Real Wedding: Ellen & Joe at The Drake

Jennifer Delgado Jennifer Delgado | February 23, 2024 | Wedding Features,

ELLEN KLOSTERMAN & JOE CRANE

April 15, 2023
The Drake
Photographed by Daniela Cardili Photography

The look was all about the dress—Ellen’s Zuhair Murad gown featured tiers and layers of tulle.

THE COUPLE Ellen Klosterman and Joe Crane met on Hinge; he was her first and only match. “After our first couple dates, we both deleted the app and never looked back,” Ellen says. Joe proposed a year later on New Year’s Eve, with family and friends there to witness the special moment.

THE DETAILS The duo’s wedding at The Drake brought back memories for the bride, whose family used to stay there during the holidays. She walked down the aisle to a live string quartet performing “Storybook Love” from The Princess Bride. Preceding her? The couple’s dog, Gus, walked down the aisle in a mini tuxedo alongside the ring bearer.

THE PARTY “There is so much character in the Gold Coast Room that I wanted to let that shine,” Ellen says. The room’s gold-andwhite decor was embellished with cascading bouquets of lush white flowers. During their first dance, cold sparklers erupted around them; and after the venue’s iconic Champagne parade, Joe swept Ellen away to the hotel rooftop for impromptu photos. “I almost said no because I was having so much fun dancing, but I’m very glad he pried me up there!” the bride says. Then, they partied late into the night at an afterparty overlooking Michigan Avenue.

The classic cake on display