Real Life Wedding Stories

Tony and Christine

Palatine, IL

Married 38 years

Tony and I met at a church dance for singles.  He was with his friend and I was with my friend.  He asked me to dance and it was love!  There was just something about him that clicked.  I knew from the moment I met him I was gong to marry him.  We dated for 11 months and he proposed to me on Valentine’s Day.  I was so excited for Tony and I to start planning our life together.  I think the toughest part of wedding planning was having everyone  be in sync with our plans.  We wanted to please everyone.

The best part of being married is having someone that supports you through the thick and the thin.  You have someone to share everything with you for your entire life.  Young women should find someone that they have a lot in common with such as values and religion.  If you don’t, marriage can become difficult.  With Tony, everything just fell into place.  We both were Italian- American, Catholic and I loved his warm family.

Bob and Camille

Chicago, IL

Married 27 years

Bob and I met when we both worked at Jewel.  I was behind the service desk and he worked in dairy.  We would say hello to each other every day, and one day he asked me if I wanted to go out.  I always thought he was really cute!  Wedding planning was fun because I was anticipating our wedding.  Booking the hall, finding my dress, was like living a dream!  I’ve always had a picture of what I’ve wanted in my head.  But, sometimes making so many decisions was difficult!  What I love the most about marriage is having someone to share my life with.  They always have your back regarding work, kids, the house and is willing to help you along the way.  They also add life and romance to your life.

Young women should go with their gut when it comes to men.  Do not always judge men by their physical appearance.  Don’t dismiss someone just because they’re not cute.  Someone who is not always the best looking could be your dream guy!

Joe and Anna

River Grove, IL

25 years

My friend Alaina happened to be Joe’s cousin.  Alaina wanted us to meet, so I went to her house while Joe was changing her light bulb.  We barely talked!  A few weeks later I went to Italy and kept getting phone calls that Joe liked me and was telling everyone he was going to marry me!  When I returned to America 3 months later, I spotted Joe at the airport.  I thought he was a stalker!  But, it turned out he  worked at the airport.  I got to know him and realized that I really liked him.  He had every quality I wanted in a guy.  We dated for a year and then got engaged.  Like every girl, I loved shopping for my dress, bridesmaids dresses, and picking out the champagne, food and invites.  Planning a wedding is fun!  It can be hard to keep everyone happy with the seating arrangement!

I love that I have someone to be there for me to start a family.  Young women should take their time when picking a future husband.  They should make sure they have their lives in order first!

Joe and Rose

Wood Dale, IL

2 years

I was at a my cousin’s baby shower and was sitting at the same table as Joe’s mom, niece and sister.  We started talking and his mom thought it would be a good idea to introduce us.  At first I said no, but by the end of the shower, I gave her my number to give to Joe.  He called me the next day.  For our first date we went to a cute restaurant in Roscoe Village.  I realized Joe was the one was when we got into a cab and he had a song playing from his iPod.  He made me listen to the song and was so excited to share it with me.  It was little signs like that which made me know he was the one!  I liked the way he made me feel and the conversations we had.

We wanted to get married in California, so my favorite part of wedding planning was picking out the spot.  We chose the Four Seasons in Santa Barbara.  I loved tasting the food, buying my dress and seeing everything put together.  Young women should be open minded when choosing a husband.  Also, don’t sweat the small stuff!  Don’t start planning your wedding now because your ideas will change constantly!

Johnny and Chrissy

Naperville, IL

Married 2 years

Johnny and I met at a mutual friend’s party my senior year of high school.  He wasn’t intending on going to the party and showed up in Puma gear head-to-toe.  I loved it!  I loved everything about wedding planning! It is such a thrill to plan for your big day knowing that every detail you put in is something special. I gave myself timelines of when things had to get done and followed through. It made it super smooth while I was teaching full time and going to grad school. I still look at wedding magazines and websites to help my friends with ideas.  If I had to choose one thing to leave out of wedding planning it would be negotiating with vendors. I looked for the most economical deals and didn’t stop searching until I knew the vendors were at their lowest point. If I didn’t have a budget it wouldn’t have mattered, but I made sure we were spending money wisely.

Johnny has been so supportive through so many challenging and difficult times (deaths, college, and stressors of life). He gets along perfectly with my family, which is HUGE! He is great with kids. He understands my hectic life, and is always there for me! All of those qualities made me realize that he was “the one!”  The best part of being married is always having your special someone there to talk to and support you as well as make some major decisions with. It really is amazing having your best friend around 24/7.

Single girls should definitely take advantage of their “me time” before getting married. If you aren’t in touch with yourself or your goals in life, it will be difficult to try to balance a marriage as well as your journey through that discovery. I am so lucky to say that Johnny and I dated for 6 years before we got married, which allowed him to be apart of the ups and downs of my life.

Kerry and Angie

Park Ridge, IL

Married 26 years

Kerry and I started out as friends and the rest is history!  I knew he was the one when I realized he had such a great sense of humor.  I loved planning the mass and reception together.  We loved spending our time together and starting a family.  Young girls should take their time and listen to their inner voice.  Enjoy your time as a single girl!