Vote for your favorite couple!!

We received so many wonderful submissions for the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway!  As a team we want to thank each and every one of you who shared your love story with us.  It was such a pleasure getting to know each of you at least a little bit.

Unfortunately we could only select ten semi-finalists so we had a very difficult decision to make, and let me tell you it was not easy in any way.  That said, we are presenting you with ten amazing couples who have shared their wonderful stories with us and who also truly deserve to win this amazing wedding.

So here’s your chance to help your favorite couple get into the top three!!  Their stories are below.  At the end you will be able to vote for your favorite couple.  The three couples with the highest number of votes, as of 11:59 p.m. on May 17th, will be our finalists.  They will then meet with the eleven eleven WEDDING team for interviews and get to participate in our amazing live reveal party at ZED451 on June 1st.

The couples are listed in random order below!

Kristy & Dustin

Kristy and Dustin met in Chicago four years ago.  They always work hard to put family first, often setting their own needs aside. Dustin proposed by filling their hallway with roses and waiting for Kristy on bended knee then arranged a romantic dinner and a meet up with close friends.  He even flew her sister in from out of state.

This year marks Kristy’s 5 year cancer free milestone!!  Due to their medical bills, student loans and other financial obligations they have put their wedding on hold.  Both in their 30′s, they want to get married and start a family as soon as possible.

The moment they are most looking forward to on their wedding day is the first time they see one another.

Danae & Juan

Danae and Juan met in college where their friendship quickly grew into love. They have two beautiful children together and this past summer Juan planned a wonderful proposal in Miami.  But his plan to propose at a John Legend concert didn’t pan out, so instead he proposed at a small Italian restaurant.  On a warm evening with the glow of candle light Juan had their waiter take a picture, and before the first snap, he was kneeling. The entire restaurant cheered when Danae said “yes!”

Everyday they talk about the wedding and what they want it to be like, but most especially how to save for the wedding. Difficult economic times have made saving a challenge.

Juan says the moment he is most looking forward to is seeing Danae walking down the aisle in a wonderful gown. Her maids of honor in blue (her favorite color and and the hue of her sapphire engagement ring) and seeing her wonderful smile as their family looks on.

 

Katelin & Phil

Katelin & Phil met four years ago in college, at a good old fashioned college party where they stayed up talking all night.  The friend who introduced them says he cannot imagine them without one another.

Since first meeting, Phil and Katelin have endured being separated by army boot camp, family locations, and summer jobs. Once they finally lived together in Chicago Phil popped the question.

Throughout their relationship, Katelin and Phil have had to constantly watch their money and hold back from doing things together because of their financial situation and they come from families without the financial means to help them with a wedding.  Both of their families live in other states and, should they win the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway, they plan to use any money they have saved to fly their family members in for the big day.

The moment they are most looking forward to on their wedding day is after all of the formalities are taken care of, and they can look around and really appreciate all of the individual aspects of the wedding—the people, the decorations, the table arrangements, the setting and their dearest loved ones.

Peta & John

Peta and John had both been through a lot when they met. Having just ended long term marriages, they both had little hope of a happy ending. But then there was a speed-dating event. In the brief minutes they spoke, they connected as single parents.  Although they both quickly knew it was a long term relationship, it took 3 years before John was ready to propose. His surprise was almost blown, however, when the kids got wind of it. Surrounded by their children, John proposed and Peta said “yes.”

Together, they have four children to whom they are deeply devoted. Two of those children have special needs, one extreme, and the other one more mild. The needs of their children make the prospect of planning and paying for a wedding extremely difficult. Physical barriers, special feeding requirements, extra helpers, child care scheduling issues and the associated extra costs are all issues that few brides need to manage.

The moment they are most looking forward to is being surrounded by their loved ones as they join themselves and their families together.

Amanda & Mike

Amanda and Mike met when she auditioned for his band; turns out he liked more than her voice.  They were instantly in love, but adversity struck when the recession hit and Mike lost his job and faced several health issues; a collapsed lung, and 2 Pulmonary Embolisms, to name a few.  For some people this may have been too much to handle but it has brought Amanda and Mike  closer than ever! Once out of the hospital Mike took Amanda to Michigan,where he spent summers as a child, for a break from it all.  As they watched the sunset that night on the waterfront he asked her to marry him. He had even designed a ring for her using the stones from all four of their Grandmothers’ rings.

The moment they are most looking forward to is when they look into each other’s eyes and say “I do.”

Marta & Chris

Marta & Chris both moved to Chicago for their careers. After being robbed at gunpoint while walking home from work, Marta took a medical leave to stay with family.  When she returned to work (as a flight attendant) she was assigned to a flight with Chris (an airline pilot).  He helped her find a new, safer neighborhood and the rest is history.

Chris had planned to propose in Paris this past April but the ash from Iceland’s volcano prevented them from leaving Chicago. Instead he proposed after a romantic dinner at home. They met in Chicago, fell in love in Chicago, and feel that there is no better place in the world for them to get married.

What they are most looking forward on their wedding day is having all of their closest friends, and family together to share one of the happiest moments of their lives.

Brandy & Jim

Brandy and Jim met two summers ago through friends. They hit if off right away and they say their relationship  has come to be the sweetest joy of their lives. Jim proposed to Brandy on her birthday this year. He presented her with a stack of birthday gifts and after she opened the last box he told her to look inside to find her bonus gift.  Jim got down on one knee as Brandy opened the box quickly and the ring flew out, getting lost in the couch cushions. After a quick search, the ring was found and he proposed using her grandmother’s engagement ring saying “This ring means so much to you, and has such great family history. Even though your grandma is physically gone, we can still honor her spirit in the rest of our lives together as we add our own love to the history of this ring.”

Both Brandy and Jim work full-time and are in school to change careers and follow their true passions. Time and money are very scarce these days. In addition to their hectic daily lives, they have experienced a great deal of tragedy during the last year due to illness and untimely deaths of several loved ones. After all the heartache and loss their families have suffered, they would like their wedding to be a celebration of the love and gratitude they received from their supportive families.

The moment they most look forward to on their wedding day is the exchange of vows.

Jennifer & Fred

Jennifer and Fred both work for the Cook County Sheriff’s Department. When Jennifer was transferred to the unit where Fred worked, the sparks immediately started to fly. After three short months they knew they were meant for one another and moved in together. Fred proposed in November of 2009 while at a friends wedding. Jennifer was completely surprised!

Jennifer is a single mother, the youngest of 5 and the last of her siblings to get married. Her father won’t be able to walk her down the aisle because he is extremely ill and even has a hard time leaving the house. To make matters worse, her mother recently suffered a massive stroke. She and her siblings spend most of their free time taking care of their parents, as well as their own children. Jennifer says she feels selfish planning a wedding in the midst of such hardship. The thought of the extra expense right now is overwhelming.

The moment they most look forward to on their wedding day is when Jennifer walks down the aisle and sees Fred for the first time.

Nicole & Ed

Nicole and Ed had their first date at a coffee shop in Chicago, and sat on the patio getting to know each other for hours. On their one-year anniversary, they set out to recreate their first date. At the end of a wonderfully romantic evening, Ed proposed.

Nicole and Ed both completed graduate school within the last few years, and then immediately threw themselves into their careers as a Chicago Public School teacher and a full-time advocate for Chicago’s homeless. This means they spend the majority of their time and energy serving others. They want their wedding day to embody the pampering, excitement and joy they both deserve but cannot seem to afford. They both are so thrilled about their wedding ceremony, and expressing vows (written by the couple), and declaring their love and commitment to each other in front of friends and family.

The moments they most look forward to on their wedding day are expressing their vows and the toasts, where their closest loved ones get to share anecdotes about when they were kids, awkward adolescents, and how they each have changed after finding one another.

Annie & Andy

Annie and Andy were introduced through a mutual friend and a month later he surprised her with a trip to Florida. They started dating during that trip and a year later went back to that same beach where  Andy surprised Annie with a proposal.

Both of their families are from overseas (Poland and Russia).  It is very hard for them since they both have huge families. Only their parents are here in America, and they are unable to assist with the cost of a wedding. They dream about a wedding and starting their lives together on a happy and positive note.

The moments they are looking forward to on their wedding day are exchanging vows and sharing in their respective country’s traditions.

UPDATE: Thank you for your enthusiasm and all of your votes! Please keep in mind we only allow ONE vote per person. It has come to our attention that some people have voted more than once, and fortunately we have been able to correct the situation so it will not happen again.  You will see this reflected in the poll below. We want to make sure the contest is totally fair for all of the couples!

 

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