DeJohn + Michal
photography by TALL AND SMALL PHOTOGRAPHY
“Michal Picked a Rose” read one of the hand-lettered signs posted on rustic wood panels that dotted the grounds of Sycamore Farm, a 20-acre working horse farm in southwest Bloomington. And indeed, Michal Adut picked DeJohn Rose to marry in an outdoor ceremony at the farm, followed by dinner and dancing in a beautifully decorated barn.
DeJohn is a local boy, the son of A John and Judith Rose, the owners of Bloomington’s Textillery Weavers. But Michal was born in Israel and grew up in the New York City borough of Queens. The couple live and work in Manhattan. At the time of their wedding, DeJohn, 28, was an account executive for Jack Victor, a menswear manufacturer, and Michal, 29, was a senior account manager for a public relations firm.
“We met at a birthday party in New York in July 2012,” recalls Michal. The party was for Michal’s college friend, who was dating a friend of DeJohn’s. “They didn’t last very long, but we did,” Michal says with a laugh. “We had our first date three days later,” DeJohn adds. They’re New Yorkers, so it was sushi. The proposal was also very Manhattan. It took place on the Bow Bridge in Central Park in April 2014.
You might expect the couple would choose the Big Apple for their wedding. “We did a lot of exploring for venues in New York, but they just didn’t feel right,” says Michal. “But we were sold on Sycamore Farm as soon as we saw it.” As DeJohn explains, “Michal had grown up riding horses, and Bloomington is a big part of who I am, so it was a really nice blend.”
All the planning had to be done long distance, but that was easier than expected. DeJohn had worked for Indiana Memorial Union catering, so the food decision was a no-brainer. The couple worked with then-IMU Executive Chef Thomas Berinati on a menu that could be grilled outdoors. “We added our own flair
to the presentation,” says Berinati, with touches like an artichoke aioli for the New York strip steaks and baby pearl potatoes. —Julie Gray
Following their wedding in 2015, Michal and DeJohn returned to New York City. There, they welcomed
their daughter, Nili, on Mother’s Day 2018. Michal is now a stay-at- home mother to Nili, 2, who “loves ballet, horses, and building towers.” DeJohn works in menswear sales and eCommerce.
DeJohn’s mother, Judith, wove the cloth for the chuppah under which the couple was married. 
Dinner with rustic elegance, courtesy of IMU Catering. 
DeJohn and Michal enjoy a quiet mo- ment with a friend at Sycamore Farm. 
Following Jewish tradition, the bride and groom were rocked aloft at the reception. So were the groom’s parents, A John and Judith Rose. 
Following Jewish tradition, the bride and groom were rocked aloft at the reception. So were the groom’s parents, A John and Judith Rose.
