Cheers erupt as a bride and groom get married in Naperville for New Years Eve. Already special as it is, making the wedding even more so is their choice of venue, exchanging vows in the gym of Washington Jr. High School.
How their story begins
Tim and Kaitlyn are teachers at Washington, meeting for the first time more than six years ago in the school’s library.
“That’s where our first hello was,” said Tim Panega. “My office is right next to her classroom. So we were right there and just kind of hit it off.”
“It’s just been easy, ever since the first date,” said Kaitlyn Panega.
The two got engaged on Thanksgiving, 2023. They broke the news to students at Washington shortly after.
“Students didn’t know we were dating for the first five years,” said Tim. “It wasn’t until we got engaged that that was the time we’d share it with them and the response we got from them was truly amazing.”
Traveling together
According to their site on The Knot, Kaitlyn and Tim have “taken many adventures together” over the years, including a trip to New Orleans only one month after dating. Since then, they’ve traveled to Ireland, Mexico, Siesta Key, San Francisco/Napa, New York City, Houston, Phoenix, Seattle, Maine, Colorado, Las Vegas, and Hawaii.
Students join for wedding at Washington
Fast forward more than a year later, the two teachers once again invited their students to join them for their wedding day.
“As soon as I walked in, I gasped. I couldn’t believe how many people were here,” said Kaitlyn. “We both love what we do, and the kids and the parents are such a big part of that. And we were very dead set on having them involved in the big day because it wouldn’t have been the same if they weren’t here.”
“I really thought that their characters connected to each other and that they were perfect for each other,” said Kendall Niday, a student at Washington. She also played role of usher at the wedding, alongside classmate Addelyn Workman.
“It’s definitely touching and it’s very special,” said Adellyn Workman. “I’m so grateful for both of them.”
The wedding brought new meaning to “Ring in the new year.” Following the ceremony, the two had a reception at Drury Lane in Oakbrook.
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