2013 was filled with celebrity weddings, from super-secret elopements to elaborate, star-studded Hollywood events. Google just revealed the top 10 weddings that blew up their search engine this year. Take a look back at what made these weddings memorable!
10. Shenae Grimes and Josh Beech
The former 90210 star made a splash when she walked down the aisle (to house music!) in a black Vera Wang gown back in May. She and her model/musician husband exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony outside of London.
9. Sean Parker and Alexandra Lenas
The Facebook/Napster billionaire spared no expense on his lavish Lord of the Rings-inspired wedding to singer/songwriter Alexandra Lenos in June. The bride worn a stunning gown by Elie Saab, while the groom called upon Lord of the Rings costume designer Ngila Dickson to outfit himself, the couple's infant daughter, and their 300+ guests, which included Emma Watson, Olivia Munn, Sting, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, Sean Lennon, Allison Williams, Twitter inventor Jack Dorsey, MTV founder Bob Pittman, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales, and Facebook co-founders Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes (Mark Zuckerberg was invited but sent his regrets).
However, not everyone was a fan of the over-the-top $10 million celebration; Parker was hit with a $2.5 million fine for not obtaining the proper permits for his wedding setup, which included a cottage, fake ruins, waterfalls, staircases, and a massive dance floor.
Photo Credit: Mark Seliger
8. Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock
After deciding they were just too busy to plan a wedding, the "Tie it Up" singer and the talent manager scrapped their plans for a 200-guest backyard celebration and decided to elope instead in October, joined only by their officiant and Blackstock's two children (not even Clarkson's mother scored an invite). Soon after the nuptials, Clarkson shared a sweet video of the intimate affair on Twitter.
Post-wedding, Clarkson made it clear that the next item on her to-do list was having a baby, so it didn't come as a shock when she announced in November that the couple is expecting their first child together.
Photo Credit: Archetype Studio Inc.
7. George Lucas and Mellody Hobson
The Star Wars creator married businesswoman Mellody Hobson at California's Skywalker Ranch in June. On the guest list: Oprah Winfrey, Robert De Niro, Glenn Close, Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart, Quincy Jones, and Rashida Jones. Former New Jersey senator Bill Bradley walked the bride down the aisle. Journalist Bill Moyer performed the ceremony, while director Francis Ford Coppola gave a reading. Lucas' son Jett served as his best man, and his two daughters, Katie and Amanda, were bridesmaids.
At the reception, Janelle Monae and Van Morrison performed, and filmmaker Steven Spielberg gave a toast. "He joked that the Force finally had a name: Mellody!" a source told Us Weekly.
A week later, the newlyweds hosted another star-studded wedding celebration in Chicago, where they were joined by Prince (who performed, along with a 22-piece band), Robin Williams, Al Roker, Gayle King, Jesse Jackson, Hayden Christensen, Rachel Bilson, and Ne-Yo.
In August, the couple welcomed their first child together, a daughter born via a surrogate.
6. Jesse James and Alexis DeJoria
Four time's a charm? Motorcycle mogul and television personality Jesse James married drag racer Alexis DeJoria in March at the estate of DeJoria's father, John Paul DeJoria, who co-founded the Paul Mitchell hair care line and Patron Spirits Company.
James' youngest daughter, nine-year-old Sunny, served as a flower girl, along with DeJoria's 10-year-old daughter Bella.
5. Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield
The Little House on the Prairie star decided to forego the traditional white gown for her third trip down the aisle in April. Gilbert and actor Timothy Busfield exchanged vows in a private ceremony at San Ysidro Ranch in California. Though they were only engaged for four months, they've known each other for 20 years!
4. NeNe Leakes and Gregg Leakes
The Real Housewives of Atlanta stars took a second shot at love when they remarried in June. The pair split in 2011 after 14 years of marriage but rekindled their romance during the fifth season of their Bravo TV series. Fittingly, their wedding plans were chronicled in a spin-off series, I Dream of NeNe, which aired in the September and October. The bride walked down the aisle to "I Believe in You and Me" by Whitney Houston, as performed by gospel singer Kim Burrell, escorted by her sons Bryson Bryant and Brentt. Fellow Atlanta Housewives Cynthia Bailey and Marlo Hampton were among the nine bridesmaids.
“It was more romantic this time than the first,” NeNe told Life & Style. “Gregg and I are real adults, so it was better.”
Photo courtesy of NBC
3. Aaron Paul and Lauren Parsekian
The Breaking Bad star married activist Lauren Parsekian over Memorial Day weekend in Malibu, California with a 1920s Parisian carnival-themed celebration, complete with a small Ferris wheel, swing ride, and photo booth. Beneath a red and white tent, David Blaine performed magic tricks, while men and women on stilts, mimes, and burlesque dancers mingled with the guests. Indie band Foster the People performed their first dance song, "La Vie en Rose," which was the song playing when Paul proposed in Paris. John Mayer also reportedly performed his hit song, "Daughters," at the reception.
The wedding theme was an ode to both their proposal and the night they met at Coachella. "The first night [she] and I hung out, we had our first kiss on the Ferris wheel. I told her that night that one day I was going to marry her," he told People. "We knew it was something so magical."
2. Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto
Basketball legend Michael Jordan and model Yvette Prieto wed in an extravagant $10 million celebration in April. The pair exchanged vows at Bethesda-by-the-Sea, an Episcopal church in Florida, before heading over to their reception on a private golf course. Over 300 guests joined the couple, where they were entertained with performances by Usher, Robin Thicke, K.Jon, DJ MC Lyte, and the 18-piece band The Source. Famous faces among the guests included Tiger Woods, Scottie Pippen, Patrick Ewing, and Spike Lee.
Photo Credit: Joe Buissink
1. Kerry Washington and Nnamdi Asomugha
The Scandal star and NFL player earned the top spot on the most-searched list, no doubt due to how little we know about the couple's secret wedding in June. "I don't talk about my personal life in the press, but I will say I'm really happy," Washington told People. "I'm blessed in all areas of my life."
"I'm walking around in the world with my ring. And when people say congratulations, I say thank you," she told Glamour. "But I'm going to continue to not talk about it and just let it unfold."
What we do know: The pair exchanged vows at a friend's house in Hailey, Idaho, where they were joined by family and close friends who flew out on a private plane chartered by the newlyweds. Washington's parents signed the marriage license as witnesses, and Asomugha's sister officiated. "They said their own vows, people stayed at the house. It was really simple and sweet," a guest shared with People. The bride wore a minimalist slim-fitting white gown. No photos have leaked.
In October, the actress revealed that they're expecting their first child together.
Tell us: Are you surprised by this list? Which celebrity weddings do you think were the most exciting this past year?
—Kristen Klein
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