Cristy Lee, automaker and host of HGTV’s Steal This House, married her longtime boyfriend, John Hawkins, in a once-in-a-lifetime ceremony.
The pair, who share a love of cars and motorcycles, tied the knot on November 18, 2023, at Packard Proving Grounds, a historic site in Shelby Township, Michigan. The 17-acre site was established by Detroit’s Packard Motor Car Company in 1927, and is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
“We looked at the Packard Proving Grounds and thought, ‘This is it. It’s the position we need to be in. It’s the best thing for us,'” Cristy, 39, told People in an article published Friday, Jan. 19. “It just oozed automotive and history and had that amazing retro, eclectic automotive vibe. “Cristy added that she and John “fell in love with him on the spot. “
The car enthusiasts said “I do” surrounded by “automotive themed” decor. Vintage thumb oilers stood in as table card holders, and a retro Craftsman toolbox as the card box. Two black and white motorcycle helmets representing the newlyweds were also on display.
The groom’s 1950 Chevrolet 3100 even served as the centerpiece in the event’s reception room, for People.
As the couple swooned over their wedding design, the duo described their classic vow exchange as “short and sweet. “
The ceremony, which was attended by 160 other people and officiated by a friend of the couple, gave the duo more time to “share the day” with their guests, Cristy told the outlet.
After the two men said “I do,” attendees had the opportunity to explore a collection of vintage Packard cars parked in the property’s water tank building.
The rite was an arduous labor of love for Cristy and John, especially Christy, as she battled a fitness crisis while making plans for her special day.
John proposed to Cristy the 2022 holiday season after 8 months of dating and they booked the place in early 2023. However, just days after the couple set a date for their wedding, Cristy was diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases, Graves’ disease. Thyroid eye disease. The designer admitted that she planned much of her wedding from her bed.
“We thought about postponing it, but then we decided, ‘We’re doing this. ‘ We’re going to have this wedding no matter what I look like or if I’m feeling smart enough. We’re getting to that,” he told the outlet. Nothing will take this day away from me. I said to myself, ‘It’s my day!'”
Despite the wedding’s industrial theme, the ceremony was warm and filled with love from family and friends.
“We couldn’t have done it without them,” Cristy told People. “The outpouring of love and help from other people who mean the most to us is just incredible. Everything I’ve experienced with my physical condition puts life in a completely different perspective. “. At the end of the day, the topics you enjoy the most are the ones you like the most.
Cristy called it “very gratifying” to see the “fruits of [their] labor” combined for this exclusive event.
In addition to Steal This House, Cristy is known for appearing on Motor Trend’s All Girls Garage, and for hosting the 2021 USA reality series Celebrity IOU: Joyride. She will serve as a challenge host on HGTV’s upcoming competition series Battle on the Mountain, which premieres on January 22. John currently works as a senior business process engineer at General Motors.