Picture Perfect: Jill & Michael

Melanie Medrano Melanie Medrano | February 24, 2025 | Wedding Features,

Two Chicago real estate brokers escape to Paris to tie the knot—and celebrate with a fashion-forward photo shoot.

Jill & Michael

May 13, 2024
Paris

Photographed by Alyssa Belkaci Photography

When Jill Silverstein first met Michael Battista en route to a real estate agent’s outing, she was instantly smitten. “I lit up when I met him,” the bride says. “It was literally love at first sight.” A week later, the two met for a drink at Maple & Ash, and the rest is history.

Michael proposed in their Gold Coast apartment after an extensive renovation, surrounded by flowers with the pear-shaped diamond Jill had dreamed of. They eloped on a Paris rooftop with the Eiffel Tower as the backdrop. “It was exactly what we wanted: intimate, different, romantic, sexy—very us,” Jill says. The bride’s brother officiated, adding a special touch to their ceremony.

Following their nontraditional nuptials, the couple celebrated with a photo session on the streets of the City of Love. The bride paired a white blazer dress and sunglasses with a vintage black car, embodying the duo’s cool vibe. “This felt very authentic, fun and exciting, much like our romance,” Jill says. They rounded out the evening with dinner at Le Grand Colbert to bask in the moment.