The Little Touches ❤️

There are some events that are just meant to be savored. Like the wedding we enjoyed this past week-end.

While I've already posted about the wedding HERE, I wanted to post about all the additional little touches that made this day so special.

My dear friend, Sharon, from my town of Frydlant in Czech, who I've had the joy of sharing life with these past twelve years, was the mother of the bride. It's hard to explain how much it meant to be there to share in this day with her and with her daughter, who has been like a niece to me all these years.

I loved being at the hotel beforehand, watching the bride and her bridesmaids get ready. And I loved watching Sharon make last minute tie adjustments on her husband, Paul!

Lisa, another one of my dear Frydlant friends, and a special person in Lucy Rose and Claire's life when they were growing up in Czech, was here for the wedding too. She was the matron of honor!

Over at the guestbook table, a sweet surprise greeted the guests.

Gifted artists, Lucy Rose and Sheldon prepared postcards from their art as a small gift to everyone in attendance!

Not only that, but Sheldon was the master arranger for all the beautiful flowers on the tables!

These dear girls, from all walks of Lucy Rose's life, served her as her bridesmaids.

A 97 degree day with what felt like 100% humidity couldn't detract from the setting of this beautiful, meaningful wedding at Pottawotamie Park in St. Charles!

There were many touching moments after the wedding was finished, like this one between Lucy and her dad's mom...a beautiful story long in the making.

I loved getting to be at the wedding with my Claire, who flew in that morning from Colorado to be one of Lucy Rose's bridesmaids.

And it was so fun to have my parents there too! They've known Lucy Rose since she first moved to Czech (because of their many visits to see us) so couldn't miss sharing in this special day as well.

Who knew the four of us would come from our different corners of the world to meet up in Chicagoland for a wedding?!

And to my dad's delight, Lucy Rose had doughnuts at her wedding!

In the evening, the mic was opened up for anyone to share a toast to Lucy Rose and Sheldon. One of the best ones was her brother, Paul Hugh. I can't even begin to describe the content of his toast, but let's just say - it was unforgettable!

And brought a lot of laughter and smiles to his sister and new brother-in-law!!

Lucy Rose's three friends from Czech were delightful too in their toast, as they shared about the first time they met her when they all began high school in Ostrava. They never could've imagined that seven years later they would be in Chicago attending her wedding!

But the best part of the wedding came at the end as Lucy Rose came to the mic to speak.

She spoke about how she lives a fractured life: part of herself comes from Czech, part of herself lives in Wheaton, part of herself was a child growing up on the north shore of Chicago, and part of herself attends a Spanish speaking church with Sheldon (where she's learning to speak Spanish!).

For one evening of her life, all of those fractured parts came together to make her whole.

And she thanked us all for making that possible.

I cried.

It was absolutely lovely to be at a wedding with so many precious little touches that made it very special.

For our Lucy Rose. ❤️