A sequel wedding is an additional marriage ceremony or reception occurring some time after a couple has already been legally married. [1]
Couples may choose to hold sequel weddings after they have already eloped or held small-scale ceremonies. These initial ceremonies are often referred to as "micro-weddings" or "minimonies", which are generally defined as having guest lists of fewer than fifty and ten people, respectively. In contrast, the more elaborate "sequel weddings" may have several hundred guests. [2] Sequel weddings often occur weeks, months, or even years after the legal ceremony. [3] [4] Commonly, the motivation for sequel weddings is to be able to hold a celebration for guests who were unable to attend the first wedding while reserving legal nuptials for family and close friends. [5] [6] [7]
Having two weddings has been a common trend among celebrity couples, including Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas in 2019; Heidi Klum and Tom Kaulitz in 2019; and George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin in 2014. [1] [8]
Sequel weddings gained popularity in the 2020s with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic. State-mandated lockdowns forced many couples to reschedule their weddings multiple times. [9] As a result, many ultimately chose to marry in private ceremonies, and when restrictions subsided held a second, larger ceremony so they could invite family and friends. [3] [4] [10] According to a survey by The Knot, one-third of surveyed couples who married in 2020 planned to hold an additionally ceremony in the future. [11]