By Marisa Laudadio
4:30am PDT, Oct 11, 2023
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Comedian Dane Cook, 51, married fitness instructor Kelsi Taylor, 24, on a private estate in Oahu, Hawaii, on Sept. 23, after six years of dating.
People magazine, which has wedding photos, reported that the couple — who over the years have made headlines for their 26-year-plus age difference — wed in front of just 20 guests.
"We chose Hawaii because it has such a special place in our hearts and our relationship," Dane told People. "It was one of the first trips we ever went on together and we continue to go back often. It's such an oasis, and we couldn't be more excited to have spent our wedding week surrounded by the beauty of Oahu."
Keep reading for all the wedding info — plus more on how they met, what he's said about their large age gap, what Kelsi does for a living…
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Their wedding ceremony
For her Hawaii wedding, Kelsi Taylor wore the Solstice gown from the brand Grace Loves Lace with a Grace veil and clear heels by Amina Muaddi, People magazine reported. "It was one of the first dresses I tried on, and I immediately fell in love with it," she said.
"Marry Me" by Train was the song she chose for her walk down the aisle. "Every time I heard this song it made me so emotional," she said. "I knew it was the pick for the ceremony." She and new husband Dane Cook exited to the hit "You Make My Dreams" by Hall & Oates.
For their vows, the couple went traditional "because to be perfectly honest, I had a feeling that Dane would totally outshine my speech," Kelsi told People. "He has the best way with words, and I knew I wouldn't even be able to match up to his delivery. I also really just wanted to keep our more intimate vows private and to give him a handwritten letter the morning of."
MORE: Stars who got married in 2023
Their wedding reception
Dane Cook and Kelsi Taylor's 20 guests helped the newlyweds celebrate at an oceanside reception where they were greeted with fresh coconuts and '80s music. "We both grew up listening to the '80s and it's such a massive part of our life! We've always bonded over it," Kelsi — who was born in 1998 — told People magazine.
After the bride changed into a second dress — a fitted blush-colored gown by Katie May — they and their guests enjoyed a dinner featuring wedge and local green salads with a yuzu honey dressing, seared beef tenderloin and roasted carrots, People reported.
Desserts included vegan, gluten-free vanilla and traditional vanilla cakes plus a dessert bar with chocolate-covered strawberries and mini donuts. "Because you can never have too many desserts on your wedding day or ever," Kelsi told People.
MORE: Celebrity couples with major age gaps
Their honeymoon — and giving back to Hawaii
Newlyweds Dane Cook and Kelsi Taylor are honeymooning in Hawaii — they're pictured here on vacation in the state in 2018 — where they also married on Sept. 23.
Afterward, they'll head to Los Angeles where the comedian is doing a benefit show at The Laugh Factory in LA on Oct. 5 — 100% of the proceeds are going to support the Maui Strong Fund in the wake of the summer's deadly wildfires.
"I've always loved the genuine appreciation and pride Hawaiians have for their beautiful land, and they are always so kind, accommodating and welcoming. So to learn about the fires last month was beyond heartbreaking. But in the face of tragedy and loss, it's been inspiring to see the strength and resilience of Hawaii," Dane explained to People magazine of why he wanted to do the benefit.
How they met
Comedian Dane Cook met and started dating Kelsi Taylor in May 2017 when she was 18 and he was 44.
In August 2018, Dane revealed in a fan Q&A on his Instagram Story how they got together: "We met at a game night I host at my place," he wrote. "We were friends for a while and soon after fell in like with each [other] and then upgraded to love."
What he's said about their 26-year age gap
Dane Cook knows people have a lot to say about the more than 26-year age gap between himself and Kelsi Taylor. He's claimed he doesn't care, and he's made fun of it too, including in his 2022 comedy special "Above It All."
"Being able to poke fun at it and have some jokes at our own expense, I think it prepared us for what was going to happen," he told People magazine in 2022. "Which is people were going to put us as a target, so if we make the joke first and we're laughing at it, you can't really hurt us with that."
According to Dane, "We knew going into the relationship, we knew that people would have an opinion in the public eye. But mostly, we were very early making jokes where I would say something like, 'I'd love to have a family,' and she would say, 'Oh, I'd love to have a family when I'm young,' and I'd say, 'Well, I'd like that as well because I'd like to hold my children on my death bed.'"
He's said that Kelsi's sense of humor has helped prepare her for the criticism. "She has an incredible sense of humor like I do," he told People in 2022. "People don't see it as much because she's very chill, but she's got a savage sense of humor. You want to roast? You want to sit and watch a 'Real Housewives' with her. She is tremendously funny, and so being able to poke fun at it and have some jokes at our own expense, I think it prepared us for what was going to happen."
He proposed in the summer of 2022 after five years of dating.
Who she is
Mrs. Dane Cook, Kelsi Taylor, is a certified Pilates and TRX instructor as well as a certified food therapist and nutritionist.
She's also a singer. According to People magazine, Kelsi, who grew up in Nevada before moving to California, has provided backing vocals for artists including Demi Lovato and Little Big Town.
In 2018, Dane directed and produced a music video for his future bride's song "Hours."
