Simone Biles is a superstar in the gymnastics world in her own right. One of America’s most decorated athletes, she is the proud winner of seven Olympic and 25 World Championship medals. Her popularity soared during her astounding performances at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, where she picked up gold medals in the vault, floor and all-around portions of the competition.
Apart from the sporting world, Biles is also an incredible advocate for mental health issues. While she participated in competitions that aided the United States in qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she eventually withdrew from the sporting event. Her decision was lauded by her fans and the sporting community and prompted a debate over how the mental health of athletes should be better cared for.
Now, Biles is set to be a more personal inspiration to her family. She has endured hardships in her personal life, but she has also been there for her family during times of need and joyous moments. And on April 22, 2023, Biles had many reasons to celebrate as she got married to American football player Jonathan Owens. The pair have been together since August 2020.
In May 2023, Vogue released a video of Biles’ final wedding dress fitting with New York-based designer Galia Lahav. In it, the award-winning gymnast revealed what she knew she wanted in a dress as well as what surprised her about the final choice. Her excitement and enthusiasm were clearly palpable and shined through. Read on to learn more about Biles’ multiple weddings and her beautiful gown.
Be sure to reach the end of this article to see the full video 🙂
Simone Biles (2019), (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Sport via Getty Images)
Biles was born on March 14, 1997, in Columbus, Ohio. She was one of four children who were all eventually placed in the foster care system. According to Sky News, Biles’ mother often fed a stray cat rather than her children, leaving the kids hungry. “She always fed it but she never fed us,” Biles said.
In 2003, after her maternal grandparents found out their grandchildren were in foster care, they adopted Biles and her younger sister. Biles’s aunt adopted the other two children.
In 2012, Biles made the decision to switch from public school to home school so she could focus on her gymnastics skills and training. She reportedly spent anywhere from 20 to 30 hours a week practicing gymnastics. Biles eventually decided to take her gymnastics to the professional level and hasn’t looked back since.
With seven Olympic medals, it’s safe to say that Biles has done well for herself in the athletic world. Her personal life has had its fair share of ups and downs, but in more recent years, Biles has had several reasons to celebrate. Biles and her now-husband, Owens, announced their engagement on Feb. 15, 2022, in a post that showed the football player down on one knee.
Fast forward to April 22, 2023, and the happy couple tied the knot, officially becoming husband and wife. Biles shared plenty of photos and videos from that day. In one, she said she was “officially” an Owens. Biles also called her husband her “person, forever.”
Prior to their wedding day, Biles and Owens obtained their wedding license and even practiced cutting the cake! Biles also had a stunning bridal shower.
However, the happy couple had a surprise up their sleeves — their low-key courthouse wedding was just the first official celebration of their love, as soon after, they jetted off to Mexico for a destination wedding where they pulled out all the stops.
Simone Biles (2021), (Theo Wargo/Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images)
Biles and Owens’ simple courthouse wedding took place first. According to PEOPLE, the couple got married in a courthouse, and Biles’ wedding attire was ordered that very same week. Her wedding dress cost just under $120, while her shoes cost about $35, although they usually retail for closer to $60.
While some future brides may have found inspiration in Biles’ wedding style, others criticized the gymnast for her appearance on her wedding day. Some people said her hair looked “unkempt,” while others said she “should have laid her edges.”
Fortunately, many of Biles’ fans came to her defense and reminded everyone of what really mattered on that day. One Twitter user wrote, “I didn’t even focus on Simone Biles hair, her and hubby look extremely happy on their wedding day and did it their way.” Another said:
“Simone Biles is one of THEE top gymnasts we’ve ever seen, has overcame situations of abuse and other obstacles in her childhood, has defined her own success and found love and is now happily married… And y’all worried about her hair…..?!”
Biles even replied to the latter tweet and said: “i think they also forget i live in HOUSTON TEXAS & I sweat those out!! soon as we stepped outside for pics.” She added, ”but they can keep complaining idc idc idc.”
While it’s disheartening to see that some people could have potentially ruined Biles’ happy day with their harsh comments, the gymnast has proven that her love and happiness with her husband can overpower anything. To the haters’ surprise, Biles’ courthouse wedding was just the first in a series of wedding events. The couple held a destination wedding in Mexico next, while Vogue released a video of the gymnast’s final wedding dress fitting in New York.
Jonathon Owens, Simone Biles (2022), (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images Sport via Getty Images)
On May 8, 2023, Biles and Owens released pictures of their stunning destination wedding in Cabo, Mexico. Held seaside, the couple posed in front of a floral wreath with friends and family surrounding them. An emotional photo of Owens with tears in his eyes conveyed the big feelings that must have taken place that day.
The couple looked stunning as usual, particularly Biles, as she glowed in her lace dress and long veil. Luckily for us, the fashion-forward athlete took us behind the scenes at her final dress fitting with New York-based designer Galia Lahav in a video that was filmed earlier. In the collaboration video shared by Vogue, Biles explained why she and Owens had two weddings: “We had to get married ‘legally’ here in the U.S. since our wedding will be a destination wedding.”
As she walked into Galia Lahav’s New York atelier, Biles exclaimed with a laugh:
“I found my dress in the DMs, (and) I found my future husband in the DMs!”
As she walked through the gorgeous space, Biles explained she always knew her dress had “to be a Galia Lahav. And so once I looked at the dresses I was like this is definitely my style. I like the sheer, I like how it fits, and then the little pearl details, I love the pearls. If there’s something else I wanted at my wedding, it’s flowers and pearls.”
Biles was beaming as she stood proudly in her gorgeous gown. She admitted she was “nervous” about making her “life-changing walk” down the aisle. “It’s like everything you’ve hoped and dreamed of,” she said.
What do you think about Simone Biles and her stunning wedding gown? Do you think she was smart to plan a low-key style for her courthouse ceremony and go all out for her destination wedding? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones!
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