Today’s wedding is that of amazing artist Dolan & his business partner (and now wife) Ali Marie.
Inspired by his Southern upbringing in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Dolan creates original artwork using almost 100% recycled materials. From salvaged billboards and sugar sacks to hand-cut papers from vintage outdoors magazines Dolan’s work perfectly fits his artistic tagline: Contemporary Art with a Southern Accent. His work is beautiful and comes in a range of sizes and subject matters from this small lovebird piece (perfect for a wedding gift) to this large leather whale. And I am in love with Drifters Atlas No. 02, could spend ages admiring all the detail that has gone into that particular piece!
Ali Marie has dealt with all the practical and essential business bits since they met, to ensure Dolan can concentrate on his artwork full time.
Here’s the story on that meeting…
The meeting
Ali Marie and Dolan may never have crossed paths if it wasn’t for her persuasive boss at the time, Olga. Dolan had dropped by to discuss the Winter Arts Festival their company was arranging whilst Ali Marie was out at lunch. Upon her return Olga insisted Ali Marie called him.
The call led to Dolan inviting Ali Marie to an opening he was hosting at Gallery 1313 and when determined Olga practically stated to Ali Marie “If you don’t go to the opening, I’m not sure I can be a reference for you” it was all the encouragement Ali Marie needed to get herself there…
I put on my artiest outfit or what I perceive to be artsy. I had actually never attended an art opening and expected something straight out of New York in the 60s: white walls, black turtlenecks, bad wigs. Gallery 1313 was, in actuality, the derelict, soon-to-be-demolished home that Dolan was living in and had transformed into a live/work/gallery space. Outside was a spotlight on a part-circus, part-confederate flag banner suspended from the 2nd floor window; about 100 sports-related trophies planted into the yard; a portable record player with a long extension cord leading inside, and a small, folksy sign saying ‘Gallery 1313′.
I went inside, met Dolan and the 2 other people in attendance, stayed until about midnight, picked up Dolan the next morning at 8am to show him around Chicago, and then proceeded to move-in with Dolan in less than 2 weeks time. No joke. We’ve been living and working together ever since!
The proposal
The marriage proposal officially began with an anonymous clue I received in the mail addressed to: Ms. Allison Walsh, post-marked from an unfamiliar zip code, and with a Treasure Island library book card inside. This was the first clue in a 2-week scavenger hunt created for me by some anonymous game master. The final set of clues involved me unburying a canister behind our studio building with a small metal implement with the words “Use Me” written in Sharpie, following another map to a tall tree, climbing up the tree to take down a wooden, birdhouse-like box, popping open a hinge using the metal implement to reveal another wooden piece reading “Will You Marry Me”, and turning around to see Dolan down on one knee proposing to me.
It’s hard to imagine, but I never suspected Dolan the whole time. It took me a good 10-15 minutes to respond to Dolan’s question because I was in such utter shock. The long version of this story involves a lot of other crazy side-notes including a horrible car accident the night before the proposal in which our car was totaled by a drunk and/or high driver. Dolan’s proposal was definitely memorable!
And as if that awesome proposal wasn’t enough…
The wedding present
Dolan loves surprises. The next big surprise was my wedding present: a surprise office make-over that was completed while we were out of town for an art fair. We returned home, I opened the door to my office, and discovered my new office:
The office before & after
I’m bracing myself for our 10-year anniversary..haha!
The wedding
With a proposal story like that one this wedding was never going to be boring…
Hair: The idea for the hair is one of my favourite ever! Ali Marie bought buttons from various Etsy stores and had a friend sew them into her hair. The button idea and hairstyling on the day was courtesy of Gia Tummillo As a collage artist Dolan loved the colour and tactility of the buttons.
Make-up: As Dolan & Ali Marie run a green business and are very eco-conscious Ali Marie opted for natural make-up products that were applied by friend Trisha Star.
Dress: From Anthropologie, Ali Marie admits she’d have liked a handmade dress from an Etsy seller but simply ran out of time. The dress was what she was looking for though: feminine, not too formal, off-white, above the knee, and perfect with cowboy boots.
Shoes: The aforementioned cowboy boots for Ali Marie & vintage Frye boots for Dolan. Awesome!
Bride’s flowers & groom’s boutonniere: Co-designed by Dolan’s mother and sister, Chicago’s Hello Darling put together the beautiful bright blooms.
Accessories: As Ali Marie isn’t a fan of wearing rings, Dolan had artist friend Adam Smith modify his grandmother’s locket into a beautiful engagement necklace. For the wedding rings Ali Marie wore her grandmother’s for luck, as her grandparents had been married for over 75 years! And Dolan wore a piece created by Wounded Line. Dolan’s sister handpicked the stunning vintage brooch Ali Marie pinned to her dress and Dolan’s belt and bolo added more cowboy touches.
Bridesmaids & groomsmen: Dolan & Ali Marie opted for an intimate wedding with just the two of them and Dolan’s childhood pastor.
Ceremony venue: The flora–filled Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago.
Cake & reception venue: Stephanie and Tim of Tinycakes made the wedding cake, with cute sugar buttons to match Ali Marie’s hair. And, as a surprise from Ali Marie to Dolan, they also set up a small reception in Ali Marie’s new office whilst the ceremony was taking place.
Awesome wedding images courtesy of Laura Meyer
What a wonderful personalised wedding! And a great example of, how Ali Marie puts it, ‘a wedding that falls somewhere in the middle of eloping to the $50,000+ wedding spectrum…To everyone with weddings on the horizon, I say create your own story and you won’t regret a moment.’
I couldn’t agree more.
Debs
Dolan Geiman:
Dolan Geiman website
Dolan Geiman blog
Contact Dolan Geiman
Photographer Details:
Laura Meyer’s website
Laura Meyer’s blog
Contact Laura
I love this – it’s so so very sweet and personal. Those photos complement the beautiful story perfectly, and really show the love that the two of them have for each other. I love that they had the wedding as just the two of them – it must have been intense, but in a great way.
Amazing isn’t it! Such an inspirational couple. A ‘meant-to-be’ couple. I just love the whole story… how they met and the fact they moved in and became business partners almost instantly! And even though they practically spend all hours of the day together Dolan still managed to surprise Ali Marie with that awesome office & that proposal! I love the photo where they are hugging with their eyes shut – so lovely : )
i love you guys and i could hear the stories 1000 times!
looks awesome guys!!
p.s. dolan, where’d you get that awesome belt?!?!?
i love that every time i see this story there is one more detail i missed the last time. kind of like everytime i view a piece of dolan’s art… continue to be surprises. thanks for sharing.