{SBB Bride of the Week} Madeline

M A D E L I N E

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C H R I S T I A N

{May 6th, 2023}

Introducing our beautiful bride, Madeline!

For her early May wedding, Madeline looked absolutely stunning in a classic A-line gown by Stella York and Bel Aire Bridals veil!

Her gown is so gorg, featuring matte lace on the skirt and modern strapless neckline!

{Photos by: The Willows}

For all of her gorgeous flowers, Madeline worked with Belles and Thistles Floral Design our of Glenwood, IL!

We love the sweet pops of blue in the bouquets!

Before heading down the aisle, Madeline had some special first looks to do with the most important men in her life: her dad and soon-to-be hubby, Christian!

{Photos by: The Willows}

Madeline and Christian were married in a beautiful ceremony at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Hammond!

{Photos by: The Willows}

After the newlyweds said “I do”, everyone headed to The Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster!

“My favorite part of the wedding was during dinner. Christian and I were sitting up at the head table with our bridal party and we were able to look out at everyone at our reception. It is a really amazing feeling to see everyone you love all in one room. I also loved the last song of the night. We picked Love Story by Taylor Swift and sang and danced with all of our friends. One unique part of our wedding was that we cut a deep dish pizza instead of a cake!”

{Photos by: The Willows}

How did Madeline and Christian meet?

“We met in high school and have been dating for the last 11 years.”

How did Christian pop question?

“Christian proposed to me on his birthday when we were on a trip to Michigan with our friends. We stopped at a winery on the way and I thought we were just taking a picture when he popped the question! I definitely had no idea of his plan! Didn’t even have my nails done!”

After she got the ring, it was time for Madeline to get her dress!

“My dress buying experience was great! I looked at The One first and then Something Blue and found my dress one year before my wedding! It was such a positive experience and I couldn’t be more grateful. Dress shopping, fittings, etc. can be really stressful, but they made me feel comfortable and excited about the process.”

How did she know her dress was “the one”?

“I knew my dress was the one because it made me feel good about myself. It was not at all what I had thought I would pick out, but it ended up being the perfect combination of all the dresses I tried on.”

What was Madeline’s favorite {and not-so-favorite} part of wedding planning?

“My favorite part of the planning process was picking out all of the decor and color schemes. From the flowers to the bridesmaids dresses, I had so much fun designing a theme that was unique to me. My least favorite part of the planning process was always having my “to-do” list. When planning a wedding, you never realize all of the small things that go into the big day. I was always thinking of another project I had to work on. What made this easier was our long engagement and being able to spread out all the work across time. I also made sure I kept a positive mindset and I told myself I wasn’t going to let it stress me out. I wanted the wedding planning process to be fun and most of the time it was!”

Does she have any words of wisdom for brides-to-be who are currently planning their own big day?

“My best piece of advice goes back to what I said about the planning process. Weddings are supposed to be fun and more importantly one of the best days of your life. Don’t let other opinions sway you from what you want to do and try to not sweat the small things. Obviously there will be times of stress, but telling myself I wasn’t going to let this process be too stressful really went a long way for me. I also highly recommend a day of coordinator! My coordinator Meredith remembered all of the little things I forgot throughout the day and was my emotional support during this process.”

Congratulations, Madeline & Christian!

Check out more of their stunning photos by The Willows in the gallery below!