By Emily Strohm
Published on October 14, 2022 10:55 PM
Lesley Murphy is married!
The Bachelor alum and travel blogger, 35, and her fiancé Alex Kavanagh tied the knot on Oct. 14 at the Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua.
"We really are so committed to one another, where we already feel married, says Murphy. "But to have our day, and to finally be able to call each other husband and wife is just so special."
The couple — whose 20-month-old daughter Nora served as their flower girl — got engaged in Feb. 2020 after a year of dating.
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For their ceremony, the bride wore a Monique Lhuillier gown as she and Kavanagh, 35, exchanged traditional vows in front of 71 guests just steps from the beach.
"I've always wanted to get married outside," says Murphy. "I love mother nature and to be surrounded by the palm trees and the ocean is just so beautiful."
Murphy adds that the wedding décor was all inspired by Hawaii's natural beauty. "I love color and there are so many beautiful pops of it here. I certainly didn't want an all-white wedding or muted colors."
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Following the ceremony, which was planned by Mauna Creative, the guests — which were a mix of family and friends from the U.S. and Australia, where Kavanagh is originally from — moved into a cocktail hour featuring an open bar and passed hors d'oeuvres.
Guests then enjoyed a seated dinner of slow-braised beef short rib — "which was amazing," says Murphy — plus macadamia nut mahi mahi and a vegetarian option. "You can't beat the food," the bride says.
The newlyweds chose "You Are the Best Thing" by Ray LaMontagne for their first dance before cutting into a Grand Marnier cake topped with fresh strawberries.
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The party continued late into the night when guests headed inside to a ballroom where they danced and dined on chicken biscuits and cookie cake from the late-night food menu.
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Murphy adds that one of the most special parts of their day was simply being around those they love.
"The moments where your best friends and family are together in one place are so few and far between," she says. "Especially since we span two different continents. That may never happen again. It's just amazing."
