Michelle & Jay had a picture perfect morning wedding. Their venue, The Lionsgate Event Center, represented their personalities so well. Fun and funky, but also elegant and charming. The ceremony room was filled top to bottom with chandeliers, timeless mirrors- even chandeliers hung in the trees outside. The reception area (The Dove House) was filled with clawfoot couches, Pop Art of Audrey Hepburn, along with colorful roosters roaming around outside….

During the reception, guests dined on some VooDoo doughnuts while Jay and Michelle went around and chatted with all the tables. Then, after beautiful speeches by their best friends-Michelle decided to give a small surprise speech as well. She announced to the room that the dress she was wearing belonged to her mother. She made it her own with some alterations, and every little detail of the dress was so special. She also used her mom’s vintage blue garter and showcased her wedding crown on top of a beautiful antique piano.

Since her father lives in St. Louis, he could not make the ceremony for travel and health reasons, but Michelle wanted to make sure he got to see her in her wedding dress (that his wife wore the day of their wedding). So she flew to St. Louis, hired a team for hair and makeup-as if she were getting married that day- and slipped on her mother’s wedding dress. Then she went to see her dad. Michelle gave a beautiful, emotional speech about her father’s reaction to seeing her in the dress. Which was accompanied by a tear jerking video she played for the entire reception. Many tears were shed during the video by her family and friends.

Smells of donuts, pastries and chocolate covered bacon filled the rooms. The day was not short of sweetness (especially the sweetness of this incredible couple). These two marathon runners were the object of everyone’s adoration. Throughout the day their friends and family (Jay’s daughter officiated the wedding) gave them such beautiful praise for both their strength and determination through races and through their lives. Those sentiments were woven in their ceremony by Jay’s daughter, who pronounced them Husband and wife. Right after the announcement, they began a flash mob of dancing as they danced down the aisle.

Michelle showcased her dress all throughout the night, including during the first dance. Jay and Michelle practiced a dance to perform surrounded by their friends. Dancing in her dress gained her a round of applause from the room of guests. After some fun group photos, some photobooth boomerangs, and a special moment in front of a yellow truck- it was time for the couple to make their grand edit. Remaining friends and family gathered together outside to throw Lavender at the couple. Jay and Michelle made their way out of the Lionsgate laughing and cheering, waving their final goodbye.