From Fiancée to Spouse: Celebs in Second Marriages and How They Did it Differently

Planning a wedding can be hard (an app like Say I do would help). For many celebrities, the second marriage brings fresh priorities, refined planning and a more grounded approach. Here are three high-profile couples who married a second time and showed how doing it differently can work.

1. Gabrielle Union & Dwyane Wade

Both Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade had been married previously and then found each other. Their union brought together existing families, careers and blended lives. What they did differently: Their second marriages already incorporated family full stop, step-children, career demands, public personas. Their wedding and life together reflect that they’re not starting from scratch but bringing two lives and families together. They appear to treat the wedding day as one piece of a much larger picture rather than the centre of everything.

2. Alec Baldwin & Hilaria Baldwin

Alec Baldwin’s second marriage (to Hilaria in 2012) follows his first high-profile union with Kim Basinger. Their marriage is ongoing and they have built a large family together. What they did differently: They approached the wedding and married life by leaning into family growth, children and creating shared home life rather than just focusing on the ceremony. The second time for them includes more of the “what’s next” rather than the “big moment”.

3. Meghan Markle

Meghan’s first marriage to Trevor Engelson ended in 2013. She married Prince Harry in 2018 in what became a global spectacle. What she did differently: With her second marriage, the scale and stakes were enormous, but Meghan brought a clearer sense of self, a recognition of career and family goals, and a willingness to integrate both partner and public life in a new way. The tone shifted from youthful idealism to grown-up commitment.

4. Ryan Reynolds & Blake Lively

Ryan Reynolds married Blake Lively in 2012 after a short first marriage ended in 2011. Though strictly speaking not a “second long-marriage” attempt, this union still benefits from experience and clarity. They chose a meaningful ceremony and quickly focused on building a family and private life together. They reportedly had a wedding at Boone Hall Plantation in South Carolina, with a children’s choir and a lantern send-off. What they did differently: The fast transition from first marriage to second shows a decisive shift. They kept the wedding ceremony fairly private, emphasised family life early on and have repeatedly spoken about friendship, mutual respect and shared values as the foundation of their life together.

5. Miranda Kerr & Evan Spiegel

Miranda Kerr’s first marriage to Orlando Bloom ended in 2013; she later married Evan Spiegel in 2017. What they did differently: Their wedding was an intimate ceremony at home, with about 45 guests, and Kerr even cooked the first meal for her new husband on the day, a slow-roast chicken with turmeric, lemon and garlic. Rather than a lavish production, they emphasised personal touches, comfort, and intentionality. They also blended families; Kerr had a son from her previous marriage, and Spiegel embraced his role in that dynamic.

Key Take-aways for Anyone Planning Their Second Round

• Having been through a wedding before means many of these couples focus more on what the marriage will be rather than just the wedding day.
• Blending families, existing children and previous lives is more often on the agenda in second marriages than in first ones.
• The emphasis shifts: from show-stopping first events to meaningful rituals, legacy and partnership.
• The scale and the style change: it might be smaller, more intentional, more tailored to who you are now rather than what people expect of a “wedding”.

Whether you’re entering a second marriage yourself or simply inspired by those who have, these celebrity examples show that the second time doesn’t mean “second best.” It often means wiser, more intentional and beautifully grounded.