Alex & Gina | The Patrick Haley Mansion
Alex and Gina first met in college. They both attended The University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, and over the next four years, they became the best of friends. They even studied abroad together in Rome, and decided in their senior year of college that there was something more than a friendship.
Fast forward to November 6th, 2016. That's when we first met Alex and Gina. He surprised the love of his life with the most romantic proposal, EVER! And we were privileged to be a part of the surprise! CLICK HERE to check out how it all began ... and then be sure to come back here to check out their gorgeous wedding day! :)
Alex and Gina were married on January 13th, 2018 in Gina's hometown, Joliet, Illinois. It was a beautiful winter day and they married at the beautiful St. Joesph Catholic Church in Downtown Joliet. It was the kind of church that reminds you of the cathedrals in Europe. When you walk in, you're taken to another place; It truly was breathtaking.
The reception was held at The Patrick Haley Mansion. It is one of the most beautiful venues; it's full of such nostalgia and wonderful details. Not to mention the staff were incredibly kind, and awesome to work alongside of.
There were many beautiful details that Gina and Alex included in this beautiful celebration, that highlighted not only their time together, but also Gina's Italian heritage.
They chose the black beauty rose as their main flower, to pay tribute to Gina's late grandmother. She also wrapped her grandmother's rosary around the bouquet, which is an Italian tradition.
Once you get down to the reception photos, you'll see a beautiful, amazing tower of cannoli, and small cake, which when we saw that, I'm pretty sure my sister and I (and maybe everyone there) said "Holy Cannoli"! HAHA, but really. It was an amazing and creative take on a traditional wedding cake. The small cake that sat on top of the tower read: “Ti amo da qui ... alla fine del mondo ... di nuove qui ... all infinito”, which translates to: “I love you from here ... to the end of the world ... here again ... to infinity”. Both Gina and Alex studied in Rome, and while there, they came across graffiti along the Tiber River, which had this beautiful quote. We love that they included this on their beautiful day.
When it was time for Alex and Gina to dance their first dance, as husband and wife, Gina's dad, Mike and four of her cousins played "Pistol" by Dustin Kensrue. It was so beautifully played and wow! They are quite the musicians! And for the father/daughter dance, Gina and Mike choreographed the most epic dance and they absolutely killed it!
EVERYONE got on the dance floor during the Tarantella, which is a beautiful, Italian folk-dance! It got the dance party lifted off with a bang! Which brings us to the amazing entertainment for the evening ... The Walk-ins! These guys were so incredibly talented, entertaining and so kind! We loved working with them and hope that our paths cross again.
We cannot say enough good things about this special day, and these special people. Some of the kindest souls you could ever meet. Congratulations Alex and Gina! We are so humbled to have been able to be a part of your amazing day!
{If you'd like to check out Alex & Gina's wedding day slideshow, CLICK HERE!}
AMAZING VENDORS:
Ceremony: St. Joseph Catholic Church
Reception: The Patrick C. Haley Mansion
Caterer: The Patrick C. Haley Mansion
Photographers: Hey Sisters! Photography | Emily Allison & Erin Elliott
Videographers: Frank Slow Films
The Dress: Bella Sposa Bridal
Bridesmaids Dresses: Bella Sposa Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Salon: Tamara Makeup + Hair Artistry
Tuxedos: The Black Tux
Florist: Petals, Custom Wedding Flowers
Invitations: PS: I Love You
Wedding Cake: Creative Cakes
Reception Band: The Walk-ins
