California’s iconic Hearst Castle played backdrop to one of 2019’s most glamorous weddings when heiress Amanda Hearst married Disney director Joachim Rønning at the estate with a slew of A-listers in attendance.
The entire affair was nothing short of stunning. The Hearst Castle estate sits on 127 acres of the central California coastline, with the castle on top of one of the property’s many rolling hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Conceived by William Randolph Hearst - Amanda Hearst’s great-grandfather - and architect Julia Morgan, the former vacation home for the Hearst family is now more of a tourist attraction.
Hearst Castle still hosts events but is now owned by the state of California. Considering Amanda Hearst’s last name, however, we don’t think it was much of an issue to receive permission to use the destination for her big day.
The ceremony took place this past Saturday, with socialites Nicky and Paris Hilton, Lauren Bush Lauren and David Lauren, Kick Kennedy and Lydia Hearst in attendance. Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell was also in attendance with her boyfriend, Jim Coleman.
However, Hearst’s five bridal gowns were the true stars of the nuptials. Stylist Micaela Erlanger helped dress the bride for the weekend of festivities and she nailed it. She chose Viktor and Rolf Soir for the rehearsal dinner, an Oscar de la Renta wedding gown for the exchange of vows, a Galvan halter dress for the reception, a Giambattista Valli couture dress for her big exit with her new husband and another Oscar de la Renta cocktail dress for the final celebration at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.
Rønning just let his wife shine, keeping it simple in a Huntsman Saville Row tuxedo all day.
Guests indulged in caviar-topped dishes and a traditional white wedding cake. They also had a meet-and-greet with a reindeer at the rehearsal dinner, in honor of Rønning’s Norwegian roots.
Plus - a bonus you may only experience if you’re in with the Hearst gang - the wedding guests got to take a dip in Hearst Castle’s famed (and very Instagrammable) Neptune Pool. And speaking of Instagram, the bride has already made their nuptials Insta-official, changing her name to Amanda Rønning on the social media platform.
