Crystal Hefner has shared photos from her destination wedding to her second husband, James Ward.
On Saturday, April 4, the Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself author, 39, posted a carousel of photos shot during her wedding in the Cook Islands on Thursday, April 2. The photos showcased Hefner’ long-sleeved “Margo” wedding gown from designer Oksana Mukha, which was covered in over 5,400 Swarovski crystals.
Hefner revealed to People that she picked out the lace “Margot” wedding gown because it felt like “a Disney princess dress.”
Another shot included a close look at Hefner’ stunning diamond wedding ring, which was accentuated by a flower crown that she wore during the ceremony.
The couple confirmed that Hefner walked down the aisle to a local band playing the Māori love song, “Akaipoipo Taua,” while the newlyweds’ first dance was to Ike Dweck’s track “Safe With Me.”
Hefner and Ward opted for a “simple, elegant, and ocean-inspired” ceremony to match their scenic Cook Islands location.
“We chose the Cook Islands because of how remote it is,” the bride told People. “There are no big chain hotels, which makes it feel incredibly peaceful and authentic. It’s also home to one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world. Since James and I both love the ocean and nature it felt like the perfect place for us to start this chapter of our lives.”
Ward beamed that he was over the moon about tying the knot with his bride.
“Crystal’s heart, specifically for me and all non-human living things, is a thing to behold,” he said. “All creatures, great and small are bestowed a generosity and kindness, the likes of which I’ve never seen. She’s the classiest, brainiest, most adventure-seeking partner I could have ever hoped to find. My life is now better in every way, and I feel like the luckiest guy alive that I get to spend my life with her.”
The newlyweds opted to stay in the Cook Islands for their honeymoon.
As for what’s next for the couple, Hefner hinted, “[We hope for] more travel, more adventures in nature, and continuing to build a life centered around love, animals, the ocean, and meaningful experiences together.”
“We’re excited to keep exploring the world together, spending time in nature, and building a life that reflects the things we both love,” she added.
Hefner confirmed her nuptials were imminent on Thursday when she shared a “wedding day” video of Ward picking her up in his arms. She also offered a sneak preview of their beachside wedding location, where stones had been arranged in the shape of a heart.
“Baby where the hell is my husband… probably waiting for me to walk down the aisle 🥹💍 Today is the day,” she captioned the post.
Us Weekly exclusively reported in March 2025 that Ward proposed to Hefner near their home in Hawaii with a six-carat, vintage mine-cut diamond set on a whisper-thin band.
“It truly feels like a full-circle moment. James completely surprised me. He had a hidden staircase and a winding trail cleared to reveal a handcrafted deck perched above a dramatic cliffside overlooking the ocean,” Hefner told Us.
She continued, “It was the exact spot where we’d had a quiet picnic together a year ago — a place that became ‘ours.’ I had no idea he was secretly turning it into something permanent and symbolic. I thought we were just going for a walk, but when I saw the flowers, the handwritten notes, and the sea stretching endlessly in front of us, I knew something extraordinary was about to happen.”
Crystal was previously married to late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner from 2012 until his death in 2017. (Hugh had been married twice before, to Mildred Williams from 1949 to 1959 and to Kimberley Conrad from 1989 to 2010. The Playboy magnate was a father of four children.)
