Wedding Day

St Philomena Catholic Church 

Ceremony

I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center

Cocktail Hour

Reception

Our Wedding

Pictures

We grew up three hours apart, Ryan in Hampshire and Abigail in Monticello, neither of us ever imagined we’d fall in love with someone who felt so far away. But somehow, life had a way of bringing us together exactly when we needed it. Ryan began at Eastern Illinois University in 2018 and Abigail followed in 2019. We both joined greek life as freshman, Ryan joining Sigma Nu and Abigail joining Alpha Gamma Delta. A few short months after Abigail first stepped foot on campus, our chapters were paired together for homecoming week, giving us opportunities to meet all week. Our paths finally crossed at a Thursday night bonfire, where loud music, cheap drinks, and a little encouragement from friends helped us find each other.For the next year, we insisted we were just friends, though everyone else knew better. Our first official date came a year later in December of 2020. We made a gingerbread house and drove around looking at Christmas lights while Ryan chauffeured us in his mom’s minivan, a very romantic night for two “friends.” But a month later, everything finally fell into place, and we have been together ever since! In May 2023, we graduated with our bachelor’s degrees, an equally exciting and bittersweet milestone. On our very last night of undergrad, we took an hour walk back from our favorite campus bar to Greek Court, stopping at all our favorite spots from the past four years. We laughed, Abby cried, and we talked about our favorite memories, our future, marriage, children, and everything else that felt both far away and suddenly so real. Since that night, life has taken us through long distance, new friends, new jobs, and new routines, but through it all, choosing each other has always been the easiest part. We can’t wait to begin this next chapter as husband and wife and continue building a life that feels like home, no matter where we are!

Story 

Chloe Henkel 

Dylan Gara

Alyson Davidson

Carter Lawler

Alexis Heyen 

Cameron Fleury

Grace Okrzesik

Caleb Gara

Teagan Gara 

Jacob Elston

Emma Sherwood

Christian Puente 

Kaylee Blackbun

Andrew Shumaker

Grace Bonds

Andrew Agoranos 

     

Sam King

Mike Palazzolo

Flower GirlsThe sweetest start to our walk down the aisleCecelia Heyen &amp; Callie Davidson Ring BearerOur little keeper of the ringsDeclyn Keith Junior UsherProudly escorting the Flower Girls down the aisleLiam Davidson Junior Bridesmaids Our special Touch of "Something Blue" Avery Elston, Emma Elston, Grace Elston &amp; Evelyn Elston

Wedding Party

Q & A

Dress Code

I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center Our wedding reception will take place at the I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center. A limited number of guest rooms may be available at the hotel; however, as this is a boutique property, rooms tend to fill quickly. If you are interested in staying on-site, we recommend booking as soon as possible directly through the hotel. Home2 Suites by Hilton Champaign/Urbana Home2 Suites is a convenient option located about 0.7 miles from the venue - roughly a four minute drive or an easy walk. This hotel offers spacious suites, complimentary breakfast and free parking. Holiday Inn Champaign The Holiday Inn is another nearby option located about 0.7 miles from the venue, just a four minute drive away. It's a great choice for guests looking for a full-service hotel close to the reception. TransportationThe reception will take place at the I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center, and several nearby hotels are located within walking distance of the venue (about 0.7 miles). Guests who prefer not to walk will find that Uber and Lyft are readily available in the Champaign-Urbana area and provide quick rides between hotels and the venue. If you choose to drive, complimentary parking is available at the I Hotel. Guests are welcome to leave their vehicles overnight if needed and return to pick them up the following day.

Travel

Things to Do

Registry

Abigail & Ryan

Abigail & Ryan

Wedding Party