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All the Gorgeous Details From Mariska Hargitay & Peter Hermann’s Fairytale Wedding
The Law & Order: SVU star tied the knot with Hermann in 2004.
When Yale grad Peter Hermann first stepped on to the set of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for a guest role as attorney Trevor Langan, he must have been excited about the opportunity. But he had no idea that he was about to meet his wife, Mariska Hargitay, who plays series lead Olivia Benson.
Since meeting in the early aughts, the two have since gotten married and welcomed three beautiful children. Below, take a look back at the magical wedding that made them a family.
Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann got married in Santa Barbara
For their special day on August 28, 2004, the pair chose the Unitarian Historical Chapel in Santa Barbara. As InStyle detailed: Hargitay and her father, Mickey, arrived via a vintage Jaguar, and during the ceremony, Mickey read a poem by E.E. Cummings. Hermann recited his vows "so loudly you could have heard them in Oregon," he told InStyle, which reports that as the couple exited, a gospel choir sang "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."
RELATED: Mariska Hargitay Was Just Maid of Honor at a Wedding: See Her Stunning Aqua Dress
Mariska Hargitay looked stunning in Carolina Herrera
The actress wore a blush gown designed by Carolina Herrera that matched Hermann's tie, to which she pinned a small locket, a gift from friend and attendee Joely Fisher, per People (the locket contained pictures of Hargitay's late mother, Jayne Mansfield, and grandmother). InStyle reports that the gown also had her and Hermann's initials sewn into it, as well as the date. Other guests included Chad Lowe, Jodie Foster, Hilary Swank and, of course, SVU's Christopher Meloni, per InStyle.
Hargitay wore roses and gardenias in her hair and carried a bouquet made of gardenias, lilies of the valley and ivory roses, made by Velvet Garden. Her engagement ring featured nine evenly-spaced round diamonds set in a platinum band by jewelry designer Karen March (per InStyle).
RELATED: Mariska Hargitay Shares Rare Pic of Her Wedding for Anniversary with Peter Hermann
The couple hosted a fantasy reception
Guests were treated to a Mexican buffet on the beach the night before the wedding, and following the ceremony attended a reception at a private estate in Montecito. Event planner Yifat Oren had decorated the venue with a pond full of swans and tables festooned with dahlias, roses, lilies of the valley, grasses and fruit, according to InStyle.
Oren told People of the couple, “They’re mad about each other. And they’re hilariously funny together.”
Per People, they shared a six-layered, seven-foot-tall cake with a crystal "M&P" on top. On InStyle, you can see a picture of the dessert, which was brightly colored with pink and orange butterfly decorations and created by Very Different Cakes in Los Angeles. See more pictures of the quirky choice here.
“I never thought I would have this much laughter in my life," Hermann told People about being with Hargitay. “Not just actual laughter. But also the way that Mariska is just the embodiment of laughter — of joy.”
“It’s the way we find our way back to each other. It’s this fantastically, wonderfully ridiculous way that we can swing back and forth any number of times in any given day. But fundamentally we know we have the same destination,” he added. “We know where we’re headed, and it’s good. And we know we’ll get there together.”
Hargitay told People pretty much the same thing: "We got married and we knew that it was going to be good and I think we both knew...we found the right one. I never thought it could be this good...That I waited and married the right one and it’s better than I thought it was. Because sometimes you take a snapshot and you go, ‘I can’t believe this is my life.’ ”
