Candice King and Steven Krueger’s Elopement at a Tiny Tennessee Chapel Was a Family Affair

The bride notes that planning for the wedding was quite simple once they decided to dive into this new agenda. “We were ecstatic with how it all came together. We focused on the essential trifecta: photos, flowers, and food,” says the groom. Candice found their ceremony venue, The Chapel at High Point Farm, on Instagram; selected a favorite floral designer, Amelia’s Flower Truck, to create arrangements; and booked Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse—a restaurant where they have already had memorable family meals—for the reception. They also booked photographer Rachel Santos to capture their intimate event. Steven adds, “The cherry on top was one of our mutual best friends, Carina MacKenzie, flying in to officiate for us! We had 15 people in total, including Candice’s daughters and my two nieces. And it was perfect.” The bride reflects, “The most stressful part was making sure the family felt taken care of and could get from point A to point B—which is true whether you’re eloping with 15 guests or managing a crowd of 200.”

Another tricky part of planning was selecting the wardrobe. “Shockingly, there’s not a huge market for wedding dresses that fit over a baby bump,” says Candice. “I was quite nervous to find a dress that would make me feel bridal and maternal—and not like the ‘Stay Puft Marshmallow Man’ from Ghostbusters bouncing down the aisle.” Her first find was a lace Juliette cap veil by designer Claire Pettibone. “I fell in love with the butterfly lace appliqué. It helped direct me to wanting an ivory dress in a similar classic style,” says the bride. After trying out many online orders, Candice went to a local bridal salon and found the Deia dress by Grace Loves Lace, a long-sleeved, off-the-shoulder gown in crepe. “[It] was the third dress I tried on, and I felt like it was perfect. Enough structure to feel romantic and enough stretch to grow with my belly,” she says. “Even though my belly still outgrew the dress!” Alterations by The Wedding Gown Tailor helped fine-tune the look to her changing silhouette.

To accessorize, the bride picked out pointed ivory flats by Gabriela Hearst and earrings she purchased in Paris by her wedding band designer, Myrtille Beck. “My band didn’t make it in time, so I wore a vintage emerald ring we also bought in Paris to commemorate the upcoming birth of our son,” explains Candice. “On my right hand, I wore a Krueger-Straza family heirloom: Steven’s grandmother’s wedding ring.” For hair and makeup, Tarryn Feldman helped her create a romantic beauty look on the morning of the wedding. And while Candice did not have bridesmaids, her daughters and nieces all wore ivory dresses by JJ’s House that coordinated perfectly with her bridal look.

Thanks to a hectic schedule, Steven admits that he procrastinated on finding his tuxedo. “Before I knew it, it was the weekend before, and I had to work fast,” he says. When he went shopping, the actor overheard the salesman joking about last-minute grooms with another customer. “When it was my turn a few minutes later, I told him I needed a tux for my friend's fancy 40th birthday that weekend. I picked up my black Armani tux the day before the wedding,” says Steven. “Now I just need someone to throw a fancy birthday party so I can wear it again.”

Instead of a traditional rehearsal dinner, the bride and groom decided to keep the tone light with a murder mystery party the night before they exchanged vows. Candice says, “The murder mystery theme was ‘Til Death Do Us Part,’ and it was every bit as cheesy and ridiculous as you’d think it would be! I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in a long time.” Steven adds, “We greased the wheels with wine and cocktails beforehand, and everyone leaned in to make it a great night.”

On an unseasonably sunny and warm February morning, the couple got ready at their Nashville home with Candice’s two daughters. “What I'll always remember is how beautiful that day was,” says the bride. The family planned to take a vintage limo to the chapel, but it broke down before arriving to their home. “Well, I damn sure wasn't going to be late to my own wedding, so the four of us just piled into my car, donned in tuxes and white dresses, and drove ourselves there,” says Steven. “Made it right on time, and that turned out to be our only hiccup of the day.”

The to-be-weds’ families and their officiant all gathered in the wooden chapel as the ceremony began. “Walking down the little aisle, I remember hearing the soft sounds of live guitar being played by a friend of a friend that we’d never met, the flowers making this tiny wooden chapel feel like a fairytale greenhouse, and the warm glow of light on Steven's face,” remembers Candice. “We’d already done a first look at our house, but walking down the aisle in that warm glow of the magic hour felt like our own little secret. Like the rest of the world kept turning in chaos, and we had this small little nook of the world to ourselves. Time slowed down and felt like a love song.”

After exchanging personal vows and sealing their marriage with a kiss, the chapel immediately turned into a celebration with bubbles, music, and toasts among their family. “Stripping away the formality of a big, well-rehearsed ceremony created such a fun, relaxed vibe,” says the groom. “It wasn't at all how I had pictured my wedding when I was younger. And I think that’s what made it so perfect. We got to breathe, laugh, cry, and focus on each other without worrying whether everything was going according to plan.”

After a few photos with the family at golden hour, the newlyweds headed into a (working) vintage car and headed to the reception. “We wanted a fun, loud, steakhouse dinner,” shares Candice. “That's exactly what we got!” Steven remembers, “We ate, we drank, and we cut a boot-shaped cake. Our family members stood up and said incredibly nice things about us. All in all, it was a delight. I highly recommend it.”

Reflecting on the wedding weekend, the couple reflects on how it just felt magical. Says the bride, “What a gift that on our February wedding day, we got to celebrate by dancing in the warmth of the sun.” Adds the groom, “I can’t wait to show our son one day that he was there, too.”