Secret Pre-Weddings: More Couples Marry Before the Big Day
An increasing number of young couples, especially from Generation Z, are choosing to have private legal weddings prior to their public ceremonies. For instance, on March 7, 2025, Mary Blackburn, 31, and Collin Jamieson, 30, tied the knot at their New York City home, just hours before their engagement party, which included 265 guests, held on June 28, 2025. Similarly, Alexandria Thompson, 30, and Ashwani Srivastava, 39, are set to elope in Las Vegas in May 2026 before a planned wedding in March 2027. Additionally, Stephanie Maitre, 33, and Sam Powers, 36, married earlier to save on tax expenses for their upcoming ceremony.
Key facts
- Mary Blackburn and Collin Jamieson married secretly on March 7, 2025, in New York City.
- Their engagement party was at the Boom Boom Room in NYC.
- Their public wedding was on June 28, 2025, with 265 guests unaware of the secret.
- Alexandria Thompson and Ashwani Srivastava plan to elope in Las Vegas in May 2026.
- Stephanie Maitre and Sam Powers saved $15,000 by marrying before the fiscal year.
- Tori and Joaquin Romero Vega married in January 2024 before their engagement.
- Hannah Chubb and Brandon Warner revealed a year-old civil ceremony in Italy.
- Pinterest report: 'city hall wedding dress' searches up 128%, 'civil ceremony photography' up 637%.
Entities
Institutions
- Vogue
- Plannerd
- Mindy Weiss Party Consultants
- Ancient Spanish Monastery (St. Bernard de Clairvaux Church)
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Mulberry Street
- Boom Boom Room
- Las Vegas
- North Miami Beach
- Italy
- Tuscany