Michayla & Jordan at The Mansion at Natirar

Michayla and Jordan had a black-tie wedding at The Mansion at Natirar. The ceremony took place on the back lawn, where the amazing views seemed to go on for miles. Her vision for a romantic reception came alive in the ballroom, which was dimly lit, filled with candles and overflowing with white roses and baby’s breath.

By Lisa A. Flam

Their Story

The very first time that Michayla Dunne saw Jordan Parker, when they were both students at High Point University in 2013, she felt he would become important in her life. “I knew right away that I loved him,” Michayla says. She texted their mutual friend to ask “Who is that?” and then messaged Jordan through Facebook. They connected. “From there on out, we were inseparable,” the bride recalls. But it wasn’t romantic at first. Michayla, 27, of Sea Girt, and Jordan, a 29-year-old native of Charlotte, North Carolina, became best friends who loved to go for drives in his Mustang. It wasn’t until two years later that they finally became a couple. The turning point came when she was having a bad day, and Jordan, who had graduated by then, invited her to Charlotte.  “He was always the person I turned to any time I needed to talk to someone,” Michayla says. “He was the first person who I wanted to call. We were like that for each other.” She says he’s “super sweet, super nice and has the cutest Southern accent.”

The Proposal

The couple were on vacation in Greece, where Michayla thought a proposal might come. It didn’t on the first day, and she then became so ill with a parasitic infection that she required hospital treatment. Michayla was better the next day, June 15, 2018, and Jordan surprised her with the proposal. He had arranged for her family members, who also were in Greece, to come to the restaurant and watch as he asked her to marry him. The couple enjoyed dinner at a private table at the water’s edge on Mykonos. “I was crying and thought it was the most amazing thing,” Michayla says.

The Wedding

After having to postpone their big day due to COVID-19 in 2020, Jordan and Michayla tied the knot on August 6, 2021, in a black-tie wedding at The Mansion at Natirar before 190 guests. The ceremony took place on the back lawn, where the amazing views seemed to go on for miles. “I was the most present during the ceremony,” Michayla says. “We kept whispering to each other ‘I love you’ the whole time.” Her vision for a romantic reception came alive in the ballroom, which was dimly lit, filled with candles and overflowing with white roses and baby’s breath. “It was the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever been to,” the bride says. “I absolutely loved it.” Michayla stunned in a strapless gown with detached sleeves, while Jordan wore a black tux. “I wanted a completely timeless, classic look, with a little bit of trend and modernness,” the bride says. They shared a first dance to “You Are the Best Thing,” by Ray LaMontagne, and the night was filled with dancing and fun.

Favorite Moment

The first look. “We were engaged for so long,” Michayla says. “The whole time, getting us through was, ‘I can’t wait for the first look.’ We imagined it together and, when it really happened, it was so emotional. It was finally here, something we had been looking forward to for three years.”

Favorite Detail

“The overall look and the feel of the day was everything I wanted,” Michayla says. “The whole thing felt so romantic and super intimate but also like a big party at the same time. Everything we had dreamed of had come to life.”

Advice

Don’t stick with tradition if you don’t want to. “Do what feels right to you,” says Michayla.

Honeymoon

After a honeymoon to Hawaii, the couple is home in Point Pleasant Beach.