Chicago Marathon couple eloped, married on the 8th mile
CHICAGO -- One couple ran away to get married ... 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 Boystown neighborhood.
Chicago Marathon retweeted this image of the ceremony:
She wanted a short, small wedding; he wanted a party.
Compromised at the #ChicagoMarathon
http://t.co/Lw5kBIvMbt pic.twitter.com/lhVYZT1Cn7
— RedEye (@redeyechicago) October 12, 2015
Reinhart wore a white running outfit and held flowers, while 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 sent this tweet, congratulating the couple:
Congrats to the newlyweds! This couple just got married at Mile 8! pic.twitter.com/SgseQqZWTq
— Chicago Marathon (@ChiMarathon) October 11, 2015
Chicago Marathon organizers gave the couple customized bride and groom bibs. They toasted with Gatorade. One person tweeted this photo of them kissing:
Mark Jockel and Stephanie Reinhart getting married #mile8 http://t.co/axfe6UFlmP pic.twitter.com/mvujcRhGHs
— john erhardt (@johne_erhardt) October 11, 2015
The couple met two years ago through the Chicago Area Runners Association.