Emma & Slava's Whirlwind Romance: From St. Patrick's Day to "I Do"

A Love Story That Proves When You Know, You Know

Tell us about you and your husband.

My husband and I meant at a small dive bar in our hometown celebrating St. Patrick’s day weekend. I was out with friends and I ran into a friend from high school who introduced me to Slava. She had been dating his brother for around 7 years. He asked for my number and the rest his history now. My husband proposed to me about a year and 2 months into our relationship. One of our first dates we had was a picnic at Gilson Beach in Evanstons. He took me back to that same spot and asked me to marry him on a chilly/ rainy June Saturday. After, we celebrated with an amazing Coopers Hawk dinner.

Tell us about your wedding day. What was your favorite moment?

I will never forget our wedding day. The intensity hit me in the morning when I wrote my vows. It all felt so real. After a quick few months of planning, everything was coming together. My husband and I planned on not seeing each other or doing a first look. It was his idea, he didn’t want to see me until I walked down the aisle. So my favorite moment was seeing him for the first time! All the nerves went away and it truly felt like it was just him and I standing in front of our family and friends, nothing else mattered. It was truly the best part of the day, getting to see him after a long day of getting ready, it was such a vulnerable moment for the both of us. 

Describe your venue and why you chose it.

Our venue we pick was Avante Banquets. The staff was amazing and really helped make our day special. They let us come in a few days before our wedding to set up, our family did an amazing job setting up. We were able to have our ceremony and cocktail hour outside. We then moved inside for our reception. We really likes that we could do both ceremony and the reception at one place and that helped make or decision so much easier along with the staff, we had a quick three months to plan everything and the staff worked great with our short time span.

How did you choose your wedding theme and colors?

I loved the idea of having my bridesmaids as my “something blue” it also felt very fitting for us as we our pregnant with a baby boy! My husband and our groomsmen wore navy blue. We had beautiful baby blue, navy blue, and gold accents all around.

What was your favorite DIY or personalized touch at the wedding?

My favorite DIY was our seating chart. As a little girl growing up going to my grandma house she  had this vintage gold mirror that hung in her family room. Thankfully our family was able to use a cricket and we had “Our Favorite People” printed across the top of the mirror. Below we had a piece of paper with our guest names and table numbers And a round piece of gold wax with the letter “M” in the middle that stuck the paper to the mirror. It turned out beautifully and it was so special to have a piece of my grandma with us on our special day!

What made you decide to shop at Fifi's Bridal for your wedding dress?

Fifi’s daughter Amanda and I went to high school together. So, of course I would go to Fifi’s for a wedding dress. Amanda and Fifi were amazing while helping me look for a dress. They gave me the best advise/options when picking out a dress.

Describe your dress shopping experience at Fifi's.

Amanda and I looked around for styles that would be flattering on me, considering I would be 7 months pregnant for my wedding day. I thought I liked the simple look until I saw a beautiful tan undertone dress hanging with a sheer strapless top. I loved it and loved it even more on. It was so flattering a beautiful.

How was the fitting process at Fifi's Bridal?

Once my dress came in I went back to Fifi’s to get the top of my dress fitted. My belly had definitely grown since picking my dress out for the first time. Fifi has a lot of experience and knew exactly what to do for me. I went back a second time to get the bottom fitted and Amanda and Fifi did an amazing job! I felt so beautiful and couldn’t wait for my day to come!!

What was the most memorable part of working with the team at Fifi's?

The most memorable part for me was trying on the veil they went with my dress. Once Amanda put it on me I knew I had picked the right dress it made the dress come together perfectly!

Bridal Advice: Real Talk from a Bride Who's Been There

I would say come with an open mind. Be open to trying on a dress that you wouldn’t normally think you would be interested in!

Now that you're married, what are you most looking forward to in this new chapter?

I’m mostly looking forward to having our baby and raising a family together! Of course spending our time together as well, my husband and I have a lot to look forward to on this journey and I’m so grateful for everyday I get to spend with him.

As Emma and Slava embark on this new chapter of their lives, their love story serves as a reminder that sometimes, the best things in life happen when we least expect them. From their serendipitous meeting at a St. Patrick's Day celebration to their emotional wedding day, and now as they prepare to welcome their baby boy, their journey is filled with beautiful moments and exciting milestones. Emma's advice to future brides about keeping an open mind resonates not just for dress shopping, but for life in general - after all, she found her perfect match and her dream dress by being open to possibilities. As they look forward to raising their family and spending their days together, Emma and Slava's story reminds us that love, when it's right, can move at its own perfect pace. Here's to Emma and Slava, and to all the couples out there who are ready to embrace the beautiful surprises that love brings!