Kevin Tonn & Kristin Knudsen

evin Tonn and Kristin Knudsen first forged a close friendship while attending Wheaton North High School, but didn’t connect romantically until college. With a five-hour drive between them (Tonn attended Hope College and Knudsen the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), the two snuck in visits whenever they could. “Absence really does make the heart grow fonder,” laughs Knudsen. Tonn, now a special education teacher and Knudsen, a speech language pathologist, honored their shared roots by tying the knot at College Church (332 E. Seminary, Wheaton) in a traditional Christian ceremony July 27. “Our faith is really important to us, so we really wanted the ceremony to be something we would remember forever,” says Knudsen. Helping make it extra special was Knudsen’s grandfather, who carried on a family tradition by singing two guitar-accompanied songs during the ceremony. The couple exchanged rings from Wheaton’s Stones Jewelry (107 W. Front) — another family tradition that goes back four generations — before moving the party to their favorite Wheaton bar, The Bank (123 W. Front). Later, more than 200 family members and friends attended the reception at Royal Fox Country Club (4405 Royal & Ancient, St. Charles), where they enjoyed an evening of dinner and dancing. The bride and groom handwrote place cards with notes for each guest, who later left congratulatory messages for the couple in a video booth in return. “The entire day went without any problems or hiccups,” says Knudsen. “It was truly perfect.”

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