The beloved you seek will arrive to open the door to your fortune for love is the key that opens all your locks. -RUMI

I’m learning to love, to take a deep breath and let go. To trust with the most reserved parts of my heart. It scares me the things I hear myself say. Letting go of control that once fooled me into feeling safe, is just what held me back from truly feeling.

We ended the night with a Chicago hotdog stand. People woke up the next morning with hot dogs in their suit coats. That’s a success in our book. 

Calling all self-proclaimed free spirits... is marriage the end to all things “free” as we know it? Ok, I know how melodramatic that sounds. But, really — it can start before you’re even engaged!

Ok, so “elopement gone wild” might be a bit of hyperbole for the following video... but what else would you call two grown women running in stilettos behind a couple’s horse and buggy?

Chris emailed Charming in Love about a courthouse elopement just before Christmas 2016. His fiancée, Sasha, had just moved to Chicago from Russia, and they were beyond ready to seal the deal. I mean, have you seen her?...

PSA for wedding planners of the webiverse: Ya Pinterest boards? ....they’re basic.

Listen, I’m a visual person. I totally understand the inclination to create an inspiration board. But, that’s just it — these boards are meant for INSPIRATION...

I can’t help but wonder… is it possible to have an intimate, whirlwind elopement without pissing off everyone you love, especially your well-meaning, (yet slightly traditional) parents?

In short, yes. But like most things in life, it takes a helluva lot of compromise...

Don’t get me wrong, Pinterest is great.

If I want exercise routines to get arms like Michelle Obama, or if I wanna make a cheese ball in the shape of a pumpkin, I know where to go - not necessarily in that order, but maybe.

But, for a wedding? I’ll pass...