Timeless, New Year's Eve Glamor in South Bend: The Real Wedding of Kara DeDecker and Robert Szerencse

While on a business trip to Minnesota, Kara met Rob online and felt the connection instantly. Since he was living in Minnesota, their relationship began as long-distance, which was challenging but strengthened their relationship. After dating for six years, Rob proposed to Kara on New Year's Eve in 2024. "The proposal was joyful, intimate and perfectly us, celebrating our journey together and how far we had come after six years together," Kara gushes.
 

When she initially went dress shopping, Kara wasn't sure what she wanted but was excited to go spend this time with her mother. "I wasn’t sure what I was looking for at first, but as soon as I tried it on, I knew it was the one," Kara admits. "I actually love that it has pockets, and we added an additional petticoat to give it more fullness." We think it looks elegant and stunning on Kara! With the strapless and sleeveless design, Kara was able to style her hair down, and the simple elegance of the dress allows the opulent and intricate veil to complete the whole look!

At the beginning of their planning, Kara and Rob focused on what was important to them. They wanted a location that met their expectations both for their vision and for their guests' travel. They ended up finding a venue that met both of those needs and had a family connection. Kara raves, "The Palais Royale perfectly complemented our vision for a New Year’s celebration, with its historic architecture and elegant ballroom, creating the ideal backdrop for our day. Adding to the significance, Rob’s grandparents attended dances there in the 1940s and 1950s, making the location feel even more personal and connected to family history." We couldn't think of a better venue for them to host their elegant New Year's Eve celebration!
 

Thinking about the décor and color palette, Rob and Kara wanted to blend both the sophistication of their historic venue and the glamor of New Year's Eve. Since the venue was already so grand and spectacular, they decided to keep the color palette simple yet refined with ivory, black and touches of gold. We are obsessed with the details that they rented from AAYS Event Rentals! Their tablescapes featured plenty of glassware—which elevates the whole space—and candles to add an air of romance. One of our favorite elements is the gold-rimmed chargers that fit perfectly with the gold tableware. Their entire vendor team did an amazing job complementing the venue to bring Kara and Rob's vision to life!
 

 

What We Love

Kara and Rob included many personal touches in their big day, a few of which were in the food! Kara and Rob treated their guests to an upscale dinner from Navarre Catering which matched their guests' experience to the décor and venue. They also paid homage to those who were married before them with their cake. "The cake was an exact replica of Kara’s grandparents’ 1952 wedding cake to honor them, paired with Rob’s parents’ original cake-cutting set," Kara shares. They also honored Kara's mother by wrapping her bouquet with lace form her wedding dress and Rob's late father with a reserved spot by his mother and a pin on Rob's suit. We love that family was one of the main focal points of their day!
 

 

Advice from the Couple

Kara and Rob advise, "Love means never keeping score…unless it’s whose family you saw last. Arguments are inevitable, so find simple ways to de-escalate: saying, 'You’re right' can work even if you have no idea why, and hunger is behind more fights than you think, so eat first. Don’t go to bed angry; talk it out, or at least order food and regroup. You don’t need separate hobbies, just separate bathrooms. Your partner isn’t a mind reader, but small annoyances, like loud chewing, should be addressed with humor. Social media posts don’t equal relationship health, and silence can be golden. Marriage is a long conversation where both secretly feel lucky. Remember, it’s not you versus them, it’s both of you versus the problem. And when all else fails, 'Yes, dear.'"
 

 

 

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