Maureen & Jeff : Chicago Wedding

According to Jeff their first date “was like a southern barbeque.”

They went to Chucks, a southern style bar/grill, and ate too much and caught a buzz. Then went back to Maureen’s place in Oak Lawn and played her roommate’s vinyl and hung out in a small tent that was set up in the basement (Maureen had weird roommates). Maureen tried to get Jeff to play twister but he decided to leave at that point and they had their first kiss at the door before he left.

Before Maureen moved away to Florida they were laying together and crying a little because they were sad that they’d soon be living so far apart. Jeff said he didn’t know why Maureen liked him because he was just “regular.” Maureen told him there was nothing regular about him. It was dark in the room but Maureen’s little bed had a string of twinkle lights wrapped around it and the visual memory is just as strong as the emotional memory.

Being in a long distance relationship, especially so early on, was a struggle but it forced them to get to know each other on a different level. When They moved in together their house was under construction constantly and that taught them that sometimes life gets a little dusty but you just have to sit in it until you can clean it up together.

After coming so far together Jeff and Maureen said their vows at Unity Temple, Designed by Chicago Architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. When Unity Church burned to the ground in June 1905, Frank Lloyd Wright was awarded the commission and he went on to build a concrete sanctuary out of a material thus far reserved for factories and warehouses. Unity Temple is Wright’s only remaining public Prairie-style building.

You may remember from the blog of Jeff and Maureen’s engagement photos that Jeff fashioned an engagement ring for Maureen and for their wedding he also made their wedding bands.