McKenna Kelley had her dream wedding ceremony day!
The gymnast and instructor, who’s the daughter of Mary Lou Retton and Shannon Kelley, tied the knot with Braden Doughty on Saturday, Sept. 28, in entrance of 150 visitors at The Preserve at Canyon Lake in Texas.
For Kelley, the romantic location “is actually the venue of my bridal desires,” she tells PEOPLE.
“It’s an exquisite mansion-esque venue of white with uncovered wood beams, excessive ceilings and tons of home windows that look out onto a protect,” she provides. “It’s the right canvas to seize our timeless, elegant theme.”
Decor at couple’s celebration featured hints of gorgeous inexperienced and gold, paired with opaque pinks, lotions and champagne florals by Cameron De Leon at The Petal Artist. Lush greenery draped the venue’s staircase, whereas a floral lined ceremony cross and decked-out hearth mantel introduced Kelley’s “floral wedding ceremony desires come to life,” she says.
Kelley, who’s the second of Retton’s four daughters, provides that she and Doughty, who first crossed paths whereas college students at Louisiana State College deliberate their nuptials collectively. “We have been very collaborative,” she says. “We each had options and concepts that we have been capable of mix for our massive day.”
For assistance on closing touches, the pair tapped Scarlet Rose Events and their coordinator Alexa Nagel, who “made the weeks as much as the marriage seamless, with coordinating closing timelines and conferences with distributors. Alexa did a unbelievable job of creating me really feel taken care of and ready for wedding ceremony day. She’s additionally been the very best hype woman!”
For her stroll down the aisle to “Gratitude” by Brandon Lake, the bride wore the WToo Fortune costume by Watters from Liv & Love Bridal in San Antonio.
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“I went in with a pretty-open thoughts,” she remembers. “However as soon as I placed on the costume I knew it was the one. The simplicity of it spoke to me. I really like the A-line silhouette and the crepe texture of the bodice. It felt so flattering and I felt so assured. I added drop sleeves and viola! It was my Barbie wedding ceremony costume dream! That is the one time in my life I’ll get to put on a marriage costume, I’m going to cherish each second!”
Doughty wore a customized tailor-made State and Liberty athletic match stretch go well with in hunter inexperienced which he paired with a floral tie that encompassed all the marriage colours. “The proper fall wedding ceremony match,” provides Kelley, whose hair and make-up have been by Ana Blanks and Kim Ramirez at Jax studio.
Kelley’s bridesmaids wore champagne Show Me Your Mumu attire which they selected themselves. “You will need to me that they really feel stunning and assured,” says Kelley.
Earlier than the pair recited conventional vows, they loved a personal second collectively to alternate letters. “We aren’t doing a primary look, so we’ll do that with out seeing one another,” Kelley defined forward of the ceremony. “We plan to be on both aspect of a door or wall to carry fingers and share a prayer.”
Following the nuptials, the bride and groom celebrated with dinner and dancing at their reception. Throughout cocktail hour, visitors dined on bacon wrapped rooster bites and brisket poppers as a nod to Kelley’s Texas roots together with margaritas and Jack Daniels cocktails.
Dinner by Jimmy Lyn’s Catering included a cranberry blended inexperienced salad, adopted by almond crusted rooster with scalloped potatoes and garlic inexperienced beans. For dessert, the couple had a customized wedding ceremony cake by Lani Cammer, plus cookie butter mousse and a pumpkin spice cheesecake dessert.
Forward of the marriage, Kelley says she wasn’t feeling careworn in regards to the massive day.
“Actually no worries. I’ve truthfully been so nonchalant in regards to the wedding ceremony course of itself. I feel the toughest half has been our transfer to Louisiana whereas making an attempt to finalize particulars for a Texas wedding ceremony. Ensuring I’ve every little thing I want packed and never shedding it whereas touring is my greatest concern!”
Doughty popped the query to Kelley on Jan. 20, 2024. “The proposal was completely good,” Kelley advised PEOPLE on the time. “It was at a resort overlooking Braden’s favourite golf course. My total household was there, together with most of his,” she says. “It was probably the most magical day.”
Falling in love got here straightforward, Kelley says. “We each have been athletes at LSU — he performed baseball and I used to be a gymnast,” says explains. “I had all the time admired his outspoken religion. I even keep in mind saying ‘I need to marry a man like that!’ Submit-graduation and grownup life later, and right here we’re!”
Simply days earlier than their “I dos” McKenna stated they have been trying ahead to turning into husband and spouse.
“I feel we’re simply so able to be married. We now have labored actually exhausting to set the muse of this marriage in Christ, and we’re prepared and excited to formally create that union. We all know that weddings take a whole lot of time, journey and cash, and we’re honored that folks would make these lodging and sacrifices to have a good time us.”
Kelley and Doughty wrote every visitor a heartfelt handwritten thanks card for being part of their particular celebration.
“Each one among our visitors have made a major mark on our lives. We might not be the individuals we’re in the present day with out them,” she says. “We needed to remind them of their significance in our relationship and the way grateful we’re for every of them. Although this wedding ceremony is about us, it wouldn’t be with out them.”
“We particularly need to thank our mother and father for his or her love and assist and encouragement all through this entire course of. Today wouldn’t be attainable with out them,” Kelley says. “Jennifer and Richard, and Shannon and Mary Lou, thanks for every little thing! We love you.”