They say that true love conquers all, and in the case of this adorable duo, it couldn’t be more true. Because a day that started off with a trip to the emergency room and a missed dinner celebration with friends and family ended with some of the sweetest “I do’s” you will ever lay your eyes upon. Think glowing candlelight and smiles that are never-ending. Just how a wedding should be. See it all captured by Two Birds Photography right here.
From The Bride… Jerome and I were married on January 10, 2014 in Chicago, IL. We approached our wedding not just as a chance to celebrate our love for each other, but to celebrate the love we have for our family and friends. We kept it small so that we could individually focus on each guest and the extra effort made the day more intimate. For instance, my younger brother wrote and performed an original poem, and instead of a seating card we hand wrote a letter for each guest sharing what we appreciate about them and how they shaped our lives both individually and as a couple. We also asked each guest to take Polaroid photos of themselves so that we could have photos of our closest friends and family decorating the walls of our new home. We served our favorite foods (like braised short ribs and smoked salmon) with choice of dessert (New York style cheesecake or French Apple Pie with homemade ice cream) thanks to the Boarding House and Julia, their fabulous in-house pastry chef.
We looked to vintage inspiration to create a beautiful space for everyone to enjoy and so many great vendors helped make our day possible. Fragrant Design created delicate succulent and baby’s breath arrangements, and Kel and Co handmade a custom altar out of vintage lace and did an outstanding job coordinating our day-of events. I wore a vintage-inspired gown from BHLDN with a custom-made veil, and much of our décor, such as brass candlesticks and mercury glass planters, was vintage thrifted.
Our wedding was beautiful and perfect in its own way, but that is not to say that everything went as planned. Jerome woke up very sick on the morning of our wedding, and at one point we considered getting married in the Emergency Room. When it came time for the ceremony, we decided to have all our friends and family enjoy dinner and time together without us while Jerome gathered his strength and I helped him to get ready back at The Langham. At the tail end of dinner, we finally arrived at our own wedding! We walked in and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house and everyone was cheering for us! We finally made it! For me (Julie), this was the best part of the day, to see everyone celebrating us and to walk down the aisle with my best friend knowing that he sacrificed so much and loved me to the point that he would not even let physical illness stop him from marrying me. For Jerome, the best moment of his day was after the ceremony. “I was still so nervous that I was going to be sick during the vows that I didn’t relax until they pronounced us as husband and wife. When they did, and we turned around and cheered, I was so excited to be married to my best friend! That moment was unforgettable!”
With all the planning that went in to our special day, it would be devastating to not remember or appreciate it, and this is why we are incredibly grateful to Jake and Jennifer from Two Birds Photography. Two Birds captured our day beautifully, and not in staged photos, but in the details: candid shots, sentimental moments shared and dozens of the small touches that helped to make our wedding so special. That exact moment that Jerome described, when we turned around and were pronounced for the first time, fists in the air, beaming, was captured on film perfectly so we have that moment forever. When I look at the images, I am not just reminded of what our wedding looked like; I am reminded of how I felt and who I was on that day. It takes a remarkably talented photographer to capture a feeling, but that is exactly what they did. With all that transpired on January 10th, we never could have appreciated it all, but thankfully Two Birds captured it for us and can appreciate it for years to come.
Photography: Two Birds Photography | Coordinator: Kel & Co | Flowers: Fragrant Design | Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Hair: Ethan James Salon | Groom's Attire: Express | Accommodations: The Langham Chicago | Reception Venue And Catering: The Boarding House | Veil: Etsy