Senator Cory Booker Weds Alexis Lewis in Dual-City Ceremony

Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and Alexis Lewis exchanged vows Saturday in an intimate ceremony, capping a whirlwind romance that began just 18 months ago.

The couple celebrated their union with ceremonies in two cities that hold special meaning to them: Newark, where Booker served as mayor before his Senate career, and Washington, D.C., Lewis’s hometown.

“We said ‘I do’ in two places that shaped us,” Booker shared on social media Sunday. “Hearts full and so grateful,” he added, alongside photos of the newlyweds.

According to The New York Times, the couple legally wed last Monday at the federal courthouse in Newark with only their parents present. Saturday’s ceremony was an interfaith celebration honoring Booker’s Christian faith and Lewis’s Jewish heritage.

The couple’s romance began in May 2024 when a mutual friend, known for matchmaking, introduced them. Their first blind date in Washington lasted more than five hours, an immediate connection that prompted Booker to request a second date the following evening.

When Lewis mentioned she had a scheduled flight for a work trip to Newark, Booker—who was also headed to his home state—convinced her to delay her travel plans so they could meet again.

“My girlfriends and I say, ‘Change your flight, change your life,’ because it’s exactly what happened,” Lewis told The New York Times. That second date proved “even more magical,” according to Booker, featuring dinner at a tapas restaurant followed by a personal tour of Newark where he showed her places that had shaped his life and career. The evening culminated with their first kiss outside the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart.

Lewis brings her own impressive credentials to the relationship. She currently serves as director of investments at Brasa Capital Management, a Los Angeles-based real estate investment firm. Her professional background includes work with former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s administration. Academically, she holds a bachelor’s degree from New York University and an MBA from Cornell University.

The couple’s engagement was announced less than three months ago on Instagram, making their journey from first date to marriage relatively swift by modern standards.

For Booker, 55, the marriage marks a significant personal milestone. The senator, who has maintained a relatively private personal life throughout his political career, previously gained attention for briefly dating actress Rosario Dawson before their relationship ended in 2022.

The wedding represents a new chapter for Lewis as well. “After so many years on my own, I’m not entirely sure I believed I would get married,” she reflected. “But now, we’ve found each other at this stage of our lives, after epic personal journeys. And that deserves celebration.”

Booker, who has represented New Jersey in the U.S. Senate since 2013, is known for his progressive stances and briefly sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. Before entering national politics, he served as mayor of Newark from 2006 to 2013, where he gained recognition for his hands-on approach to urban governance.

The wedding comes during a busy period for the Senate, which recently returned from its Thanksgiving recess to address several pressing legislative matters before year’s end. Fellow senators and colleagues from both sides of the aisle have extended congratulations to the couple.

The couple has not announced honeymoon plans, though the Senate is scheduled for a recess period around the Christmas and New Year holidays, potentially allowing time for a post-wedding getaway.