From broke in Nashville to bride of the year — Lainey Wilson’s love story just wrote its most beautiful chapter yet.
The country superstar officially tied the knot with her longtime love Devlin “Duck” Hodges on May 10th, in a ceremony that was equal parts breathtaking and beautifully personal. And in true Lainey Wilson fashion, it was anything but ordinary.
How It All Started
The two first crossed paths in 2021 through a mutual friend — but the beginning of their love story was far from glamorous. Lainey has never shied away from telling the truth about those early Nashville days, and she wasn’t about to start now.
“That was the night we met. I was broke. I was so broke when we met. And he thought I was doing a little bit better than I was. But a few weeks after we met, my sister had to Venmo me a couple hundred bucks.”
Duck didn’t walk away. He stayed. And over the next four years, he watched the woman he loved go from scraping by in Nashville to becoming one of the biggest names in country music. In February of last year, he got down on one knee at the iconic George Jones estate — just one week after the Super Bowl — and made it official.
The Venue: A Hidden Tennessee Gem
When it came to choosing where to say “I do,” Lainey and Duck didn’t hire a fancy wedding planner and flip through glossy venue brochures. They went for a drive.
“Duck and I were driving backroads in Tennessee and saw a billboard for The Ruskin Cave. Duck said, ‘You wanna get married there?’ I said, ‘Done deal.'”
Just like that, The Ruskin Cave in Dickson, Tennessee became the backdrop for country music’s most romantic wedding of the year. The natural beauty of the cave, the sound of trickling water, birds singing, and a warm spring breeze set the scene for a day that felt less like a production and more like a dream.
The Dress, The Details, The Magic
Lainey traded in her signature bell bottoms for a jaw-dropping custom gown designed by the Oscar de la Renta team, brought to life with the help of her stylist Alexandra Mandelkorn. The dress featured delicate Japanese cherry blossoms woven around the neckline and throughout — a detail that was anything but accidental.
“The cherry blossom represents living in the moment, and that’s exactly what we did.”
Duck was equally dapper, dressed in a bespoke suit by D. Lacquaniti, complete with custom boots by Golden West Boots, a custom bolo and cufflinks, and a cowboy hat by Charlie 1 Horse — styled by their friend Raina Gir.
The Ceremony
Lainey arrived in a white horse-drawn carriage — because of course she did — and walked down the aisle on the arm of her father to meet Duck at the altar. The couple was married by their friend Wes Williams and shared communion together during the ceremony, a deeply personal touch that set the tone for everything the day represented.
“I have never seen Duck smile as big as he did then. It made me feel giddy about turning the page into this next chapter of marriage. We were both anxious to say ‘I do!'”
The Celebration
True to her Louisiana roots, Lainey made sure the reception had soul. The couple brought in the 12-piece jazz band Rebirth to keep the energy alive, while the chefs from Lainey’s own Nashville bar, Bell Bottoms Up, served up a full Cajun feast for their guests. Planning was handled by Hugh Howser and Kate Steele with H Three Events.
“We wanted it to be special and beautiful, but really welcoming and comfortable for our guests. We tried not to take ourselves too seriously.”
No stress about flowers. No overthinking the details. Just two people, deeply in love, surrounded by the people who matter most — exactly the way Lainey always said she wanted it.
A Love Story Worth Celebrating
From Venmo transfers and late nights hoping Nashville would work out, to a cave wedding covered by Vogue and a love that has weathered every twist of a skyrocketing career — Lainey Wilson and Duck Hodges have written the kind of love story that reminds you why you believe in them in the first place.
Congratulations to the happy couple. Here’s to forever. 🤍🌸🤠