For a decade, Christina Hendricks was married to Geoffrey Arend. It was a sweet marriage – the bombshell redhead married to a nerd king. They divorced in 2019 and I was sort of sad about it. They never really talked about what happened. I didn’t even know that Christina started seeing someone new, but here we are. Christina married George Bianchini in New Orleans and she gave a huge exclusive to People Mag about the three-day wedding festivities, plus she gave People an exclusive look at her wedding dress. After reading this piece, I hope Christina eventually posts her wedding photos on Instagram, or that she gave another exclusive to a different magazine, because I’m dying to see all of this:
Christina Hendricks has tied the knot! The actress, 48, married George Bianchini at the historic Napoleon House in New Orleans on Saturday, April 20. The guest list included Mad Men creator Matt Weiner, Christian Siriano, Mae Whitman and Retta. Hendricks tells PEOPLE that both she and Bianchini — a camera operator who has worked on numerous films and TV shows — chose the Big Easy for their nuptials as they both have a special connection to the city.
“New Orleans is a place that I always loved to go before I met George, and a place that he always loved to go before he met me. And then when we first started dating or meeting up, because we lived across the country from one another, it was the place in the middle,” she explains.
As for their venue, they landed on Napoleon House — a French Quarter landmark that was once the residence of New Orleans mayor Nicholas Girod, who famously offered Napoleon Bonaparte refuge during his exile — after falling in love with the restaurant’s history and eclectic grandeur. “It’s got this rustic Cuban, Spanish, European textured, high-low feeling to it, which I guess is how we feel about ourselves a little bit — a little high-low,” Hendricks says. “It’s got the most gorgeous walls with paint peeling off, and then you walk upstairs and there’s these grand dining rooms with the beautiful ceilings.”
The three-day wedding weekend kicked off with a welcome cocktail party, held at a mini mansion on the Soniat House property, followed by a ghost tour in the French Quarter. The mansion also served as the couple’s “home base” throughout the weekend and a place to get ready for the various festivities. For the wedding itself at Napoleon House, Hendricks says she went “full floral,” filling the venue with an abundance of fresh blooms.
“I’ve always loved flowers. It’s something so special to me, and I’ve never really indulged in just having an event and just letting it be a festival of flora and fauna,” she tells PEOPLE. Hendricks chose a color palette of plum, blush and chocolate shades, which she describes as “gothic, moody and sexy,” with lots of Queen Anne’s lace. “George and I are both ex-goths, so that speaks to us,” she says.
Hendricks and Bianchini’s ceremony was officiated by her close friend Shirley Manson, lead singer of the rock band Garbage. “It was super exciting for us because I really think [Manson] is one of the most extraordinary writers and poets. We just look at her and her marriage to her husband Billy [Bush], and they are couple goals for us,” the Good Girls star says. The couple hand-wrote their vows for each other, which Hendricks says was one of the more “nerve-wracking” items on their wedding to-do list.
A goth wedding with a ghost tour of the French Quarter, and a ceremony officiated by Shirley Manson?? Jesus, if you have the money to do it, why isn’t everyone doing their weddings like this?? How f–king cool. It’s also sort of patriotic to me to see American celebrities embrace a “destination weddings” within America. Like, you don’t have to make everyone fly to Italy or France for your wedding. It feels like “celebrities getting married in NOLA” has become more of a thing in recent years and I completely approve – New Orleans needs the tourism money, and there’s so much to see and do in NOLA. Anyway, congrats to Christina and her new husband! Please post some photos, Christina!!
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, People Magazine’s IG.
her style makes a lot more sense to me now that I know she’s a secret goth. I eagerly await the wedding photos!
Now I just want to go to New Orleans.
I have always wanted to go. I read a lot of Anne Rice as a teenager. I wonder if she did too?
But the humidity and the general activities of other tourists – mostly the peeing in the street so the place reeks esp in the mornings – has kept my interest at bay this long.
If you go over the winter the humidity isn’t as intense! And avoid bourbon street to miss the peeling in the streets 😂 I’ve only been once but it was so lovely. Amazing food, beautiful architecture & killer music. I went with my sister and we had a blast. We did a self guided walking tour of the garden district & saw 2 Anne Rice houses & a lot of other gorgeous ones – Trent Reznor/John Goodman, Sandra Bullock, Angelina Jolie, the Mannings for the celebs
@Muggs: I second that! Went in January for a conference & it was freezing cold! I mean never got above 32F! I did a quick shop at a JCrew near my hotel for some wool socks & sweatshirts, then went exploring! No crowds at that time of year! Absolutely fascinating place! Also, got to see fireworks over the river (I was there for New Year’s) & the first of the Mardi Gras parades.
Oh NOLA is fantastic. It has such a cool energy–like the city seriously feels like it’s alive and I’m not talking bc of the people. Yes, there are some gross smells. But then you turn a corner and you’re hit with the smell of cajun food. In all the times I have visited (and I have gone there plenty of times in the summer), I haven’t witnessed anyone taking a leak in the streets. I haven’t been during Mardi Gras though so maybe that’s why? Book the trip. I promise you it’s worth it. New Orleans is a treasure.
Ohhh I do so want to see her dress!
I can’t believe she’s 48. She must have learned her sunscreen game at a young age. Not so much the rest of my generation 😭
I was surprisingly sad when they broke up too. I’m happy that she has found someone she wanted to marry though.
The wedding sounded awesome and fun. I hope she posts her other looks but I have to say, I understand the look she was going for but I feel it didn’t do her any justice. It was a grandma dress that didn’t bring out her beautiful hourglass body. She always wears lovely corseted dresses that exemplifies her body and this was not well fitted and old fashion in not the best way. Also her hairstyle was too modern for the vintage style headpiece she chose, it would have looked better up. I wish she had let Christian Siriano design her dress, I hope she shows those pictures. Her husband is pictured looking very handsome in tuxedo for other events but his choice of attire for his wedding looks very casual for me. Otherwise they look very happy, mazel!
Congrats to her! He’s been on her Instagram quite a bit, but I didn’t know anything about him. I hope they’re very happy together!
This sounds so much fun!
I want pictures 😀
I think Christian Siriano did her wedding dress he posted a dress shot on his Instagram account
Yes, he’s posted some pictures of her wedding outfits… not sure he’s posted the dress (but I haven’t checked Instagram in a few hours).
He did her rehearsal dress for sure, another designer did the dress in the picture according to People Mag. I can’t wait to see CS’s dress.
To paraphrase…when I die and they cut my heart open New Orleans will be written on it. Go if you get a chance. It won’t be what you expect and you won’t forget it. There is no place quite like it.🖤💛
I got married in vegas but really tried to convince my husband to do it in NOLA bc you can get a second line after the ceremony! Would be a dream
She looks GORGEOUS!! Mazel to the newlyweds!
I just got back from New Orleans for a conference, lol! Such a fun, fun place!