Liz Gillies is a married woman! The 27-year-old actress took to Instagram on Wednesday to announce that she and Michael Corcoran tied the knot on Aug. 8.
In one of sweet pics, Gillies and Corcoran look lovingly at each other. Another shot shows the couple standing in front of a flower-covered arch during their ceremony. The final photo showcases Gillies’ strapless, one-of-a-kind gown and flowing, Oscar de la Renta veil.
In an interview with Vogue, the Dynasty star revealed that her wedding, which was originally scheduled for April 25, had to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Once we saw how dire the situation was, we knew we had to postpone,” she says. “It was a no-brainer for us. Aside from the obvious travel and crowd restrictions, it didn’t feel right to be celebrating in such a big way when there was so much going on in the world. It would have been in poor taste to burden people by asking them to risk their lives to come to our wedding. There were more important things to focus on. Our wedding could wait.”
“It really focused everything down to what matters in life,” Corcoran adds. “A big, extravagant experience in the middle of a pandemic didn’t make any sense.”
A post shared by Elizabeth Gillies (@lizgillz) on Sep 16, 2020 at 3:37pm PDT
While the couple first thought they’d wait another year to tie the knot, they ended up opting to have a smaller wedding instead.
“As time went on, we decided a big wedding was no longer something that made sense for us. The virus really put things into perspective,” Gillies says. “That being said, we did want to get married as long as it could be done in a safe and intimate setting with a group that we trusted.”
Safety for the scaled-down event was Gillies’ “top priority,” so the couple decided to marry at the “picturesque” Inn at Fernbrook Farms in New Jersey in front of just 10 guests.
Instead of flying from their Atlanta, Georgia, home, the couple rented an RV and drove the distance with their dogs in tow.
“We got tested before we left and quarantined with my family for two weeks before the wedding. With everything going on, it felt so nice to be in my childhood home with nothing to do but relax leading up to the big day. We cooked and took the dogs for long walks and really just enjoyed each other’s company. It felt good to slow down,” Gillies says. “Overall, we were very fortunate to be able to safely spend this time with family. It was incredibly special.”
A post shared by Elizabeth Gillies (@lizgillz) on Sep 16, 2020 at 2:54pm PDT
The wedding was a family affair, with the couple’s dog serving as their ring bearer and the bride’s father presiding over the ceremony.
“He walked me down the aisle, then quickly switched roles to marry us. It was very sweet! My brother also gave a beautiful reading, which meant a lot to me. On top of that, I had the great privilege of having both my grandmothers there,” Gillies says. “Although there weren’t many of us, we were surrounded by family. It was everything I could’ve asked for… Once we were exchanging vows, it hit me that my dad was marrying us and our loved ones were there, and I think I turned to Michael and mouthed, ‘Oh, my God, we actually did it.’ We were so happy.”
“It was everything that it needed to be and nothing that it didn’t,” Corcoran adds.
At the pink-and-green colored reception, the couple sat at a large farm table and danced to music performed by brothers Pat and Sean Kelly who, Gillies says, “provided the perfect soundtrack to our wedding.”
A pajama night complete with s’mores followed the reception.
“As painful as it is to push off something that you’ve spent so much time planning and looking forward to, I do believe it’s the right — and only — decision,” Gillies says. “I’m very happy with the way ours turned out. I don’t think I would’ve had it any other way. At the end of the day, it’s about you and the person you love. The rest doesn’t matter.”
