Hayley Williams and Chad Gilbert’s Punk-Rock Wedding

The songstress married her long time pop-punk boyfriend over the weekend.

Hayley Williams and Chad Gilbert’s Punk-Rock Wedding

By Emily Lasnier

Photo: David Bean

Pop-punk royalty Hayley Williams of Paramore and Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory wed on Saturday in the bride’s beloved hometown of Franklin, Tennessee. Despite being more rock n’ roll than country, the laid-back couple wanted to highlight their favorite elements of the Nashville area, selecting all local vendors for their intimate celebration. Most special to the bride’s heart was the ceremony site: the Franklin Theatre. The historic movie house, built in 1937, shut down in 2007. Hayley, her band mates, and the whole Franklin community were able to restore and invest in the theatre, which reopened three years later. It ended up being the ideal venue for the offbeat nuptials. 

Given their pop-punk roots – the couple met at Warped Tour in 2007 and started dating after New Found Glory and Paramore toured together in Europe the following year – unconventional touches filled the fête. On paper, the bride’s wedding gown may read as traditional: a Vera Wang gown with an embroidered tulle skirt and lace cap sleeves. However, the high-low style of the dress allowed Hayley to show off her colorful tattoos and ebony Dr. Martens, worn in lieu of high-heels. Her trademark fire-hued hair was tied up in a spunky up do. Hayley’s makeup was simple but elegant; she wore winged eyeliner and a touch of color on her cheeks, highlighting her flawless porcelain skin. While the groom did wear a suit, his ensemble was paired with Chuck Taylor sneakers, lest guests think he had lost his edge.  

After the first dance, Hayley changed into a paneled white skirt, a cozy T-shirt with her new husband’s name printed across the front, and custom Vans sneakers.  This turned out to be a prudent choice, as she had no need to worry about her couture gown when she and Chad smashed cake on each other’s face during the cake cutting. Atop the confection were fun movie-inspired cake toppers, with Chad represented by Sloth from The Goonies and Hayley’s stand-in of Leeloo from The Fifth Element, who inspired the bride’s character in friend Taylor Swift’s music video for the popular song “Bad Blood.” The “cake” highlighted 100 layers of donuts boasting three different flavors, and 100 additional donuts were made with fun quotes such as, “You’re so punk rock” written in icing.  

Wedding Resources

Beauty: Brian O'Connor; Bridal Designer: Vera Wang; Cake and Desserts: Five Daughters Bakery; Cake Topper: Super 7 Funko Reaction Figures; Catering: Puckett's Grocery & Restaurant; Men's Attire: Ben Sherman Music: Anthony Adams and The Nite Owls; Reception Outfit: UNIF (Top), Topshop (Skirt), Vans (Custom Hi-Tops), Stance (Socks); Shoes: Dr. Martens; Venue: Franklin Theatre (Ceremony), Puckett's Grocery & Restaurant (Reception)

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