On September 17, 2020, Hillary and Mike gathered with family friends on a gorgeous, sun-soaked Austin day to renew their vows at the beautiful Mercury Hall. From start to finish, the day was punctuated with love, light and laughter.

Hillary and Mike have spent the last eleven years loving each other through many dramatic ups and downs. They first met on a rare night out at a local restaurant. While neither one of them was particularly looking to find someone, they immediately felt drawn to each other and began dating soon after. Before long, they were expecting their first child.

Sadly, the joy of their new pregnancy was quickly dashed when the couple learned that their unborn child was suffering from a rare genetic defect. They made the difficult decision to induce labor at 26 weeks in hopes to giving the baby the medical attention she needed outside of the womb, but sadly, she was still born. 10 days later, through grief and pain, Hillary and Mike decided to marry.

The next few years saw many trials, including the tragic death of Hillary’s teenage daughter, Mike’s deployment to Afghanistan and most recently, Hillary’s cancer diagnosis. Two years ago, Hillary began to experience a strange pain in her left arm. She hadn’t been feeling well in general and decided to get checked out. After running several tests, her doctors discovered spots on her lungs and two tumors on her brain. She was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. She immediately underwent a complicated surgery to have the tumors in her brain removed, followed by an intensive radiation and chemotherapy treatment program.

Her cancer recently moved into her femur and her hip, making it difficult to walk and move around. She’s currently undergoing a new chemotherapy regiment in hopes of slowing the rapid progression of her disease.

We simply loved granting Hillary and Mike’s wish for a vow renewal. With the help of our incredible wedding planner, Amanda Fullerton, the wish was nothing short of a fairy tale. Every little detail, from the vibrant florals to the over-the-top balloon displays, was well thought out and perfectly reflected the cheerful spirit of our bride.

In true Texas form, guests noshed on BBQ’d brisket, mac n cheese and all of the fixins and kept the dance floor rocking. The evening was filled with boisterous laughs and tears of joy. Perhaps the most touching moments of all came when Hillary and Mike’s loved ones stood up and toasted the beautiful couple.

As always, our wishes would not be possible without the generosity of so many wonderful people. We cannot thank our team of wish granters enough – especially during these challenging times – for their creativity, hard work and beautiful hearts. It was most certainly a day to remember.

Planner: Amanda Fullerton, The Simply Elegant Group

Venue: Mercury Hall

Catering: PEJ Events

Appetizers: Austin Catering

Staffing: All Pro Hospitality Staffing

Floral: Fine Flowers of Round Rock

Floral: Equadorian Quality Roses

Floral: Rio Roses

Photo/Video: Wondery Photography

DJ: DJ Aaron Ward

Cake: Sweet Treats Bakery

Cake: Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop