Bridle Party

By Lisa Arnett
View more Better Together

Dunham Woods Riding Club hosts the wedding of its manager and his bride

Getting married at your place of employment wouldn’t make sense for most people, but it happened to be the perfect choice for Walter Shumpert III and his bride, Lorena Nelson. The couple toured a number of wedding venues, but in the end, none impressed more than Dunham Woods Riding Club in Wayne, where Schumpert works as general manager. “His staff is so great at what they do, from the chef to preferred vendors he had worked with for flowers and decor at events in the past,” says Nelson, who works as a website designer and consultant in Oak Brook. 

Both Nelson and Shumpert grew up in Chicago and attended Lincoln Park High School, though their five-year age gap meant they never crossed paths there. They had both been divorced for years when they connected in 2023 via the dating app Bumble. “When she walked in [to our first date], she took my breath away. I was hoping that the personality matched the beauty. When it did, I was in awe,” says Shumpert, who is also a motivational speaker and author. His memoir, Chicago Born, Country Club Raised, about his time working in the private club industry—from Elgin Country Club to Naperville’s White Eagle Golf Club—was published in August. 

Nelson was impressed by Shumpert’s conversational skills and kind demeanor, and they were dating seriously within weeks. “My first marriage ended 16 years ago…and I vowed I wouldn’t get married again, until I met Lorena,” Shumpert says. “When it’s right, it’s right, and when it’s put together by God, you have to just go ahead and put all those old, bitter feelings behind you and move on with the new.” He proposed on Christmas Day in 2024. 

Between them, Shumpert and Nelson have four children ranging in age from 17 to 25, and all were involved with their Jan. 25 wedding. Sons Walter IV and Mitchel served as groomsmen, and daughters Anastasia and Shemauriea were bridesmaids; the couple’s 5-year-old grandson, Khiel, proudly took the role of ring bearer. They had planned to take “first look” photos together prior to the ceremony, but Shumpert had a change of heart the night of the rehearsal dinner. “I said, ‘I changed my mind; I want that moment of seeing you for the first time when you walk down the aisle,’ ” he says. And what a joyfully tearful moment it was. “The bridal party was really holding it together, but then when Walter cried, it made all my bridesmaids cry,” Nelson says. 

Wedding Details

• Venue and catering
  Dunham Woods Riding Club, Wayne
• Floral and decor
  Floral Events, Naperville
• Rings
  Rings from KAY Jewelers, Lombard
• Bride’s attire
  Alyce Paris gown from Bridal Boys by Complete Bridal, East Dundee; Betsey Johnson heels
• Bride’s hair and makeup
  Crystal-Eyez Makeup & Beauty Lounge, Chicago
• Bridesmaids’ attire
  Azazie
• Groom’s and groomsmen’s attire
  Boss Formal Wear, Evergreen Park
• Entertainment
  Paolo Apuli, Chicago; Bino’s Entertainment Group
• Cake
  Mad Batter Bakery and Confections, St. Charles
• Photography
  TWA Photographic Artists, Lombard