Elm West Banquets

Chicago Reception

Wedding Ceremony

Our Wedding

I've been asked a few times how we met... "Was it love at first sight?" and the short answer is, no... It wasn't love at first sight.But anyone who knows Mike knows that his personality is... magnetic. His energy brightens any room that he's in, and the day we met was no different. It was December 2020. Covid. We were both bartenders at family owned bars in Maple Grove and Minnsota had just opened up to "Outdoor dining only." My bar had set up a tent outside, and after my shift, I sat down with a table of some friends, and there was Michael. We had worked 1 mile away from eachother for the better part of a decade, and somehow never crossed paths. Missed what was right under our noses...right in our own back yard. But that night, when I sat down at that table, we laughed, joked, he made some inappropriate comments, and just like that, we were friends. That magnetic, vibrant personality got me. Over time, We learned everything about each other, good, bad and everything in between, we could tell eachother anything and be completely authentic with eachother. Our friendship was effortless. We would hang out with mutal friends, play disc golf, get drinks, visit each other during our shifts at work. Our individual interests became mutual interests. We became best friends. We share a love for music. Thinking back, music plays a key role in our love story. We would sit for hours, in the car, taking turns playing songs that we liked, songs that meant something to each of us... And thats when our friendship really shifted... as Ekoh says in one of his songs "in the car, with a girl, in a parking lot, fallin' in love" (Firefly by Ekoh) The transition between friends and more than friends seemed so natural. We had already been friends for years, so It just made sense. Our energy together was electic. Everyone saw it. There was no pressure, no expectations, just enjoying eachother. We would laugh the nights away, find ourselves spending more and more time together, until one day I asked "Are you mine?" to which he said "Duh, Idiot. I have been for a long time". From there, our Electric energy turned into a full on fireworks show that hasn't stopped since.We've done cheesy things like wearing matching outfits to a tropical wedding, dangerous things like slipping into a river at the top of a 30 foot waterfall, and nerdy things like joining a hiking club and collecting walking stick medallions. Our love for eachother has amplified our love for life, and inspired us to live that life to fullest. We set out to explore as much of the world as we possibly can, starting with whats been right under our noses the whole time. Our own back yards. In the Midwest alone, we've explored over 90 waterfalls, been to dozens of state parks, caves, overlooks, and all the other scenic shit you can think of... and we're just getting started. Our Love Story, is a story of Friendship, Love, and Adventure. And the Story has only just begun. Join us as we start the next chapter of our story, as Mr &amp; Mrs Skora.

Carrie & Michael

Carrie & Michael

Things to Do

Things to Do coming soon!