Between raspberry-colored fingernails she held a card from him.
“Today is the day we finally tie the knot. And I can’t hardly wait to see you in the beautiful dress, as we express our love to one another in front of closest family and friends. I am so excited for today, for us and for our future, and I consider myself the luckiest man on the planet to marry you today.”
Mallory Kaster closed the card. In a few short hours she would marry Matthew Justak and celebrate with nearly 400 guests at Alumni Hall in the Indiana Memorial Union. But for now, she set the card down and slipped into her white gown.
. . .
IMU Wedding and Special Events Coordinator Bari Kuhlman has a tight schedule, and September and October mark the end of her six busiest months of the year.
In 13 years, Kuhlman and her team of award-winning chefs, caterers and interning planners have facilitated more than 1,500 weddings in the IMU.
May through October mark the busiest season for weddings and the full-service hotel sees weddings frequently.
The wedding service offers destination weddings, an in-house bakery, guest amenities, a full bar service and, of course, a wedding coordinator.
It also caters weddings, not only at the IMU, but across campus and throughout Bloomington. Its wedding guide includes several mouth-watering food options, from grilled, marinated flank steak accompanied by a Dijon mustard spread and mango chipotle ketchup to roast leg of lamb with rosemary and mint.
“(We have) an amazing wedding cake decorator and highly trained staff who love what they do,” Kuhlman said.
The wedding service plans wedding receptions in Alumni Hall, the Tudor and Fragipani Rooms and the University Club, all located within the IMU.
While the options are abundant, Kuhlman said the enthusiastic staff and clientele are what she enjoys about weddings.
“Over 75 percent of our clientele are IU alumni coming back to get married,” she said. “Relationships are formed while in college ... wedding guests love to return to IU to celebrate the couple and relive their college days.”
. . .
Justak and Kaster walked the IU campus for four years, knowing of each other but not much more.
“We had mutual friends,” Kaster said. “We’re from the same hometown but didn’t really meet until three years after college.”
She was studying journalism, he was switching between politics and sports communication, and in 2007 they graduated and moved on. When a trip to visit friends brought Matt to Chicago where Mallory was working, the pair immediately got along.
“It was in the cards for us all along,” Kaster said.
They live in Chicago but knew for certain they had to come back to Bloomington to get married. After looking through several of Bloomington’s venues they booked the IMU for convenience and the memories.
“It was easier to plan and have some control with limited options,” Kaster said. “It was manageable.”
The couple planned their big day from Chicago , ?taking a couple weekends to pick out florists and photographers. Kuhlman and her team gave suggestions and helped get all the details in place.
Kuhlman was even able to pull off a wedding cake miracle. Kaster had her heart set on an airbrushed gold cake and after months of trying they couldn’t get the icing down.
Kuhlman ordered an airbrush machine and 6 p.m. Aug. 9 in Alumni Hall , there was a six tiered, golden-airbrushed cake with twin dinosaurs as toppers.
“I love the creativity and organizational skills required to produce a wonderful wedding reception,” Kuhlman said. “And I especially love when a room is filled with energy and excitement and everyone is on the dance floor until the last song.”
Matt and Mallory’s reception carried into the night with cupcakes, beer and a signature drink — strawberry Crystal Light and vodka — called Witches’ Brew.
“The whole wedding planning experience meant a lot to us,” Kaster said. “The bridal party was IU grads and it was nice to bring everyone back together for one final party.”
