Real Wedding: Kelli Olson and Evan Anderson ~ Wedding Blog

"Evan and I met at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. We were both Meteorology majors. I really liked him, but I was so scared to talk to him. The meteorology department at COD offers 10 day storm chases each spring/summer. In 2006 I was signed up for a different trip than the one Evan was on. Our teacher knew how much I liked Evan and asked me if I wanted to switch to the trip Evan was on. Of course I did! We became really good friends, and from that point on we were together all the time.

"Fast forward a couple years…I never liked football before I met Evan. He explained the rules, what was happening, and I began to really like the game. In August 2014, we got tickets to go to the first Bears preseason game. That was the day Evan proposed. I said yes before he was even done asking! He definitely made a great day better! I was on my way to my first Bears game with a beautiful ring on my finger and the love of my life by my side! It was one of the greatest days of my life and definitely a day I will never forget!

"Evan and I had a traditional wedding. We were married in a Catholic Church because I am Catholic and really wanted to be married that way. All of the girls and my Mom got ready at our house. We went and got our hair done in the morning and then got makeup done at my house. The limo picked us up and we were on our way!

"When we got to the church I was so excited. I remember getting ready to line up. I heard the music start and I started to tear up. When my Dad walked to the back of the church, I looked at him and he was starting to cry. Walking down the aisle with him is something I will never forget. The entire ceremony I just kept thinking that this was actually happening and I was going to be married. When we were announced husband and wife, everyone started clapping and cheering. I couldn’t believe how many people were in the church. It was an amazing feeling.

"We both also love NASCAR, so everyone got a checkered flag to 'help us cross the finish line.' It was so cool to see all the flags waving as we walked through them. We also named and numbered our tables at the reception based off of our favorite drivers. We hand made all of our name cards with glittery silver card stock. We went to the NASCAR race in Joliet the weekend before the wedding and were able to be on pit road. Evan went up and down pit road and took pictures of the cars and/or pit boxes so we could use those actual pictures of their numbers for the tables!

"After the ceremony, we went to College of DuPage to take pictures. After all, that’s where we first met. I wanted to go to the weather classroom and recreate the class we met in. Evan works in the weather lab and so many of our weather friends came to be there when we were taking pictures. We sat in the seats we sat in for the class and our bridal party filled up the rest of the seats in the classroom. It was a surreal feeling having our siblings there and our close friends in the place that we met. Those pictures meant the most to me. We also took pictures by the storm chasing vans outside at the school.

"Because we're such weather nerds and storm chasers, we decided to get a tornado cupcake cake as the groom's cake. For our wedding favors, we had tornado sugar cookies.

"Our reception was the greatest night of my life. When we were announced and came in, the first thing I saw was our cake. It was absolutely beautiful! It was everything that I wanted. I cried the whole time during our first dance ("When You Got a Good Thing" by Lady Antebellum) because I was so happy. Everything all day had been perfect. I danced with my Dad ("Because You Loved Me" – Celion Dion) and I could just feel how happy he was while we were dancing. I am so close with my Dad and that was such an amazing experience. Evan danced with his Mom and he really enjoyed it.

"We all danced all night and I just can’t get over how perfect it was. Everyone says the day goes by so fast but I feel like I enjoyed every moment of it just as much as I should have. It was a day we will never forget!" --Kelli