The Kansas City Royals shortstop, Bobby Witt Jr., at the age of 24, tied the knot with personal trainer Maggie Black on Saturday, December 14th, at the Thompson Hotel in Dallas. A grand gathering of 300 guests was present, including the entire Royals team and other MLB all-stars like Andrew Benintendi, Whit Merrifield, Cole Ragans, and Rusty Greer. This winter wedding was a long-awaited event for the couple who first met and started dating in high school. After a smitten Witt inquired about Black's schedule from her best friend to transfer into her physics class, their journey began. As Black explains, "We had been boyfriend and girlfriend for so long that it's exciting for both of us to now get to call each other husband and wife. We are just super excited to finally be married."

Bringing the Dream Wedding to Life

To make their wedding a memorable one, they collaborated with event planner Leslie Ochs from Alice and Apricot Weddings. Black emphasizes, "It made it super stress-free with us being busy during baseball season. She kept us on track so all we had to do was show up and enjoy." The couple's primary goal was to offer an unforgettable experience to their guests. As the bride notes, "We told [Ochs] that we wanted our wedding to be fun and something that our friends would never stop talking about. Our goal was to throw the party of the year."They aimed for a "timeless yet sleek and modern" aesthetic with a color palette of black, white, and fern green. Ochs shares, "Bobby loves bold patterns so I incorporated a lot of fun pattern play into the overall design of the event. There were so many fun details throughout the design that incorporated Bobby's love for baseball and Maggie's personality with the warm and classy atmosphere."Although they initially wanted to get married in a church, they chose to hold both the ceremony and reception at the Thompson Hotel to simplify logistics, especially for their out-of-town guests. As a compromise, they transformed a ballroom into a chapel with custom stained-glass windows by Vim + Venture, creating "the feel of a small, intimate church."

The Wedding Ceremony

Black's stepbrother Ryon Phillips officiated the ceremony. During the ceremony, the bride and groom recited traditional vows after having exchanged handwritten ones during a private first look. The processional included several of their favorite worship songs. Black walked down the aisle in an Elizabeth Lee Bridal gown with a structured bodice and a dramatic open back. She shares, "I knew I did not want sparkles or lace, so I had somewhat of a vision in my head before walking into the bridal boutique. Alongside the designer, I brought my vision to life into the perfect wedding dress. I couldn't wait for Bobby to see it." She completed her bridal look with Christian Louboutin shoes and jewelry by Happy Jewelers.

The Reception

For the reception, Black changed into a second look by Elizabeth Lee Bridal, paired with Golden Goose sneakers. She says, "I wanted something fun and flirty for my second look of the evening. Keeping with the structured bodice of my wedding dress, we added beading and pearls to give a little flair." Witt, who was drafted by the Royals in 2019 and made his MLB debut in 2022, looked dapper in a custom State & Liberty tuxedo with a tailored athletic fit. He accessorized with velvet Christian Louboutin loafers to complement his black velvet jacket and a two-tone Rolex Daytona watch with a black dial. His groomsmen also wore custom State & Liberty tuxes. Witt switched things up for the reception, donning a white dinner coat and white sneakers.The newlyweds and their guests enjoyed a plated dinner with two entrée choices: Rosewood beef filet and Dijon herb-crusted chicken. The meal concluded with slices of the four-tier wedding cake made by Refined Sugars Bakery, featuring almond, graham cracker, and chocolate flavors.But the surprises didn't end there. After the ceremony, a team of more than 100 people secretly constructed a replica Whataburger restaurant in the venue, complete with booths and tables, a counter for ordering, a drinks and condiments station, and real Whataburger employees to serve everyone. The couple has a sentimental connection to the burger joint as they used to hang out at their local Whataburger after baseball and football games while dating in high school. Witt now has a partnership with the brand. Later into the night, guests were surprised with the unveiling of the pop-up restaurant - fittingly renamed Witt-a-burger in honor of the newlyweds - where they got to order all of Witt and Black's favorite menu items.Looking back, Black says it was the "best night of their lives," adding, "I wish we could do it again!" Now that she and Witt have finally said "I do," she is looking forward to having "a lifelong partner through the good, the bad and everything in between." Witt adds, "For me, [marrying Black means] having my lifetime person and best friend to be with for the rest of my life. I love who she is as a person, how kind she is to every person she talks to, and how she lights up a room when she walks in it." Black, who calls Witt her "best friend," tells PEOPLE she appreciates that the two can be themselves around each other. "I also love how he is goofy and fun with me at home, which is not a side everyone else gets to see from the spotlight," she notes.The couple is now planning to travel to "somewhere tropical" for a honeymoon getaway. Witt says, "We are so excited to unplug and spend quality time with each other on the beach." Black chimes in, "As for the future, we look forward to expanding our family one day!"