‘Felt Like a Fairytale’ (Exclusive)  : Eva Amurri Marries Chef Ian Hock in ‘French Garden Party’ Wedding

Eva Amurri has found her ‘Happily Eva After!'

The actress and lifestyle blogger, 39, who is the daughter of Susan Sarandon and director Franco Amurri, tied the knot with chef Ian Hock at Windrift Hall in New York's Hudson Valley on June 29.

“We really wanted to center our little family unit in all of it, and make it as much about the kids as it was about us,” Eva tells PEOPLE. “We worked with our officiant to craft a ceremony that felt super personal and intimate, and then focused on our second love of life: food! All we really needed was the beautiful atmosphere, our nearest and dearest, and a delicious party.”

The couple exchanged personal vows in front of 40 guests — including Sarandon, 77, and her former partner, actor Tim Robbins — during their “French garden party”-inspired ceremony, which featured “lots of natural colors that mimic the environment at the estate, with little pops of whimsy with the chamomile flowers and hints of pale green and pale blue.”

“We wanted to write our own love letters to each other to read as vows, which was so special for us,” says Eva. “We also didn’t have any bridal party besides the kids, and it was perfect. Major (Eva’s son) walked me down the aisle, which was an experience I’ll never forget.”

Leading up the nuptials, the bride made sure that her and Ian's celebration was exactly what they wanted.  

“Having been my second go-round at this wedding stuff, I found it much easier to plan because I learned so much from my first wedding experience and I know myself so well at this point in my life,” she says. (Amurri was previously married to Kyle Martino for eight years before they split in November 2019.)

“My biggest goal was to do exactly what we wanted, without feeling any pressure from the outside. I didn’t hire a wedding planner, and crafted the whole vibe of the wedding myself. It was stressful at times,” she continues, adding, “I didn’t have three kids the last time I was a bride. But overall, it felt so special to get to focus on all the little details and make our day really personal.” 

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Eva, who shares three children with Martino — daughter Marlowe Mae, 9, and sons Major James, 7, and Mateo Antoni, 4 — incorporated her kids into the ceremony by performing traditional “hand fasting” with ribbons they had selected.

The couple also did a “ring blessing,” and passed their rings around the rows of guests “to put good energy into them before we exchanged our vows,” she says. 

The bride walked down the aisle to a live acoustic rendition of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” wearing a Kim Kassas strapless, corseted dress with a column shape and attached billowing skirt which she purchased at Bridal Reflections in New York City.

“I love how it has a vintage feel and is ultra feminine without being overly pouffy,” Eva says. “I wanted to feel sexy but elegant, and I think the dress strikes the perfect balance.”

During the reception, foodies Eva and Ian wanted to showcase the incredible food bounty of the Hudson Valley. They chose Grounded catering, who prepared a meal cooked over an open fire, featuring Hudson Valley duck, cedar plank salmon and variety of vegetables and salads. 

Everything was served family style, alongside grazing tables of charcuterie and cheeses from local purveyors and farms. The couple’s bar featured local be -

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ers and small-vineyard wines, as well as two craft cocktails: a non-alcoholic berry shrub, and a fresh fruit margarita, plus champagne for toasting. The couple’s cake was vanilla flavored with macerated fresh raspberries and an Italian meringue buttercream and decorated with fresh chamomile flowers, which were also featured in Eva’s bouquet.

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Later, Eva changed into a second minidress by Kim Kassas with feather trim, floral lace and sparkles. "I paired it with custom Nike Air Force Ones that were embellished with pearls and our wedding date. It felt like Priscilla Presley-meets-street style!” she tells PEOPLE.

For the couple’s first dance, they swayed to “Lover” by Taylor Swift. “It’s always meant a lot to us in our relationship,” Eva notes of the song. “Then we danced a family dance to 'Joy' by Andy Grammer, which is our special family song.”

“I really love how Ian takes care of me and the kids and is the most loving and considerate partner,” Eva says of her now-husband. “He loves me and takes care of me in a way that lets me step into my feminine energy and be the mom I want to be because I feel so supported. He’s always taking parenting things off my plate so I don’t feel too overwhelmed."

"Watching him with the kids the last four years has been incredible as well. He is already the best stepparent ever. I also love laughing with him and being goofy. He’s my best friend, and there’s nothing better than doing life together," she adds.

The pair first met at a restaurant “when I was very pregnant and had just gotten divorced,” Eva recalls. “Ian was the chef at the restaurant and came over to say 'hi' to a woman at our table who he had gone to high school with. I was the farthest thing from ‘dating’ at the time, but was so struck by our conversation and how interesting and kind he seemed.”

"What ensued was a very special and somewhat old-fashioned courtship of getting to know each other pretty slowly," she continues. "Our relationship was definitely what I would call nontraditional, though. Normally, dating, engagement and marriage come before the kids, but we did it the opposite way.” 

Ian popped the question in February 2023 in Paris, in the gardens of the Rodin Museum — Eva’s favorite place. 

“I feel so fortunate to have found the most incredible partner, after really not knowing if marriage was going to be in the cards for me after divorce,” Eva says. “Having found the most amazing man who loves me and my children unconditionally is such a gift. I can’t wait to continue our adventure together as husband and wife.”

Ahead of the couple’s nuptials, Eva told PEOPLE she couldn’t wait for the meaningful celebration.

“I’m honestly just so excited to call each other husband and wife. We are already raising three kids together, which is a beautiful thing in itself, and our lives are really full of chaos," she said. "The best kind of chaos, of course!” 

“This has all felt like a fairytale for both of us. Our connection and the timing of it all was so unexpected and felt meant to be from the start. I didn’t know when I named my company Happily Eva After that I would truly find mine, but I’m so grateful I did!” she adds.

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