Famous Couples Who Got Married After Breaking Up
From devastating splits to nasty custody battles, the celebrity sphere is no stranger to tumultuous relationships. While these publicized romances sometimes end in spiteful separations, other times break-ups are simply preludes to couples tying the knot. In fact, there have been several famous celebrity couples who've gone separate ways before inevitably coming back together to make a life-long commitment.
"People change all the time," therapist Janna Comrie told CBC about couples getting back together after a break-up. "Maybe they were in a different place, maybe they were partying a lot and their partner wanted something more serious. But as they grow, they realize that the partner they left then would be a great partner now."
Not all of these marriages end in happily-ever-afters, with vows seemingly delaying the inevitable break-up for some star-studded duos. However, quite a few of our favorite celebrity duos are still going strong post-break-up-nuptials, defying the celebrity marriage odds. With this in mind, here are some famous couples who got married after breaking up.
Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth
Former couple Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth had a rocky relationship in the years before their 2018 nuptials. The two originally met in 2009 on the set of "The Last Song," with their PDA-filled airport goodbye sparking romance rumors in August. Cyrus and Hemsworth shared an on-and-off again relationship in the following years, breaking up at least twice in 2010 before becoming engaged in May 2012. However, this initial engagement was ultimately short-lived, with the actors calling things off in September 2013.
Though both stars saw other people following their broken engagement, their 2013 split wasn't the end for Cyrus and Hemsworth. The actors sparked reconciliation rumors in January 2016 after sharing intimate moments at an Australian music festival. Later that same month, the two confirmed to the media that they were engaged again and Cyrus shared a photo of her ring in a now-deleted Instagram photo. The two finally tied the knot via an intimate ceremony in December 2018.
While their wedding seemed to mark a long-time-coming milestone for the Hollywood stars, their relationship came to an end less than a year later, with the couple separating in August 2019 and finalizing their divorce in February 2020. "Ever-evolving, changing as partners and individuals, they have decided this is what's best while they both focus on themselves and careers," a source told People at the time. Since then, both actors have pursued other connections, with Cyrus dating boyfriend Maxx Morando.
Justin and Hailey Bieber
While Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth's post-break-up marriage didn't make it long-term, Justin and Hailey Bieber's romance is another story. While the two originally met in 2009, it wasn't until 2014 that romance rumors began to surround the Hollywood figures. The speculation followed Justin's break-up with Selena Gomez, whom he had first started dating in 2011, and amped up following multiple sightings of Justin and Hailey together in public and on vacation at the end of 2015.
The "Sorry" singer first confirmed their relationship with an intimate snapshot of the two kissing in January 2016, with Hailey explaining to E! News the following month that they were dating but weren't "an exclusive couple." While they initially kept things casual, the relationship came to an end in August 2016, with Justin being connected to Sofia Richie before resuming his relationship with Gomez. Hailey has confirmed that she wasn't on speaking terms with Justin for several years, with the duo not reconnecting until mid-2018 after Justin's final split from Gomez.
"There was a time when our lives seemed to be going in very different directions," the model told Elle in 2020. "I actually think—now that I look back at it being married—that it was a good thing for the two of us, very healthy." Their marriage came shortly after their reconciliation, with Justin taking to Instagram in July to announce their engagement before the two seemingly married privately in New York City in September. The two later had a formal wedding, with their relationship going strong ever since.
Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade
Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade are another celebrity couple who broke up before tying the knot. The actor and former NBA star originally met in 2007 while hosting a sponsored Super Bowl event. At the time, Wade was going through a divorce from Siohvaughn Funches, the mother of his children Zaya and Xavier. It wasn't until 2009 that Union and Wade begin their romance, debuting their relationship at the Summer Groove Benefit Dinner in Hollywood, Florida in July 2010.
Their relationship came to a brief end in January 2013, with Union attributing their split to their busy careers. "It was because of distance and scheduling. I finished filming ['Being Mary Jane'], then I flew to Vegas right away to start shooting 'Think Like a Man Too,'" she told Glamour in 2014. "Over the summer, I reassessed priorities. I'd always wanted an awesome career with back-to-back projects, but I realized I wasn't willing to sacrifice my relationship for it."
In this way, the two determined to make things work, though their separation brought another major obstacle to the relationship. During their split, Wade fathered a child with Aja Metoyerin of "Basketball Wives." The duo was ultimately able to work through their problems, announcing their engagement in December 2013 and going on to wed in August 2014. Since then, the two have built a beautiful life with one another, with Union becoming a step-mom to Wade's three children while also welcoming a daughter with her husband in 2020.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck
One of the most famous couples to split before getting married is Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. The Hollywood heartthrobs originally met in 2001 while filming the romcom crime film "Gigli," though Lopez was married to her second husband, Cris Judd, at the time. Affleck has opened up about how he and his co-star became quick friends while working together, with things heating up after Lopez shared that she was separating from her husband. The actors went public with their relationship in the Summer of 2002, confirming their engagement in an ABC interview in November.
During this stint of their relationship, the two made several public appearances together and once again worked together on a movie titled "Jersey Girl." Affleck also influenced Lopez's music, appearing in the music video for her song "Jenny on the Block" and providing inspiration for her album "This Is Me... Then." However, public scrutiny put a lot of pressure on their relationship, with the couple postponing their wedding in September 2003 before splitting in January 2004.
After going their separate ways, the actors both pursued other relationships, with Affleck marrying Jennifer Garner in 2005 and Lopez tying the knot with Marc Anthony in 2004. The famous duo eventually came back together in 2021, with public spottings sparking speculations about a romantic reconciliation. In April 2022, Lopez announced their engagement in her newsletter, with the two eloping in July 2022 before holding a formal wedding in August.
Marie Osmond and Steve Craig
Marie Osmond and Steve Craig are another Hollywood couple who got married after breaking up. In fact, the singer and former basketball player were originally married in 1982 after meeting when Osmond was just a teenager. The two were together for several years, having a son in 1983, before filing for divorce in 1985. It's unclear why the two went their separate ways, though Osmond told People in 2023 that she was at a professional crossroads when they "had some trouble" in their relationship.
During their time apart, Osmond was married to Brian Blosil from 1986 to 2007, welcoming a total of seven children into their family. After her divorce from Blosil, the "Paper Roses" singer rekindled things with Craig following the death of her son Michael in 2010. The two married unexpectedly in 2011, with Osmond donning the same dress she wore during their original nuptials. In her interview with People, the Utah native explained that she and Craig tied the knot ahead of their son's wedding, deciding they couldn't attend the event without being married themselves.
Ever since, Osmond and Craig have been going strong, with the couple reflecting on their second chance at romance. "The thing about a second marriage is that you realize things you thought were so important, aren't," Osmond said. "I love being with my husband. He is the sweetest man I know. He lives to serve and really listens to people's needs."