Matthew Lowe, the eldest son of actor Rob Lowe, married Emily Markus in Santa Barbara, California, bringing together a constellation of Hollywood stars even as the family continues to mourn a devastating loss.
The groom, 33, is the firstborn of the “Wayne’s World” star and makeup artist Sheryl Berkoff, who have been married for 35 years. His younger brother, John Owen Lowe, also belongs to the tight-knit family that has been thrust into grief in recent weeks.
The wedding guest list read like a roll call of A-list celebrities. Cameron Diaz, Adam Levine, Katy Perry, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña and Maria Shriver were all spotted at the ceremony, according to exclusive photos from the event. Gwyneth Paltrow took on the role of officiant, guiding the couple through their vows.
Markus herself offered a glimpse into the pre-wedding excitement on Instagram Stories. She posted a sunset photo of tables and festive flags at local restaurant Bluewater Grill, where festivities appeared to be taking shape ahead of the main event.
“It’s wedding weekend eve!” she wrote atop the picture.
The celebration arrived less than two weeks after a tragedy struck the extended Lowe family. Fiona Lowe, the 13-year-old daughter of Rob’s younger brother Chad Lowe, died on September 29. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner confirmed on October 1 that the cause of death was suicide.
Chad Lowe, known for his role on “Pretty Little Liars,” and his wife, producer Kim Painter, had three daughters together: Mabel, now 17, Fiona, and Nixie, now 10. The family released a statement expressing their anguish shortly after Fiona’s death.
“We are deeply heartbroken by the loss of our beloved Fiona. She was a loving young girl who was smart, creative and loved to dance,” the family shared in their statement.
“She was adored by her sisters and she was deeply loved by her parents. In fact, she was the light of our lives. Her passing is devastating for our entire family and we ask for prayers and privacy at this time.”
The statement closed with a message for others who might be struggling: “If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.”
The Los Angeles community surrounding the Lowe family responded with an outpouring of support following the teen’s death, with neighbors and friends offering help and tributes flooding social media platforms.
John Owen Lowe turned to Instagram to process the family loss, sharing an Emily Dickinson poem about resilience and hope. “HOPE is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all,” the poem begins.
“And sweetest in the gale is heard; and sore must be the storm that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm,” it continues.
“I’ve heard it in the chillest land, and on the strangest sea; yet, never, in extremity, it asked a crumb of me.”
Chad Lowe himself returned to social media on Thursday after his daughter’s death, breaking his silence with a repost from Olivia Hunt’s “On Healing” podcast featuring guest Gerry Hussey. The footage contained reflections on human connection and finding peace through difficult times.
“We are all part of the frequency,” Hussey said in the clip Chad shared. “We both possess the human and the divine.”
“When you ask yourself the deeper, bigger questions and you move beyond human existence and through meditation or something else, you experience the transcendental experience,” Hussey continued.
“We are connected to everything that is, it just makes sense and there’s nothing there but peace in love.”
The wedding of Matthew and Emily thus unfolded at a complex moment for the Lowe clan, marking both a joyous new chapter and a gathering of loved ones still reeling from profound sorrow. The presence of so many famous faces suggested the couple’s place within Hollywood’s social fabric, even as the family’s private grief remained palpable.
The contrast between public celebration and private mourning has defined the Lowes’ recent weeks, with the wedding offering a moment of togetherness amid ongoing healing.