ABC News Correspondent Jay O'Brien Marries News Producer Haleigh LaMontagne in 'Timeless and Elegant' Wedding (Exclusive)
ABC News Correspondent Jay O'Brien Marries News Producer Haleigh LaMontagne in 'Timeless and Elegant' Wedding (Exclusive)
Hannah SacksThu, June 25, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTC
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Jay O'Brien Marries News Producer Haleigh LaMontagneCredit: @Sunny Lee Photography -
Jay O'Brien and Haleigh LaMontagne got married on Friday, June 19 in Palm Beach, Fl.
The two tell PEOPLE that they chose Palm Beach for their wedding due to its deep personal and family significance
The happy couple overcame challenges during wedding planning, including supporting both families through a cancer journey
Jay O'Brien and Haleigh LaMontagne are beginning their next chapter together!
On Friday, June 19, the ABC News Correspondent, 31, married the WUSA news producer, 32, in a "timeless and elegant" wedding in Palm Beach, Fl. Jay and Haleigh tied the knot during a ceremony at Basilica of St. Edward before heading into a reception at The Breakers.
The two, who both lived and worked together at a local TV station in West Palm Beach, share with PEOPLE that they chose the location because of its meaningful connection to their families.
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ABC News Correspondent Jay O'Brien Marries News Producer Haleigh LaMontagneCredit: @Sunny Lee Photography
"This is the first place we truly lived together after 5+ years of a long distance relationship," they say. "It has a special place. Jay's family also lives here and he used to go to church at St. Edwards and visit The Breakers frequently as a child. Jay's family always dreamed someone would get married down here."
Although St. Edwards has a "firm rule" that only people living on the island can get married in their church, they bent the rules after hearing Jay and Haleigh's story.
"We have two big Italian families, all joining together for one wedding. It will be a big, joyful celebration of our live — in a place special to both of us," explains Jay, who adds that the two wanted to "honor" their history with the area. "It feels like a homecoming and the perfect place to celebrate our story."
ABC News Correspondent Jay O'Brien Marries News Producer Haleigh LaMontagneCredit: @Sunny Lee Photography
As they went through the planning process with the help of Jen Hardimen from Fabuluxe Events, both Haleigh and Jay's families went through a particularly difficult time.
"Both of our families battled cancer through the planning, so it's been at times stressful but also beautiful," explains Haleigh, who says they've been "juggling" their wedding planning with their jobs in news. "We've been fitting in wedding planning at the end of every day —when my show is done and Jay comes back from the Hill."
As she walked down the aisle in St. Edwards to a traditional trumpet voluntary, Haleigh wore a gown by Dolce by Jane Hill.
"I'd had my eye on it for months, but it was part o a new collection and hard to find in stores," she says. "Luckily one store I visited had just gotten the dress in on the day of my appointment. I tried it on and immediately fell in love."
Jay and Haleigh exchanged traditional vows at the church before heading to their reception at The Breakers. The newlyweds entered the venue to "Let's Get Married" by Bleachers, which Haleigh calls a "great fit."
ABC News Correspondent Jay O'Brien Marries News Producer Haleigh LaMontagneCredit: @Sunny Lee Photography
"I love alternative rock — I sing Fall Out Boy and The Killers in the car and wear a lot of Metallica T-shirts," she explains.
Jay, Haleigh and their 135 guests sat down for a tableside dinner which included a choice of dover sole or filet. Their cake included alternating vanilla and chocolate layers with fillings of cannoli and chocolate pot de créme. Little LEGO versions of the bride and groom sat on the top, since Jay is a "big LEGO nerd."
For their first dance, the happy couple wanted to go "old school" and chose "Faithfully" by Journey — although Jay went "classic TV mode" and edited the song to trim down the run time and include only the moments that the couple really wanted.
ABC News Correspondent Jay O'Brien Marries News Producer Haleigh LaMontagneCredit: @Sunny Lee Photography
When it was time to hit the dance floor with the rest of their guests, the two opted for a DJ with live instruments. "That way you get the song you heard on the radio but with a little live element," they explain.
For Jay and Haleigh, getting married means solidifying their love and ensuring that their person will always be there for them.
"It means always having a partner that there's for you no matter what," says Haleigh. "We've already supported each other through so many difficult and wonderful times. I have no doubt Jay is the person I want by my side for all the moments that are yet to come."
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Jay says that tying the knot and embarking on this next chapter means that there will always be someone who "makes you feel that you can do anything, as Haleigh does for me."
"[Haleigh] is also the kind of person that no matter how hard the day gets — and in the news business, as you know, there can be some long days — you always have something to look forward to by being with them. Haleigh is my best friend. I love her more than anything."
ABC News Correspondent Jay O'Brien Marries News Producer Haleigh LaMontagneCredit: @Sunny Lee Photography
Jay and Haleigh first met when they both worked in student TV at Ithaca College. Jay remembers his new bride as the "brilliant director of the student TV station" and says he was an "overzealous" and perhaps a little bit "annoying" student reporter on the hunt for a good story.
"We first fell in love planning local election coverage," he says. "Then graduated and went our separate ways to begin careers in local TV. But, we realized we didn't want to live without each other and reconnected."
The couple was long distance for years before Haleigh moved to Florida where Jay was working at the time. They lived together for one year before Jay got a call from ABC News asking him to move to Washington D.C.
"When Haleigh later came to DC, I immediately proposed and said we would never be apart again," he remembers.
O'Brien and LaMontagne's Lego wedding cake toppersCredit: @Sunny Lee Photography
Jay bent down on one knee on December 1, 2023 at the Willard Hotel in Washington DC. He proposed in front a giant Christmas tree outside of the venue.
As they think about the next few years of their lives together after getting married, Haleigh and Jay say they're excited to build a family and spend every day together.
"We both come from big families that are very close. We want to carry on that tradition," shares Haleigh. "The next chapter looks like settling down. We want to buy a home in the DC area and hopefully get a puppy in the coming months. I've always wanted a golden retriever and Jay said that can be my wedding present!"
With coverage of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America just around the corner, the two have had to delay their honeymoon until after the festivities.
"We're heading right back to work and delaying our honeymoon. Jay is covering America's 250th for ABC and I'll be producing my stations' coverage in the control room."
ABC News Correspondent Jay O'Brien Marries News Producer Haleigh LaMontagneCredit: @Sunny Lee Photography
The two say that they've "never been as happy" as they were on their wedding day.
"This was the best day of my life. It was perfect. I started bawling from the first time I saw Haleigh and didn't stop for the rest of the day," says Jay. "I could barely get my vows out I was so in tears."
"I kept thinking; the decade that we've known each other, have loved each other, and all we've been through brought us here to this moment. And I wouldn't change a thing," he continues. "I didn't look at anyone else but Haleigh all day long. She looked so beautiful. This whole experience taught me something about weddings — on top of amazing decor, fabulous food and fun dancing — the secret sauce to a good wedding is the love the bride and groom share. We filled that room with our love and you could feel it."
ABC News Correspondent Jay O'Brien Marries News Producer Haleigh LaMontagneCredit: @Sunny Lee Photography
Haleigh explains that while she normally doesn't like to be the center of attention, the love she felt from Jay and her family kept her going.
"Every time I looked in his eyes that day I was reminded again and again how much I love him," she says. "Everywhere we went, people told us how happy we looked. Two little girls at The Breakers stopped me and told me how great I looked in my dress and asked to take a photo with me."
"It felt like I was living a dream come to life. It took a village of amazing people to support us that day and we owe them so much. Most of all, I'm just so happy to be married to Jay."
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