Hayley and Nick Heinz

Hayley Heinz, 28, graduated from Missouri Southern State University in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in health science and a minor in business. Hayley and her husband recently bought a home in Manhattan, Illinois, a small town just outside of the Chicagoland area, where they currently reside with two Australian shepherds. Hayley’s future plans include seeing wild horses in the West and a rainbow in Hawaii.

Nick Heinz turned 30 the day before his wife’s birthday in August. In 2013, he graduated from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, with a major in construction engineering with a minor in business. Nick helped build the new sections of the Chicago Riverwalk and he used to live catty-corner to the right foul pole of Wrigley Field. 

Hayley and Nick were separately enjoying time with friends at Coconuts on Lake of the Ozarks. “Our paths crossed and we chatted for a minute, then went back to our friends,” she recalls. “As the day went on, we were still doing our own thing, but then we passed each other again. Nick was about to leave with his friends and asked for my number. I gave it to him, thinking nothing of it since he lived in Chicago. He texted me later on and we haven’t stopped talking since.” 

Nick chose beautiful Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, for his proposal. “We were going there to visit my aunt and uncle to see their beautiful house they had built. I wanted some good pictures of Nick and me at the beach, so my uncle volunteered to take the pictures,” she smiles. “We started taking pictures and my uncle said, ‘You should take one walking away from the camera holding hands.’ That was Nick’s hint for the big surprise. Nick walked me along the ocean and dropped down on one knee and asked the question as the waves came up. Of course, I said yes and got the whole proposal on camera.

The blissful couple tied the knot on June 27, 2020. The wedding party included Maid of Honor Payton Finley and bridesmaids Katie Hersemann, Lexi Wren, Rachelle Triebsch, Lauren Via and Hannah Hawks. Nick’s Best Man was Grant McCreight; groomsmen were Jordan Kingdon, Kyle Wren, Bryce Lineker, Cole Dodson and Jeremy Dawson.

Hayley and Nick’s wedding was a private ceremony with immediate family in a field of wildflowers. “It was so special and memorable to us,” she remembers. “Instead of having a memory table for our loved ones who passed, we played a slideshow with pictures and memories of them during our first dance. We wanted them to be there watching us for our first dance. The last special touch was playing a home video of my dad and me dancing together when I was two. We danced to the same song for our father-daughter dance and it was so precious to me.” ■

Bridal Gown
Breeze Bridal

Bridesmaids Gowns’
Show Me Your Mumu

Groom’s Suit and Groomsmen Suits
Men’s Wearhouse

Hair
Bespoke Hair Company

Makeup
The Beauty Bar by Emina

Venue
Cooper’s Ridge Event Venue

Florist
Kim Spurgin

Videographer
Oak and Embers Photography

Caterer
Haller’s Homestyle Catering

Cake
Katherine Little

DJ
Raise the Barr

Rentals
A-1 Party & Event Rentals

Vintage Rentals
Pretty Little Things

Jeweler
Peter Miller

Wedding Planner
Delight Events

Stationery
Minted