Forever Incredible

09/19/2026

From high school friends to husband and wife. 🤍
What an incredible afternoon celebrating Ariana and Niko!

Ariana looked every bit the princess, and her groom was the perfect dashing prince waiting for her. But even more beautiful was the way these two looked at each other throughout their ceremony. After eleven years together, there is such an ease to their love, the kind that comes from growing up together, building a life together, and knowing without question that you have found your person.

Their intimate wedding at Osteria Via Stato was the perfect way to celebrate. Surrounded by their nearest and dearest, there was so much laughter, so much love, and beautiful reminders of loved ones who could not be there, but whose presence was absolutely felt.

I love that Ariana and Niko's story began as high school friends. They actually grew up only six blocks apart, somehow crossed paths at just the right time, and eleven years later stood together in front of the people they love most and became husband and wife.

There is something incredibly special about witnessing a love that has already lived through so many chapters and getting to be the person who sends them into the next one.

Ariana and Niko, may married life bring you even more adventures, plenty of laughter, great food around the table, and a lifetime of finding joy in simply being together.

Congratulations, Newlyweds! 🤍

Ariana and Niko, on the day you made it forever, you certainly made it incredible.

I will never take for granted how lucky I am to officiate weddings, stand this close to love, and witness moments like this.

09/15/2026

Grateful to be part of the awesome CHI thee WED community!

09/15/2026

Today I got to officiate a wedding in front of SUE! 🦖🤍

As part of the Elope to Chicago team, I had the absolute joy of celebrating Mandy and James at the Field Museum today, and these two are just giddy in love.

What I loved most was watching how completely focused they were on each other. The smiles, the laughter, the happy tears, and the excitement of finally taking this next step together as husband and wife were written all over their faces.

Four years to the day after their relationship began, Mandy and James stood surrounded by their dearest loved ones and made it forever.
And can we talk about the setting? Getting to be inside the Field Museum after it had closed to the public was incredibly cool. For a little while, it felt like this iconic Chicago museum belonged to just them.

And, of course, we had one very old wedding guest providing the most incredible backdrop. At roughly 67 million years old, SUE definitely wins for oldest guest I’ve ever had at a ceremony! 🦖

Mandy and James, what a joy it was to be part of your day and witness so much love and happiness between you. Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Smith! 🤍

On the day you make it forever, make it incredible.

09/13/2026

Being asked to wear white as the officiant is VERY few and far between.

But when your bride is wearing a custom-made, true red suit with a dramatic overskirt, matching hat, and red veil, you happily say YES! ❤️

Yesterday, Michele was the boldest and most beautiful version of herself as she married Valdi. Their story began while working together at St. Francis Hospital. They may have very different styles, but that is part of what makes them so wonderful together. Michele brings color and energy into their life, while Valdi brings calm, steadiness, and security.

Her overskirt could be removed for the reception, giving her two incredible looks in one. And Valdi looked every bit as dapper beside her in a black tuxedo with a red shirt and bow tie.

Their ceremony at Schram Memorial Chapel was intimate, joyful, and filled with so much excitement from the family and friends gathered around them. Michele and Valdi chose to sit together during the ceremony, allowing them to relax, remain present, and truly take in the words and promises that made their marriage official.

I also loved having the opportunity to work at Schram Memorial Chapel. It is such a beautiful option for couples who love the warmth and elegance of a chapel setting, whether they want a religious ceremony or simply adore those classic chapel vibes.

Fourteen years brought Michele and Valdi to this moment. Yesterday, surrounded by so much joy and dressed completely as themselves, they finally made it FOREVER. ❤️

Congratulations, Michele and Valdi!

09/10/2026

Found myself quoted in the LA Times back in March. That's a nice surprise!

The Quiet Luxury Micro-Wedding Trend: How to Host a High-Style Event - Los Angeles Times

Embrace the quiet luxury micro-wedding trend. Expert event designers detail how to swap a massive guest list for high-style decor, bespoke dining, and main character energy.

09/09/2026

Sometimes the most unforgettable wedding days aren't the ones that go exactly as planned. And I can’t believe it’s already been an entire WEEK since Gracie and Michael’s unforgettable Chicago elopement! 🤍

Gracie and Michael traveled all the way from the UK to elope in Chicago, dreaming of exchanging their vows at North Avenue Beach with that beautiful Chicago skyline behind them.

Mother Nature, however, had other plans.
Biting flies. 🪰

The biting flies along the lakefront were absolutely relentless that day. And I don’t mean a few annoying flies. We were COVERED. Poor Gracie was being bitten so badly she was actually bleeding.

There was no question. We needed to pivot.
We escaped to their private car, spent a little while evicting the flies that had followed us inside, and started figuring out Plan B.

And then I had an idea.

There is a private rooftop I have access to that isn’t something I can typically offer for planned ceremonies. But when it’s just the couple, their photographer, and me as their officiant?
We made it work!

And somehow, this unexpected Plan B turned into something pretty magical.

Gracie and Michael still got the Chicago skyline they had traveled so far to have as the backdrop to their vows. But now they had a quiet, private rooftop all to themselves, where they could forget about the flies, look at each other, and finally have the intimate elopement they had imagined.

Was it the wedding location they planned?
Absolutely not. But sometimes the most unforgettable wedding days are the ones that don’t go exactly according to plan.

Gracie and Michael, happy one-week anniversary! I hope you’ve been having the BEST time on your Route 66 honeymoon adventure and soaking up every minute of this incredible beginning to married life.

Thank you for trusting me when we needed to completely change the plan. I am so happy we found a way to give you the beautiful Chicago skyline, the privacy, and most importantly, the moment you came all this way to have.

Congratulations again, you two! 🤍

On the day you make it forever, make it incredible.

09/09/2026

What a way to start my Tuesday! 🤍

This morning, I had the honor of joining Tiffany and Thomas along the Chicago Riverwalk, just outside the St. Regis Chicago, as they made it forever.

And let me tell you, these two looked FABULOUS!
But even better was watching the way they looked at each other.

Their story began nearly two decades ago with a very questionable chapstick-inspired pickup line. Life took them in different directions along the way, but somehow, they found their way back to each other.

And today, they became husband and wife.
There was so much love between them, and watching Thomas get emotional during the ceremony was one of those incredibly sweet moments that reminds me what an honor it is to stand this close to a couple as they begin their next chapter.

Tiffany and Thomas, thank you for trusting me with this moment and allowing me to be one of the very few people there to witness it. Congratulations, you two!!

09/06/2026

This whirlwind of a week has absolutely FLOWN by, and somehow we are already here... Niki and Patrick’s WEDDING DAY! ❤️

The week began Monday afternoon at the beautiful Pella Signature in Burr Ridge, where I joined Niki and Patrick, their families, and the incredible team from Exquisite Events & Floral Design to rehearse all the moving parts of their multicultural ceremony.

And there are definitely some moving parts!
Their ceremony brings together meaningful elements of Niki’s Telugu Hindu heritage with Western wedding traditions.

Monday was about walking through it all. Today, we get to live it.

Happy Wedding Day, Niki & Patrick! I cannot wait to stand beside you as two families, two cultures, and so much love come together to celebrate the beginning of your marriage. ❤️

09/05/2026

Some wedding days just have JOY written all over them. And three weeks later, I’m still smiling about this one. 🤍

Melissa and Brandon’s wedding at The Brix on the Fox was one of those days where you could feel how much everyone in the room was invested in the two people standing in front of them.

I loved watching Melissa and Brandon stay so completely focused on each other throughout their ceremony. I loved seeing the emotion on her dad’s face as he walked her down the aisle. And I especially loved looking out at their guests and seeing them laughing, smiling, listening and truly sharing in the moment with them.

Their ceremony also included a modern, non-religious version of the traditional Filipino Cord and Veil Ceremony, honoring Brandon’s Filipino heritage and inviting family members who mean so much to him to take part. This is exactly what I love about creating personalized wedding ceremonies. Traditions don’t have to be all or nothing. We can honor where you come from while making the ceremony authentically YOURS.

And can we talk about The Brix on the Fox?! I absolutely LOVE officiating weddings here. The space is incredible and truly a blank canvas that can become whatever a couple imagines. Even better, the owners and team make sure the couple, their guests AND their vendors are incredibly well taken care of.

And what a team Melissa and Brandon had! So many talented wedding professionals came together to make this beautiful day a reality. It is always such a joy to work alongside people who care so much about giving a couple an incredible experience.

Melissa and Brandon, it was an absolute honor to tell a little piece of your story and be the one standing with you as you finally became husband and wife. How lucky are we that we get to celebrate love like this?!

The team who made it happen:
Venue: The BRIX on the Fox
Planning: BW Studio+Events | Chicago Wedding & Event Planner
Photography: Chicago Wedding Photographer
Florals: Fleur - Chicago Event Florist & Lifestyle Boutique
Catering: True Cuisine
Cake: Sweets by Kash
Entertainment: Groove Is In The Heart DJs
Hair + Makeup: Chicago Bridal Makeup Artist
Rentals + Decor: SNP Productions
Dress: Lovely Bride Chicago
Officiant: Chicago Wedding Officiant - Carla

09/05/2026

Three weeks ago, we officially kicked off Melissa and Brandon’s wedding weekend with their rehearsal at Biaggi’s... and somehow, it already feels like yesterday.

Getting there was an adventure all its own. Chicago gave us some of the worst traffic I’ve experienced in a LONG time. Air & Water Show weekend, I’m looking at you. 😅 But once we all arrived, it was so nice to finally meet Melissa and Brandon, their families, wedding party, and ceremony sponsors in person after spending so much time getting to know them while creating their ceremony.

This is one of the reasons I love an officiant-run wedding rehearsal. It gives everyone confidence. We walk through the movements, answer questions, practice the handoffs, and make sure everyone knows what to expect so that on wedding day, they can simply be present.

That was especially important as we practiced Melissa and Brandon’s Cord and Veil Ceremony, with a modern, non-religious interpretation of a traditional Filipino wedding custom honoring Brandon’s heritage. Their sponsors had a chance to practice their roles, and we made sure this meaningful tradition would flow naturally within their ceremony.

Somewhere between practicing entrances, figuring out where everyone needed to be, and sharing plenty of laughs, the wedding festivities officially began.

The next day, we headed to The Brix on the Fox to make Melissa and Brandon officially husband and wife.

And I have to admit, I LOVE weddings out that way for another reason, too. They give me the perfect excuse to turn wedding weekend into a little girls’ getaway with my lifelong best friend, her dad, and her pets. Wedding work + best friend time? Yes, please.

So, couples getting married at The Brix on the Fox... consider this my not-so-subtle hint. 😉 Please hire me to officiate your wedding. I would LOVE another reason to come back!

Next up, Melissa and Brandon’s wedding day... because that story definitely deserves its own post.