When they met through mutual friends at a party 17 years ago, Gabrielle Post and Matthew Malmon, both 38 of Palos Park, had an instant connection. “He was so magnetic and charismatic and he just never stopped talking — the life of the party,” says Post, a bridal hair and makeup artist. “I said to my friend, ‘Oh gosh, I think I’m going to be with him for a long time.’ ”

“Marriage wasn’t even really on our radar until we turned 30 and then his little sister got engaged and we had to wait our turn … and then his older sister got engaged and we had to wait our turn,” Post says. In the fall of 2016, Malmon — a territory sales manager for a veterinary nutrition company — proposed with a ring he had custom-made with the diamond from his mother’s engagement ring. Wedding plans were put on hold just months later when Malmon found out he had a rare tumor inside his spinal cord; it required surgery and extensive rehab to relearn how to walk, starting with a month of inpatient therapy. “Every night I slept by his side at the hospital,” Post says.

The long road to recovery made their Nov. 10 wedding at the Kimpton Gray Hotel (122 W. Monroe, grayhotelchicago.com) especially worth the wait. They walked down the aisle lined with copper vases of pampas grass and Malmon’s cousin married them in front of a bloom-laden backdrop inspired by the “moody floral” motif of their black, blush, and gold invitations, which Post’s sister helped design. The bride even did her own hair and makeup. “My hands were shaking, but it worked out.”

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS

Wedding planner: LOLA Event Productions, 1917 N. Milwaukee., lolaeventproductions.com

Bride’s attire: Caroline DeVillo dress from Nordstrom, shop.nordstrom.com; custom Gibson Bespoke beaded cape, gibsonbespoke.co.uk

Bridesmaids’ attire: Dresses from Nordstrom and BHLDN, 8 E. Walton, bhldn.com; feathered jackets from amazon.com

Groom’s attire: Custom by Maury Cesair, Israel

Groomsmen’s attire: The Black Tux, 917 W. Armitage, theblacktux.com

Catering: Boleo at the Kimpton Gray Hotel, boleochicago.com

Dessert: Lemon cake, doughnuts, tarts, and shooters by West Town Bakery, 1916 W. Chicago, westtownbakery.com; black cake by Evers So Sweet, everssosweet.com

Entertainment: DJ Dustin Harris, dustinharris.biz; live music by Simon Doniec, Frank Pratt, Jay Starr, and James Woody; photo booth by Slo Moe Booth, slomoebooth.com

Floral and decor: Grass, greenery, gold candlesticks, and mercury glass votives by Beth Koenig

Rings: Windy City Diamonds, 1 S. Wabash, windycitydiamonds.com

Photos by Gina Cristine Photography