Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Our Wedding

Our story could be turned into a book, but I’ll try and make this brief. It all began on a cold Fall night in Dubuque, Iowa. Yes, some of you might be asking what I was doing in the middle of nowhere; but the plan was simple: finish out my college baseball career and move back to Phoenix as soon as I graduated. However; life had different plans than the ones I had laid out, and they became very apparent that night at Skinny Maginny’s. Skinny’s is an old dive bar; “famous” for its lack of personal space and karaoke on Wednesday nights. Just as my Clarke teammates and I had done countless times before, we took to Skinny’s. The usual karaoke had been ruining any conversations being had unless; you liked the song or knew the person singing, only then did you ever pay any attention. That was until it seemed like time stopped, suddenly you could hear a pin drop, and EVERYBODY was glued to the stage. The song “Picture” by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow started, and on the stage was the usual DJ and a Girl I had never seen before; a girl so stunning, it appeared as if she was glowing. You could tell she was nervous even before her verse had begun. The male DJ finished his verse and it was time for hers… From the moment I saw her up on stage, to the moment she finished that song; it had felt like nothing mattered but that girl, goosebumps rose, and a feeling of surrealism took over. She then held the crowd silent with a rendition of “Shallow” by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga which only elevated her to the level of Goddess in my mind. Applause roared and she began heading directly towards me; stunned, amazed, and absolutely enthralled I began to panic. “What would I say?” I thought, then suddenly she was there, not but an arms length from me, smiling with everything that she is, and I muttered “Great Job”… Not an ask of her name, not an homage to her great voice/performance, just a measly “Great Job”... She thanked me, almost seeming like she was waiting for more, she slowly continued with her friends… I had blown it, the one chance I had to stand out or even remotely explore who this wonderful woman was was gone; I had never seen her before and I was sure I would never see her again… The next few days were filled with thoughts of how I had messed up and how I had let the perfect girl go. The few days until the weekend were gloomy, and the only way my friends could think of to cheer me up was to go out and forget about it. So we did, from Skinny’s, to 1st and Main, and then Mason Dixon to finish up our night. It had been fun but it had not made me forget about the girl on stage a few nights before. My friends and I were finishing up our night when I noticed a girl that I had seen at Skinny’s on that night and was what appeared to be friends with the singer. As I was approaching I noticed THE SINGER was there in the same group, nervously I asked the friend if they were there with anybody hoping to find out if the singer was spoken for. She was not and just as we began to talk my friends informed me that our ride was there. I was able to get her name and her snapchat ( yes I know) just before my friends yanked me up the stairs. Overflowing with joy I couldn't help but want to learn more about her; wide awake I invited her over, we spent the whole night talking about our past and our dreams until the sun came up and from that moment on I was hooked. Smart, Stunning, Compassionate, and Gentle; I knew that she was special, I knew that no woman had ever made me feel that way, and I knew that she would push me towards whatever I wanted to achieve. From the first night I met Riley Christine Sullivan, I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. -Bailin

His side of how we met:

Our Story

Photos

McKenna Sullivan

Megan Bauer

Annie Meyer

Gabrielle Piechocki

Hailey Barsema

Briana Markridge 

Natalie O' Connor 

Olivia Burton 

Madison Elgin 

Carrie Parisi 

Abbey Coskey 

Noah Drar

Garrett Arthur 

Drew Willis 

Jake Deere

James Yahner

Jack Kuzma

Peter Torres 

Aiden Sullivan 

Marcus Fitzpatrick 

Gavin Benbrook

Kincey English

Brenden Dauphin 

Wedding Party

Q + A

We are so excited to celebrate with you, and we are so grateful that so many of you will be traveling to join us! To help with your travel planning, we've included information on nearby airports, our reserved hotel room block, and driving details for those arriving by car.

Airport Travel 

We recommend checking your flight options choosing the airport that best suits your travel plans. From the venue- - Quad Cities International Airport (MLI), 75 min drive- Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD), 60 min drive- Eastern Iowa Airport (CID), 2 hour drive- Chicago O' Hare International Airport (ORD), ~2 hour drive We kindly recommend securing a rental car in advance, as it provides the most comfortable and efficient way to travel between the airport, local accommodations, and the wedding venue. While rideshare services may be available, they can be limited in this region, and personal transportation provides the most flexibility.

Savanna Inn and Suites /Near Galena

The Resort is in the heart of the Galena Territorys rolling countryside in Galena Illinois among the continuous 6800 acres of pristine countryside. Eagle Ridge is the Midwests finest resort featuring 63 holes of championship golf  indoor and outdoor fitness facilities plus a world of family recreation. The Resort also has a variety of restaurants offering it all from elaborate buffets to intimate dinners as well as room service. Stonedrift Spa offers massages and body treatments of all kinds. There is also horseback riding and hot air balloon rides. Eagle Ridge has it all to help you get away from the hectic nature of daily life. The Resort features 15000 square feet of Meeting and Conference facilities for meeting of 10 to 750 people.  Some of our accommodations are pet friendly for a fee.  Our hotel is smoke free.

Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa

Located near the Village Ski Center, this hotel is 8 miles from downtown Galena and offers views of the Mississippi River, on-site dining options and an indoor pool. Free WiFi and free parking are available. Every room at Chestnut Mountain Resort includes a cable TV with satellite channels and a private bathroom with a hairdryer and free toiletries. Some rooms also offer a seating area and view of the river. This resort has lodging conveniently located near the slopes, a ski/snowboard school and ski &amp; snowboard rental on-site. Ski equipment hire is available. Guests can enjoy a meal at the on-site restaurant or grab a drink at the bar. A mini-golf course, children’s playground and hot tub are all available at the resort. There is also a gift shop on-site. Galena-Jo Daviess County History Museum is 6.8 mi from Chestnut Mountain Resort, while J Dubuque Monument is 9.9 mi away. Belvedere Mansion and Galena Historic District are both less than 7 miles away from the resort.

Chestnut Mountain Resort

Airbnbs

For those looking for Airbnbs, Galena offers a variety of charming Airbnb options, from cozy cottages to spacious homes perfect for groups! It is just a short drive from Elizabeth! We encourage guests to book early, as Galena is a very popular destination year-round and availability could be limited on the weekends.

Travel

Things to Do

Registry

Riley & Bailin

Riley & Bailin

R&B

Wedding Day