Nelly Surprises Ashanti with Hundreds of Roses to Celebrate 2nd Wedding Anniversary
- - Nelly Surprises Ashanti with Hundreds of Roses to Celebrate 2nd Wedding Anniversary
Rachel RaposasDecember 30, 2025 at 3:32 AM
0
Nelly/Instagram
Nelly and Ashanti. -
Nelly surprised Ashanti with a huge floral display in their home to celebrate their second wedding anniversary on Dec. 27
The arrangement included red and pink flowers, tons of bouquets and twinkly romantic candlelight
The two Grammy-winning artists first met in 2003, dated for a decade and rekindled their romance in 2023
Nelly and Ashanti's love for each other is in full bloom — literally!
In a post on Instagram on Dec. 28, Ashanti offered a glimpse into the stunning surprise Nelly (whose real name is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr.) planned for her on their second wedding anniversary on Saturday, Dec. 27. The couple of Grammy Award-winning artists first started dating in 2003, dated for a decade before splitting in 2013, and ultimately rekindling their romance in September 2023.
A clip, which appears to be recorded by Nelly, sees the interior of the couple's home completely filled with red and pink flowers, with bouquets of roses lining a walkway strewn with rose petals and an array of tall candles.
View this post on Instagram
One bouquet of red roses bore a black ribbon across the top that read "Happy ♡ Anniversary" in gold lettering, and beside it, a heart-shaped sign (also made of bright red roses) read "Mrs. Haynes." Ashanti walked through the display holding baby pink bouquet of roses, a hand covering her beaming smile at times as she took in the breathtaking sight.
"Living in the moment all day yesterday ( and night 😈🤣) 12/27/25 I love you babe!!! @nelly ❤️🙏🏽👰🏽♀️🤵🏽💍 Thank you @bloomingboxshop 🌷🌺🌸🌹," Ashanti wrote in the video's caption.
Nelly and Ashanti — who now share son Kareem Kenkaide Hayes, 1 — first met in 2003 at a Grammy Awards press conference, though during VH1’s Behind the Music special, she said "it took him a long time to get my number." Two years later, Ashanti told PEOPLE that she and Nelly "went out," though they weren't "boyfriend and girlfriend" at the time.
Though they made multiple public appearances together, Nelly and Ashanti kept their connection under wraps for years. In 2008, Ashanti seemed to speak on her relationship with Nelly (which was rumored to be nearly five years at that point).
“Me and Nelly, we’re good friends. We kick it – hang out a lot. The industry is very hard, so it’s good to have fun and lighten it up," she said. When asked about her and Nelly possibly getting married, she replied: “Oh no. Noooo! No engagement ... but definitely in the future. Ha! Ha!”
Paras Griffin/Getty
Ashanti and Nelly.
— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Despite breakup rumors in 2013, the pair appeared to be on good terms in the years that followed.
The duo surprised fans later in 2021 when they reunited on the Verzuz stage to perform with Ja Rule and Fat Joe, and two years later they appeared to have rekindled their romance when they were seen holding hands and attending red carpet events together. The couple confirmed their relationship in September 2023 and tied the knot months later on Dec. 27.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
