Marriage is a sacred institution that should be entered into solemnly and after as much thought, communication and reflection as possible. Right? Fittingly, research shows that the longer you court your lover before you get engaged, the less likely you are to divorce in the long run.
Of course, sometimes you just know. Or sometimes you both think you know. Or sometimes you’re rebounding. Or sometimes you just make a really bad decision. Whatever the reason, some couples — especially celebrity couples — get engaged super-quickly. Sometimes it lasts and sometimes it doesn’t, but hey, we learn from every experience in life!
Quick engagements, like Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin’s or Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra’s, seem to be totally in right now. With that in mind, let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable whirlwind relationships and whether they lasted.
George Clooney & Amal Clooney
George Clooney was undoubtedly the biggest bachelor in Hollywood in 2013, but he swore he'd never marry again after his 1993 divorce. That all changed when he met humanitarian attorney Amal Alamuddin, and the pair started dating in London. Within six months, Clooney was down on one knee with a 7-carat diamond ring, and less than a year after their first date, they tied the knot in Venice.
This story has a happy ending so far. They've been married for four years and have an adorable set of 1-year-old twins.
Khloé Kardashian & Lamar Odom
The Kardashians are pros at whirlwind relationships — and Khloé Kardashian really took it to the limit with Los Angeles Lakers player Lamar Odom. The two met at the birthday party of fellow Laker Metta World Peace and were married a month later, to the day, in a large and glamorous ceremony.
Kardashian and Odom separated in 2012, though they didn't get their divorce finalized until the end of 2016 — four years later! Kardashian is now dating another ball player, Tristan Thompson, and this time they decided to have a baby before saying any vows.
Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon
Diva Mariah Carey and actor Nick Cannon got married in the Bahamas after just six weeks of dating — and after Cannon proposed by hiding an engagement ring in a Ring Pop wrapper. The couple got off to a good start, and twins Monroe and Moroccan were born three years in. However, things soon got rocky.
But there's a silver lining. Although the couple split six years after marrying, they are happy and cooperative co-parents who respect each other and get along great (even if they don't want to get back together).
Ariana Grande & Pete Davidson
Singer Ariana Grande and actor Pete Davidson were both coming off long-term relationships when they began dating in late May (Grande had been dating Mac Miller, and Davidson was dating Cazzie David). We're really hoping that they're not acting rashly in light of their rebounds. They not only got engaged in a matter of weeks, they've also gotten tattoos to show the permanence of their love. Grande and Davidson are obviously ga-ga over one another, but that's pretty common this early in a relationship.
We're going to have to see how this one plays out, but we wish them the best!
Katy Perry & Russell Brand
We absolutely can't talk about whirlwind relationships without mentioning the cautionary tale of pop songstress Katy Perry and actor/comedian Russell Brand. The doomed couple met in September 2009 at the MTV Music Awards and wed just 13 months later in India, even though their busy schedules meant that they hadn't spent much time together, they both admitted later. Their relationship was over by the end of 2011, after months of media speculation.
Blac Chyna & Rob Kardashian
Rob Kardashian and model/entrepreneur Blac Chyna announced their engagement on Instagram in April 2016 after just three months of dating. Eight months later, they had a daughter named Dream, but they split by the end of 2016. The breakup has been messy, too. At one point, Kardashian posted sexually explicit pics of his ex online, and Chyna quickly filed and was granted a restraining order.
This couple was smart to call off the wedding when it was clear it wasn't going to end in a happily ever after.
Nicholas Cage & Alice Kim
Nicholas Cage isn't new to whirlwind relationships. In 2002, he had a 107-day marriage to Lisa Marie Presley after a 10-day engagement (and two years of on-and-off dating). He may have learned a little bit that mistake, though. In 2004, he married then-19-year-old waitress Alice Kim after only a few months of dating. The couple had a son in 2005, named Kal-El (Superman's birth name), and had a solid 11-year relationship until they announced their split in January 2016.
Reportedly, Cage is taking a break from dating, which might be a good thing.
Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes
This whirlwind relationship got so much coverage that it kind of felt like it happened to us. In 2005, after just seven weeks of dating, actors Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes announced their engagement, complete with Cruise jumping up and down on Oprah's couch.
The couple enjoyed a posh wedding, the birth of daughter Suri in 2006, and more than five years of marriage before things went pretty wrong. Holmes left not only after her romantic relationship soured but also after she voiced concerns about the Church of Scientology, of which Cruise is a notable member.
It's been rumored that Katie Holmes has been dating Jamie Foxx for years, but they've managed to keep things very quiet — and to go more slowly.
Hailey Baldwin & Justin Bieber
Power couple Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber seemed to get engaged totally out of the blue, but that's not the whole story. The pop star and the model have known each other for years. Bieber and Baldwin met at events throughout their teens, and she said they've been friends for the last eight years.
"I've known him since I was so young — since I was like 13 — and we've just been good friends over the years," Baldwin said, according to CNN. "We have just stayed close and there's nothing more to it than that."
Still, it was pretty shocking for everyone when the young couple (he's 24, she's 21) announced their engagement in early July after only weeks of dating (though they also briefly dated in 2016). Here's hoping they get their happily ever after together!
Priyanka Chopra & Nick Jonas
This has been another surprise celebrity engagement of the summer: actor Priyanka Chopra and singer Nick Jonas reportedly got engaged in July, though they've only been officially dating for about two months.
They first appeared together at the 2017 Met Gala, but they've been saying that there was nothing romantic between them until this summer, when they started showing up both in public and in each other's Instagram feeds. But whether it's been a year or two months of romance, that's still not a lot of time before popping the big question. Here's to a relationship that's longer than your courtship!
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