Jay-Z and Beyoncé started dating around 1999 or 2000. Beyoncé has stated in interviews that she was 18 when they first met and 19 when they started dating. Jay-Z also mentioned that they met around 1999-2000, first being friends for about a year and a half before dating. Their initial friendship began when Beyoncé was still performing with Destiny's Child, and they gradually transitioned into a romantic relationship. They officially confirmed their relationship publicly around 2001 and eventually got married in a private ceremony on April 4, 2008.