White House Correspondent Rachel Scott and Elliott Smith Married Overlooking the Ocean in Santa Barbara
Rachel Scott and Elliott Smith met at a brewery—the type where, according to Rachel, “no one remembers the cross street, but everyone remembers the vibe: dimly lit and filled with laughter.” On this particular Saturday evening in May 2019, the Emmy-winning White House correspondent and the Yale University administrator had one thing in common: Neither of them wanted to stay for long.
At the time, Elliott and his best friend Jose were enjoying a night out at their favorite brewery. “Elliott set a timer for 30 minutes, desperate to leave his ‘go-to spot’ to try something new,” Rachel remembers. “I was attending a friend’s going-away party, but didn’t plan to stay for too long because I had an early shift covering the White House the next day.”
But then, they stumbled upon each other. “I wandered to the end of the bar in search of a glass of wine and saw Elliott,” Rachel recalls. “He was surprised they actually served more than beer.”
When Rachel went back for a second drink, they struck up a conversation. “All of a sudden, that timer he set went off,” Rachel says. “He quickly silenced it and told Jose that he wasn’t in a rush to leave.” Rachel and Elliott ended up talking for hours. At the end of the night, Jose turned to Elliott and said, “She’s the one.” Meanwhile, Rachel got into her car and texted her best friends, “I just met the most amazing guy. I pray I get to date someone like that.”
Six years later, she married him, and they still visit the same brewery. “Same stools, same order,” Rachel jokes. “We’re still finishing that conversation.”
On a family trip to Italy in 2023, Elliott asked Rachel’s father for his blessing. After receiving it, Elliott spent the next several months planning every detail of the proposal—even roping in Rachel’s best friends to visit the venue in Dana Point, California, and conduct a rehearsal.
In December 2023, Elliott proposed at the Waldorf Astoria by a gazebo overlooking the water, just as the sun was setting. “My family and friends worked overtime to throw me off,” Rachel remembers. “So much so that as we walked toward the gazebo, I thought the proposal was for someone else and initially refused to walk closer. I didn’t want to ruin another couple’s surprise! I was terrified I’d be that girl in the back of all their photos.” The surprises kept coming as Elliott threw an engagement party later that night with all of their family and friends.
Almost two years later, the couple married on Saturday, September 6, at the Bella Vista Estate near Santa Barbara, California. “I saw the estate on TikTok months before I was engaged and fell in love,” Rachel says. “The user didn’t tag the location, but I saved it anyway.” After Elliott proposed, Rachel spent a few hours searching the internet until she found it. “It was even more stunning in person,” she says. “I knew immediately this was where I wanted to marry the love of my life.”
They had a long engagement, which they both considered a blessing given their busy professional lives. “I was covering the 2024 presidential campaign and spending weeks on the road, so finding time to plan a wedding in an entirely different state was not easy,” Rachel admits. “Luckily for us, we had the most exceptional wedding planner, Tal Orion. I often joke with her that I’m amazed she has other clients, because she has this remarkable ability to handle every detail with such care and attention as if my wedding was the only event she’s planning. We were able to completely immerse ourselves in the love and joy of celebrating our next chapter without worrying because we knew she had every step covered.”
The search for a wedding dress wasn’t quite as effortless. In the lead-up to the wedding, the bride tried on 21 dresses. “I was starting to feel like I was on some sort of reality-TV show,” she jokes. “I was getting quite frustrated, and then I made an appointment at NWLA Bridal. I wish I had found its owner, Nadia Williamson, 21 dresses earlier. With Nadia, everything just clicked. She was pulling dresses so in line with my style—that I almost said ‘yes.’”
But then, Rachel’s dad suggested she try on something a bit more “modern” and in a “classic white.” He pulled out a strapless, hand-painted tulle A-line gown with a magnolia bodice and florals. “I thought, This definitely is not the dress, but for Dad, I’ll try it on,” Rachel admits. “I’m so happy I did.”
Sure enough, when she walked out, her best friends’ jaws dropped, and her mom and dad both were in awe. It was, in fact, the dress. “Dad, once again, was right,” Rachel admits. “There was just something about those monochromatic florals dripping down the dress. It has a quiet elegance.”
She paired it with slingbacks designed by Danielle Frankel that featured hand-painted ivory florals that matched the dress. “I am known for wearing monochromatic suits covering the White House—so I personally loved finding the perfect shoes to match,” Rachel says. “For my second dress, I wanted something soft with a lot of texture. I chose a lace halter by Francesca Miranda—my mom picked this one out. It fit like a glove and had sparkles stitched throughout.”
Elliott wore a custom Enzo Sartori tuxedo in Super 180s navy wool, finished with a black peak lapel and satin accents. He accessorized with his late father’s watch and coin.
On the weekend of the wedding, the festivities kicked off with a welcome party at a brewery—a nod to how the couple met. They ditched the long rehearsal dinner speeches and instead opted for a “roast or toast” format, with their wedding party and family doing quick one-minute speeches roasting them—or making a toast. “Most opted for the roast!” Rachel remembers. “Our parents heard too many stories they were never supposed to know!”
When Rachel and Elliott first started dating, life had them constantly on the move—weeks on the road, miles apart. During this early stage in their relationship, they started sending each other postcards from wherever they landed. “So we decided to handwrite all 182 guests’ personal welcome postcards that we designed with our wedding venue pictured,” Rachel says. “It was our opportunity to personally thank the people who have shaped us and made us who we are. It took us forever, but the payoff was totally worth it as we saw the reaction from family and friends.”
