THE MEETING
We met in the summer of 2005, we were both working at Cracker Barrel.
FIRST DATE
Our first date was chauffeuring David’s aunt and uncle for their birthday celebrations. David was asked to be a designated driver, as we were not old enough to go out to the bar. David had asked if I wanted to keep him company. We spent the entire night being designated drivers & hanging out.
THE ENGAGEMENT
David surprised me one morning; I was barely awake and asked if I would marry him. No big or fancy proposal, but definitely sweet and unexpected. His initial thought was since we had a planned trip to Vegas, we would elope while we were out there. However, I wanted the fairytale wedding and he agreed. His mother had given him her late mother’s (his grandmother’s) wedding ring to give to me. It was very special.
FAVORITE PART
Honestly, it was watching our nieces and nephews dance the night away and being with our family and friends and having a great celebration.
ADVICE FOR FUTURE COUPLES
We love the advice my 80-year-old Aunt & Uncle gave us on our wedding day… Never Stop Holding Hands!
FAVORITE PART OF PLANNING THE WEDDING
David would say his favorite part about planning our wedding was the cake testing. My favorite part was picking out my dress, mothers of the bride/groom, bridesmaids, and flower girl dresses.
HOW DID YOU PERSONALIZE YOUR WEDDING?
We aren’t extravagant people and really wanted to stay with the idea of “simple is elegant.” We did incorporate things that represented ourselves. David has a passion for music, he plays guitar and drums and loves rock music. Instead of the traditional Cannon in D wedding entrance, we played Cannon Rock by JerryC which was the song that David, Officiant, Parents and the Wedding party walked down to. The song was a perfect way to represent David. I, myself, love the Twilight books and movies, and when I am with my best friend (who was my matron of honor) we almost always have a Twilight movie marathon. I had chosen the same song they used in the movie wedding scene (Turning Page by Sleeping At Last) for my flower girls, maid of honor, and myself to walk down.
THE VENUE
We choose the Meyer Ballroom for its location, and beautiful picture perfect scenery. The Meyer Ballroom has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Fox River! We also absolutely loved being able to have our ceremony and reception close together, so our guests didn’t have to travel.
THE VENDORS
CATERER – Reuland in Aurora, IL for Catering. We loved working with Reuland. Brigit and her team went above and beyond. The food was fantastic and the service was amazing. (https://www.reulandfoodservice.com/)
DJ – Simply Music DJ for Entertainment. From the moment we talked to Rich we instantly liked him. On the day of the wedding he rolled with our last minute changes, happily! He was a great DJ and made sure us and our guests were having a great time! (http://simplymusicdj.com/)
CAKE – Sweet Temptations in Yorkville, IL for Cake. Our cake was so scrumptious. We had a 3-tier cake & cupcakes. Each tier was a different flavor and filling. The team at sweet temptations was great to work with and made the cake taste testing so fun!! (https://www.sweettemptationsco.com/)
FLORIST – Yesenia for Floral. Yesenia is a friend of mine that took classes for floral arrangements during the pandemic. She created such beautiful arrangements for our bouquets, boutonniere, and corsages.
PHOTOGRAPHER – Jolie Images for Photography. We choose Jolie Images for their great prices and package deals. On the day of our wedding, we were paired with an amazing photographer that was so nice and helpful with our vision shots! (https://jolieimages.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAzp6eBhByEiwA_gGq5I3ia–nwvGOibvwMVB5vC5e76ghHSIDolECqnXbt_VbmQ-EZdngURoCnE0QAvD_BwE)
MAKEUP – Vicki Thomas for Makeup. Vicki is a Sales Director for Mary Kay cosmetics. I have worked with Vicki for many years. I loved having someone I know personally there to ensure I looked my best for the wedding.
HAIR – Hair by Meaghan for Hair. I have known Meaghan since grade school and like before, I loved having someone I know personally doing my hair.