Madison & Charlie
Madison WEARS OUR MELODY LOW HEELS
Photography by Ashlyn Henry
How was your experience as a Forever Soles bride?
My experience was absolutely wonderful as a Forever Soles bride. I spent probably the longest time of any part of the wedding choosing my shoes (ask my family, it was a nightmare), and I couldn't have imagined a more beautiful pair of shoes to wear throughout my whole wedding season. I've had an Instagram post saved of Forever Soles shoes for maybe three years before I got engaged, and I'm very thankful to have been able to wear my dream shoes for not only just my wedding, but also for my shower and rehearsal dinner as well.
Which shoes did you wear for your wedding? What was your favourite thing about your shoes?
I wore the Melody Low Heels in ivory! The beaded pearls! I've never seen a more beautiful pair of shoes. Low, comfortable, heels were very important to me because I had surgery on my feet in the past and high heels just don't cut it anymore for me.
How did you and your husband meet?
Charlie and I met on Hinge! We always joke that I should just be sponsored by Hinge because I met my husband after only four days on the app and only one date. We had mutual friends and went to the same college but never crossed paths until we met online.
How long have you been together and how did he propose?
We've been together for more than four years now. He proposed by taking me to the place we had our first date - a cute bar in Chicago called Moneygun - and reenacted dropping his wallet on the ground (which he did on our first date). When he bent down to pick up the wallet he got down on one knee, and the rest is history!
What is the most amazing thing about your man?
Wow, I'm not sure I can even sum up how amazing Charlie is into a few sentences, but I'll try. Charlie has the kindest heart of any person I've ever met. He makes anyone feel like they are welcomed and loved, which is something he's done for me since the moment I met him. He has the best sense of humour, and can make me laugh even on the darkest of days. I am truly the luckiest girl alive to get to call him my husband.
How would you describe your wedding in one word?
Dreamy
What is your favourite memory from your wedding?
While the obvious answer would be the moment I walked down the aisle (which was incredible), I think my favorite moment was actually walking into our reception. We had a really dramatic song buildup and burst through the doors when the beat dropped. We hadn't seen the reception venue decorated yet, so to see everything come together and all of our friends and family in one place was a feeling of happiness I've truly never known before.
Where was your wedding located? What made you choose this location?
We had our wedding at Anthony Chapel in Hot Springs, Arkansas! Being from Chicago we had absolutely no ties to Arkansas (though now we do!), but saw a picture of the glass chapel in the woods and fell in love with the venue and town before we even saw it in person. We ended up booking the chapel before we got engaged because of how wild wedding planning was in 2022, and when we eventually visited absolutely loved the entire vibe of the National Park town. It was such an incredible experience having all of our loved ones in Hot Springs and running into them the whole week of the wedding - we wouldn't have changed it for the world!
Who created your gorgeous gown?
My gown was an Essense of Australia gown! I had dreamed of going to Kleinfeld Bridal with my mom my entire childhood so was very lucky to get to Say Yes to my dress there.
You're a wife now! How does it feel to finally tie the knot?
I am so incredibly happy to be married! It doesn't feel TOO different, but it does feel so wonderful to know I have my husband by my side forever. I also feel a large amount of gratitude and pride for how great the wedding was.
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
We went on a mini-moon to Los Angeles the weekend after the wedding, but we will be going to Positano in August for our full honeymoon!
Any advice for our brides-to-be?
My biggest piece of advice would be to find things in the planning process that you enjoy with your future husband and foster it. I'm a designer, so I enjoyed designing all the elements of the wedding. My husband is very handy and loved building out elaborate signs (we made our neon sign by hand which I'm very proud of!). We had so much fun together designing and building our wedding for months ahead of time, and those memories of spending time together are very special to me looking back. While you may not have those specific skills, I encourage you to find certain things in the planning process you can do together - it makes a huge difference and reduces a lot of the stress before the wedding.
SHOP OUR MELODY LOW HEELS
Planning: Perception by Anna Dickinson; Photography: Ashlyn Henry; Videography: Joseph Lotz; Ceremony Venue: Anthony Chapel; Reception Venue: Hamp Williams Building; Hotels: The Arlington, The Waters, & Hotel Hale; Florals: Cabbage Rose Florist; Band & DJ: Diamond Empire Band; Hair & Makeup: Whiplash Beauty; Rentals: Eventology; Transportation: Arkansas Destinations & Hot Springs Trolley; Dress: Essense of Australia; Dress Boutique: Kleinfeld Bridal; Shoes: Forever Soles; Tuxes: Generation Tux
