Look Back on Celine Dion's Lavish 1994 Wedding to René Angélil

Throughout history, some celebrity weddings have been so monumental that we still talk about them today. When you think of the most lavish vow swaps of all time, you might recall a few royal weddings, like that of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III or Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. You may also think back on viral celebrations like Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra's or Sofia Richie and Elliot Grainge's. But one celebrity wedding we don't talk about nearly enough is Celine Dion and René Angélil's.

December 17, 2024, marks what would have been the couple's milestone 30th anniversary. (Angélil tragically passed away in 2016 following a lengthy battle with cancer.) The prolific singer married her husband at the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal, but the ceremony was also broadcast on TV so fans around the world could tune in. The five-time Grammy Award-winner wore an ornate ball gown with a 20-foot train, which she accessorized with a six-pound tiara—and it actually landed her in the hospital! (Not to worry, though. To this day, Dion maintains that she wouldn't change a thing about her iconic ensemble.) Relive René Angélil and Celine Dion's wedding here, from our favorite photos to more little-known fun facts from the Canadian celebration.

In this article:

• Look Back on Celine Dion's Relationship With René Angélil
• René Angélil and Celine Dion's Wedding Photos
• All About Celine Dion's Wedding Dress
• Celine Dion's Bold Wedding Headpiece Details

Look Back on Celine Dion's Relationship With René Angélil

Photo: Frank Micelotta / Getty Images

Celine Dion and René Angélil were married for 22 years before his death in 2016. The pair met in 1980 when Dion was just 12 years old. After she recorded her first song, her mother Thérèse sent a recording to Angélil, a well-known producer and talent manager. He invited the aspiring songstress to his office to listen to her perform and was instantly captivated by her talent. "While I was singing he started to cry," Dion later told People. "I knew then I had done a good job."

FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT

The next year, Angélil remortgated his home to fund Dion's first album, La Voix du bon Dieu. They began quietly dating in 1987, but kept their relationship under wraps so their 26-year age gap wouldn't distract from her budding success. Although they got engaged in 1991, the pair didn't publicize their romance until she thanked him in the notes of her album The Colour of My Love. "René, for so many years I've kept our special dream locked away inside my heart. But now it's too powerful to keep inside," she wrote.

After tying the knot in a lavish ceremony on December 17, 1994, they continued to collaborate professionally. When Angélil was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1999, Dion took a break from her career to support his recovery. They went on to welcome their first son together, René-Charles, in January 2001. Twins Eddy and Nelson joined the family in October 2010. Angélil sadly passed away from throat cancer on January 14, 2016, just two days before his 74th birthday. During a Las Vegas residency performance later that year, Dion revealed that her late husband was the "only man" she ever loved. She marked the fifth anniversary of his death in a now-deleted Instagram post in 2021, writing "We're reaching out to you now more than ever, to guide us, protect us, and continue to watch over us…You are in our hearts and in our lives forever."

René Angélil and Celine Dion's Wedding Photos

Photo: Laurence Labat/Sygma / Getty Images

The luxurious grandeur of René Angélil and Celine Dion's wedding solidified it as one of the most memorable celebrity vow swaps, well, ever. The prolific pair tied the knot on December 17, 1994, at the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal in Canada. Cameras were on site to broadcast the wedding on Canadian television, giving fans a glimpse into the exclusive event. After the ceremony, the newlyweds celebrated with a private reception. (Thanks to a few rare photos, we know that Celine Dion's wedding cake appears to have been a towering collection of profiteroles, a French version of cream-filled puff pastries.)

Looking back on the wedding in a 2024 video with Vogue Magazine, Dion said, "I still feel his presence so much. This is a moment that will be with me for the rest of my life."

All About Celine Dion's Wedding Dress

Photo: PONOPRESSE/Gamma-Rapho / Getty Images

Given the momentous occasion, Dion needed an unforgettable gown to match the exquisite cathedral setting. The "My Heart Will Go On" singer turned to husband-and-wife duo Mirella and Steve Gentile for her dress. She donned a long sleeve lace ball gown with a sweetheart neckline, sequined embroidery and a dramatic Basque waistline. (This exact style has recently taken the Bridal Fashion Week runways by storm, proving that The bride's lengthy 20-foot train drew comparisons to Princess Diana's, who married Prince Charles 13 years prior.

In an interview with French press on the day of the wedding, Dion opened up about the inspiration for her quintessential bridal look. "I wanted a girl's dress. I wanted a princess dress like we dream in our dreams," she told reporters. "Well, I'm paying the price today because I tell you it's not easy to...move with that, and it's very heavy too, but I don't regret it. It's once in my life, and I'm very happy."

Photo: Laurence Labat/Sygma / Getty Images

Given the elaborate sequin and gemstone beading that covered Dion's wedding dress, Vogue France estimated that the entire design could have taken over 1,000 hours to create. Before the official procession down the aisle, Dion arrived at the venue in a cropped white fur coat. Matching the monochrome look was her bouquet: a cluster of white flowers enveloped in a gauzy layer of tulle.

Photo: PONOPRESSE/Gamma-Rapho / Getty Images

"The dress couldn't have been big enough," Dion reminisced in her Vogue interview three decades later. "I could've had six different dresses that night because [Angélil] was, and still is, such a wonderful human being. He brought [out] the best in me. He really did."

Celine Dion's Bold Wedding Headpiece Details

Photo: PONOPRESSE/Gamma-Rapho / Getty Images

Of course, we can't talk about Celine Dion's wedding without touching on her iconic headpiece, which is arguably one of the most memorable elements of her bridal look. (Some might even call it the most iconic celebrity wedding headpiece ever. It's me, hi!) Dion styled her ball gown with a cascading tulle veil that billowed out from a tiara covered in 20,000 sparkling Swarovski crystals. In order for the bride to "manage the weight" of the six-pound headpiece, the accessory was literally sewn into her sleek updo.

In fact, Dion actually practiced walking with the tiara ahead of time to avoid any faux pas on the big day. But when she arrived at the cathedral, she realized that the floor was made of carpet, not wood like where she rehearsed. "I practiced and everything is smooth and everything is fine, but when I had to walk in the cathedral, it's no wooden floor, it's a carpet. I had an immediate facelift," she recalled. "And it's like, 'Am I going to make it? Am I going to make it to my future husband?' But like I sang, 'Oh, I'm Gonna Run to You.' I did."

Photo: PONOPRESSE/Gamma-Rapho / Getty Images

Little did she know, the headpiece debacle wasn't quite over. After she removed the accessory at the end of the night, a shocking discovery landed her in the hospital. "I had a cut because the pressure was too much," she explained. "The next day, I wake up, I look at myself in the mirror, I have the size of an egg in the middle of my forehead… It's so huge that it makes my eyes [go cross-eyed]." Dion's new husband took her to the doctor for an examination, and she had to go on antibiotics for three weeks to heal the wound.

Alas, it was just one anecdote to come from one of Dion's favorite days. In hindsight, she told Vogue, she still wouldn't change a thing: "When you're so happy, there's no weight, there's no problem, there's no pain."