Liz Franco says she never dreamed about her wedding day as a little girl, but it was everything she could have hoped for. She and Brad McCartney met in 2011 through mutual college friends (they both attended SIUE), and after nearly three years together, Brad pulled off a surprise engagement. “It was amazing,” Liz recalls. “I thought we were just meeting a friend to walk our dog in Tower Grove Park.” Their friend pretended to test out a new camera and got the couple to turn around long enough for friends and family to emerge from their hiding spots and hold up signs reading, Liz, will you marry him? “I love how they all got to witness it,” she says. The couple planned the big day’s events together. “Brad was very involved, and it was nice that we agreed on everything! My mom helped, too,” she says.
They wanted an elegant, romantic feel for the day, achieved through soft colors and beautiful venues. “My dress looked gray or lavender depending on the light, so since I had the pop of color, I wanted my bridesmaids in white,” Liz explains. An online search made them consider the Old Post Office for the ceremony. “We had never heard of a wedding there before and just loved it the second we walked in,” she says. The Chase, where the reception was held, holds many fond memories for Liz; her sister got married in the Khorassan Ballroom, and she often went there with her family while growing up. “There was no other venue that gave me the same feeling.” The couple chose the Starlight Room for its windows and terrace, where she and Brad had their first dance. “It was just us out there, and the weather was beautiful,” Liz recalls. “It was my favorite moment of the day.”
Liz is a claims analyst at Advantage 2000 Consultants, and Brad is a residential appraiser at Altisource Portfolio Solutions. The couple resides in O’Fallon, Illinois.
[resources]
Gown | Hayley Paige
Ceremony | Old Post Office
Reception | Chase Park Plaza
Cake | Lia Weber
Florist | Steven Mueller Florist
Music | American Idle Band
Honeymoon | Montego Bay, Jamaica
[wedding party]
Maid of Honor | Jessica Fraser
Bridesmaids | Jenna Todoroff, Stephanie Feldker, Caitlin Weier, Lauren Daniel, Lindsay Welsh, Amy Jachino, Meghan Nebiolo, Mandy Stamper
Best Man | Michael McCartney
Groomsmen | Tim Martin, Michael Smith, Jon Sheppard, Kody Smith, Cody Welsh, John Taylor, Andy Nebiolo, Brandon Fraser
Flower Girl | Hadley Smith
Ring Bearer | Troy Ayers
Bride’s Parents | Deborah Carpenter &Chuck Franco, both of Belleville, Illinois
Groom’s Parents | Denny & Diana McCartney of Pittsfield, Illinois Ceremony
Wedding Date: March, 21, 2015
Photos: Arndt Photo & cinema