Brooke Eden and Hilary Hoover are preparing to tie the knot in a tropical Mexico beach ceremony — this week!
In the inaugural print cover story for Love Inc. magazine, the country star spoke about her and Hoover's love story, pushback they've faced as a same-sex couple and all the details of their upcoming wedding in tropical Playa Del Carmen.
According to Eden, 33, the pair are "two of the most chill brides" amid the planning process, which has mostly been handled by Hoover, 33. "She's so good at that stuff to begin with, just a really good planner and project manager. I really can't even take like any credit for the planning part of it," the "Left You for Me" singer-songwriter told the outlet. "I did a lot of the decorations, but for the most part, Hilary's just really run with it, and she's done such a great job."
Having experienced homophobia during her early days in Nashville, Eden said she and Hoover chose a resort in Playa Del Carmen for their wedding location after seeing LGBTQ couples highlighted in photos on websites about the city. As they've sifted through wedding paperwork ahead of their nuptials, however, the couple has faced annoyances regarding their sexualities.
"We're getting these contracts over and over that say 'bride and groom,'" said Eden. "It's kind of a slap in the face."
Despite heteronormative contracts, the wedding planning process has gone well and left the former American Idol contestant feeling "so excited" for the big celebration. "Hilary grew up in Indiana, and I grew up in Florida, but somehow, we both chose to surround ourselves with very similar people," said Eden.
In fact, the fun will last a bit longer than one simple day. "We're getting married on a Thursday, so a lot of people are staying for five or six days. And that's what we wanted ... more than just one night. Because that would've been super overwhelming for both of us," she detailed. "Like, how do we soak this all in in just one night? I think having people there for longer than just a weekend will help calm our excitement."
Eden and Hoover are planning to say "I do" on a bridge leading out onto the beach, said the musician, "so we'll have the ambiance of the beach, but no sand."
Offering further visual details, she continued, "We're huge on lighting, so we have these really cool uplights that are going to show pinks and blues and greens. And we have disco balls!"
Ahead of the ceremony, Eden also offered up some advice to other couples looking to get married: "Have fun! Don't take things so seriously. The most important thing about getting married is that you're so happy to be with your partner on your wedding day. Figure out what's important to you at the beginning, and don't let anybody else push you into what they think is important."
She then spoke about how she's taken a fun, not-so-serious approach with Hoover. "I think that, for us, it was making sure everyone could be there. Finding a resort where everyone would be comfortable and be able to afford it, but still feel like they're in paradise. And also the music," added Eden. "Those were the two important things to us. And then everything else, it's just details."
It appears the nearly week-long wedding festivities have kicked off, as Eden posted a photo with Hoover — seemingly taken at a resort — to Instagram on Monday alongside the caption, "Kicking off wedding week in Paradise with my bride! 👰🏽♀️👰🏼♀️ #BrookeSaysHilYes"
