The submissions for the eleven eleven Dream Wedding contest in Chicago are in! This was the first year that same-sex couples were invited to participate and Jessica and Connie are the lone lesbian couple selected in the top ten.
It’s now up to the voters to decide who will go on. The three couples with the highest number of votes, as of 11:59 p.m. on April 6, will be the finalists. They will then meet with the eleven eleven WEDDING team for interviews and get to participate in the amazing live reveal party at Nellcote on May 8. The winning couple will win a dream wedding, with all the bells and whistles courtesy of some of the area’s most sought-after vendors, worth $60,000.
Here is Connie and Jessica’s story:
Connie and Jessica were introduced by a mutual friend while living on opposite sides of Michigan. They communicated through e-mail and text messages until their first official date two weeks later. Magic seemed to happen but Connie had to break it to Jessie that in a few short months she would be moving to Chicago. They kept their love strong through Skype, packages in the mail, and six hour road trips in the snowiest of weather, and Jessie soon followed Connie to Chicago. Fast forward four years and, after a weeklong trip to Michigan without Jessie, Connie decided it was time to pop the question. They met at their favorite bar and Connie presented Jessie with a new iPhone, something she had always wanted. Underneath the phone, wrapped in the cords, was a ring. Although Jessie almost missed the ring due to her excitement over the phone, the answer was yes!
Connie and Jessica feel they deserve to win this wedding because they support one another above all else. Jessie is currently finishing her teaching degree while Connie works to support them both. When Jessie is finished with school and can find a full-time job, Connie will then return to school. This doesn’t leave much time or money to plan a wedding.
Connie and Jessica are most looking forward to the moment when they see one another for the first time. They also can’t wait to see the faces of their friends and family who have supported them all along as they join into a civil union. And of course the dancing!
You can vote for Connie and Jessica here.
Good luck to the couple!
