12 Celebrities Who Chose to Say “I Do” in Lovely Intimate Weddings

A new trend called the “micro wedding” is emerging, and it entails a much smaller guest list of just around 50 people for the wedding ceremony. The pros of going for it include reduced costs and a more intimate experience for everyone. Interestingly, some celebrities are also choosing to spend their big day away from the spotlight by exchanging their “I dos” in smaller, private ceremonies.

These 12 famous couples managed to keep their nuptials hush-hush, limited to their loved ones, and we at Bright Side adore their heartfelt celebrations of love.

1. Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams

The Modern Family star and the Bachelor mainstay finally tied the knot on August 20 after a 3-year engagement. Their dreamy winery location was graced by a small group of guests, which included their respective families and the bridal party. Hyland’s co-stars were also in attendance, and their union was officiated by her on-screen uncle, Jesse Tyler Ferguson (a.k.a. Mitchell Pritchett). The glowing bride described the event as “a nice way to mark the end of the weekend — to relax and spend time with friends.”

2. Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

Noble weddings are usually an opulent and all-out affair, but this event was one of the exceptions. The church ceremony only had about 20 people as witnesses, and according to reports, a smaller celebration was preferred at that time for specific reasons. The wedding took place on July 17, 2020, and was attended by Princess Beatrice’s close family.

3. Elizabeth Olsen and Robbie Arnett

These 2 took the public by surprise when they revealed that they had eloped and “had a wedding at another time.” The musician and the actress behind Marvel’s Wanda Maximoff (or Scarlet Witch) were asked in an interview if they had gotten married, and Olsen confirmed that they did but “they never talked about it.” And it seems getting hitched under the radar runs in the family because her sister, Mary-Kate Olsen, also opted for a private reception at her own wedding and even asked guests to turn in their cell phones.

4. Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner

Before their extravagant chateau wedding in 2019, the Game of Thrones star and musician clandestinely exchanged their “I dos” in Las Vegas. Turner previously shared that the event was supposed to be a secret, but unfortunately, what happened in Vegas ended up on their wedding DJ’s Instagram account. The ceremony that followed in France may have been a bigger one, but the couple also went to great lengths to keep it as private as possible — the location was a secret, paparazzi were kept out, and social media photos were scarce.

5. Bruce Willis and Emma Heming Willis

What could be more intimate than a home wedding? Willis and Heming got married in 2009 at the actor’s house on the Caribbean islands of Turks and Caicos. It was reportedly a small ceremony, attended by their families. And for their tenth wedding anniversary, the pair renewed their vows with another private beach event.

6. Dwayne Johnson and Lauren Hashian

The WWE champ and the musician got married in 2019 in a romantic seaside ceremony in Hawaii, with a very small guest list of about 24 people. The Rock said they even had a full security detail on standby in case paparazzi choppers flew over. But surprisingly, no one knew, and they were able to keep that special moment to themselves. “My life is so loud and noisy; the fact that it was quiet was a big win,” he added.

7. Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin Bieber

The singer and model’s whirlwind engagement (of 2 months) led to a secret marriage at a New York City courthouse. According to eyewitnesses, Bieber got emotional and told Baldwin that he can’t wait to marry her. Bieber later explained that they rushed to the courthouse after he realized that Baldwin was the partner he was looking for. And a year after their legal union, the couple made their commitment more official with a bigger religious ceremony.

8. Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker

Las Vegas proves to be a popular place for spur-of-the-moment celebrity weddings, with Kardashian and Barker adding to the list of famous people tying the knot here. After attending the 2022 Grammys, the lovebirds went straight to a chapel, “got married, tossed the bouquet in the driveway, and danced to Elvis,” according to the chapel’s owner. The couple wed again at a courthouse in Santa Barbara, and in true Kardashian style, they went for an over-the-top ceremony in Italy with friends and family.

9. Penn Badgley and Domino Kirke

The Gossip Girl and You actor wasn’t able to hide his intimate courthouse wedding back in 2017 from fans’ stalking eyes. One of the guests shared the good news on social media, confirming that the Hollywood heartthrob had finally tied the knot with the actress and doula. However, the event was a stark contrast to the fancy, star-studded ceremony that followed a few months after.

10. Kate Winslet and Edward Abel Smith

The award-winning actress and the businessman, who went by the name Ned RocknRoll at that time, only had a total of 12 guests (6 from each side) at their top secret wedding in 2012. Even their parents weren’t aware of the nuptials, and reports mentioned that it was Leonardo DiCaprio who walked Winslet down the aisle. The actress’s spokesperson later confirmed the couple’s marriage and revealed that it was attended by her 2 kids and very few friends and family.

11. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis

If it weren’t for James Corden and Tom Hanks, we wouldn’t have known that the That 70s Show co-stars ever got married. As a guest on The Late Late Show With James Corden, Hanks teased Kunis about calling Kutcher her ’husband.’ This led to an interrogation and the eventual revelation of the ring. One article described the location of their private ceremony as a 5-acre property that featured orchards, scenic views, and spring-fed ponds.

12. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck

The couple’s second wedding in Georgia just happened, but we’re still on a high from the surprise “Bennifer” ceremony that was held at a small chapel in Las Vegas. Lopez wrote in her personal fan newsletter that they stood in line along with other couples, took photos with a pink Cadillac, exchanged rings, and did a short march down the aisle. Lopez’s mother and 14-year-old twins were there to share the moment with her, and the beaming bride described their little wedding as the best one they could have ever imagined.

How about you — would you prefer a grand ceremony or a micro wedding? What was your big day like?