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Beyoncé, Jay-Z Hip-Hop to the Altar
By Gina Serpe
Sat, 5 Apr 2008 06:27:42 AM PDT
First comes crazy in love, then comes marriage.
Beyoncé Knowles and Jay-Z,
a match made in musical heaven, tied the knot in New York Friday, just
three days after setting tongues wagging by taking out a marriage
license—and hours after what appeared to be the signs of
lavish (and possibly nuptial) party preparations compelled dozens of
reporters and photogs to gather outside Jay-Z's Tribeca loft.
"Yes,
it's a wedding," a source at the scene told E! News. However, it was
unclear whether the vow-swap took place earlier at another location or
at the penthouse apartment.
Amy Vongpitaka, owner of
Thailand-based Amy's Orchids, confirmed to E! News that she shipped
flowers for Beyoncé's wedding. "The designer called us a week ago, and
we had to move quickly. We used a total of 200 workers to cut and
process 100,000 Dendrobium White orchids, and then we hand-chose the
best 60,000."
There has been no official confirmation from
the couple yet, although all signs point toward holy secret matrimony.
Alan Nierob, Beyoncé's publicist, said he had "no comment" on the
matter.
The intimate affair was attended by about two
dozen friends and family members. Among those present: the parents of
the bride and groom; Knowles' kid sis, Solange; Jay-Z's mother, Gloria
Carter; former Destiny's Child mates Kelly Rowland and Michelle
Williams; and Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin,
who has collaborated with Jigga. Most were dressed in white. Also
present: the Knowles' family minister from Houston, who presumably
officiated.
(George Clooney happened to be photographed at the scene in a natty suit, but it turns out he was taping Charlie Rose. His timing was impeccable, anyway.)
The
previously subdued festivities finally got raging at 2:30 a.m. ET when
the Jackson 5 tune "I Want You Back" started blaring from the
penthouse, followed by a steady stream of hip-hop music. The tunes were
still blasting at 4 a.m. with no sign of the bash slowing down.
Earlier
in the day, crates of cream-colored orchids and oversize silver
candelabras were spotted being delivered to the hip-hop superstar's
penthouse. A white tent was also erected atop the building, presumably
to keep out raindrops...and telephoto lenses.
According to
various media reports, the Roman numeral IV was also prevalent
throughout the party, in honor not only of the wedding month and day
(4/4/08), but because the number holds special significance for the
couple, each of whom was born on the fourth of the month—September for
Knowles, December for the man born Shawn Carter.
(For what it's worth, In Touch Weekly
reports that the duo, who have matching "IV" tattoos on their ring
fingers, are planning a second ceremony in France on May 4, exactly one
month from today. However, Jay-Z is on a North American tour with Mary
J. Blige that's not scheduled to wrap until May 8.)
The duo's well-seasoned wedding rumors picked up speed on Tuesday, when People reported the superstars obtained a marriage license in Scarsdale Village, N.Y.
Adding
to the deafening wedding buzz leading up to the vow swap was the
descending of likely wedding guests on New York, chief among them
Rowland and Williams. The particularly giddy twosome posted a video
online Thursday evening from what they teasingly referred to as an
"undisclosed location," later revealing it to be the Four Seasons.
Knowles, 26, and Jay-Z, 38, have been together for nearly six years.
Don't
expect much of a honeymoon, though. The rapper, on the verge of signing
a whopping $150 million music deal with Live Nation, has concerts
scheduled for Saturday in Greensboro, N.C., and Sunday in Washington,
D.C.
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