MINNEAPOLIS — A canceled wedding with a non-refundable reception became a celebration for families and volunteers of the Ronald McDonald House connected to Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.

Jenna Yorkovich called off the wedding seven weeks before the big day, but the money paid for the venue and food at Nicollet Island Pavilion could not be returned.

The 23-year-old Maplewood woman tells the Star Tribune that even though she had made one of the hardest decisions of her life, there was no reason it couldn’t end happily. As an employee of Children’s Hospital, Yorkovich knew the Ronald McDonald House would be a great place for the donation of her dream wedding reception.

More than 150 people, including Yorkovich’s family, attended the event last Friday. The Ronald McDonald House provides a home away from home for families with hospitalized children.