A Classic Formal Wedding at Hecker Community Center in Hecker, Illinois

Jennifer Stamm (24 and a cytogenetic technologist) and Matthew Birk (28 and a Walgreen’s manager) met at a NASCAR race. Two years later, Matthew proposed in a gondola coming down from Aspen Mountain. Their gondola had an iPhone hook up where you could play music, and the first song that played from Jennifer’s phone was “Marry Me” by Train. “Matt had been planning to propose during this trip at some point but once he heard the song he knew it was the right time,” Jennifer says. “We were sitting across from each other just talking about what a great trip this one had been and thinking about where we should plan our next one. My immediate reaction was, ’Is this for real?’ he said, ‘Yes,’ and I started crying.” For their wedding, the couple knew they wanted to keep it classic and traditional. Jennifer went to Saint Louis University for her undergraduate degree and fell in love with the St. Francis Xavier Church on campus. Since Matt is Catholic, they agreed to get married in the giant, gorgeous church. Matt’s family friend officiated the wedding and Jennifer’s Lutheran pastor did readings and prayers during the service, too. Afterwards, the couple and their 550 guests went to the Hecker Community Center for the reception. Jennifer’s sister, a pastry chef, made 1,200 cake pops and 200 cupcakes for the occasion. The one thing Matthew really wanted for the day was a band. They decided on an amazing eight-piece band, Trilogy, complete with a three-piece horn section. “They made sure no one left the party early,” Jennifer says. Instead of wedding favors, they made a donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.