Mindy and Ben had two wedding days. The first, was their legal ceremony, at 30 Rockefeller Center in new York officiated by Hoda Kotb from The Today Show! The bride explained, “It was simply too cool of an opportunity to pass up! The people at the show took care of everything from the flowers to the dress, and it was a beautiful day. However, we only had three weeks notice that we’d been picked for it and since the show tapes in New York and we live in Chicago, we knew all of our friends and family would not be able to make it. So, on our first anniversary, we threw a groovy, carefree reception at a local vintage bowling alley.”

Despite the unusual setting, Mindy and Ben made sure to personalise their ceremony. They chose their entrance music and wrote their own vows. With Mindy being Jewish, they also incorporated a few religious elements that held significance for them. “Hoda made us feel so loved and found a way to include our family and friends, even though they couldn’t be there in person,” Mindy said.

The surreal nature of their day extended beyond the ceremony itself. “Once we were married, the show moved on to a cooking segment,” Mindy laughed. “We stayed around in our wedding attire, eating sliders and drinking beer at 8 am!”

For the reception, they just wanted to have fun with their friends. They didn’t have any speeches, a wedding party, a first dance or assigned tables and seats. They also knew they wanted an untraditional venue, and when they decided on Avondale Bowl everything else just fell into place. “The day felt so much like us and that’s how a wedding should be”, Mindy continued. “The theme was groovy glam. The bowling alley is decked in vibrant green and orange decor which was a big inspiration for our props, my outfit and flowers.”

The couple’s love of estate sales became the inspiration for their reception decor. Over the course of a year, they collected unique finds, including lots of bowling trophies. “At one estate sale, we stumbled upon an old bowling trophy, and then we just kept finding more,” Mindy said. “Eventually, they became our centrepieces.” Another personal touch was a vintage bowling bag that had belonged to Mindy’s father, who passed away shortly after their engagement. The used it as their card holder.

Instead of a traditional guest book they used bowling pins (also found at an estate sale) which they had local artist paint to look like people. “They became the most unique guestbook we’ve ever seen. Anything can be wedding decor and once we got rid of the idea that everything needed to be new and expensive, it became more fun to create a vision.”

“I wouldn’t change a single thing about our wedding”, Mindy concluded. “Do the things that seem ridiculous. You can do better than the local hotel ballroom!”