Olympic Swimmer Abbey Weitzeil Marries Michael Jensen in 'Dream Come True' Napa Valley Wedding! (Exclusive)

The couple's wedding must-haves included a live band during the reception because "we love to dance and love live music and an open bar," Weitzeil tells PEOPLE

Three-time U.S. Olympian Abbey Weitzeil is married!

Weitzeil, 27, tied the knot with Michael Jensen at Silverado Resort in Napa, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 21. The swimmer tells PEOPLE the wedding was a true family affair, with several of her loved ones taking on special roles for the ceremony and reception.

“Our wedding was extremely special, as our family was a huge part of it,” says Weitzeil, who worked with Curated by Grace + White to plan the event.

The ceremony was officiated by the Olympian’s uncle Richard Lamoureux, while her aunt made the couple a personalized wedding cake with white chocolate ganache and a buttercream frosting. Weitzeil's cousin Aubree Nelson created the flower arrangements for the wedding through her business, Lavender Haven Floral.

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“We wanted to have everyone we love all in the same place to celebrate,” the athlete says. “One of our favorite things is to bring our friends together, and we [envisioned] a huge celebration and party with dancing and celebrating.”

The couple also incorporated special moments just for the two of them, including a first look which allowed them to have a “private moment together” before the ceremony started.

Following the first look, the pair recited handwritten vows in front of their family and friends. “We love the idea of sharing with everyone why they are there to celebrate with us,” Weitzeil explains.

In the lead-up to the wedding, the couple planned a number of activities for their friends and family to enjoy, including a wine-tasting event on Thursday at their favorite winery, Whitehall Lane, and a men's golf tournament on Friday, which was followed by a rehearsal dinner and welcome party.

The big day unfolded on Saturday. Weitzeil walked down the aisle in a strapless Kim Kassas corseted gown with a drop waist and intricate detailing. The Olympic gold medalist swimmer says the gown was “one of the most flattering items” she had ever “put on.”

For her grand entrance, the bride chose an original piano recording of a Taylor Swift song, performed by her friend and fellow Olympian Elizabeth Beisel.

Weitzeil's wedding-day glam was overseen by Beauty on Set.

After the ceremony, Weitzeil changed into a minidress that ensured she had “space to dance” so she could show off the moves she learned from the dance lessons that she and Jensen took. Their practice paid off, as she and her new husband expertly waltzed on the checkerboard dance floor — provided by Bickner — to Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey.”

Status the Band kept the energy on the dance floor going all night.

Envisioning a more casual vibe for their reception, with “people being up and about mingling,” they chose not to have a formal sit-down dinner. Instead, they had different food stations set up, offering everything from poke to tacos and sliders because they “love small finger foods.”

They also had a 360-degree photo booth from Life in 360 where guests could pose for fun video clips to remember the night. Photographer Stephanie Lynn, videographer Cabie Films and content creator Ce Jour Creations also helped capture all the wedding memories.

Related: Meet These Olympic Besties Who Make Friendship a Medal-Worthy Sport

Weitzeil says the wedding was “a dream come true,” and that it brought her so much joy to marry her “best friend” and have “everyone we love with us.”

She attributes how “smoothly” their wedding came together to the couple's long engagement. Jenson popped the question during a family trip the day before Thanksgiving on Nov. 23, 2022, and the pair then spent nearly two years perfecting the details of their big day.

The athlete says she was thankful for the “extra time to plan."

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“[The planning] was also an outlet for me to get my mind off of swimming during a stressful Olympic year,” she adds. “I had an amazing wedding planner who made everything stress-free.”

Weitzeil competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics this past summer and took home a gold and silver medal in two relay events. She later announced that she is taking a year off from her swimming training.

With the nuptials done and dusted, Weitzeil says she is now looking forward to starting a new chapter with her husband and best friend by her side.

“We are super excited to take the rest of this year to celebrate our marriage while I take a break from swimming,” she tells PEOPLE. “We are just seeing where life takes us for a moment.”

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