🧛‍♂️🧛‍♀️ From TV vampires to husband and wife! Candice King marries Steven Krueger… but they scrapped their huge 2026 wedding for one reason! 😍

Candice King and Steven Krueger have woven a love story that feels straight out of one of their supernatural TV dramas—only this one is real, raw, and radiantly human. In February, amid the rolling hills of Tennessee, the Vampire Diaries alum and her Originals co-star-turned-soulmate exchanged vows in an intimate elopement that blended old-world romance with modern family magic. Pregnant with their first child together, the couple traded their grand fall 2026 Nashville wedding plans for something smaller, sweeter, and infinitely more meaningful: a sunlit ceremony at The Chapel at High Point Farm with just 15 loved ones, including her two daughters and his nieces. What unfolded was not merely a wedding but a celebration of resilience, blended families, and the kind of instant connection that defies Hollywood’s usual script.

The magic began the moment guests stepped into the tiny wooden chapel. Sunlight poured through the windows, casting a golden haze over arrangements from Amelia’s Flower Truck that transformed the space into a living fairytale greenhouse. Soft live guitar melodies floated through the air as Candice walked down the aisle in a gown that hugged her growing bump with elegant grace. Steven stood waiting, his black Armani tuxedo perfectly relaxed without a tie, his face lit with the kind of joy that only comes from knowing you’ve found your forever person. Their officiant? A mutual best friend, Carina MacKenzie, who flew in to make the moment even more personal. Every detail—from the pointed ivory flats Candice chose for comfort to the vintage emerald ring she wore in anticipation of their baby boy—spoke volumes about a couple who prioritized intimacy over spectacle.

Yet this whirlwind elopement was no spur-of-the-moment decision. It was the beautiful pivot born from life’s most joyful surprise. The pair had originally envisioned a lavish Nashville affair later that year, complete with all the friends and extended family who had cheered them on since their romance first sparked. Then came the news: Candice was pregnant. Due in May, right around her birthday, the baby boy would arrive sooner than any wedding planner could accommodate. Rather than delay their union, they leaned into the moment. “We decided to have a small elopement-style weekend in Nashville with just our immediate families, and save the bigger celebration for sometime next year,” Steven shared with Vogue. Candice echoed the sentiment, noting how the smaller scale allowed them to focus on what truly mattered. “We were ecstatic with how it all came together. We focused on the essential trifecta: photos, flowers, and food.”

Planning an elopement while expecting brought its own charming challenges. “Shockingly, there’s not a huge market for wedding dresses that fit over a baby bump,” Candice joked. She scoured options until landing on the Deia dress by Grace Loves Lace—an off-the-shoulder, long-sleeved crepe gown with just enough structure to feel bridal and enough stretch to accommodate her growing silhouette. Alterations by The Wedding Gown Tailor ensured it fit perfectly, even as her belly continued to expand. A lace Juliette cap veil by Claire Pettibone, adorned with delicate butterfly appliqués, completed the look, evoking both romance and motherhood. On her hands, she layered meaning: a vintage emerald ring purchased in Paris to commemorate their son’s upcoming arrival, and on her right hand, Steven’s grandmother’s heirloom wedding ring from the Krueger-Straza family. Her daughters Florence and Josephine, along with Steven’s nieces, wore coordinating ivory dresses from JJ’s House, turning the bridal party into a beautiful symbol of their blended future.

Steven, ever the laid-back counterpart, admitted to last-minute tuxedo shopping. With a hectic filming schedule, he picked up his Armani suit the day before the wedding, playfully telling the salesman it was for a friend’s 40th birthday party. “Now I just need someone to throw a fancy birthday party so I can wear it again,” he quipped. The relaxed vibe suited the day perfectly—no stuffy formalities, just two people deeply in love ready to commit.

The weekend kicked off with a playful pre-wedding murder mystery party themed “’Til Death Do Us Part.” Guests dove into the cheesy, ridiculous fun, fueled by wine and cocktails, laughter echoing through their Nashville home. “I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in a long time,” Candice recalled. It set the tone for a celebration that felt authentic to who they are: fun-loving, resilient, and surrounded by chosen family.

On the wedding morning, the couple prepared at their 100-year-old Nashville house—the very place where their engagement story unfolded. What began as plans for a vintage limo ride turned into an impromptu family adventure when the vehicle broke down. Undeterred, the four of them—Candice in her gown, Steven in his tux, and the girls in their dresses—piled into their own car and drove themselves to the chapel. They arrived right on time, turning what could have been stress into another cherished memory. A first look at home earlier that day brought tears and kicks from their unborn son, a tiny reminder that this union was expanding in every sense.

As the ceremony unfolded, the warm glow of the “magic hour” bathed the chapel. Candice described walking down the aisle as surreal: “I remember hearing the soft sounds of live guitar being played by a friend of a friend that we’d never met, the flowers making this tiny wooden chapel feel like a fairytale greenhouse, and the warm glow of light on Steven’s face.” Vows were exchanged with heartfelt sincerity, followed by an emotional reception at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse. The menu featured steaks and a custom cake shaped like a cowboy boot, nodding to their Nashville roots. Toasts flowed freely, with one standout moment coming from young Josephine, whose words left the room misty-eyed. It was, as Steven put it, “perfect.”

Their journey to this altar stretches back years, rooted in the shared universe of The CW’s hit vampire franchise. Candice, 38, skyrocketed to fame as Caroline Forbes in The Vampire Diaries—a human-turned-vampire whose evolution from shallow mean girl to fierce leader captivated millions. She later reprised the role in The Originals and has continued shining in projects like Prime Video’s We Were Liars, reuniting with TVD creator Julie Plec. Steven, 36, portrayed the charming yet complicated Josh Rosza in The Originals, a character whose loyalty and wit made him a fan favorite. More recently, he’s earned acclaim for his intense portrayal of Coach Ben Scott in Showtime’s Yellowjackets, a role demanding both physical and emotional depth.

Despite working in the same Atlanta-based production world for years, their paths never truly crossed on set. “We circled around each other for years as we both lived in Atlanta and worked on The Vampire Diaries and The Originals,” Steven recalled. “We like to joke that we were probably in the same room a dozen times and never noticed each other.” That changed dramatically at a 2023 cast reunion dinner. Sparks flew instantly. “Suddenly, it was this instant mutual feeling of: ‘Hi, where the hell have you been,’” he said, invoking “invisible string theory at its finest.”

The next six months saw them shuttling between cities, visiting every few weeks. Candice, already a Nashville resident after purchasing and lovingly restoring a historic home, convinced Steven to join her. “The promise of music and fall leaves” proved irresistible. By December 2023, they made their romance Instagram official with a playful recap reel featuring a kiss. Candice captioned it simply: “I laughed. I cried. I laughed til I cried. I loved. Thanks for the dance 2023 🥂.”

Life together deepened quickly. Candice had previously been married to The Fray guitarist Joe King from 2014 until their 2022 split, sharing daughters Florence and Josephine. Steven embraced the role of stepfather with open arms, and the couple’s bond grew stronger amid the realities of co-parenting and busy careers. In May 2025, just after Candice’s 38th birthday, Steven proposed at their Nashville home. The plan had originally been a romantic trip to Japan in April, but a joking comment from Candice prompted him to pivot. Then Mother Nature intervened with one of the largest storms in decades. Tornado sirens blared through the night, and they woke to a flooded basement. What was meant to be a day of pure romance became ten hours of crisis management—pumping water, cleanup, exhaustion.

By evening, they sat on the couch in pajamas, eating leftover chili, when Steven dropped to one knee. “I was quietly devastated” earlier, he admitted, but the moment triumphed over the chaos. Candice described the scene vividly: “The last thought in my mind was that Steven was about to propose. But he did. I love that he asked me to marry him in what has become our 100-year-old house here in Nashville. I love that our love story is one that gets to be woven into it. And it really goes to show that not only can we weather the historic storms together, but we can turn them into part of our adventure together.”

The engagement announcement came via Instagram, with photos from their favorite cocktail bar, Martha My Dear. “I think 38 just might be my favorite year yet,” Candice wrote. “The privilege of getting older is much sweeter knowing I get to share it with you Steven. Thank you for asking me to dance through life with you.”

By December 2025, they shared even bigger news: pregnancy. Candice posted about the excitement of expanding their blended family. “We’ve known the news for a while now, and it’s been such a joyful experience getting to surprise and share our happy news with friends and family,” she told PEOPLE. Her daughters were relieved to learn why Mom had been “belching constantly and eating unusual amounts at weird times.” The due date in May felt like destiny. “I can’t wait to grow our beautiful blended family.”

Fans of the TVDU universe rejoiced at the pairing. Social media lit up with nostalgia for Caroline and Josh’s on-screen worlds, now mirrored in real-life happiness. Comments poured in celebrating the couple’s ability to balance fame, family, and fresh starts. For Candice, stepping into motherhood again while navigating her career highlights the support system she and Steven have built. Steven’s role in Yellowjackets, with its themes of survival and human connection, seems almost prophetic for their own story of weathering literal and figurative storms.

The wedding day wasn’t without its small, memorable hiccups—the broken limo, the dress alterations racing against a growing belly—but each one reinforced their partnership. As Candice noted, “The most stressful part was making sure the family felt taken care of and could get from point A to point B—which is true whether you’re eloping with 15 guests or managing a crowd of 200.” Photographer Rachel Santos captured every genuine smile, every tear, every tender glance. The images reveal a couple utterly present in the moment: Candice’s radiant glow, Steven’s steady gaze, the girls beaming beside them.

Reception highlights included heartfelt speeches and the boot-shaped cake that drew laughs and applause. Family members shared stories of the couple’s journey, from tentative long-distance visits to building a life in Nashville. The day closed with the kind of quiet contentment that comes from knowing you’ve chosen right—not just for yourselves, but for the children watching and the little one on the way.

Looking ahead, the couple plans a larger celebration next year, but this elopement feels complete in its simplicity. It honors their past—the shared TV history, the individual paths that led them here—and embraces their future: a baby boy joining Florence and Josephine in a home filled with music, laughter, and love. Candice’s daughters have already shown remarkable adaptability, welcoming Steven and now anticipating a sibling. The blended family dynamic shines as a testament to patience and open hearts.

In an industry where relationships often burn bright and fade fast, Candice and Steven stand out for their grounded approach. They’ve navigated public scrutiny, career demands, and life’s surprises with grace. Their story reminds us that true connection often arrives when least expected—after years of near-misses, in the middle of a chaotic storm, or during an intimate chapel vow. It’s about choosing each other every day, through flooded basements and baby kicks, through red carpets and quiet Nashville evenings.

As they prepare for their son’s arrival, the excitement is palpable. Candice has spoken of the “best gift ever” timing, aligning the birth with her birthday. Steven’s support shines through every quote, every shared glance in photos. Together, they’re not just actors playing roles; they’re building a legacy of family, resilience, and joy.

This Tennessee wedding, though small, carries the weight of something profound. It’s a declaration that love doesn’t need thousands of guests or perfect conditions—it thrives in the imperfect, the spontaneous, the deeply personal. For fans who grew up with Caroline Forbes’ journey from heartbreak to strength, seeing Candice find her own happy ending feels poetic. For those following Steven’s evolution from supernatural sidekick to dramatic lead, his real-life partnership adds another layer of inspiration.

The couple’s move to Nashville wasn’t just geographic; it symbolized roots, music, and a slower pace that suits family life. Their historic home, now witness to proposal and wedding prep, stands as a character in their tale. Future plans likely include balancing parenting with projects—Candice continuing her work with Plec, Steven diving deeper into roles like Yellowjackets—while prioritizing time as a family of five.

What makes their story so engaging is its universality wrapped in celebrity packaging. Anyone who has loved, lost, and loved again can relate to the second chances, the blended families, the decision to pivot when life hands you unexpected blessings. The pregnancy pivot from big wedding to elopement wasn’t a compromise; it was an elevation. It allowed them to focus on essence over extravagance: the photos that will one day tell their children this story, the flowers that scented their vows, the food shared in celebration.

As spring approaches and May draws near, the anticipation builds. A baby boy will join the fold, bringing new laughter, new milestones, and new adventures. Candice and Steven have already proven they can handle storms—literal and metaphorical—with humor and teamwork. Their daughters will be big sisters, guiding the newcomer with the same warmth they’ve shown Steven.

In the end, this elopement stands as proof that the best chapters often rewrite the outline. What began as circling orbits in Atlanta became a deliberate dance in Nashville. From reunion dinner sparks to storm-surviving proposal, from pregnancy announcement to chapel vows, every step feels fated. Fans, friends, and family alike celebrate not just the wedding but the life they’re creating together.

Their story continues to unfold, promising more laughter, more love, and undoubtedly more dances through life. For now, the newlyweds—soon-to-be parents of three—savor the quiet after the vows, the glow of new beginnings, and the knowledge that their greatest adventure is just getting started. In a world of fleeting spotlights, Candice King and Steven Krueger have found something enduring: a partnership that feels both epic and everyday, supernatural in its depth yet beautifully ordinary in its joy. Their Tennessee chapel moment will forever mark the start of a new era—one filled with boot-shaped cakes, butterfly veils, and the sweetest kind of family expansion.