It was a match made in Super Bowl heaven — and witnessed by more than 135 million people.
Eleisa “Elli” Aparicio said “I do” to Thomas “Tommy” Wolter during the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, Feb. 8, turning the worldwide football spectacle into a giant, globally televised love story. According to a post from Covina Valley Unified School District’s Facebook page, Aparicio is a graduate of Covina High.
“A proud moment for Covina-Valley Unified and a special celebration of our alumna on one of the world’s biggest stages. Congratulations to Elly and her husband!,” the post read.
The moment, halfway through Puerto Rican pop sensation Bad Bunny’s 13-minute medley on Sunday, was an actual wedding ceremony. And then Lady Gaga serenaded the newlyweds with a surprise rendition of “Die with a Smile.”
The performance briskly moved on. The couple sat on the stage, near a three-tiered cake, which they took a big slice out of before dancing off as Bad Bunny sang and twirled around them in a massive party on the field of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, in front of a sold-out crowd of 70,000 fans.
The couple had invited Bad Bunny to their planned wedding, according to the statement from the singer’s public relations agency, which did not name them or provide any details about them. In response, they received an invitation to be part of his halftime show and were married there, with Bad Bunny serving as a witness and signing their marriage certificate.
The whirlwind performance from the singer/songwriter — born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — led a joyful celebration of Latin culture, performed mostly in Spanish. It featured a sugar cane field, domino players, a New York-style street scene complete with a bodega and a pan-American parade. Entertainers Ricky Martin, Karol G, Cardi B, Jessica Alba and Pedro Pascal were also featured — briefly.
The performance was praised by many, but condemned by President Donald Trump on social media because of the popular entertainer’s criticism of the administration’s amped-up immigration enforcement and the deaths of two protesters in Minnesota.
“An unforgettable dance with the love of my life,” the groom posted on his Instagram page. “Cannot thank @badbunnypr enough for this beautiful opportunity of a lifetime.”
And a post on his bride’s Instagram from long before the Super Bowl affirmed her own emotions on their bond.
“If I could say yes a million times more, I would,” Elly Aparicio posted on her Instagram page. “Here’s to forever and a lifetime with my best friend. Each year with you has been nothing short of perfect, and I CANNOT wait to see what our future holds!”
Both the bride and groom’s social media list them currently as Oregon residents.
It didn’t take long for word of the supreme Super Bowl moment to spread to the bride’s hometown of Covina — a city celebrating for an alumna who just marked a moment like no other.
“A proud Covina moment and a reminder that you never know where life will take you. Congratulations to Elly and her husband on an unforgettable wedding day,” read a post from Jorge Marquez, known as “Mr. Covina” on his social media pages.
A post from Covina High’s Associated Student Body page celebrated a photo of the newlyweds dancing, with Bad Bunny’s performing gaze in the background.
According to a profile from People Magazine, the groom, Wolter, became a registered nurse in March 2021, citing his Instagram. They began dating in February 2023.
Hayley Paige, the wedding dress designer who provided the gown worn by the bride, said that she had been asked to supply a few dresses in January, but did not know until the last minute that her dress would be worn during the show.
In an interview with the New York Times, Paige recalled her excitement when she was told that her dress might be worn by a real bride getting married on the spot. “It wasn’t just a performance,” she said. “It was for a real moment for a girl to just have a time of joy and say yes to her person.”
She watched the halftime show from her atelier in Palm Beach, Fla.
“It’s the best game there is, the best sporting event there is: It’s love,” she added.
This a developing story; watch for updates
The New York Times contributed to this report