15 Celebrities Who Have Performed at Weddings

Jennifer Hudson

In a clip that the Jennifer Hudson Show posted on September 30, 2023, the host of her eponymous talk show revealed that she crashed a couple’s wedding in Los Angeles—and proceeded to perform her hit 2008 song, “Giving Myself.” “We are here today at Traci and Pat’s wedding reception,” Hudson shared. “I’m here to surprise them. They have no idea that I am here.”

Once the bride and groom arrived at their reception site, none of their guests were there. The two of them then walked down a hallway until they saw their friends and family in another room. When Traci and Pat made their way to the front, a curtain immediately dropped, revealing the musician standing on stage behind a microphone. “Congratulations, Traci and Pat!” Hudson exclaimed. “And to all of y’all, this is for you!” She belted out “Giving Myself,” while the newlyweds beamed and danced along to the melody.

Taylor Swift

Max Singer and Kenya are major Swifties, so before they tied the knot, Ali Singer (the groom’ sister) wrote a letter to Taylor Swift, asking if the Grammy-winning artist would sing at her brother’s wedding. In her letter, Ali mentioned that the couple exchanged vows and danced to the “Lover” singer’s music at the hospital before the groom’s mother passed away. Swift graciously accepted the invitation and surprised the couple with an acoustic version of “Blank Space” on their big day. “Alright, I want to talk about the fact that when I wrote this, I never in my life imagined I would be playing it at a wedding, but what Max and Kenya want, they get!” she announced. The musician even showed up to the party with a personalized painting for a wedding gift.

Rihanna

When Rihanna attended her friend and stylist Sonya Benson’s wedding at the American Whiskey bar in New York in 2015, she gifted the couple and their guests a live concert. According to E! News, the Grammy-winning artist sang “Bitch Better Have My Money” and led the crowd through the Macarena and the Whip/Nae Nae. Before commanding the dance floor, Rihanna also delivered a heartfelt speech. “She talked about their friendship, how they met when she was 17, and that Sonya was one of the first friends she made that really influenced her in fashion,” a source told the outlet. 

Ellie Goulding

Prince William and Kate Middleton invited Ellie Goulding to share her talent at their royal wedding in April 2011. The singer performed her version of “Your Song,” originally written by Elton John, while the newlyweds shared their first dance at Buckingham Palace. According to Elle, the Prince and Princess of Wales were fans of the artist, so they specifically requested Goulding for the gig months before they said “I do.” “It was an amazing honor to be asked by Kate and William,” she expressed at the time. “I never thought I’d feel that honored. The atmosphere was incredible, and it’s something I’ll never forget. I was nervous and overwhelmed, but it was just a fun night, a really great atmosphere. Afterwards, I didn’t believe that I’d actually done it.”

John Mayer

Not only was John Mayer a groomsman at Boy Meets World actress Danielle Fishel and Jensen Karp’s 2018 nuptials, he was also the main entertainment. The singer-songwriter performed a cover of Beyoncé’s “XO,” while playing the guitar and the harmonica. After the wedding, Fishel shared a clip of the production on Instagram. “Jensen brought many new and wonderful friends into my life and the friendship of @johnmayer is at the top of the list,” she wrote. “We are beyond grateful and thrilled that he was not only a groomsman but agreed to sing our first dance song. I’m obsessed with his cover of this song (XO by @beyoncé) and he played it for us live at the Forum last year simply because I told him how much I loved it."

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran made Kya and Matt Debono’s day when he crashed their wedding and sang one of their favorite songs, “Thinking Out Loud,” for their first dance in 2015. After postponing their special day to use the finances on Kya’s mother’s funeral, the duo received their dream wedding from Australian radio show Kyle & Jackie O, which coordinated the stunt with Sheeran, Hello! reported. The couple was reportedly thrilled, and after they thanked the singer, he allegedly replied, “Make lots of babies tonight.”

Bow Wow

BR and WackStar tied the knot in a cliffside wedding in Fallbrook, California, in August of 2021, and they called on their famous musician friends to make their big day truly unforgettable. Shad Moss, known by his stage name Bow Wow, stood by the groom’s side as the best man, and he also kicked off the party with a live ballad. Instead of singing on stage, the “Basketball” rapper put on an intimate performance, walking around the venue grounds and interacting with the guests.

Soulja Boy

Soulja Boy was another artist who entertained guests at the aforementioned BR and WackStar’s wedding. Like Bow Wow, the “Crank That” rapper serenaded the couple and their friends and family at the outdoor reception. Soulja Boy likewise chose a more personal performance, positioning himself in the midst of the crowd instead of on a separate stage.

Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake wasn’t just the groom on his wedding day; he was also the entertainment. After exchanging vows with Jessica Biel in Southern Italy in October 2012, the “Mirrors” singer performed a then-unreleased song that he had dedicated to his wife, insiders told Us Weekly. However, the name of the song was never disclosed. According to PopSugar, Timberlake also sang “Señorita” at the wedding of Biel’s college roommate, Dana Panzer, to Amy Wicker in Norwalk, Connecticut, in 2015.

Sam Smith

Sam Smith teamed up with the BBC to surprise two brides with a performance of “Latch” at their wedding reception in London in 2018. “Just being a part of someone’s day like that just means the world to me,” Smith gushed in the recorded clip. “They’re so in love. It’s just so incredible.”

Meek Mill

When New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft married Dana Blumberg in New York City in October 2022, Meek Mill performed a song that he wrote for the couple, while Sheeran played the guitar. “I wrote this for y’all on the way here,” the rapper announced before performing the ballad at the reception.

John Legend

John Legend shared his vocals at Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade’s wedding in August 2014. The Grammy-winning artist serenaded the couple with his hit song “All of Me,” according to CBS News. Legend also showed off his moves while breaking it down with the couple on the dance floor, People reported.

Shania Twain

White Lotus star Lukas Gage and Kim Kardashian’s hairstylist, Chris Appleton, tied the knot in a rock ’n roll-inspired wedding in Las Vegas in April of 2023, and Shania Twain brought the heat at the post-ceremony party. Based on a video that Gage posted on his Instagram account, the “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” singer strummed her guitar and serenaded the couple while the newlyweds stood with her on stage. According to a comment that Twain shared on the post, the performance was a surprise. 

Stevie Nicks

Adam Levine called on another music legend, Stevie Nicks, when he married Behati Prinsloo in July 2014 in Mexico. The Fleetwood Mac singer performed acoustic songs on her guitar at the start of the couple’s ceremony, Entertainment Tonight reported. Then, at the reception, she joined the Maroon 5 artist in performing a duet, according to Hello!

Lana Del Rey

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West (whose divorce was finalized in November 2022) threw a lavish celebration when they got married in Florence in 2014, complete with a star-studded musical ensemble. In addition to performances by Andrea Bocelli and John Legend on their wedding day, Lana Del Rey shared her talent with the couple and their guests at their pre-wedding celebration at the Palace of Versailles. According to E! News, West surprised his then-wife by enlisting the “Summertime Sadness” artist, who performed three songs. Although publications initially reported that the musician received millions of dollars for the gig, she denied those claims and revealed that she actually performed for free, according to ABC News.