Cristy Lee and husband John Hawkins.Photo:Ben Wagner Photography
Ben Wagner Photography
Cristy Leeis married!
Cristy Lee and John Hawkins pose at their wedding.Ben Wagner Photography
“We took one look at the Packard Proving Grounds and we were like, ‘This is it. This is the place. This is perfect for us,'” Lee recalls. “It just oozed automobilia and history and had this amazing retro, eclectic car vibe. We fell in love with it on the spot.”
Overall, Lee and Hawkins envisioned a fun, casual wedding that would feel like one big party. To that end, they opted to keep their ceremony “short and sweet,” exchanging simple, traditional vows. “It gave us more time to share the day with our guests,” Lee notes.
A friend officiated the ceremony and recited a poem he wrote for the couple, which Lee says was “funny and fitting and uplifting.”
Cristy Lee and husband John Hawkins hold hands at their wedding.Ben Wagner Photography
“As soon as I put it on, I knew it was the one,” Lee says of her dress. “It had this really beautiful slit up one of the legs, but the pleating of the [skirt] hid it so well. You had that opportunity to have that clean, classic A-line look but also show just a little leg, a little peekaboo, if you wanted.”
“And the real highlight: the pockets,” she adds. “I don’t know what it is about pockets on dresses, but it just makes them better!”
The couple’s wedding featured unique touches such as a vintage Craftsman toolbox to hold their cards from guests.Cristy Lee
Cristy Lee
“Just seeing it all come together, the fruits of your labor, is so rewarding,” Lee adds of the work and creativity she put into the event.
A look at the tablescape at Cristy Lee and John Hawkins’ wedding.Ben Wagner Photography
During the cocktail hour, guests were invited to take a private tour of the water tank building where a collection of vintage Packard cars is housed. Then, as the reception kicked off, they enjoyed a buffet dinner featuring a carving station with New York strip steak, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, roasted vegetables and more.
“It just felt like it was part of that casual celebration that we were going for,” she says of their dinner.
For dessert, in lieu of a traditional wedding cake, the couple offered a table of cupcakes, with flavors including double fudge Oreo, strawberry cheesecake, red velvet, salted caramel, and traditional vanilla and chocolate buttercream.
Guests enjoyed a variety of cupcakes for dessert.Ben Wagner Photography
Lee and John enjoyed their first spin on the dance floor as husband and wife to the Aaron Lewis ballad “Someone.” “It was one of the first chances in the night that John and I had to just kind of talk to each other,” she recalls of their dance. “The rest of the wedding disappears in that moment.”
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For Lee, celebrating her dream wedding was particularly poignant and emotional, as she faced a serious health crisis leading up to the big day.
Cristy Lee and husband John Hawkins pose on their wedding day.Ben Wagner Photography
Hawkins popped the question just before Christmas in 2022 while the couple — who had been dating for eight years — was enjoying a winter getaway to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with friends. A month later, they snapped up the very last Saturday wedding date available in 2023 at the Packard Proving Grounds, and their wedding planning began in earnest.
However, just days after, Lee woke up with a severe migraine and was subsequently diagnosed with two autoimmune disorders,Graves' diseaseand thyroid eye disease (TED). Despite having to undergo two eye surgeries and beginning a treatment regimen, Lee was determined to carry on with her November wedding plans.
“We considered postponing but then we decided, ‘We’re doing this. We’re going to do this wedding regardless of how I look or if I feel well enough. We’re making it happen,'” she tells PEOPLE. “Nothing was going to take this day away from me. I thought, ‘This is my day!’ "
Cristy Lee and John Hawkins pose with their wedding party.Ben Wagner Photography
Lee did a lot of the planning from bed, while recovering from her surgeries. She says it was “a hustle to the finish line” to get everything done for the November nuptials, but their family and friends stepped up to support her and Hawkins through it all.
“We couldn’t have done it without them. The outpouring of love and help from the people who are most important to us was just incredible,” she notes, adding, “Everything I went through with my health just puts life into a totally different perspective. In the end, what’s most important is the people close to you.”
Though they are still working out the details, the couple is planning a spring honeymoon. Fiji and Hawaii are on their short list of destinations.
Cristy Lee and John Hawkins on their wedding day.Ben Wagner Photography
“Shooting the show was such a great experience. It was so meaningful for me to get back on camera [after my health crisis]. I’m honored to be a part of it,” Lee says.
source: people.com
