simon Halls

Did you know Matt Bomer got married in 2011? If you had no idea, you're not alone. The American Horror Story actor quietly tied the knot with publicist Simon Halls over a decade ago. Not much is known about how this famous couple met. In fact, the only reason the information is public is because Bomer revealed the news in a 2012 acceptance speech for the Steve Chase Humanitarian Award, where he confirmed the marriage and shared that they have three children together.

Saoirse Ronan and Jack Lowden

When Irish actress Saoirse Ronan secretly married Scottish actor Jack Lowden, they swore their guests to secrecy…and it clearly worked, because not much is known about this secret celebrity wedding. The couple exchanged vows in Edinburgh, Scotland, during the summer of 2024. The Irish Independent reported that the ceremony "low-key" and "only a handful of the couple's closest friends were present." The courthouse nuptials allegedly took place at Edinburgh Central Registrar's Office, which is located at the City Chambers.

Milo Ventimiglia and Jarah Mariano

Gilmore Girls fans were simply delighted when they learned that Milo Ventimiglia secretly got married in 2023—partly because his wife, Jarah Mariano, shares the same last name as his beloved on-screen persona, Jess Mariano. Just before Halloween, Us Weekly confirmed that the couple exchanged vows earlier that year. Mariano shared never-before-seen photos on their first anniversary in September, writing, "Last year I married my best friend. There aren't enough words that exist to describe all the special qualities that make him who he is. AlI can say is that I am grateful for the life that we have together and the happiness that we have created."

Tommy Dorfman and Elise Williams

Even celebrities find love on dating apps! In May 2024, 13 Reasons Why actress Tommy Dorfman revealed that she married her partner, Elise Williams, the previous year. Dorfman, who publicly came out as transgender in a 2021 interview with Time, tried her luck on the apps following her divorce, saying she was intent on having her "Samantha Jones era." Sure enough, she matched with Williams almost right away, and they were engaged two months later. The couple hosted two top-secret weddings in 2023: first, at a same-day marriage concierge service in Los Angeles, and later, in their Brooklyn neighborhood.

Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem

Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem have one of Hollywood's most enduring relationships—not to mention, one of the most elusive weddings too. Despite meeting on the set of a movie in 1992, it took 15 years for the couple to become romantically involved. They got married in July 2010, which Cruz's agent confirmed to The Guardian. According to the statement, the couple swapped vows at a friend's home in the Bahamas, and the event was only attended by family members. Although we still don't know what the bride's wedding dress looked like, it's been reported that she opted for a gown by John Galliano.

Emma Stone and Dave McCary

Emma Stone met her future husband, Saturday Night Live writer Dave McCary, when she hosted NBC's beloved sketch comedy show in December 2016. They've largely kept their relationship out of the public eye, though McCary did confirm their engagement by posting a ring selfie three years later. Like many other couples around the world, their nuptials were impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Page Six reported they postponed their plans, but after the pair were spotted wearing wedding bands in September a source confirmed to People that they did, indeed, secretly tie the knot. Although we still don't know much about this secret celebrity wedding, Stone gave fans a brief glimpse into the celebration by re-wearing her feathered mini Louis Vuitton reception dress to the 2022 Met Gala.

Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Maroney

Emma Stone's close friend Jennifer Lawrence also had an uber-private wedding to art curator Cooke Maroney in October 2019. They invited their guests, including Stone, Kris Jenner, Amy Schumer, and Adele, to Rhode Island's swanky Belcourt of Newport, a historic ocean-front estate. Lawrence's Kentucky roots were on full display, as the bride reportedly treated loved ones to Southern staples like barbeque, beignets and Old Fashioned cocktails.

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Colin Jost and Scarlett Johansson

Yet another famous couple who met on the set of SNL, Colin Jost and Scarlett Johansson hosted a secret wedding at their Palisades, NY home in October 2020. Using their amplified platform, the newlyweds partnered with Meals on Wheels America to reveal the news while supporting a good cause. "We're thrilled to break the news that Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost were married over the weekend in an intimate ceremony with their immediate family and loved ones, following COVID-19 safety precautions as directed by the CDC," the company shared on Instagram. "Their wedding wish is to help make a difference for vulnerable older adults during this difficult time by supporting @mealsonwheelsamerica. Please consider donating to celebrate the happy couple by clicking the link in our bio."

Johansson later elaborated on their COVID minimony in an interview with People. "I think just keeping it intimate and small made it feel intentional," the actress told the outlet. "We wanted it to feel like it had an intentional intimacy as opposed to being something that felt like we were restricted by all these things."

Kerry Washington and Nnamdi Asomugha

Wedding preparations moved quickly for Scandal star Kerry Washington, who married fellow actor and former NFL player Nnamdi Asomugha. The two selected Idado as the destination for their June 2013 nuptials, and according to reports, they obtained their marriage license the same day they got married. The couple only invited a few family members and close friends to watch the private vow swap, and Washington later said in an interview with E! News that she wouldn't share further details. "I hate keeping secrets; that is the worst thing for me, because I always want to talk about it," she said when asked about her wedding. "I am really private about my personal life... I try to be really naked emotionally in my work, and I am not holding back at all when it comes to my work. I am giving all that I can in my work... So my work belongs to everyone—because that's the choice I made—and my life belongs to me."

Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman

Despite starring in beloved blockbusters like The Devil Wears Prada and The Princess Diaries, Anne Hathaway continues to keep her private life under wraps. This was especially true of her September 2012 wedding to producer Adam Shulman at a private estate in Big Sur, California. Although an aerial shot was leaked, showing Hathaway kissing Shulman in a custom blush Valentino wedding dress and matching headband, we don't know much about the reported 150-guest nature-inspired affair (other than she had fun at her reception). "When we got married, I thought it was a great party," Hathaway told The Telegraph. "I honestly thought we were doing it more for tradition. I wasn't prepared for the radical shift my heart was going to have."

Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn

Ed Sheeran is certainly a wedding staple in the US. According to our data, his love ballad "Perfect" has been one of the most popular first dance songs since it was released. Despite his star status, the British crooner kept a low profile for his own wedding to childhood sweetheart Cherry Seaborn. The two got married in January 2019, and it wasn't until August 2021 that he opened up about the big day. "Me and Cherry's actual wedding was a tiny affair, with hardly anyone there," he revealed on the podcast Table Manners. "We did it at night, at a random day in the middle of January, in the middle of nowhere. No one knew, no one came to it, we lit candles and we got married, went back and had a curry."

A few months later, they hosted a second secret ceremony with A-list friends—and all cell phones were banned. "The wedding party was more a celebration of us and our friends," he added. "I didn't want pictures getting out and I'm surprised they didn't. Everyone was very present."

Amanda Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski

Notorious for keeping her private life out of the public eye, Amanda Seyfried's wedding was no different. The famed actress quietly married fellow actor Thomas Sadoski in the Santa Monica mountains in March 2017. Over a year later, she confirmed the wedding news to Net-A-Porter's digital magazine PorterEdit: "We got married in Topanga, March last year. Just the two of us," she shared, adding that they opted for brunch instead of a traditional reception on Sunset Boulevard in LA. "Afterward, I was like, 'Can we just go to Cheebo?' It was awesome."

Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden

As one of the entertainment industry's most private couples, it's no surprise that Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden hosted a secret celebrity wedding. They wed at their Los Angeles home in January 2015, merely a month after getting engaged. Leaked photos showed an elaborately constructed white tent nestled in the newlyweds' romantically lit backyard. The alleged Jewish ceremony was said to be attended by 100 mostly A-list guests, including Drew Barrymore, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Richie. While there are no other firm details, all the couple offered to People was, "We couldn't be happier to begin our new journey together surrounded by our closest family and friends."

Dave Franco and Alison Brie

After meeting at the New Orleans Mardi Gras parade in 2011, actors Dave Franco and Alison Brie quickly hit it off. They weren't spotted together until 2012, and it took another three years for them to make their first public appearance at a fashion show in 2015. Franco proposed in August of that year, and in March 2017, People confirmed that they were officially married. To this day, next to nothing is known about the couple's private nuptials. Though they rarely speak about their relationship, Brie did open up to the magazine about how married life was treating her. "Something about being married made me feel so settled, almost more free, I guess, rather than like trapped," she said. "It's great. So now, let's go do whatever we want. Onward and upward."

Raven-Symoné and Miranda Pearman-Maday

That's so marriage! In 2020, former Disney Channel star Raven-Symoné secretly tied the knot with Miranda Pearman-Maday in Los Angeles. The couple's hush-hush wedding took place in Debbie Allen's garden and was only attended by six guests. After the personalized ceremony, which was officiated by a friend, the newlyweds got tattoos of the letters "PM," representing their last names "Pearman" and "Maday." The happy couple confirmed the news on Instagram a few days later.

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw

Country music icons Faith Hill and Tim McGraw also pulled off an epic surprise wedding. Despite meeting at a Nashville music gig in 1994, the singers were seeing other people at the time. It wasn't until Hill joined McGraw's tour in 1996 that their romantic relationship began. McGraw ultimately proposed on that tour, and their whirlwind courtship culminated in a wedding the same year. The couple invited loved ones to McGraw's aunt's backyard in Louisiana for what was supposed to be a charity softball game. Much to their surprise, though, the couple appeared wearing a wedding dress and a tuxedo and sealed their union.

Decades later, McGraw opened up about their nuptials on an episode of LIVE! With Regis and Kelly in 2011. "We got off the bus and all my family was there and they were prepared to play softball and we get out in wedding clothes and got married under a locust tree in my aunt's backyard," he reminisced, adding that his family members were completely unsuspecting. "My sisters were a little upset because they wanted to dress up."

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds

Back in 2012, actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds got married in one of Hollywood's most elusive secret celebrity weddings. Not many details have been released about the Southern wedding, which later sparked controversy due to its plantation setting. (The couple since apologized for the decision, and have been open about their efforts to support the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, as well as Reynolds' own self-funded diversity and inclusion program The Group Effort Initiative.)

One thing we do know, though, is that Lively burned a hole in her wedding dress. "I get really frustrated when something goes wrong," she told Vogue. "For example, my wedding dress. Florence Welch was singing at the reception, and they brought out these sparklers, and I'm watching her sing. I look down and my wedding dress has a big burn mark from one of the sparklers. Right on the front! And it was just so heartbreaking to me." Despite the wardrobe malfunction, Reynolds told his wife that it was his favorite aspect of the gown: "He said, 'You'll always remember that moment with Florence singing and the sparklers. You have that forever, right there, preserved.' Now that's my favorite part of the dress."