Parties You Will Never Get Into

Can You Keep a Secret? We’re Getting Married!

Mariah Carey weds Nick Cannon in what is probably the year’s biggest celebrity marriage secret. Heck, not even I knew, and I am Mr. Showbiz. Just how much of a secret was it? Read on.

In stark contrast to the extravagant and widely-publicized wedding ceremonies that transpired in her prior marriage to Tommy Mottola, Carey’s marriage to Cannon was consummated with nary a public announcement. The multiple Grammy-winning singer wed the “Drumline” star and rapper in a secret ceremony that was described as “very impulsive.” A source was even quoted as saying, “there was no prenup – there wasn’t time.” Impulsive indeed. (The couple actually got a quickie prenup done).

The quiet wedding took place on April 30, 2008 at Carey’s newly purchased home in the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. Rapper Da Brat, a close personal friend of Carey’s, was among the very few prominent guests in attendance. The ceremony was officiated by Bishop Clifford Petty of the National Church of God right on the patio of Carey’s mansion.

The secrecy of the whole affair shocked both Carey’s and Cannon’s family and friends but they had nothing but kind words and good wishes for the newlyweds. Members of Cannon’s family found out about the wedding through media reports. As is typical of many Hollywood match ups, their whirlwind romance which culminated in marriage lasted a very short time: six weeks to be exact. When asked about their feelings for each other, Carey would gush that she and Cannon were soul mates. Cannon, when asked what he loved about Carey would reply simply, “everything.”

Photographs from the ceremony that surfaced to the public show Carey wearing a white veil and Cannon in a white suit. Photos also showed the couple’s new tattoos: he got a large “Mariah” tattoo across his back, while she got a small butterfly with the letters “MC” on her lower back.

Carey, the soprano coloratura who made her international debut in 1990 and enjoyed considerable mainstream success in the following years, had been friends with Cannon for a long time. Carey, 38, and Cannon, 27, appeared to have connected on a deeper level when they collaborated on the video for Carey’s single “Bye Bye.”

After work began on the video, the couple was seen dating and Carey was frequently seen sporting a 17-carat diamond ring. Rumors quickly surfaced that this was the same ring Cannon gave to his ex-fiancée Selita Ebanks, but Ebanks’ representative debunked these rumors.