Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' secret second wedding after controversial first nuptials

The couple apologized after their 2012 wedding at a South Carolina plantation


Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds met gala 2014
On 9 May 2023

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have been happily married since 2012 – but their controversial first wedding led them to tie the knot for a second time after they received criticism for their chosen venue. 

The couple exchanged vows at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, on September 9, which Ryan later called "a giant mistake" after he and Blake came under scrutiny for glamourizing a site where violence against Black slaves once took place. "It's something we'll always be deeply and unreservedly sorry for," Ryan said in Fast Company's September 2020 issue. 

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Blake and Ryan married in 2012

"It's impossible to reconcile. What we saw at the time was a wedding venue on Pinterest. What we saw after was a place built upon devastating tragedy." Pinterest even responded to the controversy by banning pictures of all plantation weddings on its platform, including Ryan's and Blake's. 

"Weddings should be a symbol of love and unity. Plantations represent none of those things," a spokesperson for Pinterest said at the time. "We are working to limit the distribution of this content and accounts across our platform and continue to not accept advertisements for them."

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The couple apologized for holding their wedding at a plantation

In the same interview, Ryan shared that he and Blake held a secret second wedding at their home years later, although he did not divulge any specific details about their special day. 

"Years ago, we got married again at home — but shame works in weird ways. A giant [expletive] mistake like that can either cause you to shut down or it can reframe things and move you into action," he explained. "It doesn't mean you won't [expletive] up again. But repatterning and challenging lifelong social conditioning is a job that doesn't end." 

The couple shared their first wedding day exclusively with Martha Stewart Weddings, and photos from the intimate nuptials showcased elaborate details including a dessert table filled with sweet treats, a glimpse of Blake's stunning custom-made Marchesa gown with gold embroidery, and their Lorraine Schwartz wedding bands. 

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Blake and Ryan met on the set of The Green Lantern

Blake later revealed to Vogue that she experienced a "heartbreaking" moment on the day after she burnt her wedding dress. She said: "I get really frustrated when something goes wrong. For example, my wedding dress. Florence Welch was singing at the reception, and they brought out these sparklers, and I'm watching her sing. 

"I look down and my wedding dress has a big burn mark from one of the sparklers. Right on the front! And it was just so heartbreaking to me," she added. 

Blake burnt a hole in her wedding dress

Her opinion was luckily changed thanks to a reassuring message from her husband. She continued: "And later, my dress was hanging up and Ryan said, 'Isn't that beautiful?' I said, 'What?' And he pointed to the burn. My heart just stopped, because it was such a sensitive little subject. 

"And he said, 'You'll always remember that moment with Florence singing and the sparklers. You have that forever, right there, preserved.' Now that's my favorite part of the dress."

See more photos of Blake and Ryan below...

© Axelle/Bauer-Griffin

Blake and Ryan now have four children

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Ryan and Blake married for a second time at their home

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Blake and Ryan started out as friends after working on The Green Lantern in 2010

Blake and Ryan will celebrate their 11th wedding anniversary in September

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