Selena Gomez is living out a love song with her new husband, music producer Benny Blanco. The couple tied the knot with an A-list wedding September 27, and have spent the following days slowly sharing images from inside the event—following a blueprint established by her fellow pop stars and newlyweds Lana Del Rey and Charli XCX.
On the night of September 30, Gomez posted new photos that highlight her laidback luxe aesthetic, complete with Old Hollywood nods and a sly promo for her Rare Beauty cosmetics empire. Gomez’s behind-the-scenes wedding photos have already amassed 11.6 million likes and counting.
Gomez and Blanco’s guests were not told where the wedding ceremony would be taking place. Instead, the event’s estimated 170 attendees—including Ed Sheeran, Steve Martin, Paul Rudd, and Martin Short—were encouraged to stay at the luxury resort El Encanto in Santa Barbara, Calif., and were later privately transported to the Sea Crest Nursery for the ceremony. The rehearsal dinner was held the evening prior at a private mansion at Hope Ranch in Goleta Valley, Calif.
In the newly shared photos, Gomez is all smiles alongside her groom. The couple are pictured dancing barefoot at the reception, with a simple one-tier white frosted cake reading “just married” in black script. Gomez’s grandfather, David Cornett, is shown walking her down the aisle.
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Both Gomez and Blanco sported subtle stylistic nods to their romance. Blanco selected a traditional smooth gold wedding band studded with a ruby—Gomez’s birthstone—alongside an aquamarine to represent his own birthday in March. Both gems are hidden on the inside of the ring. Gomez wore a custom sheer Ralph Lauren high neck halter gown with intricate lace detailing including a heart inscribed with “S+B.” Gomez wore another custom Ralph Lauren hand-draped halter satin dress during the wedding, as well as a third, Marilyn Monroe-inspired swing frock for the reception. She was given a diamond eternity band from Blanco to sit atop her 8-carat marquise-cut diamond engagement ring, designed by Katherine Theofilos Claster and Stephanie Theofilos of Abril Barret.
The singer and Only Murders in the Building actress-producer used the same strategy as Charli XCX and Lana Del Rey in her social media wedding rollout, gradually revealing more details over the course of several days. All three musicians’s recent wedding ceremonies were vintage-inspired and reflective of each couple’s respective brand.
Charli XCX, who wed The 1975 drummer George Daniel in July, first debuted photos from her simple town hall ceremony—then later shared images showing a cigarette-slewn house party at boutique Sicilian hotel Tonnara Di Scopello that had Matt Healy DJing. Del Rey also did a big reveal on September 24, a year after her wedding to alligator tour guide Jeremy Dufrene, giving more insight into her Louisiana bayou wedding. While Gomez went for all-American chic and Charli XCX leaned into her messy pop princess aesthetic, Del Rey’s signature stormy, moody Hollywood starlet persona was embodied by a cake featuring an illustration from children’s book Cajun Night Before Christmas.
But Gomez’s wedding also had an element that Charli XCX and Del Rey’s did not: Taylor Swift. The Life of a Showgirl musician gave a moving speech at the reception. A Daily Mail report claimed that Swift “joked in the speech that Selena beat her to the altar, but at least they both have found the loves of their lives,” with Swift saying Blanco is “the most perfect person” for Gomez. “It isn’t luck that they found each other; it’s love,” Swift allegedly continued. The “Ready for It” singer further reflected on the decade-plus she has known Gomez. According to the Daily Mail, Swift “talked about how she and Selena have both been through so much together, both professionally and personally, [and] said that whenever one of them had their hearts broken from failed relationship[s] over the years, they were always there for each other.” Swift also called Gomez her “sister.”
Julia DeLuise, the wife of Gomez’s former Wizards of Waverly Place co-star David DeLuise, posted on social media that “the heavens opened and an angel descended” when Swift began speaking, according to Page Six,. A source told People that Swift’s speech was “so beautiful” that Gomez and several guests were “crying” afterwards.
Gomez became friends with Swift at age 15, when Gomez was dating Nick Jonas. Swift, then 18, was dating Joe Jonas, and the foursome became inseparable. “She and I like to say the best thing we got out of those relationships was each other,” Gomez said during an August 7 episode of podcast Therapuss with Jake Shane.
Gomez also remembered Swift playing her an unreleased version of “Love Story”: “It was just one of those songs I instantly heard and thought, ‘This is one of the most beautiful songs ever.’”
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