1. Real Weddings

Wendy & Phil: A Formal Wedding in Hoffman Estates, IL

Wendy and Phil found out they had a lot in common soon into their first date. Wendy and Phil met through mutual friends—the group went out for dinner

Wendy and Phil found out they had a lot in common soon into their first date. Wendy and Phil met through mutual friends—the group went out for dinner and then headed to Dave & Buster’s for drinks and games, where Wendy and Phil hit it off immediately. When the pair went to see the movie Elektra on their first official date, they discovered still more ways in which they were compatible. “We both love action movies,” Wendy says, “and Jennifer Garner.” The Bride Wendy Wong, interactive publishing technology The Groom Phillip (Phil) Yea, derivatives trading technology The Date May 12 After 15 months of dating, the couple was on a cruise through the Caribbean when Phil decided to take advantage of the idyllic setting. “We stopped at St. Thomas, and Phil proposed on the beach while we were soaking up the sun,” Wendy says. The couple celebrated with an elegant wedding a year later just outside of Chicago.

Wendy wore a strapless, mermaid-style gown with a sweetheart neckline by Vera Wang. Wendy’s bridesmaids wore strapless, sky blue, A-line dresses by Vera Wang, while Phil’s groomsmen sported three-button notch-lapel tuxes with blue vests by Kenneth Cole.
The ceremony site -- originally erected on a naval base in 1945 and since restored and moved to its current location -- featured beautiful hardwood floors and brightly colored, leaded glass windows.
The reception took place in the Lakeside Pavilion at Stonegate Banquet & Conference Centre, where draped white linens with bursts of pink accents on the tables created a modern elegant look.
The bride carried a bouquet of white hydrangeas, blush pink peonies, and pink dendrobium orchids.
The four-tiered cake was adorned with pink peonies, orchids, and hydrangeas and served with gelato and fresh berry compote.
Wendy and Phil’s first dance was to “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” by The Platters.