Long-time Mount Prospect resident Joe Sonnefeldt, a professional percussionist and former member of the District 57 School Board, married Amy Barwan, a fellow musician who plays the oboe and English horn, on the front lawn of Sonnefeldt’s home on North Fairview Avenue in a very small, socially-distanced wedding on July 25. The celebrant was Pastor Rick Kesler of The South Church.
“I’ve lived in Mount Prospect since 1998 and raised two children here,” Sonnefeldt said. “I met Amy Barwan in 2017 when we both played in the pit orchestra for Disney’s “Aladdin” when it ran in Chicago. Amy moved here in June 2018 and she loves Mount Prospect! Although we were planning to get married at some time, we had not set a date.”
“When theaters and the performing arts shut down in March 2020, we soon realized that we would be unemployed for a long time and that whenever our work returned, it would take a long time to recover financially. So, we decided not to let the pandemic delay our wedding indefinitely.”
“Our wedding party was limited to 11 people – ourselves; best man, Peter Brusen; matron of honor, Lisa Fako; my daughter, Nicole; Amy’s son, David Dowd; my parents; Amy’s mother and aunt; and the pastor. Everyone received a negative COVID test result before the wedding.”
The ceremony was live-streamed for friends and other family members to watch and then the nearby-ones got in their cars and drove by the house to congratulate them. Joe and Amy stood on the front lawn to greet each car and gave their “guests” individually packaged scoops of Capannari’s ice cream, special cupcakes from Central Continental Bakery and custom masks commemorating the day.
Photo credits: Ashley Hamm Photography , Ashley Hamm Photography, Arlington Heights IL
