Apexchange Apexchange

A COUPLE RAN away to get married at the weekend …at the Chicago Marathon.

Stephanie Reinhart says she just wanted a “short and sweet ceremony.” Mark Jockel wanted a big wedding surrounded by friends and family. The 35-year-old Reinhart and 46-year-old Jockel compromised, marrying at the 8-mile mark of Sunday’s Chicago Marathon in the city’s Boystown neighbourhood.

Reinhart wore a white running outfit and held flowers. Jockel wore a tuxedo T-shirt. They exchanged vows under a garden arch decorated with race medals. The ceremony took less than four minutes.

Reinhart says she got her simple wedding and Jockel got “several thousand guests.”

Chicago Marathon organisers gave the couple customised bride and groom bibs before they toasted with Gatorade.

The couple met two years ago through the Chicago Area Runners Association.

Read: This wedding guest was billed €68 for not showing up to the reception

Read: ‘He popped the question and I couldn’t be happier, but where do I even begin?’

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More