A Mississippi Love Story
On November 14, 2021, Shari and Cornell will stand before their family and friends to unite their lives in marriage. As with all the love stories that we are privileged to play a role in, Shari and Cornell’s journey has not been easy. While they were both battling sickness and struggle, they were blessed to find each other.
Shari and Cornell met online a year and a half ago. While getting to know one another, they discovered that they both had a lot in common. Both Shari and Cornell were battling cancer.
We feel honored to have met his beautiful couple and cannot wait to help their wish of a wedding come true. We’ve brought a fantastic wedding planner on board in Jean McGrury and are so thankful for the wonderful team that she has secured.
Amy and Russells’ North Carolina Love Story
On November 9, 2021, Amy and Russell will gather before family and friends to renew their vows after 17 years of marriage. For this sweet couple, the road back to the alter has been paved with its fair share of ups and downs.
Amy and Russell first met when she was just 17 years old – and they weren’t exactly very fond of each other. Tragically, Russell’s wife died of breast cancer when she was just 37 years old, leaving him to raise his large family alone. Graciously, Amy decided to help Russell with the kids and the two started spending more time together. As fate would have it, the couple fell in love and got married.
In 2015, not long after their 13th wedding anniversary, Amy found a lump in her breast. She went in for a mammogram and was sadly diagnosed with stage 2 B breast cancer. After feeling fairly healthy for the next two years, Amy began to experience some concerning pain in her chest and arm. 2020 had been a difficult year for her with the death of her mom the onset of COVID and she decided to it would be wise to get checked out. The tests revealed the worst. Her cancer had returned and had moved into her bones
We fell for this couple from the minute we met them and can’t wait to help them renew their vows.
A New Hampshire Love Story
On November 7, 2021, Elaine and Junior will stand before their children, family and friends to join their lives in marriage – a decision that has been 20 years in the making.
Elaine and Junior first met in 1995 year while they were both working at the T Bones steakhouse in Salem, New Hampshire. Junior was a cook and she was a server. As the couple likes to laugh about, Elaine jokingly rubbed Junior’s bald head and has been rubbing it ever since.
While the couple grew up on the east coast and consider New Hampshire to be home, they moved a few years ago to Ocala, FL where Elaine is working her life’s passion as a horse trainer. Around the time that they were moving, Elaine felt a small lump under her armpit. She had recently had a bad reaction to a bug bite and didn’t think much of it. At the suggestion of her doctor, she underwent a mammogram and ultrasound and was told it was nothing. Although the lump continued to bother her, she tried to forget out it. That is until she discovered a blood clot caused by the tumor under her arm pushing on her vein. The next year was a blur. Elaine was diagnosed in December of 2015 with stage 4 breast cancer that had spread to her bones and most recently, her liver.
We joined forces with Nicole Mower of Nicole Mower Events and cannot wait to watch this wish unfold. Nicole has assembled a remarkable team of wish grantors who are planning a super special day for our sweet couple.
A Windy City Wish
On November 7, 2021, Hillary and Tommy will gather before family and friends to commit their lives to each other in marriage and to celebrate a love that has already endured more than many face in a lifetime.
Hillary and time met, as they like to say, “the old fashioned way”, online in 2016. Their first couple dates were spent at a concert and then walking the streets of Chicago getting to know each other. They soon fell in love and were engaged in 2018 while on a snorkeling trip to the Virgin Islands. While the couple had originally planned to get married in Hillary’s hometown of Columbus, OH, in 2020, COVID and cancer had other plans.
We fell in love with Hillary and Tommy and their heartbreakingly beautiful story and simply cannot wait to make this wish come true for them. We brought on a wonderful planning team in Kelley and Conley at Urban Allure Events and have been so impressed by team they have assembled on such short notice.
Jackie and david’s North Carolina Love Story
On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, Jackie and David will gather with close family and friends to renew their vows and to celebrate a love that has lasted since high school.
Jackie and David first met in the 10th grade. They were both in the band and ended up sitting next to each other on a bus trip to band camp. At the end of the trip, Jackie kissed David on the cheek and he’s “been chasing her ever since”. The two started dating immediately. They dated for four years and then got married. That was 33 years ago.
When Jackie was 35, she started experiencing some movement issues. At first, they didn’t think much of it, but as time went on and more symptoms emerged, Jackie and David started seeking out answers. Eventually, Jackie received a heartbreaking diagnosis. Jackie had Huntington’s disease – a condition that is like a combination of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS. While there is still so much to learn about Huntington’s Disease, Jackie has been able to go on some new medications that have helped with her cognitive functions and her tense muscles. As she and David have watched her disease progress, it became more and more important for them to renew their vows with their parents, children and grandchildren.
A San Diego Love Story
On October 12, 2021, Ashley and Billy will stand before family and friends to unite their lives in marriage and open a new chapter in a story that has been dominated by struggle and sickness.
Ashley has struggled with health issues for her entire life. She was born with Cystic Fibrosis and has battled its many complications for years. In addition to the CF, Ashley has battled Hemachromatosis, a condition that causes the body to absorb too much iron. In her early 20’s, Ashley’s lung quality had diminished to the point where she needed to be on constant oxygen. In 2015, she underwent a complete double lung transplant. She spent a month in the hospital, on and off of a ventilator – and often, clinging to life. While the surgery was successful, Ashley’s Hemachromatosis’s continued to advance, placing her on yet another donor transplant list, this time for a partial liver.
We were thrilled to meet Ashely and Billy at this point in their journey and are so excited to help make this wish for a wedding come true. We wanted to be able to grant this wish for them before the liver transplant so that they can focus on preparing for both of their surgeries and making plans for the recovery that will follow.
A Nashville Wish
On July 25th, 2021, Rachel and Jeff stood before their nearest and dearest to renew their vows to and profess their love for one another on the grounds of the breathtaking Estate at Cherokee Dock.
Rachel and Jeff first met while volunteering at an extracurricular activity in high school when they were just 16 years old. They hit it off immediately and dated for the next year and a half. After high school, they broke up and went their separate ways. Several years later, however, after living through the tragic events of 9/11 in New York City, Jeff decided to reach out to Rachel. The two picked up right where they had left off and have been together ever since. They were engaged in 2003 and were married a year later.
Two years into their marriage, Rachel began experiencing some perplexing health issues. She had come down with a virus that would not go away and was enduring extreme fatigue and heart issues. After several months, she decided to see an autonomic doctor at Vanderbilt. While it took nearly a year and a half to get a diagnosis, the news that she received was heartbreaking. She was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, an incredibly rare condition that breaks down the connective tissue in your body.
We were honored to help Rachel and Jeff with their vow renewal and were thrilled to work with our sweet friend Laurie D’Anne again. Despite the lingering challenges of the Covid pandemic, Laurie was able to secure a wonderful team to pull off this special wish.
A New York Love Story
On September 21, 2021, Nina and Martin will stand before their family and friends to unite their lives in marriage.
Nina and Martin first met on a dating app three years ago. They took their time in getting to know one another and found themselves opening up about the personal details of their lives.
As a young child, Nina was plagued with health issues. After consulting multiple doctors, she was finally diagnosed with Lupus at age 13. She started seeing a specialist and while it was a long and often difficult road, she was able to learn to control her disease and was feeling hopeful for a healthy future. In May of 2010, however, she had a significant lupus flare up and had to be hospitalized for a short time. It was at home, while she was recovering from her recent bout, that her life changed forever. She had awoken the morning of May 6, 2010 with a significant headache. She was going about her day, trying to work when she suffered a massive stroke and collapsed in the bathroom.
We were very touched by Nina and Martin’s story and are thrilled to be able to grant their wish for a wedding. We teamed up with Melissa of Events by Missy and Company and are SO grateful for the incredible team that she has assembled. We can’t wait to see it all unfold.
A Michigan Love Story
On September 12, 2021, Kelly and Larry will stand before family and friends to renew their vows after 14 years of marriage. For this beautiful couple, the road back to the alter has been paved with sickness, perseverance, and most of all – love.
Kelly and Larry first met in 2004 when Kelly decided to meet up with a friend late one night after work. Her friend, as it turns out, wanted her to meet her friend, Larry. The two started dating two weeks later and very quickly fell in love. They dated for the next two years and were married in 2007. As Kelly describes it, life was good. Within a few years, the couple began having children. In 2014, their life was turned upside down when their oldest son was diagnosed with Leukemia at just 3 and a half years old. Thankfully, Noah has been cancer free for the past three years.
In the summer of 2019, Kelly began experiencing some concerning medical issues of her own. She had started having some female pains and went in for an ultrasound. The testing revealed a large tumor on her ovary, which he was told was likely not something to be too concerned about. A biopsy then sadly revealed the worst. She was diagnosed with colon cancer that had spread to her ovaries. Throughout the next two years, Kelly underwent numerous painful and invasive surgeries and treatments, including a full hysterectomy and a rigorous chemotherapy regiment. Kelly is currently undergoing more treatment and is continuing to fight hard for her sweet family, with Larry by her side.
A 50th Anniversary Love Story
On August 29th, 2021, Belinda and Mike will gather with their loved ones to renew their vows after 50 beautiful years of marriage.
In 2014 Belinda was sadly diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a progressive condition similar to Alzheimer’s disease that results in horrendous hallucinations, loss of short-term memory and a decline in movement. For the past few years, Mike has faithfully cared for Belinda as her condition as continued to advance. As he sees it, it’s his time to carry her through.
We fell in love with Mike and Belinda from the first moment we spoke to them, and we simply cannot wait to make their dream of a 50th vow renewal come true.