Elise & Joel

Joel proposed to Elise on his birthday because he knew she wouldn’t be expecting it, and he was right. She was truly surprised! He convinced her to go up on the rooftop of his apartment building despite the winter weather Chicago was experiencing. He popped the question there, as the snow fell, and with the Chicago skyline in view. It was a private moment between the two of them (Elise cried a lot), and after, they shared a champagne toast with friends before heading to dinner and celebrating with more friends.

Elise and Joel would describe their wedding style as Rustic Chic. A few unique details about their day include that their table names were named after places that were special to the couple. Instead of a guestbook, they had their guests sign pumpkins that they can put out every fall as a way to remember the day. Lastly, Elise’s dad surprised her with ruby slippers for their father-daughter dance to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” (a song that means a lot to her and her dad).

Communicate your desires and decide what you are willing to compromise on before you get deep into the planning. Try not to get worked up about every little detail. It WILL all come together and be beautiful.