'Restored by the Fords' Star Leanne Ford’s Husband Took Her Last Name After a Spontaneous Wedding
Since coming onto the HGTV scene, Leanne Ford has made a name for herself as a creative, earning nearly 14 million views alongside her brother, Steve Ford, on the first season of Restored by the Fords. The fashion-stylist-turned-interior-designer is well-known for her love of white paint and her natural-minimalist aesthetic.
From A Very Brady Renovation to Rock the Block, the 38-year-old Pittsburgh native continues sharing her unique designs, and behind the scenes, she has her husband, Erik Allen Ford, and their daughter, Ever, inspiring her.
2015: Leanne and Erik meet for the first time.
In a chapter of her upcoming book, Work in Progress (out Oct. 29), Leanne reveals that she first met Erik when she had a few people over for a backyard bonfire, and he swung by. "Erik says that he started dating me six months before I started dating him," she writes. "He pursued me for a long time."
It makes sense, then, that although the two met in 2015, it wasn’t until early 2016 that the couple shared the news with the rest of the world. Erik was the first to post a black and white photo of Leanne on Instagram in March, and a few months later, in May, the interior designer followed his lead, sharing a cropped image of her then-boyfriend.
On New Year’s Day 2017, Leanne said that Erik had been the highlight of her year. “2016 was a good year for me. In work, in family, in friends, in life. But this one was the best part,” she captioned a picture of them together. “I've been nonstop smiles since he rolled in.”
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2017: Leanne and Erik elope in New York City.
During their two years of dating, Leanne and Erik collaborated on different projects, including Buck Mason stores. Putting her creative skills to work, Leanne helped her boyfriend design stores for the menswear brand he co-founded in 2013, and later on, she also worked on his home, calling it a “mile marker” in their relationship.
Fast forward to November 2017, the couple was staying in New York City when they spontaneously decided to get married. They called their families on a Wednesday and held an intimate ceremony only four days later on Sunday, November 12, 2017.
“I've been in total heaven since the day I (finally) kissed this man. And on Sunday evening in #NewYorkCity, Erik and I stood in front of our immediate families only and said our vows,” she wrote on Instagram. “To love each other through it, despite of it, because of it. And to protect the light. Two years to decide it, four days to plan it and a lifetime to enjoy it. I guess you'd call this an #elopement?!”
The lovebirds enjoyed a romantic honeymoon in Fiji and Erik took her last name, solidifying their union.
2019: Leanne gives birth to Ever Allen Ford.
In October 2018, Leanne and Erik announced that they were expecting their first child—a baby girl. The interior designer had always thought she would have boys, which made learning she was expecting a daughter that much more emotional, according to People.
Ever Allen Ford was born on March 18, 2019 in the early evening and the newlyweds happily spent every waking moment with her. Leanne thanked everyone for their well wishes, saying, “We are happy and sleepy and we are in heaven.”
Today: The Allen-Ford family perfects work-life balance.
After spending four months by Ever’s side, Leanne returned to work, starring in Rock the Block alongside three other female HGTV hosts. The new competition series was filmed over a course of four weeks, starting at the beginning of July, and of course, Leanne introduced her baby girl to the entire cast, including Mina Starsiak Hawk and her 1-year-old son, Jack.
Leanne also participated in A Very Brady Renovation while she was pregnant, and Ever had impeccable timing, being born right as Season 2 of Restored by the Fords premiered. While fans are still waiting to hear if the hit HGTV show will be renewed for a third season, Leanne and her contractor brother, Steve Ford, are about to release their first book, Work in Progress, on October 29.
In the midst of their busy careers, Leanne and Erik both dedicate time to Ever, spending lazy mornings with her and capturing as many adorable photos of her as possible.
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