Not even Mother Nature could dampen the wedding ceremony that had Beyonce Knowles saying, “I do” to rapper Jay-Z.
According to a number of media outlets, the two mega-singing stars got hitched last night during an intimate gathering in Jay-Z’s Tribeca penthouse apartment.
Sources say the couple wanted a very private affair with just a few dozen close friends and family. And it appears they got what they wanted. TV’s “Entertainment Tonight” has video of Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband, Coldplay singer Chris Martin, pulling into Jay-Z’s underground parking garage last night. Beyonce’s former Destiny’s Child bandmates – Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams arrived a short time late, but hid behind an umbrella. Beyonce’s sister, Solange showed up a few minutes later, dressed in a white dress and a vehicle reportedly carrying Oscar winner Forest Whitaker also pulled into the high-rise’s garage as well.
Rumors that the musically talented duo were planning to wed sometime this weekend reached a fever pitch when word leaked that Jay-Z and Beyonce had taken out a marriage license in Scarsdale, New York four days ago. Then, yesterday a caravan of delivery vehicles was seen unloading flowers (sources say more than 50,000 white orchids were flown in from Thailand for the big day), AV equipment, and candelabras. Later, workers were seen erecting a white tent on Jay-Z’s terrace.
The couple, who started dating in 2002, has kept their love life a private affair despite appearing at numerous charity events together. Beyonce was just 20 years old when she started dating a then 32-year-old Jay-Z. Some speculate that the two tied the knot on April 4 because the number four has particular significance to the couple. Both Jay-Z and Beyonce were born on the 4th – Jay Z was born on December 4, 1969, while Beyonce was born September 4, 1981.