Washington Commanders' Austin Ekeler Marries Dancer Melanie Wilking in Las Vegas Wedding! (Exclusive)

NFL star Austin Ekeler got married!

The Washington Commanders running back, 28, married dancer and TikToker Melanie Wilking on Saturday, May 25, at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa, surrounded by 138 loved ones, including a number of Ekeler’s NFL friends.

Wilking tells PEOPLE the couple chose Las Vegas because it’s their “home base” and will be a fun vacation destination for their friends and family who are traveling from various other states for the wedding. Their place, she says, was “unlike any other place we visited” during the planning process.

“The Hilton has a beautiful garden and a stunning view of the lake. It’s hard to get to a lake and a garden in the desert, so we knew this was the place,” she notes.

The goal, Wilking says, was to throw a “fun party” and share their special day with all the loved ones gathered. “Living away from our families isn’t always easy, so having everything in one place was everything we wanted,” she adds.

Austin Ekeler and Melanie Wilking at their wedding in Las Vegas.

Photo by Bethany Paige

The couple – who worked with planner Brittany Griffor of Symphony Weddings & Events – required their guests to wear all black. “I saw a video online of all the guests wearing black at a wedding and fell in love with the concept. I knew I wanted it for our big day,” explains Wilking.

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“We wanted the evening to be sophisticated and classic,” she adds of the dress code, designed to complement the wedding’s color palette, which featured all-white flowers and black-and-white decor.

During their ceremony, officiated by Bill Ekeler, Austin’s cousin and business partner, the couple said traditional vows. They also exchanged vows privately the night before the wedding. Wilking’s wedding ring held special meaning for the bride as it once belonged to her great-great-grandmother and was passed down to her by her mother.

Austin Ekeler and Melanie Wilking at their wedding in Las Vegas.

Photo by Bethany Paige

The bride walked down the aisle in a strapless Rivini by Rita Vinieris dress, a classic A-line silhouette. “As soon as I put it on, I knew it was the right one. My parents and grandmother were with me, and seeing their faces when I came out of the dressing room sealed the deal,” she recalls.

She and Austin opted for a very small bridal party, with two of the bride’s best friends serving as flower girls. Another friend of Wilking’s, electric violinist Spags, performed during the ceremony.

In a sweet touch, the couple assigned seats and placed photos on them to honor loved ones who are no longer with them — including Wilking’s three grandparents and Austin’s late agent and best friend Cameron Weiss, who died in September. “We wanted to make sure everyone was with us on our big day,” notes Wilking.

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Austin Ekeler and Melanie Wilking at their wedding in Las Vegas.

Photo by Bethany Paige

After the ceremony, the newlyweds and their guests enjoyed an a la carte meal that included summer strawberry salad, orange glazed chicken, vegetables and mashed potatoes.

For dessert, the couple chose a three-tier vintage-style wedding cake with layers of vanilla and strawberry filling, chocolate with biscuit and cream almond filling. “We couldn’t decide on just one,” Wilking jokes about the array of flavors.

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After the dance began, Austin and Wilking danced their first dance together as husband and wife to “Take My Name” by Parmalee.

Austin Ekeler and Melanie Wilking at their wedding in Las Vegas.

Photo by Bethany Paige

Looking back on their wedding, Wilking says it was the perfect day: “It was everything we ever wanted and more. Having all of our family travel to Las Vegas to celebrate our love is something I could only dream of. We are so grateful.”

The couple, who met on Instagram — Austin took the first step by DMing Wilking — got engaged on August 24, 2023. “It was definitely the best surprise ever,” he recalls of the proposal, which took place atop an oceanfront bluff in Laguna Beach, California. , with both their families present to celebrate the moment with them.

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Now married, the couple is looking forward to ending their long-distance relationship after spending the past few years traveling back and forth to see each other between California, Las Vegas and — since Austin signed with the Commanders in March — Virginia.

Austin Ekeler and Melanie Wilking at their wedding in Las Vegas.

Photo by Bethany Paige

“This will finally be a chapter where we do everything together. Of course, we’ll both have to travel in the future, but now we’ll call the same place home — Virginia in the season and Vegas in the off-season,” Wilking says.

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They are excited to step into this new chapter of their lives together, which they hope will be filled with lots of new adventures and experiences.

“Marriage to me means having a partner who will always be there for you in thick and thin. Going through life with your best friend by your side, creating experiences and family together,” Wilking tells PEOPLE.

Austin adds, “It means being with an eternal partner to grow together and explore the adventure of life.”

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Source: HIS Education