Food Network Fan-Favorite Star Gets Married With Help From a Famous Bridesmaid

Food Network star Anne Burrell married Stuart Claxton on Saturday with the help of a famous bridesmaid. Burrell’s close friend and fellow TV star Rachael Ray served as a bridesmaid, alongside Burrell’s sister Jane. Claxton’s best man was his 16-year-old son Javier, from a previous marriage.

Burrell, 52, and Claxton, 50, married at Windridge Estates Redbarn 20 in her hometown of Cazenovia, New York, the couple told PEOPLE. They got engaged in April 2020 and quarantined in Cazenovia during the pandemic. “I can’t believe it’s really here. It’s kind of surreal,” Burrell told the magazine. “We feel so much love and support from everyone who’s coming.”

Before the wedding, Burrell shared a few behind-the-scenes moments with fans on her Instagram page. The Secrets of a Restaurant Chef star published a photo with her bridesmaids, including Ray, on Friday. “My beautiful bridesmaids!! I feel so grateful to have such an AMAZING group of smart, strong, funny and just AMAZING people around me. I am truly a [lucky girl],” she wrote. Jersey Shore star Jenni “JWoww” Farley was among the guests at the wedding.

Burrell’s dress was made by Carolina Herrera. She instantly fell in love with the dress, which was the first one she tried on. “I’ve loved Carolina Herrera forever because I feel like she knows how to dress real women,” she told PEOPLE. “You don’t have to be a stick figure, which I’m clearly not, but it still makes you feel beautiful and dreamy.”

As one would expect during a wedding for a culinary expert, the menu was crafted by Burrell over several months. She joked about driving the caters “absolutely bonkers” because she turned down some of their menu ideas. Eventually, they compromised on a menu that mixed fall flavors with seasonal vegetables.

The wedding cake was also a contribution from a famous friend: Cake Boss star Buddy Valastro. “We had talked about a carrot cake, and Buddy was like, ‘Eh, that’s good, but what about a zucchini cake?’” Burrell recalled. “So we’re doing a zucchini cake for one flavor, and then the other flavor is olive oil, lemon, and rosemary.”

Burrell has starred in several shows for Food Network, including Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell. In 2012, Burrell announced she was engaged to fellow chef Koren Grieveson. She began dating Claxton after they met in 2018 through the dating app Bumble.