Rachel Uchitel Marries Businessman Dan Donovan in 'Joyful' New Year's Eve Wedding in Palm Beach (Exclusive)
- - Rachel Uchitel Marries Businessman Dan Donovan in 'Joyful' New Year's Eve Wedding in Palm Beach (Exclusive)
Erin ClackJanuary 2, 2026 at 1:02 AM
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Katie Lewis
Rachel Uchitel and Dan Donovan during their Dec. 31, 2025 wedding -
Rachel Uchitel, the former mistress of golf star Tiger Woods, married businessman Dan Donovan on New Year's Eve
The wedding was held at the couple's newly-renovated home in Palm Beach, Fla.
Celebrity guests included Jill Zarin, Kelly Dodd, Heather McDonald and Bam Margera
Rachel Uchitel ended 2025 on a high note.
The Miss Understood podcast host and former mistress of Tiger Woods, 50, tied the knot with Dan Donovan on New Year's Eve. She and the businessman, 58, welcomed 130 guests — including former Housewives stars Jill Zarin and Kelly Dodd, Bam Margera, Michael Lohan and Heather McDonald — to the wedding, held at their newly-renovated house in Palm Beach, Fla.
"We love our home, and it felt more intimate to host it there," Uchitel tells PEOPLE. "We just completed a major renovation, and this was the first time we’re hosting since it was finished — it truly came down to the final days before everything was ready."
Katie Lewis
Rachel Uchitel and Dan Donovan during their Dec. 31, 2025 wedding
The couple worked with LewisMiller Design and Danielle Elder from Classic Events to transform their home, which sits on two acres, for the nuptials, drawing inspiration from the iconic New York City nightclub the bride's parents once owned, called El Morocco.
"There were subtle nods to that glamorous history throughout the décor," Uchitel says, noting the custom zebra print dance floor and color palette of dark navy, champagne gold and silver sparkle.
Katie Lewis
Rachel Uchitel and members of her bridal party get ready for her wedding day
"We very much leaned into the elegance and excitement of New Year’s Eve," she adds. "We wanted the night to feel warm, celebratory and full of energy — not overly formal."
Overall, the couple envisioned an "intimate" ceremony and a "joyful, meaningful" wedding celebration, surrounded by their closest loved ones. Uchitel says she and Donovan chose to say "I do" on the final day of the year because New Year's Eve "symbolizes new beginnings, which felt perfectly aligned with our story."
The couple kicked off the festivities with a welcome party at HMF Lounge at The Breakers in Palm Beach, along with excursions on their 48-foot Tiara yacht.
Katie Lewis
Rachel Uchitel in her wedding gown
Uchitel and Donovan — who is founder and managing partner of Stratoscope Holdings, a global security company specializing in large-scale events, including the Super Bowl, the Olympics and Formula 1 — opted for a traditional ceremony, weaving in personalized elements reflective of their journey as a couple and the life they are building together.
The ceremony was officiated by life strategist and motivational speaker Tim Storey, who has been a mentor and "chosen family" to Uchitel for years. "My father passed away when I was 15, and Tim also walked me down the aisle, which made that moment especially meaningful and emotional," says Uchitel, who chose an Oksana Mukha wedding gown, which she described as "timeless and elegant with a modern edge."
Katie Lewis
Rachel Uchitel and Dan Donovan's wedding cake
"I wanted something that felt sophisticated and powerful while still romantic — something I’ll love just as much decades from now when I look back at the photos," she tells PEOPLE.
She accessorized her bridal look with Amina Abdul Jalil shoes, EDEN LUXE Bridal's Delphina veil and a Nini Jewels necklace. The butterfly-inspired jewels were an unexpected tribute to a moment from Uchitel's past, she says. Uchitel tells PEOPLE that she was away at boarding school when she learned her father died, and encountered a kaleidoscope of butterflies just before hearing the tragic news. Some believe that butterflies are the souls of lost loved ones, making the moment an unforgettable one for Uchitel — which was then reflected through her wedding day jewels.
Makeup artist Priscilla DiStasio oversaw Uchitel's glam, and stylist Alba Randolph did her hair.
Katie Lewis
The tablescape at Rachel Uchitel and Dan Donovan's wedding
In keeping with the festive "energy" of New Year's Eve, Uchitel made two additional outfit changes throughout the celebration, including a first dance dress by Retrofête and an afterparty look by Fjolla Nila. "Each one became more glamorous and celebratory as the night went on, designed for dancing, movement and ringing in the new year," she explains.
Uchitel walked down the aisle to the Kina Grannis version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love." "It’s intimate, emotional and timeless," she says of the choice.
The bride and groom wanted their ceremony to feel "deeply personal and present," so they opted to exchange handwritten vows.
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Following the ceremony, the newlyweds and their guests enjoyed a dinner curated by chef Eric Baker and featuring a seafood bar, made-to-order pasta station, sushi bar and "chop house" with steak and sides such as truffle potato gratin and honey ginger carrots.
Katie Lewis
Rachel Uchitel and her bridal party
"The focus was indulgent but classic — perfect for a long night of celebration," says Uchitel, who is mom to daughter Wyatt, 13, whom she shares with ex-husband Matt Hahn.
Guests were also served late-night bagels and lox "to keep the party going." The couple selected a New Year's Eve-inspired, four-tier silver wedding cake adorned with disco balls, made by Nolce Vera.
DJ Eric Rhodes flew in to Palm Beach to provide the musical entertainment at the wedding. Donovan and Uchitel shared their first dance as husband and wife to "(I've Had) the Time of My Life" from Dirty Dancing — and even surprised their guests by doing the iconic lift performed by stars Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the 1987 movie. (Uchitel tells PEOPLE the pair practiced and learned the dance over the course of 8 weeks.)
Katie Lewis
Rachel Uchitel and Dan Donovan perform the lift from Dirty Dancing during their wedding
The evening was capped off with a five-minute firework show, right at the stroke of midnight to help the newlyweds and the couple start 2026.
Uchitel and Donovan first connected on Bumble, but didn't meet in person until more than a year later, as she was living in New York City at the time and he was living in Florida. Uchitel later moved to Florida, and the two matched again on the dating app.
Katie Lewis
Rachel Uchitel poses with her daughter on her wedding day
"We were friends for a few months, then stopped talking because I didn’t think I was ready to date and he wanted more. A few days later, I realized how much I missed him, agreed to go to dinner, and we’ve been together ever since," Uchitel recalls of the start of their love story.
Donovan popped the question in March on the couple's eight-month anniversary during a visit to the Rosewood Miramar Hotel in Santa Barbara, Calif. "He proposed on the balcony of our suite overlooking the ocean with a 13.25-carat ring," Uchitel says.
Dan's own new bling actually has a special history — his wedding ring was Uchitel's father's band, made of Alaskan gold nugget, which jeweler Moshe Haimoff of Watch King NYC and engraved with the pair's 2025 wedding date.
As for their New Year's Eve wedding, she tells PEOPLE it "felt like a moment of peace, joy and gratitude all at once."
"I’ve always longed for a witness to my life — someone who sees me fully and holds my story with love," Uchitel adds of the partnership and commitment that come with marriage. "I look forward to being a witness to Dan’s life as well — his dreams, his purpose and everything he’s building."
Katie Lewis
Rachel Uchitel and Dan Donovan during their wedding
As they enter this new chapter, she says she and Donovan look forward to "growing together, supporting each other’s ambitions, traveling, hosting friends and family, and continuing to build a life filled with purpose, laughter and love."
After the wedding, the newlyweds were off on a "mini-moon" for a week, to be followed by a three-week honeymoon in April.
Additional Credits:Videographer: JTC FilmsRings: Moshe Haimoff of Watch King NYCStyling: Marcus ChavezBridesmaid dresses: Babyboo FashionGroom and groomsmen tuxes: State & LibertyFirst dance choreographer: Sean GreenBride's getting-ready robe, pajamas and outfit: Kiki de MontparnasseBride's cowboy hat: Sequin SoulsCowboy boots: Dingo 1969Champagne: Le Kool ChampagneTequila: Casa MaestriGin: West End GinVodka: Crazy VodkaEspresso martinis: Midnight BeanInvitations: MintedDay-of stationery: Lewes Lettering Co.Photo wall: Focal Point Prop RentalsLighting: Frost FloridaTenting: Regency TentsRentals: Panache RentalsLinens: Nuage Linens
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