Key Takeaways
- The ceremony took place at Gotham Hall in Manhattan, chosen for its dramatic architecture and timeless ambiance.
- Guests included Jack Harlow, Kevin Durant, Coco Jones, and other stars from sports and entertainment.
- Rooks announced her departure from TNT Sports and Bleacher Report just days before the wedding, marking a major career shift.
Taylor Rooks surprised the internet on Wednesday (July 23) by revealing she had tied the knot in a lavish, secret wedding — with no prior hints that she was even dating. The popular NBA reporter posted photos from the ceremony on Instagram, captioned: “What a night. This is love.”
The private event, held on July 19, was kept completely under wraps, with guests asked not to post and phones strictly off-limits. According to a GQ feature, Rooks married Shane Fowler, a Harvard Law graduate who proposed with a carefully planned scavenger hunt through New York City. The two first met while he was finishing law school, and Rooks described him to GQ as “[so] perfect it’s hard to believe he’s real.”
Their wedding was held at Gotham Hall in Manhattan, a venue the couple chose for its high ceilings, grand columns, and timeless ambiance. “We wanted a venue that already possessed lots of character and depth,” Rooks said. “The beautiful columns, high ceilings, luxe draping, and dramatic lighting were exactly what we wanted.”
Rooks wore two Monique Lhuillier dresses throughout the night, switching up her look after the ceremony. Fowler sported a custom suit by Philadelphia brand CADRÆ. The couple’s first dance was to Lauryn Hill’s “Nothing Even Matters,” and the bride walked down the aisle to Stevie Wonder’s “Ribbon in the Sky.”
The guest list was stacked with celebrities from the worlds of sports, music, and media. In the wedding photos, guests included La La Anthony, rapper Jack Harlow — who Rooks calls “my best friend” — and NFL star Saquon Barkley. NBA players Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Donovan Mitchell were also in attendance — the latter with his fiancée, singer Coco Jones. Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin also attended, and former FS1 host Joy Taylor appeared to serve as a bridesmaid.
After the formal ceremony and reception, a fleet of Sprinter vans took guests to a late-night afterparty at the downtown private club Zero Bond, where the celebration reportedly lasted until nearly 4 a.m.
“I’m an incredibly private person because it’s important to have a life that belongs to you,” Rooks told GQ. “Our relationship belongs to us. Our love belongs to us, so it’s only right that the moment belonged to us.”
Taylor Rooks closes a major chapter in her broadcasting career
Just days before her wedding, Rooks announced her departure from TNT Sports and Bleacher Report after seven years. On July 17, she shared the news in an emotional Instagram post: “END OF AN ERA. After seven beautiful, wild, growth-filled years, my time with TNT Sports and Bleacher Report is coming to an end — and where to begin…. Just look at all the fun we had. The questions. The viral clips. The moments that meant something…”
Rooks, 33, reflected on her journey from a 26-year-old journalist to a seasoned broadcaster and thanked every person who helped shape her career. “Here’s to the next chapter that only comes because of the one before it ♥️,” she wrote.
Talk about a new beginning.