John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Wedding Plans Were Ruined so They Improvised
As reflected in The Beatles’ “The Ballad of John and Yoko,” John Lennon and Yoko Ono wanted to get married quickly — even if Ono’s visa meant they had limited options. After trying a cruise and embassies, these two improved a wedding plan in 1969.
When did John Lennon and Yoko Ono meet?
Aside from writing and recording original music, Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr developed close relationships (and even married). Lennon first met the peace activist and musician Yoko Ono in 1966.
The two became inseparable, even if some of the other Beatles weren’t supportive initially.
“You can quote Paul, it’s probably in the papers, he said it many times at first he hated Yoko, and then he got to like her,” Lennon said during an interview with Rolling Stone. “But it’s too late for me. I’m for Yoko… Ringo was all right, so was Maureen, but the other two really gave it to us.”
Ono appeared close to the Beatles while they rehearsed for their rooftop performance, as seen during the Disney+ documentary series.
When did John Lennon and Yoko Ono get married?
These star-crossed lovers wanted to get married right away. Due to Ono’s visa status, they were pretty limited in their options.
“We wanted to get married on a cross-channel ferry – that was the romantic part,” Lennon said in the Beatles’ Anthology documentary. “We went to Southampton, and then we couldn’t get on because she wasn’t English, and she couldn’t get the day visa to go across. They said, ‘Anyway, you can’t get married. The Captain’s not allowed to do it anymore.'”
The couple eventually married at the British Consulate Office in Gibraltar in 1969.
“We chose Gibraltar because it is quiet, British, and friendly,” Lennon added, according to Far Out Magazine. “We tried everywhere else first… We were no more successful with cruise ships. We tried embassies, but three weeks’ residence in Germany or two weeks in France were required.”
John Lennon and Yoko Ono wrote and released music together
The couple was enamored with one another, with Lennon releasing “Oh Yoko” in 1971. They collaborated on the holiday track “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” with Lennon becoming one of the first Beatles to release a Christmas-themed song as a solo artist.
One of their most popular songs was “Give Peace a Chance,” which served as a protest song for the Vietnam War. This wouldn’t be the first time these two spoke out against the war, as they appeared in a bed-in while in Europe, speaking with journalists in the process.
Ono and Lennon collaborated on “Instant Karma,” later covered by the rock band Bleachers. Years after Lennon’s death, Ono continues to release music as a solo artist. Music by Lennon and Ono is available on most major streaming platforms.
