- Netflix planned and paid for the wedding of Bridgerton superfans Shanti Hinton and Tiffany Ray.
- The couple told Business Insider that Netflix flew them from New York to London for the wedding.
- Cast members attended the reception, where Tori Kelly performed original “Bridgerton” songs.
When Shanti Hinton and Tiffany Ray first saw Bridgerton in 2020, they were instantly enthralled by the lavish Regency period drama, and found themselves drawn closer to each other as they reminisced about the early stages of their own love story.
Little did they know that four years later, Netflix would host their wedding, present them with a Regency-themed coat of arms and give them the opportunity to meet some of the “Bridgerton” cast.
Like Bridgerton season 3’s main characters Penelope and Colin, Hinton and Ray evolved from friends to lovers. The two first became friends while attending high school in New York City in 2011, when Ray offered to help Hinton with his science homework. They told Business Insider that the couple began dating during Hinton’s senior year of college.
“She asked me, ‘Does anyone want to go for a jog with me before I go home?’ And that’s how it all started,” Ray said.
The couple told Shondaland.com that they were in a long-distance relationship for the next four years while Hinton attended college in North Carolina and Ray took dance courses at Queensboro Community College in New York.
“It wasn’t super serious, we were just childhood friends, but our energies attracted each other and we knew we would be together,” says Ray, 28. “We talked about marriage that first year – we were so young!”
They began living together in 2016 and their relationship began to deepen as they met each other’s families. They got engaged four years later, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and their dream wedding was postponed.
“We were like, ‘Just elope?'” Ray says. “Our families would kill us if we did that. Plus, we really want to have our wedding overseas.”
She added: “Something inside of us was telling us, ‘Just wait, something is going to happen.'”
While they waited for the right time, Netflix reached out to them on social media: They had already caught the streamer’s attention after attending the Queen’s Ball, an immersive pride event for the “Bridgerton” family that took place in cities around the world last June.
Ray and Hinton said the event gave them an excuse to dress up.
“We just love doing crazy, silly things,” Ray says.
A Netflix representative noticed their extravagant outfits and asked them to take a photo, which was then shared on social media at the event.
“They liked the way we were dressed and took pictures,” Hinton, 28, said.
In November 2023, another Netflix representative reached out, explaining that they were looking for Bridgerton avid fans to host a themed wedding.
“I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this has to be a scam,'” Ray told Shondaland.com of her first impression before sitting down for an interview.
In January 2024, Netflix picked Ray and Hinton, promising to provide them with a luxury wedding planner to cater to their needs.
“We were in shock,” Hinton told BI. “We were like, ‘Wait a second, is this real?’ And then we just hugged each other and started crying. We were still in shock.”
Ray said the fact that it was a Bridgerton wedding was the “best joy” of the occasion.
“We love ‘Bridgeton,’ we love the era,” Ray said. “It fits our personalities. We love dressing up.”
Hinton and Ray said Netflix has accommodated all of their requests.
The wedding was planned quickly: A month and a half after receiving the news, Netflix invited Hinton and Ray to London for their wedding.
Ray said he wanted to keep his Netflix involvement a secret, so he didn’t tell family or friends until after he agreed to fly to London for the wedding.
“We just told them we were getting married and they came to us and that was it,” she said. “And then they confirmed they were coming and we were like, ‘Oh yeah, by the way…'”
Ray said Netflix paid for the couple’s flights, outfits and hotel, but guests were happy to pay for their own tickets and accommodation to support their dream day.
“We love our family and friends who came out for us,” Ray said.
Netflix also hired U.K.-based luxury wedding planner Alice Wilkes to help organize the event, and Ray and Hinton said Wilkes was instrumental in bringing their vision to life.
The reception also featured an ice sculpture featuring two winged beasts surrounding a unique “Bridgerton”-esque family crest that was created for the couple.
“Even with the ice sculpture, we were like, ‘I don’t know if she can do that,’ but she was like, ‘Oh, great. Let me write it. Is there anything else you want?'” Hinton said.
While planning their wedding, Hinton and Ray also met with Bridgerton stars Golda Rosheuvel, Adjoa Andoh and Katherine Drysdale, who helped them choose food and outfits.
In a YouTube video shared by Netflix of the couple meeting the cast, Hinton and Ray were seen crying as they spoke about how much they identify with the journeys of Queen Charlotte (Rosseubel) and Lady Danbury (Ando).
“They really connected with us, both in front of and behind the camera,” Ray told BI. “We really empathized with them and it was a really good experience.”
The wedding had a Bridgerton feel
Hinton and Ray’s wedding took place at Chiswick House and Gardens, a luxurious 18th-century villa inspired by Italian architecture in upmarket west London.
The central room was decorated with flowers in various shades of purple, yellow, blue and white, and a violinist was on hand to create a “Bridgerton”-like atmosphere.
Ray arrived at the venue in a horse-drawn carriage with the couple’s family crest on the side, and wore a crown-and-diamond themed dress in honour of Queen Charlotte.
Meanwhile, Hinton wore a ruffled shirt and red suit jacket inspired by Bridgerton character Simon Bassett (Rege-Jean Page).
There weren’t many Bridgerton references at the ceremony, but Hinton and Ray liked that.
“What I loved about this wedding was that it wasn’t over the top,” Ray says. “I loved that they didn’t go too far with the style of the period. They incorporated the style of the period, but they also incorporated our style. It was a mix of our personalities.”
Hinton and Ray added that they were so focused on each other during the wedding that they didn’t really appreciate the decorations until after the ceremony.
“The best part was seeing Tiffany walk down the aisle with so much anticipation,” Hinton said. “I was like, ‘I have to meet her. I’m waiting to meet her. I can’t meet her.’ So when that moment finally came and I saw her beautiful smile lighting up the room, I just burst into tears.”
“I cried every second. When we got married and I was able to sit and look around, I thought, ‘Oh my God, how beautiful,'” Ray said.
The wedding reception took place at the Lanesborough Hotel, another 18th century building that serves Bridgerton-themed afternoon tea.
This is where the “Bridgerton” theme really kicked in, with ice sculptures featuring the couple’s coat of arms set up around the venue and covered in flowers.
The dining room looked like a ballroom, with a huge floral display and candles adorned with paintings of flowers and the bride and groom’s coat of arms.
Roshubel, Ando and Drysdale also returned to congratulate the couple and introduce another special guest.
During the planning stage, Hinton and Ray were told that their first dance would feature a new love song from the Bridgerton family.
At the reception, Grammy Award-winning artist Tori Kelly surprised the couple, performing “All I Want,” an original song that appears in season 3 of Bridgerton.
Ms Hinton said it was a “shock” moment for her.
“I got goosebumps. I didn’t know what to do. I was just in shock that Tiff was there and I just held her the whole time,” Hinton said. “I was a huge Tori Kelly fan when she was doing covers on YouTube.”
After their dream wedding, the couple is searching for the right time to go on honeymoon.
“It’s a dream come true for us to finally be able to get married in this way, and being able to share it with the world is a bonus,” Ray said.
