ABBA legend Björn Ulvaeus has tied the knot for the third time, marrying his partner Christina Sas on Saturday in a ceremony officiated by comedian and ex-“Great British Bake Off” host Sandi Toksvig.
“Today on the 21st of September 2024, Björn Ulvaeus married Christina Sas from Herning, Denmark,” a statement posted on the 79-year-old songwriter and guitarist’s Instagram page reads.
The pair met in the southern German city of Nuremberg in 2021 “in connection with the release of ABBA’s last album Voyage and started dating in the spring of 2022,” the statement continues. “The wedding took place in Copenhagen in the presence of close friends and family.”
Ulvaeus’ representatives confirmed to the PA Media news agency that Toksvig conducted the wedding ceremony.
A Look Back at ABBA's Love Lives
At its outset, ABBA, which dominated the US and European charts in the 1970s, consisted of two couples: Ulvaeus and vocalist Agnetha Fältskog, and songwriter and keyboard player Benny Andersson and vocalist Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
Ulvaeus married Fältskog in 1971 and Andersson and Lyngstad wed in 1978.
After winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Waterloo,” and making global hits such as “Mamma Mia,” “Dancing Queen,” “SOS” and “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight),” Ulvaeus and Fältskog divorced before the release of 1979 song “Voulez-Vous.”
Two years later, Andersson and Lyngstad were also divorced and the group disbanded in 1982.
Ulvaeus married Lena Kallersjö in 1981 but the pair divorced after 41 years of marriage in 2022, a year after ABBA reunited.
He has four children, two from each of his former marriages.
The Wedding and the Guests
A Musical Connection
Toksvig, a comedian and broadcaster, had previously worked on the script for Mamma Mia! The Party, an ABBA-themed dining experience held at The O2 Arena in London. This suggests a long-standing connection between Toksvig and Ulvaeus.
Ulvaeus is known for being one-quarter of Swedish pop group Abba, who this year celebrated 50 years since they won the Eurovision song contest with Waterloo.
The group originally comprised two couples – Ulvaeus and Agnetha Fältskog, and Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Fältskog and Ulvaeus, who married in 1971, divorced in 1980, while Andersson and Lyngstad divorced in 1981 – a year before the band split.
The quartet did not reform to perform at Eurovision this year despite the event being held in Sweden after Loreen won the competition in 2023 with her hit single Tattoo. Ulvaeus was also previously married to Lena Kallersjö.
A Third Time's the Charm?
Ulvaeus's marriage to Sas marks his third time tying the knot. The couple met in 2021 and began dating in the spring of 2022. Ulvaeus's first marriage was to his fellow ABBA member Agnetha Fältskog, and his second was to Lena Kallersjö.
Despite the rocky history of ABBA's love lives, Ulvaeus's latest marriage is a testament to his enduring spirit and his ability to find happiness again. The wedding was a private affair, but the photos shared on social media give a glimpse into the joy and love surrounding the occasion. With Toksvig's comedic presence adding a touch of lightheartedness, the wedding was undoubtedly a special event.
A New Chapter
This marriage marks a new chapter in Ulvaeus's life, and it's clear he's excited about this next stage. It's a reminder that even after a long and successful career, there's always room for new beginnings. Ulvaeus's story is a testament to the power of love, resilience, and the possibility of finding happiness again and again.
