Wedding | Paige & Hakeem

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We're Paige (33), and Hakeem (41), two Chicago-based entrepreneurs who met at the gym in 2022. Hakeem was coaching there at the time, and Paige worked the front desk. Our shifts never crossed paths until our good friend, Kelita, introduced us. We've been together since our very first date, so clearly she was on to something!

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

We knew early on that we wanted a destination wedding. Around the time we got engaged, Paige was planning a wellness retreat in Portugal, and through that process, we were introduced to Fern, our amazing wedding planner. Fern understood our vibe immediately and suggested some Lisbon venues that aligned with it. When she showed us La Distillerie, everything clicked. We loved the space's raw industrial feel; it seemed both grounding and intimate, which was exactly what we wanted. We booked the venue without seeing it in February 2025. We ended up visiting Lisbon for the first time (and just fell in love with the city, of course!) in October 2025.

How many guests did you have?

We had about 80 guests travel in from all over the U.S. and overseas, including Chicago, LA, Houston, St. Louis, Dubai, and London.

What was your budget?

Approximately 50K USD.

Tell us about your outfits.

Both outfits were custom made in Chicago. Paige's dress was made by designer Iyomi Ho Ken, who hand-pleated a soft tulle bodice with Chantilly lace sourced from Latvia to create a whimsical, romantic look. Hakeem's deep espresso tuxedo was made at Nicholas Joseph, a custom tailor in Chicago.

We designed both with the intention of feeling like elevated versions of ourselves that day, outfits that reflect our personal style.

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

The feeling. We wanted our wedding to feel like we were inviting our people into one of our favorite nights together, our first date. We had dinner and went to a speakeasy called The Darling, in Chicago. There was something about that night that felt so effortless and intimate. That became our guiding principle throughout the process. We weren't really interested in creating something overly manufactured. Instead, every decision, from our outfits and music direction to our venue and florals, was meant to feel minimal, romantic, soulful, and true to us.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

We kept things pretty minimal and some might say non-traditional. As we talked through the events for the day, we noticed ourselves getting anxious about certain things like a first look or a first dance. So we decided not to do them. It sounds simple but I think the wedding industry can feel intimidating sometimes. There's so much pressure to go big and to fit tons of different traditions into one weekend. But we stayed true to ourselves throughout and that was the most important thing to us.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Your wedding should be a reflection of you and your fiancé's love story. It can absolutely be fun to plan, if you pick vendors and planners who get you and who feel like friends, and if you communicate how you want the night to feel early and often.

Throughout our wedding planning process, we made date nights out of creating a mood board for the evening, and picking our photographer and videographer. We would have listening parties in our apartment for the music we wanted to play. And small moments like that really helped us ground ourselves in the blessing that is our relationship. Like how lucky are we to get to marry each other? It's so important not to lose the plot!

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

Jackie Chick Photography, working with Jackie was one of the true highlights of our wedding planning experience. The care and intention she put into reflecting us as a couple meant the world to us, ultimately leading to photos that will be part of our family forever. When we looked through the gallery for the first time, it was like we were experiencing the wedding again, all of the joy, love, and laughter from that night. Each photo felt like a moment from a film, warm and cinematic in the exact way we had hoped.

Oh Maria Flores. Our wedding planner recommended Oh Maria to us and as soon as we saw mock-ups for our floral and design, we understood why. We never considered a monochromatic look for our design, and it was perfect for the space and for us. The mixture of single stems and draping flowers with natural stones and silver vases was something we couldn't have dreamt up on our own. She took our vision and made it even better than we anticipated, which help create an environment that really reflected our love!

Photographer: Jackie Chick Photography @jchickphotography | Planning: Fernanda Martinez Evenets @fernandamartinezevents | Flora: Oh Maria Flores @ohmariaflores | Videographer: Joao Rosa Visuals @joaorosavisuals | Ceremony & Reception Location: La Distillerie @ladistillerie_lisbon | Linens: BC Planning Rentals @bcplanning_rentals | MUA: Glam by Irina @glambyirina_ | Hair: Tom Perdigão @tomperdigao | Catering & Beverages: Casa Do Marques @casa.do.marques | Entertainment: Your Juke Box @your_jukebox | Dress: Iyomi @iyomi.co | Suit: Custom Suits You @customsuitsyou