Date: Sept. 19
Her story: Katelyn McKinley, 29, was born and raised in Ellicott City. She is the general manager of Blue Corona, a digital marketing firm. Her parents, Kathy and Jock McKinley, live in Ellicott City.
His Story: Greg Palacorolla, 30, is also from Ellicott City. He works as the director of wealth management for Geier Asset Management in Marriottsville. His parents, Diane and Kevin Palacorolla, live in Ellicott City.
Their story: Even though they both went to Centennial High School, Greg and Katelyn didn't get to know each other until after they graduated from college.
The two started spending time together after meeting through mutual friends in 2008.
"Greg made me laugh a lot, which made me attracted to him," Katelyn said.
After spending many weekends bar-hopping together in Baltimore, the two started dating in 2009.
"We started out as really good friends," she said. "He was a fun-loving, fun-to-be-around guy."
They live in Ellicott City.
The proposal: Greg popped the question in October 2014.
The evening started out at their favorite restaurant, Thames Street Oyster House in Fells Point. (This was also the site of their first date.)
While the two were at dinner, Greg had his parents go over to Katelyn's house and fill the entire first floor with candles and rose petals. When they came home from dinner, Katelyn walked into the decorated home. Greg followed her in, got down on one knee and asked her to marry him.
"I was shocked," she said. "I was very surprised. I was overcome with emotion."
Greg designed the engagement ring using a family diamond from Katelyn's great-grandmother.
"Everything about the night was storybook perfect," she said. "He used my great-grandmother's ring, which was very special. I was speechless. I called my family and friends. I couldn't go to sleep. I was so excited."
Venue: Two hundred guests attended the ceremony and reception at the Baltimore Country Club in Roland Park
Flowers and decor: Flowers, which were mostly cream and soft blush with subtle pops of pale green and gold, were provided by the Floral Studio in Roland Park.
Katelyn said she chose a soft color palette to let the beautiful venue shine. Her planners, Leslie McKenzie and Elizabeth Bailey, helped create the perfect feel at the wedding, she said.
Her dress: Katelyn wore a lace and tulle gown by Amsale from Hitched in Georgetown. The dress made her feel like a "princess," she said.
The dress was similar in style to her grandmother's vintage ball gown that Katelyn's mother also wore on her wedding day.
Katelyn wore the veil that both women wore for her something old. She borrowed her other grandmother's lace handkerchief and placed a sixpence from her in her shoe.
Bridesmaids dresses: Bridesmaids wore black J. Crew one-shoulder chiffon gowns.
Men's attire: Greg and the groomsmen wore black tuxedos from Jos. A. Bank.
Music: The band Nightsong played at the wedding. The couple's first dance was to "Everything" by Michael Buble.
Food and dessert: Baltimore Country Club catered the wedding. The cocktail hour featured oysters and jumbo shrimp as well as other appetizers. Dinner included crab cakes and filet mignon.
The couple served a Smith Island wedding cake from SugarBakers. They also had strawberry cake, dulce de leche cake and chocolate-covered strawberries. Attending food tastings and making the night's selections was Greg's favorite part of wedding planning, according to Katelyn.
Favors: The couple offered a Baltimore-themed bar featuring Utz crab chips, Otterbein's cookies, Jeppi nuts, Fisher's popcorn and Goetze caramels.
Special touches: The couple spent two weeks in Italy for their honeymoon. They started the trip with a two-day stay in Rome and then made their way down to the Amalfi Coast, spending time in Positano and Capri.
