“We are such things as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.” William Shakespeare's The Tempest ***** ‘The Otherworld’ has roots in cultures across the world. Under many different names and iterations, transformative encounters with “other worlds” and “others” have shaped the grandest (and most complicated) myths and legends of human history. Halloween is a time to celebrate the otherworldly apparitions and inklings that linger in today's world. Whether old or new, these stories draw out our curiosity and challenge what it means to be human. Our otherworld does not attempt to imitate a specific mythological place. Rather, it’s a reflection of our shared imagination; a place of possibility and change where, through storytelling, curiosity overcomes fear and connection is formed. We believe this shared passion for stories is the binding force in our eclectic community. The otherworld setting for our wedding is inspired by all the weird and wild stories that you all have shared with us over the years. All those movies, books, plays, songs, jokes, folktales, and tall tales have become a fundamental part of who we are as a couple. Our own story began in December of 2014, one of the seemingly last true Chicago winters for many years to come. On our first date, Nick picked Melinda up from the airport and took her for tacos on Clark Street in Rogers Park. There were cars trapped in snowdrifts, stalactite icicles glittering from gutters, and snowflakes falling all around us – a true otherworldly setting. There are things we aren’t meant to know, machinations of fate that exist beyond what we can see. But it’s hard not to imagine the subtle hands of the universe tilting things in the most spectacular and surprising directions. Melinda’s decision to move to Chicago, Nick’s decision to stay; a cartoon robot graffitied the wall of a mutual friend’s apartment (the first time Nick made Melinda laugh); an eager and earnest first meeting at a Christmas party – our relationship originated in all these tiny moments and more. We’ve been together for a long time, a fact that routinely takes us by surprise. But time carries the weight of experience. Hand in hand, we’ve seen mountains and oceans and taken countless strolls around our beloved city block. We’ve grown together through more than a decade of successes and failures and cycled through dozens of dreams. Some highlights include comedy tours, cat ownership, mass strikes, world travel, story-slams, moviemaking, movie watching, socialists in office, national parks, becoming godparents, karaoke, new cuisines, summer swims, wonderful friendships, and innumerable hours chatting about all of it on our well-worn couch (or the telephone, if the couch is out of reach). We’ve been fortunate to share a love that can nourish and change, sit quietly and reflect, and forage and adventure. Most fortunate of all, we’ve had people to share it with. It’s our pleasure to invite you, the families that raised us, and the friends who have supported us, to this celebration of the weird, strange, and totally mundane moments that make up this world we share with you. Happy Halloween, Melinda & Nick **** Photography by Jared Holt - contact@jaredholtphoto.com