CNN's Eva McKend Marries at 'Majestic' 300-Acre Estate in Maryland: See the Photos! (Exclusive)
“Getting married means cementing our relationship, for life,” McKend tells PEOPLE exclusively of the couple's big day
CNN’s Eva McKend tied the knot with Dennis R. Bates Jr. in an intimate east coast wedding over the weekend.
During their three day celebration, the correspondent covering national politics and her husband exchanged vows Aug. 6 at a private, 300-acre estate in Frederick, Maryland, in front of 170 guests. McKend tells PEOPLE that she wanted a celebration that focused on bringing friends and family together.
"I love Vermont, where I previously worked as a journalist and where we got engaged, but we wanted to get married closer to home," she explains ahead of her big day. "This area of Frederick, about an hour and a half outside of Washington D.C., with its farmland, ponds and rolling hills was the perfect fit."
Adds McKend: "For us, a ceremony outdoors was key. We wanted to feel connected to nature but paramount is for people to be able to attend and feel comfortable. I’ve encouraged friends to ditch the heels and wear flats!"
McKend first met Bates, a CPA and real estate investor, on the dating app Bumble in 2019 before the two got engaged in July 2022. Both say they value the same things and their personalities work well together.
“Dennis is smart, kind and easygoing,” McKend shares of her husband. “The best feeling is when I see him come in through the door from work or when I come home and I meet him waiting for me. I feel a near instant sense of relief as he has a calming and nurturing presence.”
Bates adds that he is “excited to build a life” with his wife, who he describes as “warm, outgoing, affectionate, intelligent and aware of the important issues of our times.”
When looking for their wedding venue, the pair instantly “fell in love with the aesthetics” of the 300-acre estate.
“When we visited, we drove up a winding road through miles of corn fields,” McKend recalls of her first trip to the inn. “It felt majestic.”
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On the first day of the weekend's festivities, guests were met with a welcome celebration at a local Caribbean restaurant where the group dined on the couple's favorites including jerk salmon and fried plantains. The afternoon was spent honoring the bridal party and sweet speeches dedicated to the bride and groom.
“It was important to us to have a celebration that felt accessible and allowed us to spend as much time as possible with our loved ones,” McKend says.
For her walk down the aisle, the bride wore a Wtoo by Watters Austin Corset Tulle wedding gown from Anthropologie, a gown she found while shopping in New York City with her mom.
"It’s flowy and I can’t wait to run up and down the hills on the farm with it and capture my dress flowing in the breeze," she says. "I did end up having my tailor (my mom’s good friend Miss Evelyn Nelson, a fashion design professor at Parsons School of Design) add straps and an amazing bracelet to stuff my train. I am all about sparkle and shine."
The lavender, ivory and dusty blue color scheme was incorporated in the florals, which were picked out by McKend’s bridesmaid in collaboration with the on-site florist Wendy Caroll. The decor for the night remained simple, as McKend notes that she wanted to let the beauty of the venue “speak for itself.”
At the ceremony, Bates and his groomsmen walked down the aisle to a song by his favorite music group, "The Fire" by The Roots. McKend followed in her charming gown as the "Goodness of God" by CeCe Winans played.
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There were also some special touches — McKend's mom read Colossians 3:12-17 NIV and Bates’ longtime friend Priya Lamba shared a reflection from “Invitation to Love,” by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Bates’ sister Melanie, who is a violinist, played "Canon in D Major" as well, and Rev. Rashad Moore, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Crown Heights married the couple after they read handwritten vows to one another.
“Getting married means cementing our relationship, for life,” says McKend. “It was important to us to have our families and friends in attendance to witness the commitment we are making to each other.”
At the reception, where McKend and Bates wanted guests to be “rockin’ until the end of the night,” the newlyweds shared their first dance to K-Ci and JoJo’s “All My Life.” McKend jokes that she was nervous about the moment after “Dennis dropped me while we were practicing our dance” a few weeks prior.
“Here’s to hoping we both don’t fall on the big day after the final twirl,” she jokes.
The rest of the night was “a warm celebration of love, friends, and family.” Crab cake canapés (a Maryland classic) were passed around as hors d'oeuvres, and the dinner buffet featured grilled chicken breast with sundried tomatoes and feta, salmon with basil sweet sour sauce and tri-colored tortellini tossed in fresh pesto.
Instead of a cake, the couple opted for a late night order of Insomnia Cookies.
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Looking ahead, McKend and Bates plan to go on a “minimoon” to Savannah, Georgia, before heading to the beach on nearby Hilton Head Island for the first time.
“I spent a lot of time in Georgia on the campaign trail last cycle and Savannah is a dream,” she says, adding, “We can’t wait to try new food.”
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