Rehearsal/Rehearsal Dinner

Welcome Drinks

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Pool Day

Dinner Event

Our Wedding

#DJTiesTheKnot

In April 2017, Joelle joined the Chicago BDO office as the Campus Recruiting Manager. During her first week at work, there was a company-wide event at a bowling alley. It was there that she was introduced to the Campus Recruiting teams. Dan happened to be on one of those teams --- the Northern Illinois University recruiting team. They got to know each other through recruiting and BDO functions. In May 2018, Dan invited Joelle to a Cubs game - they found last minute tickets smack behind home-plate in the 1914 all-inclusive section and had an absolute blast together. It was then that they knew there was something more there. They continued to find ways to spend more time together outside of just work events and eventually started secretly dating in January 2019. This was quickly followed by their first trip to Arizona for Cubs spring training. They decided they loved traveling together so much that they spent 2019 hopping all over the globe—Europe, Disney World, Puerto Vallarta, and a cruise in the Caribbean. Then came the 2020 plot twist where the world was flipped upside down: they found themselves in a tiny Wrigleyville studio apartment, where their entertainment turned to watching the Cubs games from their window and peeking out the door peephole like a couple of raccoons trying to catch a glimpse of the world outside. They "foster failed" two pups, bounced back and forth between their two places in Chicago, and then eventually made the move to Wisconsin in 2022.

THE STORY ON HOW WE MET

Dan's Perspective:It was a cool crisp day that started out with the sun peaking through the clouds. Dan already with a packed agenda before rolling out of bed was quickly derailed with the question, "Do you want to go for a run with me today?" Dan not realizing how long the run would be immediately responded with "sure." After 45 minutes, 4.5 miles, soaked clothes from the rain and Joelle tripping over the line in the sidewalk, they made it back home. As Joelle was quickly getting ready for her potential "showing," Dan was frantically putting together the remaining odds and ends for what was about to come... Dan rented an Airbnb lake house on Muskego Lake, which Joelle thought was a potential seller's property. Dan had spread lockboxes throughout different rooms of the house with clues to open each lockbox based on different memories and milestone throughout their relationship. The final clue was to scan a QR code (their song "Shallow" started playing by scanning that clue), grab a glass of wine (which was already poured for her since her family tends to spill quite a bit...well more so her mom), and to then head out the back patio door. As the door opened, Dan was standing outside (for a good 45 minutes in the pouring rain as Joelle took a lot more time than anticipated to solve the clues!) with an umbrella and was surrounded by rose pedals and candles. Dan slowly got down on one knee and proposed. Joelle's Perspective:Joelle had been tagging on to all of her dad's real estate appointments to learn as much as possible from the best of the best. On June 8th, her dad asked her to come along on two appointments. They stopped at the first showing and then headed out to Muskego for what Joelle thought was a potential listing meeting. As they got out of the car, her dad told her that the client wasn't there yet, but he had told us to go in and start looking around the house. Joelle initially thought it was odd, but immediately got side-tracked from that thought when her dad said the lockbox code was "1026." Joelle said, "Hey that's my birthday!" As she said that, her dad said he forgot something in the car...Joelle looked back to see her dad quickly pulling out of the driveway. Joelle sat there for a minute in utter confusion, thinking her dad had lost it and left her at his client's house. Joelle proceeded to take over "the appointment." Little did she know the lockbox would open up to a note inside that said this wasn't a listing, but instead a game. This game was one where she had to find clues which led her to various lockboxes throughout the house. These lockbox clues were all correlated to key milestones throughout Dan/Joelle's relationship. The final clue led Joelle to grab a glass of wine, scan a QR code which played their song (Shallow) and open the sliding door where Dan was out back on a patio in the pouring rain, holding an umbrella. He dropped down on a knee and proposed at this house that was not a "potential listing," but an Airbnb that Dan rented for this special occasion. &lt;3

The Proposal Story

Our Story

Engagement Photos

The Proposal

Travels

Puerto Vallarta

Other DJ Moments

DJ Photobook 

Groomsmen

Yousuf Haq

Josh Theisinger

Chas Miller

Jacoby Holtz

Ryan Rogina

Nick Prock

Jason Lesser

Mike Breuer

Bridemaids

Jackie Lesser

Joslyn Breuer

Phyllis Bander

Lauren Markham

Ashley Horne

Aricyn Dall

Kelli Shanahan

Sammi Whaley

Raquel Korpi

Neena Lecher

Flower Girls/Ring Bearer/Officiants

Chloe Breuer

Madelyn Breuer

Oliver Breuer

Kevin Bander & Phyllis Bander

Wedding Party

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT WHEN I LAND?

*You will receive one form to fill out prior to landing (it'd be a good idea to bring a pen with you to fill this out while on the plane). The form is for customs. It is important to hold on to this/don't lose it! On the form, you will be asked for your flight number, how many days you'll be staying in Mexico and a few other questions. *Once you get off the plane, follow the ramp to the customs line.&nbsp;You will need to show your passport at this time. *After customs, you will walk to the baggage claim area. You will see a long line (which is deceiving as it goes very quickly) that you will get into once you get your luggage. You will hand your filled out form to the airport employee at the front of the line, and then put your bag through the scanner.*After scanning your bags, get ready for a minute or two of chaos with people trying to sell excursions, cab rides, etc. Just walk right through&nbsp;that crowd and out the door to the parking lot.*See below for the next step on rides to the resort.

How do we get from the airport to the Marriott and vice versa?

Feeling like saving money and getting some exercise?If so, you can pay $8-$10 for a taxi (or uber) and walk across the bridge to the other side of the street to catch a ride. If you take this route, we would recommend bringing a change of clothes to switch into before leaving the airport (shorts/t-shirt and sandals) as the walk can be hot! If you choose this route, you will exit the airport, immediately turn left, walk all the way to the end of the sidewalk where you will see a ramp that leads to the bridge. You will take that to walk across the bridge to get to the other side of the street. On that side of the street you can call an Uber or grab a cab (there is a line of them that just sit over there). It will save you about $10 to walk over the bridge. Note though that with hot weather and a large suitcase, it can be a little challenging! Looking for an easier route? You can grab a cab right from the airport or book transportation via the link below in advance through Marriott's recommended external partner: Aeromovil. *Note that Ubers are not allowed to pick up directly from the airport due to Federal regulations.&nbsp;You can pay Aeromovil directly at the airport with a credit / debit card or cash. They have the most drivers and vehicles at the airport. They have one way and round trip options. The Marriott does have taxis available on the property to get back to the airport or anywhere else you'd like to go. The bellmen will be able to help you get one whenever you'd like. All you have to do is go to the main entrance. Note: Uber is allowed to pick you up there as well. It is always a good idea to confirm how much a ride will cost with the bellman before getting into the cab, and then you can compare that to the Uber price. If you move forward with the Taxis, it is best to have the bellman communicate to the Taxi driver what the cost will be upfront so they do not end up overcharging you. Below shows a picture of the pick - up zones and the prices from at the airport (Main arrivals area). This is the link to reserve transportation viaAeromovil: https://aeromovilpvr.com/reserve/?lan=en#transportation&nbsp;Please enter the amount of passengersSelect the hotel:&nbsp;HOTEL MARRIOTT (ZONA 1-A)

How the Aeromovil - Local Airport Shuttle Service Works: Transportation from PVR Airport:Fleet is renovated - they offer a variety of new VIP Vehicles (sedans, club wagons, sprinters and suv suburbans). Their vehicles will be parked in front of the arrival doors of the PVR terminal waiting for you when you arrive at the airport. The driver will meet you at the terminal and you will be taken directly to your destination in one of their VIP vehicles. Book your transportation via the link and following the below steps:1. Select one way or roundtrip, then choose your dates.2. Choose VIP Vehicle or Regular Vehicle.3. Enter your personal information and flight number.

SHOULD I BRING CASH?

Yes! You will want to have cash on you (either USD or pesos) as most taxis only take cash. You will also want to have cash on you for other things like massages at the beach or other tips as you deem appropriate.

COMMUNICATION

*Download App: WhatsApp and join our wedding group message (DJTieTheKnot): We will be communicating anything important throughout the wedding weekend here, and this is a place where all wedding guests can connect as well.You can send this link to your phone to directly join the WhatsApp Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/ELR9FYVRvST3FFV60TFgsP *When you are at a restaurant, you will NEED to ask for the check. If you don't, you will be sitting there for A LONG time (we have learned this the hard way!!) as it is considered rude to present a check to someone who hasn't requested it. In Spanish say, "La cuenta, por favor." *Consider downloading a translation App on your phone, so if you don't have wifi and need to translate something, you have access to do so on your App. Dan and I were at a pharmacy one time without wifi access, and we were trying to communicate to the pharmacist what we needed, which was pretty hilarious as no one there spoke English. Although acting it out was fun and all, we would've had a much easier time (and known for sure we were getting what we wanted!) if we had this app downloaded in advance!

Q + A

This resort is where we will be staying and where our wedding room block will be setup. It is 5-10 minutes from the PVR airport. We have been staying at this place for years. We cannot wait for you to see why we love this place so much!

Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa

Travel Tips: *****IMPORTANT: THERE ARE CROCODILES IN THE OCEAN. Please be super careful as there have been several reports of crocs that come to the shore at Marriott especially at night!* If you can leave on Monday or Tuesday the round trip non-stop price is more affordable.* We also suggest looking into VRBOs and Airbnbs as an alternative option, which may help keep the cost down. There are a lot of available places that are close in proximity to walk to or are at a max a 5 minute ride via Uber/Taxi. They are all in safe tourist areas of the city. The average cost to rent these are going to be less than $200/night and many under $100/night if you can double or triple up with friends and find another couple to share the cost of a 2-3 bedroom condo.*REMEMBER TO GET YOUR PASSPORT! It typically takes 6 weeks, but plan ahead! The renewal process can be done online.

Important Wedding Block Information. If you are still looking to get into our room block reach out to us directly as we may be able to add additional rooms. Otherwise, you can still get a room at the Marriott, we would advise you to sign up for the Marriott Bonvoy Rewards, and to book through the Marriott site. You should be able to get 1-2 free breakfasts as a member, so hopefully that gets you a better value for your money! NOTE - If you know you are going to join, book right away as the Marriott is 90% full for Thursday/Friday/Saturday. If the room block is full for any of the nights you select using the link, it will tell you there are no rooms available for the entire stay. Please let us know if this happens as we will try to work with Marriott to add more rooms! They did say they cannot guarantee the $196/night rate when we add more though as a heads up.Worst case, there are rooms available at a hotel close by (the Westin), but it would be ideal if everyone who wants to ends up getting a room at the Marriott! So book ASAP if you can/know you are joining! Let us know if you have any issues. *The wedding block rate as of now is $196/night for a standard room. This price may fluctuate as the date gets closer and rooms book up. So if you know for sure you are going, book sooner than later!&nbsp;*The panoramic and ocean view rooms are gorgeous, so if you want one of those or a suite/other upgrade, we have been given discounted pricing on those as well. You have two choices: 1. You can pay the $196/night and put in the notes what your room preference is, but they won’t be able to guarantee what room you will be in (garden room, ocean view or panoramic view) until check in based on availability, etc. OR 2. If you definitely want a specific room, then you will have to pay the upgraded price upfront. That will guarantee you get what you want. Totally everyone’s personal call! Just wanted to arm you with the info! Here is the pricing info on suites/various room views (if you choose to select one that is not the $196/night) option: Standard room = $196/nightKOCV - Ocean View (1 Bed) = $231.70/nightDOCV - Ocean View (2 Beds) = $255.50/nightKPOL - Panoramic View (1 Bed) = $273.35/nightPOOV - Panoramic View (2 Beds) = $297.15/nightKSOF - Ocean Front (1 Bed) = $291.20/nightOCFT - Ocean Front (2 Beds) = $315/nightJSTE-JR. SUITE = $499.45/night *To book a room, you can call (+52 322 226 1135) and say you are booking a&nbsp;room under the&nbsp;Dan/Joelle Wedding room block at the Marriott. This is also the reservation line for Westin, so make sure you specify. The price includes the resort fee, so make sure to make sure they do not miss that when you book. The other option as far as how to book goes: Use the reservation link <a href="https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1730337639296&amp;key=GRP&amp;guestreslink2=true" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1730337639296&amp;key=GRP&amp;guestreslink2=true</a>.*If you are interested in booking an all-inclusive package at the Marriott, you will need to upgrade to that once you check-in. Note though we will be serving dinner for everyone on Friday (for the wedding) and Saturday night. There are also a lot of great restaurants close by that are worth checking out!*If you are coming earlier or staying later than the room block, you can still get the room rate 3 days before and 3 days after the room block dates.*Please note Marriott's cancellation policy.*If the room block is booked up by time you make your reservation, please let us know as we will do our best to work with Marriott to add more rooms. Let us know if you have any questions!

Travel

Some of our Favorite Places/Activities to check out:

Activities:* Thursday nights at the Marina is a Night Market:The Night Market is from 6-10pm along half a mile on the Marina Vallarta boardwalk. It has a variety of art, music and food. This is a lively, fun atmosphere to check out and is walking distance from the Marriott Resort.<a href="https://visitpuertovallarta.com/events/art-market-marina-vallarta" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://visitpuertovallarta.com/events/art-market-marina-vallarta</a>* Interested in booking an excursion? Reach out to our AMAZING contact Reymundo Valencia who will hook you up nicely! We've known him for years. Just tell him that you are with "Princess Joelle!" He is with Vallarta Adventures and you will see him roaming the Marriott beachside. He will take you out on whale watching tours, pirate boats, snorkeling, fishing trips, parasailing, etc. His number: +52-322-138-7046* Turtle release at the Marriott - check the hotel's schedule* Massages on the beach (great massages for reasonable price - need cash)* Check out the downtown area: Malecón&nbsp;Boardwalk - downtown area full of restaurants, bars, shops and various street vendors. Very lively spot. Takes about 20 minutes in a taxis to get downtown.* Check out the Romantic Zone - full of bars, shops, and beautiful beachfront/mountaintop restaurants. Restaurant Recommendations:Downtown (Malecón):- La Dolce Vita (great Italian restaurant downtown)- La Langosta Loca (on waterfront, great fettuccini marina!, pretty sunset view) Romantic Zone:- Barcelona Tapas (beautiful view for sunset on the top floor)- La Papaya (on the beach, great ambiance and sunset views)- The Swedes Marina area/Marriott area:- Sonora Grill (on Marina) - nice steak house, fun atmosphere- Champions at the Marriott - sports bar with late night pizza/food (it's no Chicago pizza, but it still is good!)- Victors (in the marina, need cash...we found that out the hard way! ◡̈, the old owner made the ambiance so much fun here, but it still is a great spot for Mexican food that is close to the hotel) * If you make it to Rivera Nayarit (about an hour North of the Marriott where we have also previously stayed):- Crocodile Sanctuary (30 min drive from Marriott) <a href="https://www.rivieranayarit.com/activity/land/el-cora-crocodile-sanctuary/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.rivieranayarit.com/activity/land/el-cora-crocodile-sanctuary/</a>- Karen's on the beach - mariachi band plays for one hour every Sunday, cute atmosphere, great food for breakfast, lunch and dinner!- La negra ("tree house" atmosphere) - great pizza- Mezzogiorno Bucerias - Good ambiance, great food, delicious fettuccine alfredo- La casaon at la esenticia hotel - chocolate cake dessert is delicious! *****IMPORTANT: THERE ARE CROCODILES IN THE OCEAN. Please be super careful as there have been several reports of crocs that come to the shore at Marriott especially at night!

Things to Do

Registry

Dan & Joelle