Every now and again we meet a couple who truly seems like they were made for one another. From the first conversation we had with Alé and Joe it was clear that these two were perfect for each other. They share a deep connection marked by love and joy and it is just a joy to be in their presence.

Alé and Joe met in through mutual friends in 2022 but didn’t start dating until February of 2023. Their first date was on Valentine's Day after Joe took a chance and asked Alé out at a Superbowl party. From that day on they were inseparable and spent nearly every day together. After dating for just over a year they took a road trip to the path of totality for the total eclipse on April 8 2024 – Joe has always been a self-proclaimed space nerd and was determined to fully experience this once-in-a-lifetime moment. Little did Alé know that Joe had planned the perfect proposal for just moments after totality – what an unforgettable time to pop the question!!

We were so excited that Alé and Joe invited us to be a part of their wedding this Spring. Christy, Conrad and I met Alé at the newly refurbished Chez Hotel in Arlington Heights and were blown away by the gorgeous lobby when we arrived for “getting ready” photos. Alé was relaxing with her bestie Purvi as the talented team from Beauty by Daniela finished their hair and makeup. Joe’s sister Malissa arrived with her adorable girls Grace, Emma and Margaret and everyone looked just perfect. Once Alé slipped into her gorgeous gown from Brides by Young (we LOVE a wedding dress with sleeves!) we were off to Saint Stephen the Protomartyr where Joe was happily waiting for his bride.

It took a bit longer we expected to finish getting ready, which often happens on a wedding day, so I texted Joe while we made our way to the church to tell him things were running behind. His response was one of the sweetest things I have ever heard from a groom – he texted me back right away saying “Thank you for the update! She is running on her time that’s OK!” To me, that simple text said so much about who Joe is – always smiling, go with the flow, and deeply in love with Alé. Joe had the sweetest reaction to watching Alé walk down the aisle, and from that moment he didn’t take his eyes off his beautiful bride for the rest of the day.

After their traditional ceremony we ventured out of the church for photos with the wedding party. We are really glad that Alé and Joe were willing to brave the blustery weather for photos at Busse Woods; it was cold and windy but really pretty out! The newlyweds were all smiles as they snuggled close for pictures, and soon we were on our way back to the beautiful Chez Hotel. We took a few more pictures inside the gorgeous lobby during cocktail hour before settling into the grand ballroom for their reception. Fun fact, I photographed my first event ever in this beautiful grand ballroom!! We enjoyed a delicious meal while toasting Alé and Joe – his brother’s speech brought just about everyone in the room to tears. After dinner the dance floor opened and thanks to our friend DJ Chav everyone had an amazing time partying and celebrating Alé and Joe. We ended our night with a quiet moment with Alé and Joe on the stunning rooftop of the Chez Hotel, this was such a perfect day!!