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When was melonia trump born and when did she marry trump

Checked on November 17, 2025
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Executive summary

Melania Trump (born Melanija Knavs, later Melania Knauss) was born April 26, 1970, in Novo Mesto, then Yugoslavia (now Slovenia) [1] [2]. She and Donald J. Trump married on January 22, 2005, at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida, with a Mar-a-Lago reception — a date repeatedly noted in contemporary profiles and anniversary coverage [1] [3] [4].

1. A clear answer: birth date and wedding date

Public biographies and archival material agree Melania Trump was born April 26, 1970, in Novo Mesto, Yugoslavia (now Slovenia) [1] [2]. Her wedding to Donald Trump took place January 22, 2005, at Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, followed by a reception at Mar-a-Lago — widely reported by Britannica, the White House Historical Association, People and local Florida outlets [1] [2] [3] [4].

2. Consistency across mainstream biographical sources

Major reference sites — Britannica, White House Historical Association and multiple long-form biographies — are consistent on both key facts: the 1970 birth year and the January 22, 2005 wedding date [1] [2] [5]. Entertainment and archival outlets such as IMDb and Biography also list the same dates, indicating broad agreement across encyclopedia, archival and media profiles [6] [5].

3. How these details have been used in news coverage

News outlets used those dates as anchors for anniversary stories and timelines when Melania returned to the public eye during Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration cycle; outlets noted the couple celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary on Jan. 22, 2025 [7] [8] [3]. Local reporting in Palm Beach and national outlets revisited the 2005 wedding’s guest list and reception at Mar-a-Lago when covering the anniversary [3] [4].

4. Context about her early life and name changes

Background coverage explains Melania was born Melanija Knavs and later used Melania Knauss during her modeling career; she moved to New York in the mid-1990s and met Donald Trump at a 1998 party, per multiple profiles [9] [6] [5]. Those biographical details are routinely paired with her birth date and wedding date in encyclopedic and press accounts [9] [5].

5. What sources do not say (limitations of available reporting)

Available sources do not mention any conflicting, credible records that dispute April 26, 1970, or the Jan. 22, 2005 wedding date; the materials provided offer no reputable alternative birthdate or wedding date [1] [2]. If you seek primary documents (birth certificate, marriage license), those were not included in the provided reporting and thus are "not found in current reporting" here [1] [4].

6. Why these dates matter in public coverage

Reporters and historians use the birth year and wedding date to place Melania’s life in political and cultural context — for example, noting she was 34 at the time of the wedding and that Barron Trump was born the following year in 2006, which situates family chronology amid Trump’s public career [1] [10]. Anniversary coverage around the 20th year amplified interest in the wedding location (Mar-a-Lago) and celebrity guest lists, reflecting how personal milestones are used in political storytelling [3] [4].

7. Competing emphases in the sources: biography vs. tabloid detail

Encyclopedic sources (Britannica, White House Historical Association) focus on factual chronology — birth, immigration, marriage — and Melania’s initiatives as first lady [1] [2]. Celebrity and tabloid outlets lean into color: guest lists, fashion moments, and anniversary celebrations [3] [4]. Both approaches repeat the same core dates but serve different reader interests; the former prioritizes documented facts, the latter emphasizes narrative and spectacle [1] [4].

8. Bottom line for your question and next steps if you want primary documents

The available reporting and reference entries consistently list April 26, 1970, as Melania’s birth date and January 22, 2005, as her wedding date to Donald Trump [1] [2] [4]. If you need original primary records (birth certificate or the marriage license), those documents are not included in the provided sources; to obtain them you would typically contact state or municipal vital-records offices in Slovenia for birth records or Palm Beach County for marriage records — but that search is outside the scope of the current reporting [2] [4].

Want to dive deeper?
What is Melania Trump's correct birthdate and birthplace?
When did Melania Knauss first meet Donald Trump and how did their relationship develop?
What are the details and date of Melania and Donald Trump's wedding ceremony?
Has Melania Trump changed her name legally and when did that occur?
What notable events marked Melania Trump's life before becoming First Lady?