Some love stories begin with perfect timing. Faye and Pierce’s began with timing that took nearly a decade to finally get right.
They first met on New Year’s Eve in 2013, when Faye was visiting her sister at Illinois State University. The party happened to be at Pierce’s fraternity house, Alpha Tau Omega, and the two hit it off almost immediately.
But life had other plans first.
Over the years, they continued crossing paths at mutual friends’ parties, weddings, and social gatherings. Again and again, they found themselves in the same rooms, surrounded by the same people, but never quite single at the same time.
Then, nearly ten years after they first met, the timing finally changed.
They wasted no time.
After knowing one another for almost 13 years through their circle of mutual friends, Faye and Pierce have now spent a little over three and a half years together. Their history gave their relationship something rare from the beginning. They already knew one another’s worlds, their people, and so many of the chapters that came before this one.
Knowing He Was The One
For Faye, knowing Pierce was the person she wanted to spend her life with came through the quieter parts of their relationship.
“There are so many reasons I love him, but what made me know he was the one was the way he embraced my family and handled all of our chaos with such patience and kindness.”
And then there was Harmonie.
Faye’s very skittish cat had always hidden from almost everyone. Somehow, Pierce was different. Harmonie found comfort around him and began to feel at home in his presence.
For Faye, that sealed it.
Sometimes knowing you have found your person happens in a grand moment. Sometimes it happens when you watch someone step effortlessly into the life you already have and love the people, and animals, who matter most to you.
A Chicago Proposal
Pierce proposed the day after Faye’s birthday in 2025.
He told her he wanted to keep the birthday celebrations going, so they spent the day exploring classic Chicago destinations downtown.
It felt like an extension of her birthday, until they reached the Water Tower plaza.
As they walked through it together, Pierce got down on one knee and asked Faye to marry him.
A city woven into their story became part of an entirely new chapter.
And soon, they were planning a wedding that felt unmistakably like them.
A 1920s Speakeasy-Inspired Wedding at Hotel Baker
From the beginning, Faye and Pierce had a vision.
They wanted their wedding to feel like stepping inside a 1920s jazz speakeasy, and Hotel Baker could not have been a more fitting setting.
The historic St. Charles hotel dates back to the 1920s, giving their celebration an atmosphere that already felt connected to the era they wanted to recreate.
Then they made it their own.
A live jazz trio filled the celebration with music. A tarot reader added an unexpected experience for guests. There was even an entire crystal bowl filled with loose cigarettes, one of those tiny details that immediately made the world they created feel complete.
It was immersive without feeling forced. Every element belonged.
“The venue complemented our vision exquisitely. We could not have imagined how perfectly it would all come together.”
As a wedding photographer, these are the weddings I love documenting. There is intention behind the details, but the design never competes with the people. The room can be extraordinary, yet the moments happening inside it still matter most.
And Faye and Pierce gave us so many of those moments.
The Bridal Entrance
Faye’s entrance deserved its own chapter.
The veil. The anticipation. The way the entire scene unfolded as she came down the aisle.
It was dramatic in exactly the way it needed to be.
“It was a MOMENT with that veil I wore.”
She is correct.
From a photography perspective, a statement veil creates movement and scale while still keeping the focus on the bride. But what made this entrance memorable was not simply what Faye wore. It was the emotion surrounding her as she walked toward Pierce.
Then came the vows.
Hearing Pierce’s words to her became one of Faye’s favorite memories of the entire wedding.
“Hearing Pierce’s vow absolutely melted my heart. I still tear up thinking about it.”
Those are the photographs that matter years later. The expression that happens for half a second. The tears someone tries to hold back. The way your person looks at you while promising you a lifetime.
Everything else can be beautifully designed around those moments, but you cannot manufacture them.
A Perfect Day in the Rose Garden
For all the beauty that went into planning their celebration, there was one thing Faye knew she could not control.
The weather.
With both their ceremony and cocktail hour planned outdoors in Hotel Baker’s rose garden, it became one of her biggest sources of anxiety leading into the wedding.
“I had a lot of anxiety about anything I couldn’t control, especially the weather.”
And then the day arrived.
The weather could not have been more beautiful.
Their outdoor plans unfolded exactly as they had imagined, allowing guests to enjoy the garden and giving Faye and Pierce the celebration they had spent months envisioning.
“The weather ended up being the most beautiful day one could imagine, which really solidified how perfect our wedding was. From start to finish.”
After all the worrying, there was nothing left to fix or manage.
They could be present.
Faye & Pierce’s Advice for Future Couples
After going through the planning process themselves, Faye and Pierce have one piece of advice they hope other couples take seriously.
Do it together.
“Do everything together, even the smallest of decisions. You only get to do this all once, so make sure it’s something you’re sharing together throughout the journey.”
They also learned how important it is to protect the vision the two of you share.
“Don’t let anyone else’s opinions or influence get to you, and don’t be afraid to find your voice and advocate for yourself. It’s easy to get lost in the people pleasing, but that’s not what this day is about.”
It is advice worth remembering.
Your wedding does not need to make sense to every person in the room. The details should reflect the two people getting married.
If that means a jazz trio, tarot readings, a dramatic veil, and a crystal bowl of cigarettes inside a historic 1920s hotel, lean into it completely.
Those are often the celebrations people remember.
What Comes Next
For the first time in a while, Faye and Pierce have something exciting ahead of them.
No more wedding planning.
Well, mostly.
Italy is calling this fall, although exactly what their adventure there will hold is still to be determined.
Beyond traveling, they are looking forward to something much bigger.
Building a life and a family together.
“There is finally an ‘us,’ and now we get to go through this crazy beautiful life together and share all those moments from now until the end of our days.”
After almost 13 years of knowing each other, countless mutual friends, missed timing, a Chicago proposal, and one unforgettable night at Hotel Baker, Faye and Pierce finally get to begin the part of their story that does not require waiting for the timing to be right.
They get to simply be together.
And what a beautiful place to begin.
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.
