Leila Roker's Parisian wedding is framed as a romantic fairytale—eight years in the making, starting with a study abroad program and culminating in Venice proposals and French ceremonies. Al and Deborah are overjoyed, supportive parents celebrating their daughter's happiness.
Here's where it gets interesting: Deborah Roberts previously revealed they were planning TWO weddings—a tiny Paris ceremony because Leila lives there, followed by a blow-the-budget stateside celebration. The France nuptials are just the opening act; expect another bash Stateside that could rival any celebrity wedding budget.
Leila and Sylvain met in 2018 while she was studying abroad at the American University of Paris—he's French, from his home country. He proposed in Venice, Italy on March 20-21, 2025—exactly eight years after Leila moved to Paris and seven years after they met.
The Roker family just got a new member across the Atlantic, but if Deborah Roberts' comments are any indication, this wedding saga isn't over. The real celebration might be Stateside—and that's where things could get expensive fast.
Al Roker has officially added another chapter to his family story—his daughter Leila said 'I do' to Sylvain Gricourt in a Parisian ceremony that the Today cohost confirmed during the May 12 morning broadcast, right before Mother's Day weekend. The timing? Intentional.
"That's kind of her Mother's Day gift, I guess," Al told Swooon in a pre-wedding interview, though one suspects Deborah Roberts will be receiving considerably more than flowers this year. Leila Roker, 27, works as a PR specialist and has been building toward this moment for nearly a decade. She met Sylvain Gricourt back in 2018 in France—his home country—while she was studying abroad at the American University of Paris.
After years of dating across international waters, Sylvain pulled off a proposal in Venice, Italy during March 2025. "Eight years ago I moved to Paris, seven years ago I met my person and best friend," Leila wrote on Instagram announcing her engagement. The couple's love story reads like a romantic comedy set in Europe—because it basically was one.
But here's where the plot thickens: this French ceremony wasn't meant to be the only wedding. During an October appearance on Live With Kelly & Mark, Deborah Roberts explained that while they'd keep the Paris nuptials "teeny tiny" because Leila lives there legally, they were planning a larger celebration back in the U.S. where they'd "blow the budget." Translation? The Rokers are throwing two weddings, and the second one is going to be the real spectacle.
Al's return from Europe wasn't without drama either. During his May 12 Today show appearance, he revealed that CDC officials were asking travelers to voluntarily test following a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship—though they didn't specify what for. "I was coming from Europe this weekend from my daughter's wedding," Al explained.
"But they didn't say for what, so I just wonder if it was a precaution here." The legendary weatherman managed to make it home in time to celebrate, though his journey included more medical scrutiny than most fathers-of-the-bride typically endure. Al shared his joy publicly following the engagement announcement last year, writing on Instagram: "We could not be happier, and look forward to planning for these two wonderful young folks coming together." The Rokers—Al, Deborah, son Nick (23), daughter Courtney from Al's previous marriage (37), and now Sylvain—are clearly ready to welcome this French transplant into their famously tight-knit family. But if the guest list for that promised U.S. blowout is any indication of what's to come, celebrity watchers should brace themselves: the Rokerts don't do anything small.
