Best wishes to the couple who failed at breaking up

It’s wedding season here at Moxley Carmichael! There must be something in the water, because when we counted earlier this year, five of the women who work here were engaged. It’s going to be interesting to watch because each of the brides has her own unique ideas about the perfect wedding — and these are experienced event planners.

Mark and Amanda Shell Jennings

Things got off to a beautiful start last month when account executive Amanda Shell married her longtime boyfriend, Mark Jennings, at Calvary Baptist Church, where the two had met five years earlier. A sweet and festive reception followed at The Foundry on World’s Fair Park.

Amanda invited everyone on our staff to the wedding and everyone went. We could have had a staff meeting there, if we had wanted.

Amanda is extremely special to us. We have known her father, Max Shell, for more than 15 years when, as senior vice president of marketing and community relations for Covenant Health, he hired Moxley Carmichael to represent the largest hospital system in East Tennessee. Amanda came to work for us in 2009 as a summer intern. We were so impressed with her abilities and personality that we hired her for another internship the following year — and she wowed us again. After she graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2011 and spent four months in Argentina, we welcomed her to our staff as a full-time employee.

Meanwhile, she also was wowing Mark Jennings.

At the same time Amanda started her first internship with us, she was singing in the choir at Calvary Baptist Church when she (or, more accurately, her legs!) caught Mark’s eye.

The bride with her father, Max Shell

A theater buff and aspiring actor, Mark asked her to go to dinner and a play for their first date. The play, at Theatre Knoxville Downtown, was terrible, Amanda says. But the date was great — it lasted eight hours. On Labor Day of 2009, they decided to see each other exclusively. But it was not exactly smooth sailing after that.

In order to pursue his acting career, after he graduated from UT in the spring of 2010, Mark moved to Washington, D.C. He and Amanda stayed together in a long-distance relationship. Even when Amanda graduated and moved to Argentina for four months in 2011 — putting 5,000 miles between them — they stayed together, thanks largely to spending a LOT of time on Skype.

After Argentina, things came to a head. Amanda returned to Knoxville and accepted the job at Moxley Carmichael. But Mark planned to stay in Washington to keep after that acting career. At this point, the pair decided that with no prospects of living in the same city, they should do the practical thing and break up. But this was not exactly smooth sailing, either. They found they were not good at staying apart. They spoke every day.

Finally, Mark made a proposition. If Amanda would agree that they would look to a permanent future together, he would leave D.C. and come back to Knoxville. So, after two years of living apart, in February of 2012, Mark moved to Knoxville and he and Amanda got to live in the same city for a change. A year later, he proposed to her during a trip to New York City.

We at Moxley Carmichael have grown fond of Mark, as well. He comes to many of our company functions and is smart and funny. We had a great time celebrating with Mark, Amanda and their families last month.

Prior to the wedding, Alan Carmichael posed with the mother of the bride, Linda Shell.

The altar was beautiful. Loved the slides of highlights of the couple’s relationship.

Soloists Katy Free and Brandon Gibson were outstanding. Katy also was maid of honor.

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Jennings

The married couple entering their wedding reception

The centerpieces were show stoppers!

Moxley Carmichael’s CFO, Shaun Fulco Hyver, with her husband, Roger Hyver.

Moxley Carmichael’s Lauren Christ with her fiance, John Miller.

Bob Wilson of Moxley Carmichael with his wife, Angie. Sadly, this was the last social occasion we would have with Bob. He passed away a week after this photo was taken.

Bob wore the tie that he wore at his own rehearsal dinner prior to marrying Angie. So sweet.

Maria Cornelius and Scott Bird, both of Moxley Carmichael.

Jennifer Lawson and Charley Sexton, both of Moxley Carmichael.

Moxley Carmichael’s Michelle Henry with husband, David.

Natalie Lester of Moxley Carmichael and her fiance, Chase Bailey.

Amy Foster of Moxley Carmichael with her fiance, Brandon Barger.

Also at our table were Tami Hartmann, formerly of Moxley Carmichael, and her hubby, Bruce.

Moxley Carmichael’s Erica Beck and her husband, Karl.

Nobody went away hungry. Dinner was copious — and delicious.

The stunning wedding cake was made by Esther Helling Kant.

The most appropriate groom’s cake ever!

This is Sarah O’Brien, the sister of Best Man Chris O’Brien. She made the groom’s cake!

The moment Alan always looks forward to at any wedding reception!

The appropriate way to feed one another wedding cake! My mother would have approved!

Alan approved of the cake itself!

The band, Devan Jones and the Uptown Stomp, was fantastic.

First dance

The bride dancing with her father.

The groom doing the same with his mother, Dianne Jennings.

Linda and Max Shell, parents of the bride.

The bride’s brother, Kevin Shell, with his mom.

Bruce Hartmann, left, and Alan Carmichael enjoying the antics on the dance floor.

Looking for the Moxley Carmichael gang? They are near the bar, of course. From left: Karl Beck, Maria Cornelius, Charley Sexton, Natalie Lester, Chase Bailey and Bob Wilson

From left, Bruce Hartmann, Lauren Christ, Scott Bird, John Miller, Angie Wilson and Tami Hartmann

Alan Carmichael, right, with Doug and Vicky Kennedy

The bride made a very clever choice of shoe!

Nice group shot

I loved Amanda’s going away dress.

We all were armed with tiny bottles of bubbles!

Here they come!

The bubbles were a beautiful touch.

Hahaha!