Kelsey Nelson and her husband, Michael Giaimo, met through an online dating site and bonded over a shared love of animals. “I was happy to find a guy who would love my dog as much as I do,” says the bride, who introduced Michael to her Scottish terrier, Winchester, early on. The pint-sized pup (and Kelsey!) quickly won him over.
The bride says animals even were part of their engagement. “I compete in agility events with my dog,” she says. “We were at a show one day when I received a dog toy with a jewelry box inside it.” The two had designed her engagement ring together, but Michael worked secretly with Kelsey’s parents to pull off the surprise. The very special piece included diamonds that had belonged to grandparents on both sides.
The couple held both their ceremony and reception at Silver Oaks Chateau in Pacific. According to Kelsey, there were a few unexpected developments—weather prevented an outdoor ceremony, so Winchester couldn’t take part in the wedding as planned. But she says more than anything, she recalls a beautiful day full of family memories, celebration and love.
A big fan of Jurassic Park films, Kelsey managed to work some prehistoric animals into the mix, too. She ordered a dinosaur-themed photo booth as a lighthearted diversion for guests at the reception. “It had a green screen so people could take pictures with a Tyrannosaurus rex in the background,” she recalls. “I walked down the aisle to the movie theme played on bagpipes, and we even had a dinosaur-themed cake the next morning at brunch. I really wanted to incorporate some fun into the events.”
After the big day, the newlyweds took off on a weeklong Alaskan cruise. “We stopped at a few ports and enjoyed a different activity at each,” Kelsey says. “We saw Iditarod sled dogs, took a bike tour around a glacier, and went ziplining.” The couple lives in St. Charles with Winchester and their cat, Wally.
resources
ceremony & reception | Silver Oaks Chateau
gown | Fiore Couture
cake | Sarah’s Cake Shop
florist | Walter Knoll
music | Pure Entertainment Co., Landolfi Quartet, Chris Apps
honeymoon | Alaska
wedding party
maid of honor | Kylan Nelson
bridesmaids | Karey Wilbeck, Kristina Murphy, Brooke Nelson, Ryan Nelson
best man | Noah Wait
groomsmen | Jordan Green, Ethan Stack
bride’s parents | Dr. Douglas Nelson & Dr. Carol Graham of Town & Country
groom’s parents | John & Carol Giaimo of Bridgeton
wedding date | April 14, 2018