We met on the last night of 2019 — maybe the very last night before everything changed. It wasn’t supposed to be a setup, at least not according to Derrek, who showed up blissfully unaware that he was being nudged into a date… or that he was supposed to dress formally. But he offered his arm anyway, and off we went.

The night was loud and glittery and full of good people and great tunes, but we barely noticed anyone or anything else. As our friend Cassie later put it, “We hardly saw you two — you were off falling in love somewhere.” She wasn’t wrong.

That night was the start of something big. In a year that turned the world upside down, not a single week went by without us seeing each other. Since then, we’ve added two dogs, moved cities (twice), and built a life full of Sunday brunches, spinning records, kitchen dances, early morning coffee, local farmer’s markets, thrift store treasure hunts, and countless crafts, laughs, and love in between.

A few years later, after a chilly, but cozy October boat ride on the Chicago River, Derrek proposed — in front of the fountain on the Riverwalk, just as the sun started to set on the city where we fell in love.

Now, we’re bringing it full circle — and we can’t wait to celebrate with the people who’ve loved us through it all!

R&D

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception