About Us
Mike Benonis and Michael Ross, grooms
Mike and Michael met on OKCupid. Our first date was on January 10, 2013 – the first several minutes of which were spent in awkward indecision as we tried to figure out where to go for dinner. We ultimately ended up at a Middle Eastern restaurant that was delicious, but we never went back and it closed less than a year later.
In spite of our debilitating indecisiveness, deciding to get married was the easiest decision we ever made. On March 16, 2019, Michael proposed to Mike in Berlin, Germany at Mauerpark – an urban park that was divided and heavily fortified during the Cold War. Upon Reunification, the Wall dividing the park came down, rejoining the divided community, and became a park focused on local artistry.
Max Clevenson, best man
Jeffrey Ross, best man
David Jeffery, ordained officiant
Milo Benonis-Ross, family cat (in absentia)
Who’s Milo?
If you’re asking this, then you must not know the grooms terribly well! Milo Mew Benonis-Ross was born on October 18, 2013 and found his forever home in our family on August 27, 2016.
Milo particularly enjoys “family time”, which can range anywhere from cuddling on the couch with us to meowing loudly in our bedroom at 3 AM. Milo also enjoys getting his head scratched, napping, and destroying expensive furniture.
Milo came into our family thanks to the Washington Humane Society (now Humane Rescue Alliance) in Washington, D.C. Although he cannot be present at our wedding, he’s a beloved and cherished member of the Benonis-Ross household. Milo’s presence in our family has taught both of us patience, understanding, charity, and unconditional love.
Also, he’s a cat.
Venue
We look forward to you joining us for our special day at the Revolution Brewing Brewpub. Both ceremony and reception will take place in the Brewers’ Lounge, located on the 2nd floor (an elevator is available).
2323 North Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60647
United States of America
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Revolution is located in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago and brews/serves some of the city’s best beers in a classic atmosphere. For those who haven’t been, we’re excited to share this special and fun place with you.
When mapping directions, please note that our venue – Revolution Brewing Brewpub – is a separate place from Revolution Brewery, located several blocks away.
Directions
Revolution Brewing Brewpub does not offer onsite parking. Limited metered street parking is available, and so we encourage you to use public transportation. NEVER drink and drive.
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) fares can be paid by buying a Ventra card or by tapping your contactless credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay.
Closest CTA Rail (‘L’) station: California blue line station
Revolution is only 600 feet away from the ‘L’! When exiting the station, turn right (northbound) onto California Avenue. At the first intersection, turn left onto Milwaukee Avenue. Revolution will be a few storefronts up on your right, just past Steel Petal Press.
Closest ADA-Accessible ‘L’ station: Logan Square blue line station (elevator at the Kedzie Avenue exit)
Closest CTA Bus routes: 56 Milwaukee (at California stop), 52 Kedzie/California (at Milwaukee stop), 74 Fullerton (at California stop), 73 Armitage (at California stop)
Closest Divvy bike station: California & Milwaukee Avenues
Closest Metra stations: Healy (MD-N line) and Clybourn (UP-N and UP-NW lines)
If you’d like to use rideshare, use promo code MICHAEL715245 on Lyft or zzih8 on Uber to get $5 off your first ride.
Run of Show
All events listed below will take place at Revolution Brewing Brewpub except where otherwise noted. All times are CDT (UTC−05:00) on Saturday, March 21, 2020.
11:00 AM: Doors open, and pre-ceremony begins. Bloody Marys, mimosas, beer, wine, coffee, and tea will be served.
11:30 AM: Please plan on arriving no later than this time.
Noon: A brief ceremony, officiated by David Jeffery, will take place. While this will be predominantly a standing-room only event, limited seating will be available to those who need it.
12:15 PM: Conclusion of ceremony, shortly thereafter followed by continued beverage service as well as a buffet brunch. Vegetarian, gluten-free, and nonalcoholic options will be plentiful.
3:00 PM: Conclusion of wedding festivities at Revolution Brewing Brewpub.
10:00 PM: The party will continue with dancing at Roscoe’s Tavern, one of our favorite dance clubs and queer spaces in Chicago.
3356 North Halsted Street
Chicago, Illinois 60657
United States of America
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While Roscoe’s is a gay club in the Boystown neighborhood, we invite and welcome all of you to join us there – regardless of your orientation, gender identity, age, or background. Please note that Roscoe’s is a public venue, which charges a $10 cover.
Out of Towners
If you’re coming to our wedding from outside Chicagoland, welcome! We’re grateful that you’re making the journey and excited to have you experience our adopted hometown.
We suggest flying into either of Chicago’s airports, O’Hare (ORD) or Midway (MDW). Both airports are connected directly to the rest of the city via the ‘L’ (none of that “shuttle bus” nonsense here).
We do not have a room block for our wedding. Instead, we encourage you to stay in a neighborhood you’ll love so you can get to know our city better. We’ve included a few recommendations in each neighborhood.
If you’re not sure where to stay but don’t want to stay alone, let us know so we can put you in touch with like-minded fellow guests. If you’d like to stay in an Airbnb rather than in a hotel, use promo code michaelr15079 to get $55 off your first stay.
Logan Square and Wicker Park
As the neighborhood that’s home to our venue, Logan Square and adjacent Wicker Park are your closest choices to our wedding. Mostly a residential area with a strong hipster vibe, these neighborhoods plenty of Airbnbs within walking distance of Revolution Brewing Brewpub as well as numerous other bars, cafés, and shops.
$$$: The Robey (a Marriott hotel) at 2018 West North Avenue
The Loop
Downtown (better known as the Loop) is your best choice if you’re seeking a business-class hotel, if you want to be close to all of Chicago’s transportation options, or if you just want to wrap yourself around the city’s iconic skyscrapers. CTA’s blue line trains will take you from downtown to our wedding venue in 20 minutes.
$$$: Chicago Athletic Association (a Hyatt hotel) at 12 South Michigan Avenue
$$: J.W. Marriott Chicago at 151 West Adams Street
$: Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Downtown at 10 East Grand Avenue
Boystown
If you’d like instead to be close to the afterparty, look no further than Boystown and the surrounding neighborhood of Lake View East. This area has some hotels, a lot more Airbnbs, and the most electric nightlife in Chicago. CTA buses will take you westward to our wedding venue in 30 minutes.
$$$: Best Western Plus Hawthorn Terrace at 3434 North Broadway
$: Hotel Versey at 644 West Diversey Parkway
Uptown
Live like a local… specifically: us! We live in Uptown, and the adjacent neighborhoods of Andersonville and Ravenswood are great ways to experience authentic Chicago while avoiding tourists.
$$$: The Guesthouse Hotel at 4872 North Clark Street
West Loop
Depending on which Chicagoans you ask, the West Loop is either foodie paradise, tech bro central, or that random area next to the United Center. We think it’s all of the above. Anyway, staying in Chicago’s West Loop will put you next to Fulton Market (home of Chicago’s most eclectic restaurants), Greektown, Little Italy, and Union Station.
$$$: Ace Hotel at 311 North Morgan Street
$$: Hyatt House Chicago West Loop at 105 North May Street
RSVP
Along with your mailed invitation, Milo provided an RSVP postcard that is already addressed. Please fill it out and drop it in the mail ASAP.
Registry
Your presence is truly the greatest present we could ask for! We are simply honored that you’d be willing to celebrate our big day with us. That, to us, is the best gift you’ll give us on March 21.
If you’d like to give a gift to commemorate our marriage, we would be grateful for a contribution to our Honeymoon Fund. As you probably know about us, travel is an important part of our lives and our relationship – and so we’ve decided to plan an unforgettable honeymoon to Scandinavia in autumn 2020.
Our wedding registry consists of experiences and expenses for our honeymoon. To give a gift, select an item from this registry, then follow the instructions to make your payment by debit/credit card*, Venmo, PayPal, or check.
Thank you for helping us to realize our first adventure together as husbands!
*Because our wedding registry’s platform, Honeyfund, charges us a 2.4% fee for gifts made via debit/credit card, we encourage you to give using another payment method if possible.
FAQ
What should I wear?
We encourage you to wear “smart casual”. We want you to relax and feel comfortable, so leave your business and formal attire at home! Jeans and a T-shirt may be too casual for our wedding, but a suit would be overkill.
Our advice: you’re bound to get photographed at our wedding, so wear something you’d want to see yourself wearing in photos years from now.
May I bring a date?
The invitation that Milo has sent you in the mail will indicate if you may bring a date. If so, please check your significant other’s name when remitting your RSVP postcard. If not, we look forward to introducing you to many of our fellow favorite humans at our wedding! We hope you will understand and respect the size limitations of our wedding.
Are children (human and/or furbabies) invited?
As our wedding will take place in a brewery, we hope that those of you who are parents will take a day to treat yourselves and enjoy our 21+, humans-only event. Please contact us directly if childcare is an issue – we can help.
May I post on social media?
Absolutely! Please tag your posts with our wedding hashtag: #MichaelsGettingMarried
What if I’m coming to your wedding from outside of the USA?
If you do not hold an American passport and require a visa to visit the USA, email milo@benonis-ross.wedding or contact one of the grooms immediately. We’ll gladly furnish a Letter of Invitation in support of your B-2 (tourist) visa.
What’s up with all the transit stuff?
Public transit is one of the first interests that we bonded over when we started dating. One of our go-to activities when we travel is seeking out other cities’ public transportation systems. The presence of transit in the cities in which we’ve lived has made it easier to explore, see friends, get around safely, and save money.
If you’re visiting for our wedding from outside Chicagoland, we hope you’ll take a trip on the ‘L’ – the Chicago Transit Authority’s rapid transit system and one of our country’s oldest. The design on our invitation will make much more sense to you once you see the ‘L’ in person.
What if I have other questions?
Please email milo@benonis-ross.wedding or contact one of the grooms directly.