Before Olivia Culpo, these four famous couples got married in Rhode Island. Here's a look.
When it comes to a fairytale wedding, there is no place quite like Rhode Island.
The venues in the Ocean State are nothing short of spectacular – couples have their pick of mansions, historic churches, waterfront views, vineyards and more when planning their big day.
Which might be why the smallest state in the country has played host to some very large star-studded weddings, like the wedding of former Miss Universe, Rhode Island native Olivia Culpo and NFL star Christian McCaffrey happening in the state this weekend.
In honor of the occasion, here's a quick look at some other famous couples who chose Rhode Island for their nuptials.
Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Maroney's wedding in 2019
Venue: Belcourt Castle
A truly star-studded affair, five years ago Jennifer Lawrence chose Belcourt Castle, owned by Alex and Ani founder Carolyn Rafaelian, when tying the knot to art gallery director Cooke Maroney. While the event made national headlines and brought a crowd out to the gate to celebrity-spot, there aren't pictures from inside the wedding in the public domain. What we do know is the guest list included celebrities like Adele, Kris Jenner, Cameron Diaz and more. Lawrence has only shared a few details from the event. One – that she spent most of the reception worrying that her guests were cold. And two, that at the rehearsal dinner she gave her co-star in several films, Robert De Niro, the green light to leave early.
"I looked over and I saw Bob, who doesn't know anybody and he's kind of wandering around, and I immediately was like, 'No, this isn't what he wants to be doing. I don't want him here,'" Lawrence recalled to E! News. "So I went over and whispered, I was like, ‘Go home' and he was nice — he talked to my parents and was polite — but I was like, 'Go.'"
Rhode Island celebrities: Some of these you know. Some you won't. 10 celebrities with homes in Rhode Island
John F Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy's wedding in 1953
Venue: St. Mary's Church and Hammersmith Farm
About 800 celebrities, diplomats and powerbrokers descended on Newport for the September wedding of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier in a ceremony at St. Mary’s Church in Newport. The affair has been called America's royal wedding, and the bride looked every bit the part with a ivory tissue silk dress that was embellished with more than 50 yards of flounces and wearing a veil, worn by her grandmother, over a tiara. The ceremony was performed by the Archbishop Cushing, and a special blessing from Pope Pius XII was read before the Mass. The reception was at Hammersmith Farm in Newport.
More: Rare images from the Kennedy wedding in Newport, Rhode Island
Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon's wedding in 2019
Venue: Rosecliff
Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon met through the "The Bachelor" franchise, but it wasn't until they came back to the show for a cameo appearance on season 5 of "Bachelor in Paradise" that Haibon, who grew up in Warwick, proposed. The pair had a "fairytale" wedding in 2019 at Rosecliff, with Iaconetti wearing a ballgown. Many guests from "The Bachelor" franchise attended the wedding. Now, the pair own Audrey’s Coffee House & Lounge in South Kingstown and have two children together.
Visit their restaurant: A South County spot is a favorite with fans of 'The Bachelor.' And coffee lovers.
Mikayla Nogueira and Cody Hawken's wedding in 2023
Venue: Castle Hill Inn
Wedding Content Creation: This RIer brings the big day to social media
A TikTok star with 15.7 million followers, Mikayla Nogueira is from Massachusetts but told People magazine that she dreamed of a Newport wedding since she was a little girl. In 2023, she got her wish, walking down the aisle at Castle Hill Inn in a ballgown dress to “When I Look at You” by Miley Cyrus and “Golden Hour” by Rhode Island's JVKE.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI weddings are popular with more celebs than Olivia Culpo. Take a look