Some love stories begin loudly. Theirs began in the middle of chaos. Arianna and Kevin met while working at a treatment center for at-risk adolescent boys, a place built on equal parts structure and heart. The days were long. The work was heavy. The mission mattered. Somewhere between quick coffee breaks and decompressing after intense shifts, something shifted.
What started as two coworkers grabbing coffee turned into laughter that felt easy. Support that felt steady. A friendship that quietly grew roots.
They did not fall in love in one dramatic moment. It was a pattern.
The way they showed up on hard days and understood the emotional weight of working with at-risk youth.
The way they carried the same purpose.
Kevin said it first. Arianna felt it in the quiet before she ever said it out loud.
She knew when she watched how naturally he loved her family. How he loved Bubba, their English bulldog, who brings his own brand of chaos and comedy into their lives. And most of all, how he loved her, with steadiness, patience, and honesty.
They realized life was not something to rush through. It was something to build. Together.
Five years later, they stood inside one of Chicago’s most iconic landmarks for their intimate winter wedding at the Hilton Chicago.
A Chicago Love Story
They are a couple who finds joy in the small things.
Morning donuts.
Coffee at any hour.
Late-night Portillo’s fries that somehow fix everything.
Chicago is not just where they live. It is woven into their story.
They wander the galleries at the Art Institute of Chicago, return to Margie’s Candies, the cozy, nostalgic ice-cream shop where Kevin proposed. They hold onto traditions.
Every Valentine’s Day, they add something new.
On February 14, 2025, they began at Ancient Grounds for Valentine’s lattes. Fries on the way. An afternoon at the Art Institute. Dinner at Chicago Firehouse Restaurant.
Then snow began to fall. The slow, cinematic kind.
In front of Margie’s Candies, under quiet snowfall, Kevin gave a speech. Before Arianna could process the moment, he was on one knee with a stunning ring in hand.
After she said yes, they went home to find family waiting. The night ended surrounded by the people who matter most.
It was thoughtful. Intentional. Them.
Wedding at the Hilton Chicago
From the moment they walked into their wedding at the Hilton Chicago, it was an immediate yes.
Grand architecture.
Sweeping staircases.
Gold detailing.
A massive Christmas tree glowing in the background.
The space carried bold history and warmth, everything they love about Chicago itself. Elegant. Important. Alive.
Their wedding felt like classic Chicago in its most beautiful form.
Rich florals layered in deep winter tones.
Candlelit tables casting soft warmth.
Holiday décor woven into every corner.
A dramatic interior that needed no embellishment.
It was elevated yet inviting. Timeless yet deeply personal.
Every detail reflected who they are and the city that shaped them.
The Moments That Stopped Time
An unforgettable moment was walking into the venue together for the first time.
The staircase.
The florals.
The glow of the tree.
The room exactly as they had imagined.
For a second, everything went quiet.
Their ceremony held its own power. Standing before family and speaking vows they had poured themselves into felt intimate in a way that surprised them. They had been nervous about saying those words out loud. But once they saw each other, the nerves disappeared.
The ceremony became one of their favorite parts of the entire day.
The reception carried a different energy. Laughter. Dancing. Family filling the room with warmth. Small glances across the dance floor that said, this is it.
The parts they worried about became the parts they loved most.
Advice for Future Couples
If Arianna and Kevin could share one piece of advice, it would be this:
Focus on what feels meaningful to you.
Not what you think you are supposed to do, what looks best online, or what anyone else expects.
Their best decisions were rooted in their traditions, their city, and the moments that genuinely mattered to them.
That is what makes a wedding unforgettable.
What Comes Next
They are excited to keep building.
To grow individually and as a couple, expand their traditions and create new ones, and build the kind of home they have always talked about.
And hopefully, one day, to welcome a baby into that home.
The idea of growing their family fills them with joy.
For now, they continue choosing each other every day. The same way they did in the quiet moments years ago.
This is the person I want beside me in every chapter.
The one who makes life make sense.
The one I choose, every time.
Arianna and Kevin, your love is steady, purposeful, and deeply rooted. Your wedding day reflected every bit of that. And capturing it inside the heart of Chicago was an honor.
We Would Love to be Your Wedding Photographer
It would be an honor to become a part of your wedding team. We create that timeless keepsake of your big day you’ll love forever. Myself and my team of wedding photographers at videographers at Lauren Ashley Studios will go above and beyond to capture the atmosphere of your special occasion, and share it with passion and authenticity.
