Though Michelle and Pearce first met at their freshman orientation at Boston College in August of , their relationship was a platonic one to start. Eventually, the self-proclaimed best friends started dating and remained together for ten years and the duo fell into an easy routine of traveling up and down the East Coast. When the pandemic hit, the couple grabbed their laptops and drove down to Palm Beach, Florida, for what was meant to be a two-week getaway; instead, it turned into months of living in the Sunshine State.
In the Summer of , when the pair returned to their apartment in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood, Pearce gathered their closest loved ones and planned a proposal overlooking the Hudson River. To make their engagement even more special, he also worked with Kerri Mulhearn of Stella Day Events to orchestrate a surprise beachside engagement party later that weekend in Rye, New York. After living in Palm Beach, the couple knew they wanted to return thereβthis time, with their closest family members and friendsβfor a wedding on April 30, They once again tapped the team at Stella Day Events to help them plan their chapel ceremony and private country club reception from afar.
Photo by Jacqui Cole. Michelle and Pearce made sure to splash their bold red and pink color scheme across their wedding invitations, giving guests a clear idea of the party to come. Michelle and her family put together the welcome bags as a DIY project the week before the wedding.
When Michelle started wedding dress shopping , she knew exactly what she wanted: A gown from designed Naeem Khan. She chose an A-line wedding dress with thread embroidered organza and ruffled sleeves. Knowing she would be dancing all night in the Florida humidity, Michelle decided to wear her hair in a bun. As an added bonus, the hairstyle ensured she would be able to show off the customizations she made to the back of her wedding dress.
Michelle's bridesmaids' dresses were actually sourced by her future sister-in-law. Ultimately, the groupβwhich included the bride's two sisters as maids of honorβworse mismatched dresses , but everything was beautifully complementary. His look consisted of a white jacket and shirt with a black bow tie and silk-lined black pants. Michelle and Pearce asked their nieces and nephews to serve as their ring bearers and flower girls. The flower girls wore simple white satin dresses from Us Angels and floral crowns while the ring bearers wore coral shirts, coral bow ties, and white blazers to match the groom.
