7 Shocking Secrets Revealed About Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds' Ultra-Private Wedding Photos And Controversial Venue

Despite being one of Hollywood's most beloved and openly humorous couples, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have always maintained a fortress of privacy around their 2012 wedding. This intensely guarded secrecy is precisely why the few details and even fewer photos that have emerged over the years continue to fascinate fans globally. The wedding itself was a masterclass in celebrity discretion, but over a decade later, the narrative has dramatically shifted, moving from a romantic fairytale to a candid discussion about a "giant f***ing mistake," making the story of their wedding more complex and relevant than ever as of December 2025.

The pictures themselves—or the lack thereof—are a core part of the mystique. The couple intentionally released only a handful of stylized, detail-oriented shots through an exclusive feature in Martha Stewart Weddings, ensuring no paparazzi shots or unauthorized leaks would ever surface. This strategy cemented the event as one of the most private celebrity weddings in modern history, but it also set the stage for a controversy that would only fully erupt years later, forcing the couple to issue a public apology and make significant amends.

Blake Lively: A Brief Biography and Career Profile

Blake Lively, born Blake Ellender Brown, has captivated audiences since her breakout roles. Her career trajectory is marked by a blend of high-fashion sensibility and relatable charm, making her a perennial style icon and a powerful brand in her own right.

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• Full Name: Blake Ellender Brown (Professionally known as Blake Lively)
• Date of Birth: August 25, 1987
• Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
• Spouse: Ryan Reynolds (m. 2012)
• Children: Four daughters (James, Inez, Betty, and a fourth child whose name has not been publicly confirmed)
• Notable Roles: Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl, Bridget Vreeland in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Adaline Bowman in The Age of Adaline, Emily Nelson in A Simple Favor.
• Career Highlights: Known for her roles in film and television, her status as a fashion muse, and her entrepreneurial ventures, including the now-defunct lifestyle website Preserve.
• Relationship Timeline with Ryan Reynolds: Met on the set of the film Green Lantern in 2010; began dating in 2011; married in 2012.

The Ultra-Secretive Ceremony: What the Exclusive Photos Actually Revealed

The wedding ceremony itself took place on September 9, 2012, at the historic Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens just outside Charleston, South Carolina. The event was intimate, with only about 70 guests in attendance, and was kept so tightly under wraps that many in Hollywood were unaware it had even happened until after the fact. The limited, exclusive photographs released by Martha Stewart Weddings were the only official glimpse the world ever received, and they focused heavily on the intricate, romantic details.

The Iconic Marchesa Gown and Rose Gold Details

The most sought-after Blake Lively wedding pics are the ones that show her dress. The gown, a one-of-a-kind creation by Marchesa designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig, was a breathtaking vision of romance. The dress was not white, but a delicate blush-toned silk tulle featuring an exquisite hand-draped bodice.

• Designer: Marchesa
• Color and Fabric: Blush-toned silk tulle.
• Key Detail: The gown featured intricate rose gold embroidery woven with crystals and beading, a detail that unfortunately led to a burn mark on the skirt from a sparkler during the reception, which Blake has since called her favorite part of the dress.
• Accessories: Her bridesmaids, who were her friends and sister Robyn Lively, wore custom-made Marchesa silk chiffon gowns.

The few published photos of the couple together showed a hand-in-hand moment, capturing the intimate, vintage-inspired atmosphere of the day. The aesthetic was deeply personal, with a focus on rustic elegance, incorporating elements like burlap, lanterns, and a warm, autumnal color palette.

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The Decadent Dessert Table and Wedding Cake

Blake Lively, an avid baker and enthusiast of all things domestic, ensured the reception was a feast for the eyes and the palate. The dessert table was a focal point, overflowing with an abundance of treats, pastries, and sweets.

• The Wedding Cake: The centerpiece was a magnificent vanilla-and-sour-cream wedding cake with peach-apricot preserves and Earl Grey-milk chocolate buttercream.
• Cake Designer: The stunning confection was crafted by renowned baker Maggie Austin Cake.
• Bouquet: Blake’s bouquet, a stunning arrangement of pink jasmine, andromeda, dusty miller, and pale pink peonies, was created by Martha Stewart Weddings style director Kate Berry.

The entire event was meticulously planned to reflect the couple's personal style, with every detail, from the calligraphy to the dessert bar, curated to create a charming, romantic atmosphere. This level of detail is what the exclusive wedding photos were designed to showcase, distracting from the grander, and ultimately problematic, setting.

The Controversial Venue and Ryan Reynolds' "Giant F***ing Mistake" Apology

While the aesthetic details were beautiful, the most significant and enduring story of the Lively-Reynolds wedding is the controversy surrounding their choice of venue: Boone Hall Plantation. This is the key piece of information that makes any current article on their wedding fresh and unique, as the couple has since addressed the issue head-on.

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The Backlash and The Regret

Boone Hall Plantation, while a picturesque location with an iconic avenue of oaks, is a former slave plantation with preserved slave cabins on the property. The decision by the couple to host their wedding there sparked a significant backlash, particularly after the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and a broader cultural reckoning with the romanticization of plantation weddings.

In 2020, years after the wedding, Ryan Reynolds publicly and candidly addressed the issue, calling the choice of venue a "giant f***ing mistake" in an interview with Fast Company. He expressed deep regret, stating that the shame associated with the decision is something they will "always be deeply and unreservedly sorry for."

Making Amends: The NAACP Donation

The couple’s apology was not just words. In a subsequent post on social media, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds announced they had made a significant $200,000 donation to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to support the fight for racial justice. They acknowledged that they had allowed themselves to be "uninformed" and "unreservedly sorry" for their actions, vowing to change their behavior and educate themselves and their children on systemic racism.

The couple has since reportedly had a second, private ceremony at their home to replace the memory of the plantation wedding, though details remain scarce. This public acknowledgement and commitment to action transformed the narrative of the wedding from a simple celebrity gossip item into a powerful example of how public figures can confront their past mistakes and actively work towards social justice. The few Blake Lively wedding pics that exist now carry the weight of this complex history, serving as a reminder of a lesson learned in the public eye.