Beyoncé Says Most Guests Didn’t Know They Were Coming to Her Wedding to Jay-Z

More than 18 years after marrying Jay-Z, Beyoncé has revealed that most of their wedding guests had no idea they were attending a wedding.

“We had a very small wedding in our home,” she told i-D in an interview published on Nov. 11, Us Weekly reported. “We told the guests we were having a party, and no one knew they were coming to our wedding but our parents and a few friends.”

Key points:

• Beyoncé and Jay-Z married on April 4, 2008, at their home in New York City.
• About 40 guests attended, according to Us Weekly.
• Her wedding dress was designed by her mother, Tina Knowles.

Why April 4?

The couple chose the date because of what the number four means to them, Us Weekly reported. Beyoncé was born on Sept. 4 and Jay-Z on Dec. 4. They got engaged on Dec. 4, 2007, his birthday, according to Page Six.

Who Was There?

The guest list included Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Chris Martin, along with close family from both sides, Us Weekly reported. Pastor Rudy Rasmus, the minister of Beyoncé’s mother, led the ceremony.

A Dress Made by Her Mother

Beyoncé said the dress meant more to her than any designer gown. “My favorite dress my mother designed was my wedding dress — it was gorgeously simple and made with her love,” she said.

Fans first saw the strapless gown in her 2011 music video for “I Was Here.”

What Else Did She Say?

The interview promoted the British launch of Cécred, her hair care brand. Beyoncé also said her children are finding their own style, adding that her daughter Rumi’s “favourite place to shop right now is Ross and TJ Maxx.”

The couple has three children: Blue Ivy, 14, and twins Rumi and Sir, 9.

Sources:

• Us Weekly: Beyonce shares rare details about her and Jay-Z’s intimate wedding 18 years later
• Page Six: Beyoncé spills surprising details about intimate wedding to Jay-Z nearly 20 years later

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