Meghan & Kwasi’s Wedding

Well, let me explain by saying there are those brides who fear walking anywhere because they might get the bottom of their dress dirty, and then there are those who I sense would climb a muddy mountain without worry as long as it was fun.  Meghan is the latter, to a certain extent.

On October 16, 2009 it rained.  Of course.  Because of you haven't noticed, we have adopted Seattle/Portland weather: cloudy skies and constant rain.  But Meghan insisted we still attempt the "first glance" with Kwasi, her fiancee, at the park near her parent's Southloop home.  The rain had stopped, the sprinkles came back, the downpour returned, and the rain stopped again.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

We made it to the park where all the guys were waiting.  We exited the trolly, and just as we were about to allow the Bride & Groom to see each other for the first time that day, the skies opened up. Big time.  As you can see, they still did their meet up, but under a tree and an umbrella (thanks to a bridesmaid) while the rest of the gaggle scurried screaming back to the trolly.

The good news?  That was it.  It stopped.  We were able to continue and take the formals as planned, and move on to the Newberry Library where the ceremony and reception were to be held.  Just before the ceremony, the clouds parted, and the sun peaked through the trees, giving us a few moments in Washington Square Park across the street (pictures below).

If that doesn't tell you enough about Meghan & Kwasi, then check out this story.

The two have been together 9.5 years.  A long time in my book.  They met through mutual friends while attending college at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana.

Meghan says they realized they both had something special going on when she moved to Florida for the summer and Kwasi came to visit her.  There was something different in their feelings.  It was more than just a girlfriend boyfriend thing.  However, she said the exact moment was when she fell in to a puddle in the parking lot of a Pizzaria Uno in Orlando.  Laughing that much with someone definitely showed them there was a base for a great relationship.  It is amazing how something so small can have such meaning.  Laughter.  The base of survival in my book.

As for the proposal: Meghan is a runner, a marathon runner.  She ran the Dublin Marathon last October of 2008. Afterwards, a group of her friends went touring around the countryside. They took a whole day to tour around the Ring of Kerry. At the highest point--a supposedly best view in Ireland, though she says that might have been a tourist trap--she and Kwasi sat on a bench.  He said, "well it is too muddy in the place to kneel, so ... " then he pulled out a mini soccer ball and it opened up into a ring box.  He had the ring box out the entire trip & she just thought it was a toy!

She obviously said yes and, "then we all went and had hot chocolate."

So, as you can see: she realized her love for Kwasi by falling into a puddle; he proposed to her but could not kneel because of the wet, muddy ground; and they had their first glance in a park in the middle of a downpour.

Meghan & Kwasi?  May it rain for a long time in your relationship.  

Thanks for hiring me to document your life for the day.

Meghan & Kwasi's wedding

October 16, 2009
Ceremony: The Newberry Library; Chicago IL
Reception: The Newberry Library; Chicago, IL

Ceremony: Newberry Library
Reception: Newberry Library
Caterer: Calihan Catering
Music: Toast & Jam
Flowers: Whole Foods Market Gold Coast
Makeup: Art & Science Salon - Heather Rae
Hair:  Art & Science Salon - Heather Rae
Officiant:  Bloom Ceremonies by Pia
Desserts: Cake by Sugarkist, take-away cookies by Potbellies
Invitations: Kwasi, the Groom
Program and menus:  Kwasi, the Groom
Dress & Designer:  Lyn Ashworth from White Chicago
Your Shoes: Jeffery Campbell
Suit: Calvin Klein Magnum