A School-Spirited Wedding at Heldrich Hotel in New Brunswick, New Jersey

Since Jillian Hengesbaugh (28 and a teacher) and Brian Cahill (28 and in public relations) met while attending Rutgers University, it was fitting that they got married there. "Brian and I knew we wanted to get married at Rutgers from the start," Jillian says. They were married at the university's Kirkpatrick Chapel, and the following reception took place in the ballroom at the nearby Heldrich Hotel in New Brunswick, New Jersey. School spirit played a part in a lot of their wedding decor, which was perfectly captured by Janine Collette Photography. Their reception was illuminated with red uplighting as a nod to their school colors, and the Rutgers mascot paid a visit to the party as well. "He jumped right on the dance floor with everyone," Jillian says. "That was one of our favorite parts of the night." Jillian also surprised Brian with a groom's cake in the shape of the Rutgers "R." Other details included the candelabra centerpieces that were specially laser-cut for the wedding and decorated with ivory hydrangeas and dusty miller. Before the wedding, however, Brian discovered that some of the candelabras were cut wrong. He didn't tell Jillian about this disaster and worked with her bridesmaids and father to fix the mistake in time for the wedding. "When I found out, a few days after the wedding, that all this had happened, I was shocked and so thankful no one clued me in earlier," Jillian says. "We laugh about it now, but no one thought it was funny at the time."