Photos by Amanda Marie Studio
If living with cancer wasn't enough, imagine you and your fiancé are also struggling with the loss of your parents. For one local couple, life’s hardships made the dream of a wedding seem distant. But last night’s Styled For Good event celebrated the life-changing gift of a completely free wedding for one deserving couple.
Styled For Good, a charitable organization, hosted its inaugural wedding showcase and fundraiser at Aria last night. Not only did the event launch the organization, but also displayed many of the Twin Cities’ best local vendors with large-scale installations, appetizers, curated cocktails, and live model displays.
While only one couple could win the grand prize of a wedding free of charge, everyone was there to party. Whether it was a night to gather inspiration or a girl’s night out, the fun and festive occasion came to fruition through the collaboration of Kelly Bollis and Jenny Kleven of Maven Floral and Event Styling and Blush & Whim’s Jennae Saltzman. These wedding fairy godmothers joined forces to make it their mission to provide event services free of charge or at a reduced cost to admirable individuals.
“We saw the need for collaboration and to bring everyone together for people in need,” Kelly Bollis says. “We wanted to make a big impact and to change someone’s life.”
And change lives they did. After deliberation over the submissions, Styled For Good’s Board of Directors announced Elizabeth Stower and John Niebauer as the lucky lovers who would win the grand prize.
“I was in a state of shock,” Stower says.
“It was tear-welling happiness,” John adds. “I have an overwhelming appreciation for those who nominated us. It’s an incredible feeling.”
With Styled for Good’s hospitality and the generosity of Twin Cities vendors, Stower and Niebauer will now be able to enjoy a gorgeous wedding to start off their happily ever after.