A Bright, Whimsical Wedding at St. Hyacinth Basilica in Chicago, Illinois

Two years apart, Teresa (28 and a registered nurse) and Ryan (27 and a teacher) met in high school as Ryan was a good friend and teammate of Teresa's little brother. When Teresa went to their baseball game to support her brother, he told her she couldn't go anymore because Ryan was into her, but, "at that point I didn't care; I was older, cooler, and had a boyfriend," Teresa says. Home from college for Christmas break three years later, Teresa decorated the tree with her sister while her brother invited friends over, including Ryan, who invited Teresa and her sister to join them. "My mom finished decorating the Christmas tree that year," she jokes. She and Ryan dated for six years before he proposed while they were  on vacation with friends. Ryan had their friends pretend to run late for dinner so they could take a walk along the beach, where he got down on one knee (while their friends followed close behind to film the whole event). They got married in Teresa's grandmother's church, St. Hyacinth Basilica in Chicago, which was also the church her parent's got married at thirty-five years prior. Following the ceremony, guests were invited to a reception at Victoria in the Park in Mt. Prospect with bold pink and green centerpieces and decor, sparkly linens, and a whimsical photo booth. As the bride's dad was born in Poland, they served traditional Polish cookies and even had a Polish Highlanders band play during the reception. Before Ryan got to see his bride, Teresa's bright pink bridesmaids came up with the idea to tease him with a photo of a special message for him to have something to look forward to. Meanwhile, the groomsmen gathered with matching pink bow ties, calla lily boutonnieres, and pink socks, as well as baseball bats and bubbles to prepare for a very special exit after the church ceremony. From top to bottom, every inch of Teresa and Ryan's wedding was as vibrant as their personalities.