NBC News’ Gabe Gutierrez Marries Adrienne Cohen in Washington, D.C., Wedding (Exclusive)

Gabe Gutierrez is married.

The NBC News senior White House correspondent tied the knot with Adrienne Cohen at The St. Regis in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Nov. 22, surrounded by 145 loved ones. The guest list included several of the groom’s NBC News colleagues, among them Andrea Mitchell, Peter Alexander and Tom Llamas.

The couple tells PEOPLE they chose the iconic hotel venue because it has a picturesque courtyard and is just down the block from the White House, where Gutierrez spends his days reporting on the Trump administration. Their vision was a black-tie affair with a “dark and romantic” aesthetic, emphasizing lush greenery, neutral florals and lots of candles.

They worked with event planner Evoke DC to bring their dream wedding to life.

The weekend festivities kicked off on Friday, Nov. 21, with a “D.C.-focused” welcome party at the Top of the Hay at The Hay-Adams, which has panoramic views of the White House and city skyline. The following day, Gutierrez and Cohen exchanged handwritten vows in a ceremony done “in the round” so the couple could be “surrounded by the love” of their friends and family.

Cohen’s longtime friend, Roy Schoenberg, officiated.

The bride wore a custom Galia Lahav dress featuring a full “Cinderella”-style ballgown silhouette that converted to a sleeker gown for the reception. She walked down the aisle to a piano version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”

That evening, the newlyweds and their guests gathered for an elegant candlelit dinner party. The wedding cake was a “massive” cheesecake. “It’s an unconventional choice, perhaps — but it’s our absolute favorite,” Gutierrez says.

The meal was followed by some “dancing under the stars” in a clear, heated tent in the hotel courtyard. Gutierrez and Cohen hired the “high-energy” Cuban band Village Theory, and treated their guests to Cuban sandwich bites and Krispy Kreme doughnuts in a nod to the groom’s Cuban heritage and the bride’s Southern roots.

Gutierrez and Cohen shared their first dance to a rendition of “Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts.

Later into the night, the celebration moved to the hotel bar, where everyone mingled and danced to a custom playlist. The bride swapped her gown for a short party dress by Nadine Merabi.

Recalling their winding journey to their wedding day, Gutierrez and Cohen tell PEOPLE, “Love found its way when we least expected it, and when we needed it most.” They first crossed paths as students at Northwestern University, though neither remembers the exact moment.

Then, over the years, “fate kept us connected as social media friends, quietly weaving our lives together long before we realized it,” Gutierrez says.

Cohen married in 2018 and welcomed twin daughters, before losing her husband to brain cancer in 2023. “After a chapter marked by profound loss and learning how to become a single parent,” she says she had “largely closed the book on finding love again.”

Gutierrez, meanwhile, was busy building his career and traveling the world on reporting assignments.

“But when the time was right, love surprised us,” he recalls. The pair matched on a dating app and immediately recognized each other. They went on their first date in Boston, and their connection was “instant and undeniable.”

Cohen remembers calling her one of her best friends afterwards and telling her, “Well, you might want to get used to calling me Mrs. Gutierrez.”

She says their love story echoes the emotional lyrics of “Bless the Broken Road.”

“The twists and turns of life — the joy, the heartbreak, the growth — didn’t lead us astray,” she explains. “They led me to a man with a heart big enough to welcome two little girls as his own, and they led us to a new, happy and hopeful chapter as a family.”

“As we begin this next chapter,” she adds, “we’re grateful for every step — and detour — that brought us here.”

The couple got engaged on Aug. 2 at one of Cohen’s favorite spots, Galley Beach on Nantucket. Though they had already chosen their wedding date before the proposal, Cohen was still surprised when Gutierrez suddenly got down on one knee while the two were taking a walk on the beach, just as the sun was beginning to set.

Adding to the joy of the moment, Cohen’s daughters were hiding nearby. When she said “yes,” the girls ran down the beach to surprise their mom and join in the celebration. Gutierrez presented each of the kids with their own small ring to commemorate the occasion.

Now that they are officially husband and wife, Gutierrez and Cohen — who have had a long-distance relationship, with her in Boston and him in D.C. — are looking forward to moving in together and fully uniting their lives. “We can’t wait for the simple, everyday moments — school mornings, family dinners, and being under one roof as a complete family,” the journalist says.

Reflecting on his love for his wife, Gutierrez describes Cohen as the “kindest and most resilient person” he’s ever met. “She takes in rescue dogs, goes out of her way to save ladybugs, and is the most wonderful, devoted mother. Her strength through adversity inspires me daily,” he tells PEOPLE.

He says Cohen makes him a “better person” and helps him remember “life’s true priorities.”

Cohen adores Gutierrez’s “brilliant mind and generous heart,” and remains in awe of the ease and enthusiasm with which he has embraced her children and completed their family.

“[He’s] a man who has interviewed world leaders and covered history-defining events, [but] finds his greatest joy in building LEGOs or playing video games with two 5-year-olds,” she says. “He stepped into their lives without hesitation and has loved them as his own from the very beginning, which is the greatest gift I could ever imagine.”

In Gutierrez, she adds, her daughters now have “a father figure who is patient, present and full of love.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The couple, who are planning a week-long honeymoon in St. Barts, tells PEOPLE their wedding symbolizes “a joyful celebration of a new beginning” following “a season of grief” for Cohen and her daughters.

“And this next chapter is about joy, healing and building a vibrant, blended family,” Gutierrez notes.