“90 Day Fiance” star Chantel Everett is married!
On Monday, Chantel announced that she and girlfriend Ashley Bowen got hitched over the weekend at Fountainview Mansion in Auburn, Alabama. The couple described the wedding to People as a “classic, elegant, and romantic” event “with a fairytale feel.
“Getting married means choosing each other wholeheartedly and building a life where we both feel loved, safe, and supported,” Chantel explained. “It’s promising to keep showing up for each other, through the beautiful moments and the difficult ones.”
Chantel expressed great pride in sharing her wedding story publicly.
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“As two women, there is something deeply meaningful about celebrating our love openly and proudly,” she said. “Our wedding is a celebration, but our marriage is the everyday commitment to growing together, creating a home, and being each other’s family.”
The couple wanted to incorporate and celebrate queerness into their intimate 60-people ceremony, which was officiated by Reverend Rickisa Owens of the Suite Love Chapel in Chantel’s home city of Atlanta, Georgia. Chantel explained that the Reverend “is part of the LGBTQ+ community, and having someone from [their] community guide [them] through such a meaningful moment made it feel even more personal.”
“We wanted our ceremony to reflect who we are, our love story, and the life we’re building together,” she continued. “Having LGBTQ+ representation in such a central role meant a lot to us. We’re grateful to Rickisa for the role she played in the moment we became wives and for helping us celebrate our love so openly.”
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The couple shared their first dance to “She’s My Handsome” by the 76th Street Band, an all-lesbian band who played live at the reception.
Chantel’s extravagant wedding dress was custom-made by TTON Couture. She described the gown as “timeless, elegant, and romantic with a little fairytale magic.”
Ashley opted for a bedazzled white pantsuit and sneakers.
The newlyweds’ wedding cake featured a rainbow-tiered center and was paired with snickerdoodles and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
“I had so many nerves leading up to this moment,” Chantel explained. “I’m glad that we finally did it!”
The couple shared their favorite moments of the day, including walking down the aisle and doing their private first look and vows with one another.
Following their reception, the couple took a private helicopter to the St. Regis hotel in Atlanta before Ashley surprised her new wife with a honeymoon getaway to the Le Blanc Spa and Resort in Cancun, Mexico.
Chantel said that she let Ashley plan the honeymoon all on her own, so she had no idea what was in store for their first getaway as a married couple.
Fans can recall that Ashley proposed to Chantel last December at Uhuburg, a Renaissance-style castle in Helen, Georgia.
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The couple first met through Chantel’s brother, River, and started dating after Chantel split with her ex-husband Pedro Jimeno. (Chantel’s split from Pedro was covered on their spinoff show, ‘The Family Chantel.’)
Fans watched as Chantel came to terms with her sexuality on Season 1 of “90 Day Fiance: Hunt for Love,” where she ultimately revealed she would be returning home to pursue a relationship with Ashley.
(Pedro has also moved on. He recently got engaged to girlfriend Valentina Malagon. Get the details on their engagement here.)
Chantel said she and Ashley are now looking forward to “enjoying life as a married couple.”
“We’re looking forward to new adventures, growing closer, and discovering what the future holds,” she said. “We don’t have every detail planned, but we’re excited to keep building a life we love together.”
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(Photos: People, Instagram)
