Merritt Hunt and Stephen Puth were married on December 5, 2025, at Sea Island—an unmistakably personal choice for the bride, who has spent much of her life returning to the coastal enclave with her family. Long before planning began, the setting had already been decided. “When I was about six-years-old, I told my dad I wanted to get married there. At 16, I made him do a wedding walk-through of the Chapel," Merritt jokingly shares. "Sea Island would be my wedding venue. That is all I cared about, not even which season!"
As it happens, the couple decided on a December date that allowed the island’s Christmas décor to quietly frame the weekend rather than compete with it. The design approach was deliberate and pared back—green and white florals, restrained palettes, and an emphasis on continuity rather than transformation. Carrie Coleman lensed the weekend, setting the tone early, while paper goods by Craftsman Paper Co. quietly reinforced the couple’s preference for tradition over trend.
Fashion played a central role, not as a moment of reveal, but as a throughline across Merritt’s life. After trying on several dresses, she found clarity in a Rivini design—an unexpectedly full-circle choice. Earlier in her career, while modeling full-time in New York, the first bridal show she ever walked was for Rita Vinieris, the designer behind Rivini. “I realized after picking my dress that the first wedding gown I ever wore on a runway was for her,” Merritt notes. The recognition felt instinctive rather than nostalgic, grounding the decision in familiarity.
Accessories carried equal intention. Merritt wore her great-grandmother’s bracelet and her grandmother’s ring, and fastened her grandmother’s cross to her bouquet—a piece she had deliberately saved for the wedding day. Additional jewelry was sourced through family friend Pait Skipper, whose antique and jewelry store in Wilmington provided pieces that aligned with the weekend’s understated tone. For beauty, Merritt kept her look simple and classic, working with Felicia Cammons to ensure it felt timeless rather than referential. Stephen complemented her look in a white Tom Ford tuxedo, a clean, unfussy choice that mirrored the setting.
The ceremony took place in the small chapel Merritt had imagined since childhood, holding just 100 guests. The structure was intimate and intentional. Her father accompanied her down the aisle as her brother-in-law, a prominent musician, played “In Christ Alone” on the piano. “This is what mattered most to me,” Merritt shares of the service. “This is what it’s all about.”
Following the I dos, the celebration moved into the reception with an ease that defined the weekend. The Shimmer Band, an Atlanta-based group from East Coast Entertainment, set the tempo for the evening, keeping the energy high without overwhelming the space. Rather than choreographing moments, the focus remained on collective participation—guests dancing, lingering, and wearing custom hats, scarves, and sunglasses Merritt had designed for the weekend.
“My favorite part was seeing everyone fully in it,” she says of the reception. “Not watching—participating.” The celebration continued later at one of the hotel bars just down the hall, extending the night without shifting its tone.
As the weekend drew to a close, Merritt and Stephen departed for a winter honeymoon through Paris, Bordeaux, and Rome—an itinerary that echoed the same balance as their wedding: classic, considered, and unhurried. Like the celebration itself, it marked a continuation rather than a finale.
