Simone Biles had two weddings with her husband Jonathan Owens, which can only mean one thing – two wedding dresses.
After meeting on the celebrity dating app Raya in 2020, the Olympic gymnast tied the knot with the NFL player in a civil ceremony at the Harris County Courthouse in Houston, Texas, in April 2023 in an ivory halterneck wedding dress with a layered skirt and a tie-back.
But it was her second bridal gown she wore on 6 May 2023 that was truly show-stopping. Like most brides, Simone had a clear idea in her mind about what style of wedding dress she wanted to wear on her big day, but she surprised herself by choosing the complete opposite.
Simone was a radiant bride in a Galia Lahav princess-style gown, which featured a sheer corset bodice covered with applique flowers and a ballgown skirt with a thigh-split. Speaking of her dress, the petite gymnast told Vogue: "I went with my gut feeling and what I felt the most beautiful in. I actually got a dress that I originally said I wouldn’t like."
She continued by explaining she was originally against the idea of choosing a tulle, A-line skirt as she didn't think it would suit her height and frame. "I was nervous about having a ball gown because I’m so petite – but it works perfect," she added, explaining that the other features helped balance out the skirt.
"The leg slit was very crucial. It was to add, in my head, more length to my body."
It's clear that Jonathan was blown away by his bride's outfit at their beachfront wedding in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. One photo captured the groom holding back tears as he caught sight of Simone walking down the aisle at the Umi Terrace of the Nobu Los Cabos in front of 140 guests.
While the couple later described their ceremony as "dreamy" and "magical", Simone admitted that she was very nervous ahead of her second wedding.
"I actually felt so sick the entire day, and when it was almost time to walk, my heart was beating out of my chest. I’ve never been so nervous before in my life. [But,] I felt confident walking down the aisle. Seeing Jonathan at the altar was a dream," said Simone, who announced her engagement in February 2022.
Since their wedding, Jonathan has been a vocal supporter of his new wife, who won her record eighth US gymnastics championship on Sunday night, 10 years after she captured her first world title.
He previously admitted to reporters that she is an inspiration to him. "Just watching her and how she worked every day going into the Olympics – her focus and her drive – it just makes you want to get up and do something because your partner is doing that," Jonathan gushed.