Chicago Winery

Ceremony & Reception

Ceremony

Rehearsal Dinner

Our Wedding

Kate and Simon's first date was&nbsp;on&nbsp;August 3, 2020, at Barcocina in Lakeview. Since it&nbsp;was conveniently located&nbsp;between their houses, Kate decided to walk there, only to get caught in the rain. Simon, meanwhile, showed up in a thick corduroy shirt—quite the choice for an August evening!&nbsp;Needless to say,&nbsp;they both looked a little ridiculous. But they made the best of it&nbsp;and&nbsp;a fun evening filled with laughter ensued. As the date&nbsp;came to a close, Simon walked Kate home like&nbsp;a true gentleman and a second date was planned&nbsp;only a few days later. On the second date, Simon invited Kate&nbsp;over&nbsp;for a home-cooked, three-course meal.&nbsp;Though the food was great,&nbsp;it was Lex and Bane who&nbsp;won Kate's heart.&nbsp;The rest is history. Their first few months&nbsp;were filled&nbsp;with trying new restaurants and&nbsp;bars,&nbsp;going to&nbsp;concerts, meeting each other's friends and family and taking their first trip to Florida. It was there that Simon quickly learned Kate gets hangry easily. By May of 2022, Kate had moved into Simon's condo. She was unsure how Simon's bachelor pad, filled with too many sneakers, would transform, but he graciously made space for her. He even gave her the master closet and let her put her touches to the space, making it their home together. On October 27, 2023, Kate and Simon were celebrating their 3rd anniversary, and as they were about to head out the door, Kate, in her new heels, clumsily fell in mud as she got into the car. Kate was laughing the whole way there. Simon, on the other hand, was starting to break a sweat.&nbsp;As they waited&nbsp;for their table, they were enjoying a cocktail at the bar when suddenly the manager approached them and asked if they wanted to go upstairs to the private rooftop to watch the sunset. Kate hesitantly obliged, scared she might fall again, this time with a dirty martini in hand. When they finally reached the rooftop, Kate was instantly captivated by the view and the sunset, leaving Simon to his own. Little did she know, he had a photographer hiding around the corner and a ring in hand. After finally getting Kate's attention again, he got down on one knee and proposed. A few weeks later, Simon surprised Kate again with an engagement party, where family and friends were anxiously awaiting them. Kate and Simon feel so grateful to have family and friends who have shown them so much love and support from the&nbsp;very&nbsp;beginning&nbsp;and&nbsp;are&nbsp;so excited to celebrate their big day with them all by their side!&nbsp;

Our Story

Lex and Bane

Our first trip 

Our Engagement 

Photos

To our parents, We could never make it to our wedding day without your incredible love, support, guidance and generosity. You provided us with the foundation to begin our life together and continue to teach us the importance of love and patience. We can only hope to have a marriage that lasts as long as yours, embodying the same love, commitment and enduring partnership that you have shown us throughout the years. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Xoxo,Kate and Simon

Parents of the Bride, Dave & Mary | Married for 40 Years

Parents of the Groom, Adam & Halina | Married for 39 Years

Our Parents 

Bill Gwinn

Tom Gwinn

Brittany Doll

Peter Sterbenz

Kelsey Sterbenz

Ralph Wieczkowski

Danielle Farmer

Zach Jones

Megan Gorman

Fred Lind

Sam Rogers

Dennis McMillan 

Jessica Taylor

Mark Petrucci

Brittany Walton

Jacob Krecioch

Taylor Hashley

Russ Zagorski

Abbie Loch

Wedding Party

Q + A

Our discounted room block at the Kinzie Hotel is now fully booked. However, rooms are still available at the standard rate. To reserve your stay, please use the link below. Complimentary transportation to and from the wedding will be provided exclusively from this hotel. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Kate or Simon.

Kinzie Hotel

Accommodations 

Things to Do

Registry

Order of Events 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM | Guest Shuttle PickupTransportation will arrive at the Kinzie Hotel to take guests to Chicago Winery. The first pickup is at 4:15 PM, with a final pickup at 4:45 PM. Please be ready and waiting in the hotel lobby so you don’t miss your ride! (Shuttle service provided by 312 Limo.) 5:00 PM | Guest Arrival &amp; Pre-Ceremony CheersOnce you arrive at Chicago Winery, head upstairs, grab a glass of wine and get ready to celebrate! 5:30 PM | Wedding CeremonyThe ceremony will begin promptly at 5:30 PM. Out of respect for the moment, late arrivals will not be permitted to enter once the ceremony starts—so be sure to arrive on time! 6:00 PM | Cocktail HourSip, mingle and enjoy some delicious bites before dinner! 7:00 PM | Dinner &amp; ReceptionTime to eat, toast and dance the night away! 10:30 PM – 12:00 AM | Return ShuttlesShuttles will run continuously to bring guests back to the Kinzie Hotel. 12:00 AM | Couple Send-OffHelp us end the night on a high note as we make our grand exit! We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Schedule 

Kate & Simon

Kate & Simon

Photos