MINNEAPOLIS — A canceled wedding with a nonrefundable reception became a celebration for families and volunteers for a Ronald McDonald House 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 said 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 in Minneapolis, Yorkovich knew the Ronald McDonald House would be a great place for the donation of her dream wedding reception. The Ronald McDonald House provides a place to stay for families with hospitalized children.

More than 150 people, including Yorkovich’s family, attended the event Friday.