Glendale Lakes Golf Club

A Day of Golf with the Groom

Fitz's Pub & Grill

Welcome Reception

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Family Farm

Reception

Wrigley Field

Cubs Game @ Wrigley Field

Our Wedding

Our StoryOur story is one of commitment, determination, fate, and with a little luck a happy ending for Chuck and Kelly.As many of you know, Kelly and Chuck met while working at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. Chuck will readily admit that Kelly was his very first crush there. But as in all great love stories, there were a few obstacles along the way. Time, however, had its own plan and their story truly began with a train ride and a Blink-182 concert. From that moment, this love story was off and running.“All the small things” have always been the foundation of our relationship: the simple gestures, shared laughter, and everyday commitment that built something strong. We learned that quickly, as the world changed drastically at the start of our relationship during the COVID lockdowns.Just before the pandemic, we spent an unforgettable ten days in Hawaii, including an epic and slightly disastrous kayaking adventure after which we mutually agreed to retire from kayaking together!When lockdown hit, we found ourselves living for six unique weeks at the Club, secluded from the rest of the world. After returning home, we decided to make our first big addition, our beloved fur baby, Fitzgerald.That summer, we took a trip to what would unknowingly become our future wedding venue Chuck’s mom &amp; stepfather’s farm. Though it was only Chuck’s second time there, it immediately became a place of peace and comfort for Kelly despite a brief tornado warning that Chuck prefers not to discuss.A few months later, Chuck came home from golf to one of the happiest moments of his life: Kelly surprised him with a sonogram image of their soon-to-be son, Carson. In true “us” fashion, we decided on his name almost immediately after a golf ball explosion at Torrey Pines! On March 30th, 2021, our greatest gift arrived: our little man, Carson.Since then, our story has continued to grow with love, adventure, and purpose. Kelly has become the world’s greatest mom, and Chuck continues to chase new opportunities in his career. Together, we’ve traveled coast to coast, creating unforgettable memories as a family.We’ve moved from California to Chicago and back again, sharing laughter, challenges, and countless moments that have shaped who we are today. Though we may be different in many ways, our shared goal has always been the same to support those around us with love, kindness, and compassion, and to make this world just a little bit better.We are endlessly grateful for our family and friends who have supported us through every chapter. Our story continues to grow richer with each passing day and we can’t wait to see where the road ahead takes us, hand in hand.

A Lucky Love Story

Our Story

Photos

David Thomas (Ple) Pleman- High School Friend and Meme Designer 


David Pleman

Todd (Toddler) Fineman- Texas transplant and LJBTC Coworker

Todd Fineman

Spencer Nelson

Harper (9) Charlie (7) Parker (4)

Conrad (6) Briggs (2) Beau (1)

Distinguished Author, Entrepreneur, Comedian and most importantly family friend  

Cappy McGarr

Kathy Matusz, Jo Ann Plese & Sandy Schuler 

Readings 

Wedding Party

Q + A

Airport General Info: O’Hare → Downtown Chicago~17 to 19 milesO’Hare → Homer Glen, IL~ 31 to 33 milesMidway → Downtown Chicago: ~10 milesMidway → Homer Glen, IL: ~23 miles 🕔 Context:Rush hour in Chicago typically peaks between 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM.If you depart closer to 7 PM, expect shorter times (around the lower end of those ranges). Midway is closer to both downtown and Homer Glen than O’Hare, so even with traffic, travel tends to be somewhat quicker. O'Hare is a larger and cleaner airport with easy access to public transportation and car rentals. Here are rough Uber / rideshare fare estimates for routes from O’Hare and Midway: O’Hare → Downtown Chicago~$40–$55O’Hare → Homer Glen, IL~$75–$100+Midway → Downtown Chicago~$25–$40Midway → Homer Glen, IL~$45–$80+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hotel Recommendations: 🏨 Top Hotel Options Near Homer Glen * Closest Option *Homewood Suites by Hilton Orland Park ~ All-suite style, good for stays with more space or family travel. 6 miles to Homer Glen. 🏨 Top Hotel Options Near Elmhurst/Oak Brook * Most Economic and Central Option * (Near Welcome Reception, Day of Golf and Halfway between Farm &amp; Downtown) 20 miles or 30 minutes to the Farm for Wedding Courtyard by Marriott Chicago Elmhurst/Oak Brook Area DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago - Oak BrookHoliday Inn Chicago Oakbrook by IHG 🏨 Top Hotel Recommendations in Downtown Chicago(30-35 miles from the wedding location, about 45 minute drive usually) London House Chicago Curio Collection by HiltonGreat location near the river and walkable to many downtown attractions.Thompson Chicago Hyatt Hotel with excellent downtown location. Bride &amp; Groom's HotelThe Drake Historic Hotel in Downtown Chicago

Travel

Navy Pier

Chicago River Boat Architecture Tours

Lincoln Park Zoo

Chicago Botanic Garden

Billy Goat Tavern (The Original)

Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse

The Naperville Riverwalk

Things to Do

Registry

<a href="https://www.honeyfund.com/site/stapelton-merriman-06-06-2026?no_gdpr=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.honeyfund.com/site/stapelton-merriman-06-06-2026</a> We are excited to extend our travels together outside of the U.S. for our Honeymoon! We have a home full of (too much) "stuff" so we greatly appreciate you contributing to our Honeymoon Fund. Your presence and well wishes are the best gift!

Registry and Honeymoon Information

ckc4ever.com

Kelly & Charles