After just a few days together, New York Giants wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and fitness instructor Laura Crook knew they were meant to be. They met in January 2023, when the receiver was playing for the Kansas City Chiefs and Laura was living in Arizona. "I went to visit her during the playoff break," JuJu told Vogue. "The first time I saw her, I said, 'Wow, you're so beautiful.'" On that trip, Laura took JuJu to her favorite restaurants, introduced him to her friends, and even worked out with him a few times. "He's been my best friend ever since," she says.
Just nine months later, JuJu knew they would be best friends for life. So, on September 7, 2023, the football player proposed to Laura during a surprise trip to the White Elephant restaurant on Nantucket. "It was such a peaceful, calm day," JuJu recalls. They began with shopping around the city, oyster tasting, and a boat ride along the coast. “With the lighthouse in the distance and the sky painted in the most breathtaking colors, it felt like time stood still. My heart was racing the whole time,” says Juju. “I was incredibly nervous, but at the same time incredibly excited, and I couldn’t stop smiling because I knew I was about to ask the love of my life the most important question of my life. It’s a moment I’ll cherish forever.” At sunset, he proposed, and Laura said “yes.” She adds, “It was a phenomenal day.”
The couple decided to enjoy their engagement period and chose the Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel, California, for their wedding on July 10, 2026. “We wanted our wedding to reflect who we are as people and as a couple, and for it to be one big party,” says the bride. The groom admits that Laura was the real star of the planning process. "I was a great team player, helping with the DJ and saying yes and no," says Juju. Working with wedding planner Audrey Wood made the entire process seamless and helped Laura truly enjoy the journey. "She made everything easy, and nothing was too much for her," adds Laura. "We took our time and truly considered our guests' wishes and impressions throughout the entire process."
Both the bride and groom were fortunate to find their wedding dresses quite easily. Laura actually saw her Steven Khalil dress online months before she went shopping. She knew she had to try it on. "It was the second dress I tried on, and although I continued searching at several other boutiques, I knew it was the one," she says. The dress features a mermaid silhouette, lace trim, and a gathered tulle overlay. For her wedding day, she chose a matching veil, diamond stud earrings, and a tennis bracelet. "The dress and veil were perfect, so I wanted something timeless and classic for jewelry," the bride shares.
For her wedding day, Juju wore a custom double-breasted white suit from Julian Abdul Studios. "My stylist, Vic Michel from Upnxt, helped me choose and showed me my options," explains the groom. "The choice was easy for me." For accessories, he chose Chanel sunglasses for the sunny California day, Tom Ford shoes, a pocket square, and a bow tie. Laura adds, "I loved that he kept his look a secret from me, so I was as excited to see his outfit as he was to see mine."
The wedding weekend began with a welcome party on the beach in Laguna Niguel. The Hawaiian theme was the perfect reminder of the groom's Samoan roots. "The guests enjoyed piña coladas in signature coconuts with our wedding logo and danced to great music all evening," the bride recounts. "In the middle of the evening, we invited Polynesian dancers and listened to speeches from our closest friends and family."
The next day, the wedding ceremony took place on a lawn decorated with white and green flowers, overlooking the ocean. "It was a dream ceremony," Laura shares. "Guests were greeted with champagne upon arrival, and a violinist played our favorite love songs." All the bride's worries vanished as she walked down the aisle. "In that moment, it truly felt like it was just the two of us," she shares. Juju also felt a wave of calm upon seeing Laura. "The moment I saw her walking toward me, I knew without a doubt that I was marrying the woman I'd been praying for," he says. "It still feels surreal to finally have a ring on my finger—and this time it's not a Super Bowl ring."
After the ceremony, guests, including Taylor Swift and former Kansas City Chiefs teammates Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, enjoyed cocktail hour, while the newlyweds took some time for themselves and took a few portraits with their photographer, Nicole Ivanova. Both the bride and groom described the reception as unforgettable.
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