The Quote “Don’t Delay Joy” Inspired This Couple's Backyard Wedding in Winnetka, Illinois
To say that Danny and Marco have been on the same wavelength since the start of their relationship would be quite an understatement. To set the scene, when Marco offered hockey tickets for one of their first dates, Danny replied jokingly, “I’ll go, but only for the nachos.” Naturally, Marco took matters into his own hands and picked his date up with matching shirts that boasted, ‘I’m just here for the nachos.’ That’s when the two knew that they were the perfect pair (and shared an affinity for snack foods). After an incredibly thoughtful day planned with experiences with each of Danny’s loved ones, Marco proposed in a ‘museum of love,’ complete with all of their love notes and a ring that was melted from Danny’s late mother and grandmother’s jewelry.
Although the couple postponed their larger celebration for 2022, they were inspired by a quote from LGBTQ+ activist Edie Windsor: “Don’t delay joy.” With so many of their family members who had passed and those who weren’t healthy enough to attend, it was evident that time was too precious to wait. Danny and Marco focused on their most-coveted details—from delicious food, a fun cake inspired by their love of nachos, to Danny’s late mother’s tradition of incorporating glitter into table settings. Each touchpoint was meaningful and paid homage to their relationship with one another, as well as their relationships with those closest to them.
The couple explains that they "were inspired by a quote by Edie Windsor, an LGBTQ activist, 'Don't Delay Joy.' As we postponed our large celebration to 2022, this quote reminded us to treat our day as if it was our only celebration. This was echoed by the guidance of Danny’s grandmother, Nana, who reaffirmed that in the Jewish tradition, couples should not postpone weddings. Having her and other important family members there meant the world. Even still, there were family members who passed and who weren’t healthy enough to come (including Danny’s Grandfather and Marco’s aunt and uncle) that served as a reminder of how precious time is. With that mindset, we were able to focus on all the things we wanted to make real—custom '7 blessings,' fun cake, great food, and most importantly, the people we had missed celebrating with over the quarantine."
It was important to Danny and Marco that each and every element of their wedding day feel personalized to reflect their bond. "We created a few important traditions, one of the most important was a celebration of Danny’s mom who passed five years ago," says the couple. "She had a tradition of adding a little 'glitter' to the tables of the holidays and parties to make beautiful settings. Marco had the idea to honor her by creating little bags of glitter for all the guests to add to the tables. It was very meaningful to be able to pause to celebrate her honor and encourage everyone to add sparkle to the day. We also created signage for the wedding and a game for a 'newlywed game' experience for our family to play with us versus Danny's sister and brother-in-law and Marco's parents, hosted by Danny's dad. We also rewrote the seven blessings for our ceremony to reflect important parts of our love and relationship. This included a callout to our love of antiquing, our even tradition of 'rose and thorn' and a jello shot to remind us to surround ourselves with our family and friends' love and laughter."