Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been together for over 20 years, and their relationship has produced more art than anyone could have anticipated. They've also created three children, Blue Ivy, who was born in 2012, and their twins Rumi and Sir, born in 2017.
The couple is very thoughtful about what they share from their marriage and family, but a lot of it comes through their music and their travels and tours across the world. Here's all the big moments from their long, loving relationship.
2000
Beyoncé told Seventeen that she met Jay-Z when she was 18, but they began dating about a year and a half later, when she was 19 years old. The rapper is 12 years older than his wife.
“We were friends first for a year and a half before we went on any dates,” the pop icon told Oprah Winfrey in an OWN interview. "We were on the phone for a year and a half, and that foundation is so important for a relationship. Just to have someone who you just like is so important, and someone [who] is honest."
November 2001
The couple are put on the cover of Vanity Fair's November 2001 music issue. Jay-Z later told the magazine that at the time of the cover they “were just beginning to try to date each other.”
He added, “Well, you know, you've got to try first. You got to dazzle... wine and dine...She's a charming Southern girl, you know, she's not impressed... But I would have definitely had to be this cool.”
October 2002
The two collaborate on Jay-Z's track “'03 Bonnie & Clyde” featuring Beyoncé's vocals and filming a music video together in Mexico.
May 2003
They do a switcheroo, and Beyoncé releases the song “Crazy in Love” featuring Jay-Z. They win a Grammy for Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2004. At this point, their relationship still wasn't official, though fans and followers assume they're together.
August 2004
Beyoncé and Jay-Z make their red carpet debut at the MTV VMAs in Miami, and each win an award.
September 2006
Beyoncé releases her B'Day album and Jay-Z is again her collaborator, appearing in “Déjà Vu” and “Upgrade U.”
November 2006
The rapper releases Kingdom Come and Beyoncé is heard on “Hollywood.”
April 2008
On April 4, 2008, Beyoncé and Jay-Z get married in very secretive and intimate ceremony.
“It was a very emotional wedding—lots of crying—and really very spiritual,” a source told People at the time, saying it was held at the rapper's Manhattan penthouse, and they decorated the luxurious apartment with 70,000 dendrobium orchids flown in from Thailand for the event.
“There was no rush—no one expected me to run off and get married,” Beyoncé later told Seventeen of her big day. “I really don't believe that you will love the same thing when you're 20 as you do at 30. So that was my rule: Before the age of 25, I would never get married. I feel like you have to get to know yourself, know what you want, spend some time by yourself, and be proud of who you are before you can share that with someone else.”
August 2008
In an interview with Vibe, Jay-Z finally confirmed their wedding ceremony.
“That's ridiculous for me to confirm,” he explained. “I don't have … I'm gonna say, I think that was a ridiculous question. I just think it's really a part of your life that you gotta keep to yourself … You have to, or you'll go insane in this type of business. You have to have something that's sacred to you and the people around you … I shared so much of my life, my childhood, and my family, the death of my nephew with the world. I should have something to hold on to. You need something for your sanity to say, ‘Okay, I could chill out, and this is it.’”
October 2008
Beyoncé and Jay-Z share that they have matching tattoos of the Roman numeral IV on their ring fingers, which is significant because Beyoncé was born on September 4; Jay-Z on December 4; and they were married on April 4.
November 2008:
Beyoncé tells Seventeen what she's learned from her relationship so far, saying, “I guess probably that we're all human. I don't care if you're picture-perfect on every magazine cover, and you're the most handsome, successful, coolest guy—you still get sad, and you still get your feelings hurt, and you still get confused and vulnerable and nervous and scared. You have to find a person you can make it through the tough times with.”
January 2009
The couple were in attendance at the inauguration of President Obama's first term in the White House, and Beyoncé contributed her talent to sing him in, starting with “America the Beautiful” at his swearing-in ceremony followed by Etta James' “At Last” as Barack and Michelle Obama shared their first dance at his inaugural ball.
August 2011
The couple revealed that they're expecting at the MTV VMAs in Los Angeles. Beyoncé wore an outfit revealing her baby bump. When she took to the stage to perform “Love on Top,” she told the audience, “I want you to stand up on your feet. I want you to feel the love that's growing inside me.”
In her 2013 HBO documentary Life Is But a Dream, she revealed that Blue Ivy was not her first pregnancy.
“About two years ago, I was pregnant for the first time,” she said. “And I heard the heartbeat, which was the most beautiful music I ever heard in my life … Being pregnant was very much like falling in love. You are so open. You are so overjoyed. There's no words that can express having a baby growing inside of you, so of course you want to scream it out and tell everyone.... I flew back to New York to get my check up—and no heartbeat. Literally the week before I went to the doctor, everything was fine, but there was no heartbeat.”
January 2012
Blue Ivy Carter is born to the couple on January 7, 2012 in New York City.
February 2012
Beyoncé and Jay-Z share the first pics of Blue Ivy on Beyoncé's Tumblr, the popular mode of communication at the time.
“We welcome you to share in our joy. Thank you for respecting our privacy during this beautiful time in our lives,” they wrote.
January 2013
The married couple are present for President Obama's second inauguration as well, where she sings “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
February 2013
Beyoncé's Life Is But a Dream documentary is released, sharing details of their life that haven't been seen before, like Beyoncé's early pregnancy days.
July 2013
Magna Carta Holy Grail is released, including the track “Part II (On the Run)” in which Jay-Z duets with his wife.
December 2013
Beyoncé's iconic self-titled album was released, making it a full visual album for all 14 songs, which included her massive hit “Drunk in Love” with Jay-Z.
June 2014
On June 25, Jay-Z and Beyoncé kick off their On the Run Tour in Miami that runs for 21 dates. That same summer, they are plagued by rumors of a split.
August 2014
On August 24, Beyoncé receives the MTV Video Vanguard Award, which is presented to her by her husband and their daughter Blue Ivy.
“Thank you. I have nothing to say, but I'm thrilled with so much gratitude,“ she said in her acceptance speech. “I just thank God for this moment. I love y'all so much," she tearfully told the crowd. "My beloved, I love you. My fans, I love you. MTV, I love you. Good night!”
In her new remix of “***Flawless” with Nicki Minaj, she says, “Of course sometimes sh*t go down when it's a billion dollars on the elevator,” seemingly referencing the incident from May.
That same month, Solange is asked about the fight in her Lucky cover story, calling it “that thing.”
“What's important is that my family and I are all good,” she said. “What we had to say collectively was in the statement that we put out, and we all feel at peace with that.”
October 2014
For Halloween, Beyoncé dresses up as Janet Jackson, and Blue Ivy is a little Michael Jackson
The Grammy winner shared a carousel of images displaying the look at its full power, wearing her blonde hair half up, and donning black opera gloves and black heels. In some of the pictures, Jay-Z and his tuxedo can be seen by her side at dinner. They were eventually photographed leaving Harry’s Bar in London Mayfair.
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