He Asked Her to Make a Wish, Then Got Down on One Knee

By Alexandra Macon

Alexandra and Jared Funk first met during freshman year of high school, but as she puts it, it was “certainly not an immediate locker-side love story!” Back then, the two had different personalities and social circles, so they weren’t exactly friends. But over the next few years, their paths continued to cross frequently. In college, the two put their high school past behind them and eventually became close. “We didn’t realize at the time that we were meant to be together,” Alexandra explains. “It took a while for us to let our guards down and risk our friendship to give romance a try. But when we finally did, it worked out for the best!”

After dating for five years, the couple were on their way to a birthday dinner for Jared that Alexandra had planned, when they stopped at a fountain in the middle of a park. “It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Chicago and the park was really crowded,” she recalls. Jared reached into his pocket, gave her a coin, and asked her to make a wish. “After I made my wish, he told me he would like to make it come true,” she says. “From there, he bent down on one knee, and well, you know the rest! The crowds that had been watching began to applaud and cheer for us. I was in a state of shock!”

Once engaged, the couple began touring several potential wedding venues, and settled on The Langham as soon as they stepped into the lobby. “We just felt it was the perfect balance of style, comfort, and service,” Alexandra explains. They set the wedding date for September 30th, and hired wedding planner Bianca Hall from Estera Events. “She was absolutely incredible,” Alexandra adds. “She really cared about getting to know us, our style, and the way we wanted to celebrate this important day.”

Alexandra ended up choosing a design by Anna Georgina, a bridal line by South African designer, Kobus Dippenaar.“I knew that one of the most important parts of my wedding would be the moment the church doors opened and Jared and I would see each other for the first time,” the bride explains. “I wanted him to be wowed!” She had always dreamt of wearing a traditional lace dress for her big day, and found that Dippenaar was able to incorporate that dream while still making the dress feel cosmopolitan. She complemented the look with Alexis Bittar earrings.

Jared, meanwhile, wore a classic black tuxedo, with his name embroidered inside, and baby blue colored socks as an added unique touch. The bridesmaids were in black satin gowns with diamond-studded belts, and the groomsmen wore black tuxedos from The Black Tux (and funky socks, too).

On the day of the ceremony, the couple was married at Old St. Patrick’s in Chicago, the city’s oldest church, which had managed to survive the Chicago fire. After they were declared husband and wife, the newlyweds and their guests headed to the Langham hotel for the reception. The evening was kicked off by a speech from the bride’s dad. “He put so much thought and care into every word,” Alexandra says. He was later followed by toasts from the maid of honor, Alexandra’s little sister. “She started off by announcing she was going to sing her speech and the band even started to play,” the bride recalls. “I was sort of bummed that it was just a prank.” Later toasts by Jared’s older brothers followed.

Guests dined on salad, scallops, chicken, and steak, and for dessert, a delicious wedding carrot cake by Elysia Root Cakes was served. After the toasts, it was time to hit the dance floor, and Alexandra and her dad were up first with an acoustic version of “Sweet Child of Mine.” Then Jared and his mother danced to “Higher and Higher” by Jackie Wilson, and eventually many of their guests joined them on the floor. “For the rest of the night, our guests enjoyed our band, Nation from Elan Artists, which Jared searched high and low for—we flew them in from D.C.!” As for one of the bride’s favorite parts of the evening? Surprising Jared with a bourbon bar that featured all of his favorites. “It was a hit,” she adds.

After the reception ended, the celebration continued at the Public House, a bar near the hotel. “Why would we end the party at midnight? We wanted to savor every moment,” Alexandra explains. When it was finally time to wrap things up, the newlyweds had pizza (while Alexandra was still in her wedding dress), champagne, wedding cake, and “reminisced about the amazing night we just had,” Alexandra says. “We definitely fell asleep with huge smiles on our faces.”