Fifty couples had a reason to celebrate Sunday as they tied the knot on Chicago's Magnificent Mile, beneath some of the city's most iconic architecture.
"It was unbelievable," newlyweds Perla and Edgar Bernal said. "Just the idea of having the whole family here. It’s very well organized, I finally get to marry this beautiful woman! It only took us two years and two kids."
The one-of-a-kind contest "Marriages on the Mile," was made possible by the Wrigley Building, the Magnificent Mile Association and Modern Luxury Weddings Chicago.
"This romantic and free wedding ceremony is timed perfectly, as the COVID-19 Delta variant is on the rise and many couples may be considering alternatives to formal indoor weddings in the coming months," organizers said on the entry page.
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Like other couples, the Bernal's original wedding date was postponed, not once, but twice, as a result of the pandemic.
"It was so worth it," they said. "We are not upset about being postponed twice already because we would have never had this experience."
Other beaming brides and grooms voiced similar sentiments outside the Wrigley Building, the site of the ceremony.
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"We decided to jump for it, apply and luckily we got picked, so we feel very blessed," said Joe and Tula Kuechenmeister.
Getting married on Michigan Avenue was not part of the couple's original plan, but they, too, were overjoyed to have the opportunity.
"It was start to finish amazing," they said. "this venue is amazing."
