Veronica and Rick

September 26th, 2015 / Photography By Ashley Karko / Dress By Atelier Pronovias

“High school sweethearts reunited ten years later” sounds like something straight out of a Hollywood movie script.

But, for Veronica Pawlowski and Rick Romeli, it’s their reality. “He played varsity basketball and baseball, so of course I knew who he was,” Veronica explained as she described their budding romance. The two became close friends in high school, and by their senior year, “the butterflies started.” From their first kiss to prom​,​ Veronica had fallen head over heels for Rick.

After graduation, they decided to take some time to grow independently, but they remained close and supported each other in hard times. Ten years later, the couple found themselves reuniting for a drink after work, and the rest is history.

Following their engagement, Rick and Veronica decided to get married​ only a couple of months later​ in the lush garden beside Wayside Chapel in Palos Park, Illinois in September 2015. “We said ​’​I do​’​ as the sunlight crept through the shade of tree branches above. It truly felt like God was watching over us, giving us His blessing.” Veronica explained. Their wedding included only ​twenty people ​together with the bride and groom.

It was a very personal occasion, not only because of the select guest list, but also because Veronica and Rick were involved in all of the little details that made their wedding their own. The bride and groom spent months preparing their own decorations, including handmade centerpieces and a photo board from a re-purposed slat door Veronica repainted and refinished herself.. The groom’s mother, Pam Romeli, worked with local florist, ​Mitchell’s Floral of Orland Park, to create bouquets and floral arrangements for the ceremony, which included a floral crown for​ the​ flower gir​​l. Veronica did her own hair and makeup for the ceremony, and ​had a leafy​​​​​​​​ ​botanical wreath that she created herself…and she didn’t stop there! Inspired by Rick’s love for Oreo cookies, she made her own wedding cake by building a tower of Oreos. And instead of “cutting the cake”,​ and having their first bite as bride and groom​, they twisted​ apart an​ Oreo together.

Although she had a hand in all the minute details of her wedding, Veronica claims, “the most important and exciting decision in wedding planning is the dress….after deciding on the groom of course!” She is one of the lucky brides who had the opportunity to wear her knock out dress twice–for the wedding ceremony, and a couple of weeks later at their family and friend celebration.

Veronica found her dress at Mira Couture. It was an exquisite Atelier Pronovias wedding gown, made of soft ivory cotton guipierre lace. The lace organically crept up the ​nude ​sheer illusion neckline of the dress. ​A​ long Paloma Blanca ​veil with touches of ​scattered lac​e​ outline​d​ the silhouette of her dress. For a bride that doesn’t like a lot of fuss and wanted a more laid-back look, it couldn’t have been more perfect for Veronica​,​ or for the setting of ​t​he​i​r wedding.

Just a hint of sparkle finished off the look with dainty drop earrings by Malis-Henderson, and a bracelet by Creations Georgianni from Mira Couture, which mimicked the center stone of her vintage style engagement ring custom-created by Rogers and Holland’s Alan Kadet.

“I truly love how personal our wedding was. It was very ​’​Rick and Veronica.​’​ He was my prince charming and I never thought I would get my happily ever after…but I did​.​”