Virak and Missy met in 2009 while they both were studying at Northern Illinois University. Late one summer night, Virak was coming home from a shift at the Holmes Student Center, where he “played Security Guard.” Virak was tired, and slightly irritated to notice that his roommates had invited people over. A circle of faces greeted him from his front yard, all of them familiar—except one. Virak was introduced to an intriguing blonde girl named Missy, and he decided to stay up and get to know her better. Missy’s first impression of Virak was that he was smart and charming, and she knew she had never met someone with a pet chinchilla or a Hibiscus plant before. Over the next few months he charmed her even further with his cooking, and they found that they had many shared interests. Beyond that, as they spent more time together it became clear that they complemented one another, and that life simply felt right when they were together. (Special thanks to Jackie & Nicole Perez, Nick Steder and Andy Fox for your part in bringing us together that night in DeKalb!)

11 years, a couple of degrees, a house, a baby, and a global pandemic later they are VERY ready to have a wedding and can’t wait to celebrate with you all!