Courtesy of John Hawkins/Instagram
HGTV’s Cristy Lee Marries John Hawkins Following Health Scare: ‘This Is My Day’
Steal This House host Cristy Lee revealed that she married John Hawkins following a major health scare.
The couple tied the knot on November 18, 2023, which they confirmed to People on Friday, January 19.
After eight years of dating, John proposed in December 2022 while they were on vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with friends.
As the couple made wedding arrangements in January 2023, a major obstacle occurred when Cristy, 39, was diagnosed with the autoimmune disorders Graves’ disease and thyroid eye disease (TED). She had to undergo two eye surgeries and began a treatment regimen, though said she was determined to get married in November 2023 after they booked the venue.
“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,'” the HGTV star explained. “Nothing was going to take this day away from me. I thought, ‘This is my day!’”
Cristy said that she planned a lot of their wedding while in bed as she recovered from her surgeries, while she credited her friends and family for helping during the difficult time.
“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,” the Florida native said. “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.”
The wedding – which was attended by 160 guests – was held at Packard Proving Grounds in Michigan. The property spans 17-acres and was designed by architect Albert Kahn for the Packard Motor Car Co. in 1927.
“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,'” Cristy told the publication. “It just oozed automobilia and history and had this amazing retro, eclectic car vibe. We fell in love with it on the spot.”
The location made sense for the couple, as Cristy and John share a love for cars and motorcycles. Cristy previously starred on MotorTrend’s All Girls Garage, while she also appeared on Celebrity Joyride: IOU alongside Ant Anstead in 2021. Meanwhile, John works as a senior business process engineer for General Motors.
The pair explained that they wanted to keep their ceremony “short and sweet” and exchanged traditional vows, and they recruited a friend to officiate the ceremony. “It gave us more time to share the day with our guests,” Cristy said of the decision.
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