When you're a celebrity, you can do just about anything. You can propose to your girlfriend in a private jet, in a custom-built igloo, or right on the stage of the Emmy Awards (and, as we know, they do). Almost every couple who is on the track to marriage hopes for an over-the-top proposal and an even more extraordinary wedding day, but few have the means to actually pull it off. Needless to say, the world is at your fingertips when you've got more than six zeros in your bank account and a world-famous name.
From proposals on African safaris to Bollywood-themed weddings in India, celebrities never cease to amaze when it comes to "the big day." After all, the stakes — and the expectations — are pretty high and the pressure is on to get it right on the first try. Never mind that half of our list of celebrity engagements and weddings ended in divorce, here are 10 unusual spots where celebrities have proposed, and 10 places where they had their most extravagant destination weddings over the years.
20 Proposal In A Baseball Field
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have a reputation for being over-the-top, and their engagement certainly followed suit. On Kardashian's birthday, West rented out one of America's favorite baseball stadiums — AT&T Park in San Francisco, home of the San Francisco Giants — and serenaded the reality TV star with a 50-piece orchestra in front of her family and friends, Daily Mail reported. The words "PLEEEASE MARRY MEEE!!!" flashed on the jumbo screen in the background while Kardashian, as we know, accepted the $1.6 million ring. The couples' world-famous Italian wedding on May 24, 2014, however, outshone their unique engagement, and rightly so.
19 Proposal On An African Safari
After eight years of dating, Prince William whisked then-girlfriend Kate Middleton away to propose to her in just about the most exotic place one could imagine: Kenya. The royal couple who we commoners associate with lavish castles and crown jewels were quite out of their noble element at the time of the proposal in 2010. According to Condé Nast Traveler, they were in the midst of an African safari, cozying up in a resort that, although luxurious, includes the word "camp" in its name, when the Prince popped the question with his late mother's 12-carat oval sapphire ring.
18 Proposal At The Emmys
More recently, at least a few people who were watching the 2018 Emmy Awards probably spit out their popcorn in shock as one winner popped the question on stage. This past September, producer Glenn Weiss made headlines not for winning an Emmy but for boldly bringing his now-fiancée Jan Svenden on stage during his speech to make a very public marriage proposal. In the sweetest moment of the awards show ceremony, Svenden accepted his ring through tears as viewers around America wiped their eyes, too, while shouting: "I'm not crying. You're crying!"
17 Proposal In A Private Jet
Catching a ride on a private jet is no new concept in the world of celebrities but making a marriage proposal on one is. Rapper and "Fast & Furious" actor Ludacris set the bar pretty high in 2014 when he brought then-girlfriend Eudoxie Mbouguiengue along for a romantic ride in his very own plane, which he arranged to have flown over a pastoral landscape that read "Eudoxie Will You Marry Me," the Los Angeles Times reported. After the mile-high proposal, the happy couple touched down in Costa Rica where they celebrated with a vacation alongside family and friends.
16 Proposal In An Igloo
Seal's proposal to model Heidi Klum is perhaps the most outlandish engagement story in celebrity history. The British singer flew the "Project Runway" host by helicopter to the top of the world — literally — to propose to her in an igloo. People reported that in 2004, the two went on a romantic getaway to the Canadian Rockies where Seal had a customized igloo built for them, complete with a warm bed, candles, and rose petals scattered everywhere. It was in this remote ice house that Seal dropped to one knee. Despite the iconic proposal, though, the couple sadly separated 10 years later.
15 Proposal On A Motocross Track
Pink's proposal story is a feminist's fantasy. The singer dated professional motorcycle racer Carey Hart for about four years before she proposed to him during one of Carey's races at the Pro 250 class finals. Allegedly, Pink stormed the racetrack with a sign that read "Will U Marry Me?" and when the motorcyclist didn't pull over, she added the word "Serious!" Hart then pulled over when he realized the pop star wasn't kidding and accepted her proposal. The edgy celebrity couple has now been married for 12 years.
14 Proposal On The Cover Of A Magazine
This crazy proposal story is one that ended in tragedy. In 2010, "Jersey Shore" star Snooki got a surprise when the September issue of Steppin' Out magazine hit newsstands and its cover featured her then-boyfriend, Jeff Miranda, shirtless, with the headline "Will You Marry Me?" The reality TV star was apparently as shocked by the cringe-worthy magazine cover as everyone else, and not in a good way because she declined his offer with a tweet that said "just want to set the record straight. I'm single and I'm not going to get married!," E! News reported.
13 Proposal In Front Of A Pet Goldfish
Every Ellen DeGeneres fan knows that the talk show host loves animals. It's no surprise, then, that a rescued pet goldfish played a part in her proposal to now-wife Portia de Rossi. According to NBC New York, de Rossi had brought home a fish from a TV shoot and the two were watching it swim around when DeGeneres led up to the moment by asking, "this is a pretty romantic moment, right?" de Rossi replied, "every moment with you is romantic," and then DeGeneres presented the ring. The nonchalant proposal seemed to do the trick because the couple is celebrating their 10-year wedding anniversary this year.
12 Proposal In A Dressing Room Trailer
Celebrities spend a lot of time in their dressing rooms, so it only makes sense that they would get engaged in one, too. In 1996, country music legends Faith Hill and Tim McGraw were on tour together and playing a festival in Grand Junction, Colorado. After Hill's performance, McGraw asked her to marry her in her dressing room trailer. She didn't give an answer until after his show when he returned to his own trailer and saw that Hill had written "Yes, I'm going to be your wife" in Sharpie with lipstick kisses on the mirror, Today said.
11 Proposal On Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a famous mountain in Peru known for inspiring visitors' spiritual awakenings with the Incan citadel that sits on its peak. This holy mecca is also where America's favorite interior designer, Nate Berkus, proposed to his boyfriend, Jeremiah Brent. On April 8, 2013, the two were on an international shopping trip as part of Berkus' design project with One Kings Lane when the TV personality popped the question up in the Andes, Glamour reported. The couple married the following year in a highly stylish ceremony at the New York Public Library, according to People.
10 Wedding In Venice, Italy
In 2014, actor and longtime bachelor George Clooney tied the knot with Amal Alamuddin in the so-called Floating City of Venice, Italy. In fact, the two officially wed at Venice Town Hall, but the reception was, of course, a bit more elaborate than the courthouse ceremony. Fellow famous faces like Cindy Crawford, Emily Blunt, and Matt Damon hopped the pond to celebrate the power couple at an opulent palace called the Aman Canal Grande, located right on the water. Guests could even take a charming water taxi to the venue, where, inside, the bride wowed in a stunning Oscar de la Renta gown.
9 Wedding In Philipsburg, Montana
Actress and model Kate Bosworth opted for a more down-home kind of wedding when she married hubby Michael Polish in 2013. Bosworth and Polish's weekend-long wedding celebration took place on a dude ranch (literally) in Philipsburg, Montana. The bride arrived at the ceremony site via a monogrammed horse-drawn carriage, and the guests were given quaint paper fans to battle the heat. Though boasting a very country, Wild West kind of vibe, the couple's wedding venue, The Ranch at Rock Creek, is a five-star luxury resort located atop a mountaintop with stunning views of the untouched Montana nature that surrounds it.
8 Wedding In Lake Como, Italy
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend weren't messing around when they planned their wedding in Northern Italy. It only made sense that they needed to do something bigger than Legend's proposal, which took place on a scenic beach in the Maldives, so they opted for a "rustic-chic, elegant-but-not-too-glossy" venue, as Legend described it, in Italy's Lake Como. At first, the couple was going to get married on a farm in The South, according to Martha Stewart Weddings, but changed the destination to the place where they first fell in love. Set against the foothills of the snow-capped Alps, Lake Como is colorful, quaint, and surrounded by stunning nature. Actually, John Krasinski and Emily Blunt were married here, too.
7 Wedding In St. Lucia, Caribbean
St. Lucia is an island in the Caribbean with an abundance of luxury resorts and a pair of dramatic mountains called the Pitons. The pristine vacation spot is home to volcanic beaches, lush rainforest and waterfalls so beautiful they don't even seem real. It's no wonder actor Matt Damon wanted to renew his vows to wife Luciana in this tropical paradise. The two originally married in a no-frills sort of ceremony at New York's City Hall back in 2005, but in 2013, the couple finally got their dream wedding at a luxe resort on Sugar Beach, which they rented out for $1 million, according to the Daily Mail.
6 Wedding In Charleston, South Carolina
Like Kate Bosworth, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds exchanged vows on American soil, too. There's really no need to go abroad when you've got an estate as stunning as Boone Hall Plantation right in your backyard, after all. Located in Charleston, South Carolina, Boone Hall is the epitome of Southern charm. Lying at the end of a mile-long moss-draped "Avenue of Oaks," the hall itself is a piece of history from the antebellum era. One of the country's oldest working plantations, Boone Hall's gardens is more than 300 years old. The centuries-old estate is like the states' version of a royal castle, so it's only fitting that Hollywood royalty would marry here.
5 Wedding In Dublin, Ireland
Just about everyone can agree that Victoria and David Beckham are living out a real-life fairytale love story. It's hard to believe the Beckhams have been married for almost 20 years now, but back in 1999, the sweethearts' iconic Irish wedding was the party of the decade. The UK natives tied the knot at the Luttrellstown Castle in Clonsilla, Ireland, which is located on the outskirts of Dublin. The gothic-style castle is believed to have been built during the early 15th century and sits on 560 acres of pristine Irish land dotted with tranquil lakes and untouched woods. How appropriate that the couple's '90s wedding had a Robin Hood theme?
4 Wedding In Jaipur, India
Katy Perry and Russell Brand have a reputation for being different, so it was fitting that their wedding was held in India, of all places. The pop singer and British comedian first got together in 2009, Popsugar says, and got engaged the same year during a New Year's Eve trip to... guess where. India apparently played a big role in the couple's romance, which was sadly short-lived. The wedding ceremony took place in Rajasthan in Northern India, near the Ranthambore tiger sanctuary. The rehearsal dinner was reportedly Bollywood-themed and there were elephants featured in the couple's big day. The marriage ended, however, 14 months later.
3 Wedding In Big Sur, California
Big Sur comprises a rugged patch of California coastline with mountains to the east and picturesque seaside cliffs that drop dramatically into the Pacific Ocean to the west. This pristine landscape that constantly attracts nature-lovers to the coast was the destination of — and inspiration behind — Anne Hathaway's big day. Allegedly, the actress wed her boyfriend of four years, Adam Schulman, in an undisclosed location in Big Sur that was, in fact, so secretive the guests didn't even know where to go. They were shuttled to the remote ceremony spot whose decorations followed the nature motif to blend in with this unspoiled coastal spot.
2 Wedding In Correns, France
Two of Hollywood's biggest stars, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, met on the set of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" in 2004 but didn't marry until 10 years later. The world-famous couple, nicknamed "Brangelina," must have spent the whole time planning their big day, because it was as over-the-top as one could expect. According to The Mirror, this dreamy wedding took place at the lavish Château Miraval in the south of France. Not many people outside of their immediate family — or, should we say, their gaggle of kids — attended the intimate ceremony. Two years later, the couple filed for divorce.
1 Wedding In Bracciano, Italy
Katie Holmes said publicly that she used to dream of marrying Tom Cruise as a kid, and in 2006, her dream came true. Tom Cruise was clearly crazy about his lady, notoriously jumping on the couch at "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to profess his love in 2005. The following year, the couple jet-setted to Bracciano, Italy, to become husband and wife. They wed in the massive 15th-century medieval Odescalchi Castle, which cost, according to E! Online, about $3 million. The Italian town where they tied the knot is just 30 kilometers from Rome and is known for the volcanic lake it sits on.