These High School Sweethearts Tied the Knot at Bellevue Hall

The pair said ‘I do’ almost 20 years after they met with a beautiful ceremony in New Castle County.

For Arielle Brittingham and Eric Kelley, it was a basketball game with friends on their neighborhood block that brought them together—18 years ago.

wedding cake

Becoming a couple at ages 14 and 15, respectively, meant enjoying collective accomplishments. After graduating from high school, they attended Delaware Technical Community College together, where they pursued different degrees. For Arielle, it was nuclear medicine, and for Eric, environmental engineering.

- Advertisement -

“We’ve really grown into our own individual people, and we are very much like yin and yang,” Arielle says.

bounce house

They might celebrate the differences, especially in their work environments, with Arielle employed in nuclear medicine at Christiana Hospital, while Eric, an arborist, tends to the environment at Brandywine Tree & Shrub, but their passion for each other is undeniable.

Eric made this especially clear with his elaborate proposal plan, involving a surprise trip to Disney World, where he popped the question in front of Cinderella’s castle. Arielle was floored, but she was unable to share the exciting news with her family and friends—everyone already knew.

wedding reception

- Partner Content -

The newly engaged couple took their time with wedding planning, carefully choosing Bellevue Hall in New Castle County to host their wedding ceremony on June 11, 2023. Vibrant gardens, a beautiful mansion, and the spacious lawn, to be used for a moon bounce, caught their eye.

“A lot of people who were vendors in our wedding were people that we knew personally,” Arielle says.

marriage

Wedding photographer Becca Mathias is a friend Arielle has known since middle school, while her brother-in-law’s best friend, Jon Geronimo, acted as DJ. Their officiant, David Zavala, also happened to be their recreational volleyball league referee.

Live tunes from three musicians filled the air with “We Dance” from the popular Broadway musical “Hadestown” as the procession walked the aisle. The ceremony closed with an instrumental version of the theme song from their favorite show, “The Office.”

- Advertisement -

wedding venue

The couple even replicated a unique backward-facing hug shared by Michael Scott and Deangelo Vickers, characters from the TV show, for their first look.

“I tell people all the time too when they ask me, ‘How have you been together so long?’ If you’re not having fun, what’s even the point? We’re just a couple of big goofballs,” Arielle says, chuckling at the memory.

dj

After the ceremony, the couple escaped to the beach for a few days before spending their honeymoon back at Disney World. Eric, continuing his surprises, shocked Arielle with another stay at Animal Kingdom.

From a perfect wedding filled with purple hydrangeas, twinkle lights, and a volleyball signed by every guest to a special memory linked to the most magical place on Earth, the Kelleys have fulfilled their fairy tale.

wedding rings

“I guess some people get nervous when they get married, but Eric and I knew we’d be together the rest of our lives…so this was just an elegant party to have,” Arielle says. “I was excited [and] ready and had a lot of fun.”

Details

Ceremony and Reception:
Bellevue Hall
Guests: 75

Photographer:
Becca Mathias

DJ:
Jon Geronimo

Florist:
Poppy Flowers

Bride’s Gown:
Stillwhite Dresses

Makeup Artist:
Kate Elizabeth

Hairstylists:
Samantha Spicer and Carol Cole

Groom’s Suit:
Men’s Wearhouse

First Dance Song:
Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me”

Moon Bounce:
Party Heist

Honeymoon:
Orlando, Florida

Related: 17 Off-Season Attractions to Check out at the Delaware Beaches

Our Best of Delaware Readers' Ballot is open through January 8!

Holiday flash sale ... subscribe and save 50%

Limited time offer. New subscribers only.