Meryl Davis attends The Women's Sports Foundation's 38th Annual Salute To Women in Sports Awards Gala on Oct. 18, 2017 in New York City.
Three-time Olympic ice dance medalist Meryl Davis had her big day in the south of France on Saturday when she wed former Canadian and Russian figure skater Fedor Andreev in an intimate ceremony in the garden of a farmhouse, in front of roughly 95 guests.
The guests included fellow Olympic skaters Jeremy Abbott, Evan Bates, Brian Boitano, Madison Chock, Mirai Nagasu, Tanith White and Kristi Yamaguchi – as well as Charlie White, her ice dance partner of more than two decades.
“It wouldn’t be the same without Charlie there,” Davis, 32, told People.com. “(He) has been a huge part of my life since I was about 8 years old — he’s family.”
After claiming the ice dance silver medal at the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010, Davis and White came back to win the gold medal in 2014 in Sochi, in addition to the inaugural team bronze medal. They were the first U.S. ice dancers to win Olympic gold.
Together, they also won gold medals at the 2011 and 2013 world championships, along with five Grand Prix Final titles and six U.S. titles.
Davis and White still skate together in exhibitions on tours.
In addition to her skating, Davis captured worldwide attention with her “Dancing with the Stars” championship in 2014.
Andreev, a Russian native who has dual citizenship with Canada and Russia, won a Canadian championships bronze medal in men’s singles in 2003. Later in his career he switched to ice dance, competing with Russia’s Jana Khokhlova, before retiring from competitive skating in 2011. Andreev’s mother is Davis’ longtime coach Marina Zoueva.
Davis and Andreev, 37, announced their engagement in July 2017 with Davis receiving a canary yellow diamond ring during his proposal on a hike in California.
“It might be my favorite weekend of all time – great memories and perfect celebration. … It just was one of the most beautiful moments that I will definitely cherish for the rest of my life,” Davis told TeamUSA.org at the time
Davis and Andreev began dating in the fall of 2010.
“Fedor is one of the kindest people that I’ve ever met. He has such a pure, beautiful heart, and I think that’s what draws me to him the most,” she told TeamUSA.org after their engagement. “We both just like to enjoy life to the fullest, and I think we really try to bring that out in each other. And so whenever we’re together, we have the best time. He’s my best friend, and I just feel so incredibly lucky that I get to marry my best friend.”
The wedding, held in the backyard garden of the Le Mas des Poiriers, an 18th-century farmhouse on an island in Provence, according to People, was rich in family tradition. Davis’ uncle, Cam, officiated the wedding. Her man of honor was her brother, Clayton. Danielle Vincent, Andreev’s cousin and the founder of a beauty company, served as his best lady.
“I really wanted it to like sort of an intimate family friend backyard gathering,” Davis told People.
The newlyweds danced to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” at the reception on the farmhouse property. They are remaining in France to spend time with family and friends. A honeymoon is planned for the fall or winter.
Paul D. Bowker has been writing about Olympic sports since 1996, when he was an assistant bureau chief in Atlanta. He is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
