For some celebrities, New Year’s Eve has marked more than the end of a calendar year. Over the decades, a surprising number of stars have chosen December 31 as the moment to exchange vows, turning midnight celebrations into lifelong anniversaries. From intimate living-room ceremonies to lavish hotel ballrooms, these couples tied the knot as the ball dropped, embracing the symbolism of new beginnings
Modern Couples Ringing in a New Chapter
Recent years have seen fresh additions to the New Year’s Eve wedding list. Kelcey Wetterberg married Nate Crnkovich across two ceremonies at the end of 2024, culminating in a New Year’s Eve celebration in Omaha, Nebraska. NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace and Amanda Carter welcomed 2023 as husband and wife during a large celebration in Charlotte, North Carolina. Actress Jenny Slate also opted for a scaled-down New Year’s Eve ceremony, exchanging vows at home with Ben Shattuck after postponing multiple times due to the pandemic.
Music, Comedy and Television Favorites
Several entertainers have famously wed on December 31. Comedian Kathy Griffin married Randy Bick just hours after announcing their engagement on New Year’s Eve 2019, with Lily Tomlin officiating. Television host Maria Menounos and Keven Undergaro famously said “I do” live in Times Square during a New Year’s Eve broadcast in 2018, blending wedding vows with a national countdown. Singer Brian McKnight also exchanged vows on the final night of the year, while entrepreneur Erin Foster married Simon Tikhman in a glamorous Nashville ceremony.
Iconic Celebrity New Year’s Eve Weddings
Some of Hollywood’s most talked-about couples chose New Year’s Eve decades ago. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith married on December 31, 1997, in a highly secured Baltimore ceremony attended by close friends and family.
Rock royalty Sharon Osbourne and Ozzy Osbourne renewed their vows on New Year’s Eve in 2002, celebrating their relationship with a glamorous Beverly Hills event. Other notable New Year’s Eve weddings include Kaley Cuoco and Ryan Sweeting, Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson, and Shania Twain, who wed Frédéric Thiébaud in a beach ceremony as the year turned.
A Date That Symbolizes Fresh Starts
While some of these marriages have since ended, others have endured for decades. What unites them is the appeal of beginning married life at the exact moment a new year begins — a symbolic reset wrapped in celebration, hope and tradition.
