It feels like 2019 was the year of celebrity weddings. Every time we scrolled through our Instagram feeds we were inundated with the biggest stars in gorgeous gowns, over-the-top cakes and breathtaking venues. With so many bashes it’s too difficult to pick a top 10, or even a top 20, so instead we decided to hand out superlatives, high school style.
Fastest Engagement: Chris Lane & Lauren Bushnell
Country singer Chris Lane and The Bachelor alum Lauren Bushnell got engaged in Lane’s parents’ backyard in Oregon in June and were married in Nashville at the end of October. An engagement this fast might cause the average bride to quite literally die from stress, but when you’re a celebrity, a four-month planning cycle somehow results in a stress-free, flawless wedding that would take us average people a solid year and a half to plan. If you, like Chris and Lauren, want a shorter engagement, keep your guest list short, buy a dress at a sample sale, and be prepared to be flexible when it comes to location, since most venues will already be booked. All we can say is GOOD LUCK.
Best Guest List: Justin Bieber & Hailey Baldwin
The Biebers tied the knot for the second time at a luxury resort in South Carolina on September 30th. They first got married in New York last fall in a civil ceremony, and they really outdid themselves the second time around. Their wedding guest list was basically a who’s who of Hollywood’s hottest stars, which included Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Usher, Jaden Smith, Joan Smalls, Dan + Shay, Justine Skye, Kris Jenner, and Corey Gamble, among others. If you’re hoping a famous celeb shows up to your wedding, there’s not much in the way of advice we can give you. You may have to settle for a Cameo shout-out from your favorite reality star instead.
Best Documented: Ashley Iaconetti & Jared Haibon
This is pretty much the only celebrity wedding where we don’t find ourselves saying, “I wish I was there” because honestly, we basically were. Between the tons of publicity given to them by People (even their effing rehearsal dinner photos were published) and the overload of Instagram stories posted by fellow Bachelor alums, we can confidently say we know everything about Jared and Ashley’s wedding weekend in Newport, Rhode Island. We know we’re not the only ones who spent their whole Saturday evening watching the live social media streams. Anyone else feel hungover the next day? If you want to relive every second of the magic that is your wedding day, encourage your guests to post on their Instagram stories and use your hashtag. You’ll be more than happy to see a replay of the big day on your social media feed the next day.
Best Dress: Katherine Schwarzenegger
On the red carpet, all eyes are usually on Chris Pratt, but when Katherine Schwarzenegger posted a dreamy photo of her and her new hubby, it was the jaw-drop heard around the world. The bride looked drop-dead gorg in a custom-made form-fitting gown from Giorgio Armani. The lace column gown featured a full skirt that turned into a long train. The bride brought old and new together when she paired a short veil with her mother Maria Shriver’s tulle one. The fit was flawless and left brides-to-be around the country wondering how the f*ck she got that body. If you’re looking to replicate this on your wedding day, opt for something lacy and body-hugging to show off your natural curves. And maybe don’t look at pictures of Katherine Schwarzenegger on the morning of your wedding, unless you’re a masochist.
Best Venue: Miles Teller & Keleigh Sperry
The longtime couple got hitched in Maui, Hawaii in September. They exchanged vows in a local church and held their reception outside overlooking the pristine Hawaiian ocean, creating a picture-perfect event. We can’t say we’re surprised they chose such a spectacular location after the proposal took place during a safari trip in South Africa. All we can wonder is, where TF are these crazy kids going to go next? If you want a destination wedding that’s half as glam as theirs, think about a favorite vacation spot or somewhere that’s relatively easy to travel to (if you want a larger guest list). Just keep in mind, a destination wedding usually means less guests will be able to make it (but maybe that’s a good thing).
Best Officiant: Brittany Cartwright & Jax Taylor
Brittany and Jax got married in a lavish ceremony at a majestic castle in Versailles, Kentucky. And then, to top it all off, Lance f*cking Bass married them. Apparently he was their back-up because their first choice, LVP, couldn’t make it (which is true blasphemy, in what world is Lance Bass a back-up anything?). To top it off, he graced guests with his presence on the dance floor during “Bye, Bye, Bye” and made everyone’s childhood dreams come true. Want a celebrity officiant? Who knows, maybe Jax and Brittany inspired him to launch the next phase of his career as an officiant! One can dream, right?
Most “I Could Never Pull That Off” Wedding: Zoë Kravitz and Karl Glusman
When it comes to celebrity fashion, we often find ourselves saying, “Wtf are they wearing?” Or, “I could never pull that off.” And when it came to Zoe Kravitz and Karl Glusman’s Parisian wedding this past July, we once again found ourselves thinking the same thing. I mean, the girl showed up to her rehearsal dinner in bridal biker shorts for God’s sake, which she wore under a custom-made see-through net dress, obviously. On the day of the wedding the couple sported matching leather jackets, which had a sketch of one another on the one they wore. And of course, they posted absolutely no photos of any of it. Talk about a wedding that was too cool for us peasants to achieve. If you’re feeling the urge to go rogue and rock bike shorts and leather on your wedding day, why the hell not? Rules are made to be broken.
Most Improved: Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner
From an impromptu wedding in Vegas the night after the Billboard Music Awards officiated by an Elvis impersonator and captured by Diplo, to an elegant and romantic affair at a French chateau, there’s no doubt this couple wins the award for most improved wedding. When they first exchanged vows at The Little White Chapel in May, Sophie wore a silk jumpsuit and the couple posed for photos on the hood of a hot pink car. These spontaneous nuptials felt lightyears away when images of their wedding in France were released and Sophie was outfitted in a traditional lace long-sleeve gown with a delicate veil. We have to admit, we kind of love this idea of having both an impromptu party and a more planned out, traditional one. If you’re torn between two styles—why not go for both?
Images: Getty Images; laurenlane, haileybieber, ashleyiaconetti, katherineschwarzenegger, keleigh_sperry, brittany, sophiet / Instagram