Annie and Tom

Why I Love Annie...

Six years ago when we started dating, Annie described a relationship to me as not being another thing on "the plate" but rather the dipping sauce in which everything on "the plate" is dipped into making it taste better. Her comment completely changed the way I thought about love and was the beginning of my fascination with the depth of love.

I remember when the president of my college was retiring and gave his goodbye speech, even though there were 1000 people in the audience, he spent the whole time looking at his wife of 40+ years and by the end his eyes were filled with tears.

Then I watched John Nash's speech in A Beautiful Mind and it challenged my assumptions about logic vs. emotion and head vs. heart. "It's only in the mysterious equations of love that any logical reasons can be found." Wowzers!

NBC 5 Interview Outside at 6:45am in 44 Degree Weather

Here's our extra early morning interview on NBC 5:

Here's our early morning video review of the past day and Annie's unique wedding dress:

FAQ for "We got Hitched in Thailand...Let's Party" Party

Together for seven years and engaged for two, the Krieglberts wanted a unique, relaxed wedding that suited our adventurous personalities and budget, so after losing out on the Today Show Wedding, we opted to get hitched in the beautiful “Land of Smiles.” Well, first we got legally hitched at the place where we met, College of DuPage (classy, we know), with our parents and friend/officiant. We then traveled to Thailand and exchanged vows on a private beach in Phuket. Check out pictures here.

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What should I wear?

Think cocktail. Don’t forget your dancing shoes too.

Am I really suppose to RSVP by May 20th?

Nope. Between Krieglstein time and Colbert procrastination, we were a little late shipping out the invites, so please just get back to us by June 1. We had the RSVP postcards printed back in March...oops!

Is this a wedding or a party or a circus?

We like to call it our “We got hitched in Thailand...let’s party” party. We plan to show a short clip of our Thailand vows and feature a few other reception traditions, but the decor will be all lounge and not so much banquet hall.

What is there to do in Chicago?

Summer in Chicago is the best time of year (barely beating out those bone-chillingly cold winters), so there’s oodles of awesome events to please everyone’s tastes. Here’s a sampling:

Cubs Game - Cubbies will be playing at home the weekend of June 19th, so swing up to our neighborhood and catch the Northsiders battle Cleveland. Sorry Southsiders, the Sox are on the road that weekend.

Lincoln Park Zoo - If you’re in the mood for monkeys, polar bears and flamingos, check out the delightful (and free!) Lincoln Park Zoo.

North Ave Beach - A hop and a skip from the zoo, North Ave Beach is a popular place to catch some rays, engage in a little beach volleyball and enjoy beautiful views of the city’s skyline.

Museums - Take your pick: Art Institute, Museum of Science & Industry, Adler Planetarium, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, etc. They’re all fabulous and easily accessible with public transportation.

Millennium Park - Located in the heart of downtown, Millennium Park is considered Chicago’s crowning jewel, despite opening four years after the turn of the millennium. :) The park features the Cloud Gate (aka “the bean”), Crown Fountain, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Lurie Garden and other attractions. Oh, and it’s free!

Festivals Galore - Summer weekends mean different festivals, fairs and parades in neighborhoods all the way from Roger’s Park to Bronzeville. Festivals going down June 19th to 21st include Chicago Peace Fest, Smooth Jazz Festival, Taste of Greece, Taste of Randolph Street, Puerto Rican Day Parade and Belmont Arts and Music Fest.

There’s about billion other things happening in our lovely city, so if nothing listed above suited your fancy, check out The Lonely Planet Guide or shoot us an email. We apologize, but we cannot arrange hair consultations with our disgraced former Governor Blagojevich at this time. :)

What’s the plan for this shindig?

We’re still working out the details, but the evening will likely include live music, roaming performers, yummy Chicago-themed food, speaker shenanigans and a short video of our Thailand wedding.

Can we bring the kiddeos?

Of course!

How do I contact the Kreiglberts with other questions?

Email us anytime at annietomwedding at gmail dot com

Are you registered somewhere?

Yes--at Pottery Barn, Amazon, and Crate and Barrel. Although, for us, the real gift is you showing up and celebrating with us, so please don’t feel at all obligated.

Did you crazy kids really change your name to Krieglbert?

Not legally, but since Krieglstein-Colbert (or Colbert-Krieglstein) is kind of a mouth full, we just call ourselves the Krieglberts. Plus, it sounds like some sort of Muppet. 

It's Time to Vote for Annie and Tom!

Wake up early to catch our appearance on NBC's Today Show?

It proved to be quite a show with a lot of feathers, falls and frolicking! Now it's time to VOTE!!

You can vote via online AND texting!

1) Via online for Couple #5 at http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23713175
2) Via texting by texting "5" to 46833

Remember, we're Chicagoans, so the old phrase of vote early and vote often applies, even if you hail from a different part of the country or world. And by "early and often," I mean vote via both internet and text and then tell all your friends, family, strangers and pet rocks. :)

Thank you so much for all the support! Feel free to leave wall comments regarding my "80's prom dress gone bad meets flapper chic" wedding dress creation.

Much Love,
Annie & Tom

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Watch Annie + Tom Tomorrow 8am on the NBC TODAY SHOW WEDDING

Hello Hello Hello!

We finally arrived in NYC to meet with the TODAY Show crew! Boo flight delays; yay TV!

Tomorrow Annie and I will appear on the TODAY Show on NBC during the 8 am hour, so set your Tivo, DVR, or dust off your VHS tapes and enjoy our bright and early smiling faces.

Voting kicks off Wednesday and concludes Monday. We'll send an email tomorrow with where and how to vote. 'Til then, wish us luck and drink some coffee, green tea or a barrel of Red Bull for us :)

- Tom + Annie

Happy Mother's Day To My (Annie's) Mom

Ok, yes, little Annie in her yellow sun dress looks adorably innocent, but the story behind the picture tells a whole other tale. On one of many trips to Pittsburgh's Kennywood, Annie hopped on her favorite train ride and grabbed the choo-choo rope, but then a mean little (or by mom's account, twice Annie's size) boy boarded the train and yanked the string from little Annie. Never one to back down, Annie punched him the arm and rightfully reclaimed her job as the train's choo-choo gal. The little boy? He learned a life lesson from a cute girl in a yellow sun dress. My mom always encouraged me to show my spunk and is always the first one to spot my feisty streak brewing. I will always be her "baby Annie Lizzie" and that's fine by me. :)

Annie and the Lupus Monster

Greetings Friends! I’ve received several questions about Lupus and figured I’d tackle them here with a little Annie spunk. Like I said in our video, I was diagnosed at the age of 17 after years of chronic illness. Throughout high school I dealt with a serious head injury, vasovagal syncope and what I like to call a “lazy immune system.” Finally, after dealing with an unbearable amount of fatigue and pain, a doctor suggested I visit a rheumatologist, who determined I had Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Yeah, that’s a mouthful, so just stick to saying Lupus or SLE. Eight years later, I’ve learned to deal with the fatigue, pain, infections that won’t quit and overall annoyance of dealing with chronic illness. I still have bad days (and REALLY bad days), but luckily, with the support of Mas (Tom) and my family, I’ve had the opportunity to create a life where I feel like I hold the reigns over my disease and even managed to backpack around the world. Sure, I took a whole lotta naps and spent quite a few days curled up in a bed at a random European hostel, but still, Lupus won’t stop me from exploring life! I look forward to competing on Today Throws a Wedding and showing what a chick with SLE can do!

More information on Lupus > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systemic_lupus_erythematosus

Hotels for "We got Hitched in Thailand...Let's Party" Party

The party is located downtown but both our parents live in the western suburbs. Knowing that some will want to be downtown near the party and some will want to be closer to our parents, below are hotel options for both downtown and the western suburbs. Enjoy!

Downtown Hotels:

#1 - Club Quarters ($139) - Right off Michigan Ave and the Chicago River.

#2 - Red Rood Inn ($139) - Brand name hotel downtown only a few blocks from Michigan Ave.

#3 - Intercontinental ($161) - Willing to spend a bit more and get a bit more at this hotel on Michigan Ave.

#4 - Chicago Hostel ($35 per bed) - Willing to rough it? Go Hosteling at this downtown Chicago Hostel right next to Grant Park off of Michigan Ave.

Western Suburbs Hotels:

#1 - Rodeway Inn ($53) - Nothing fancy here, but it will give you a bed with clean sheets near the families.

#2 - Crowne Plaza ($99) - Off of Roosevelt road with easy access to both families and to downtown.

#3 - Doubletree ($100) - Near two popular shopping malls off a major road with easy access to downtown.