Elizabeth Brunske rescheduled her first date with her now-wife Melissa Nunez three times before they met at the Emporium Arcade Bar in Logan Square two years ago.
However, according to Brunske, the wait was worth it. It was the most fun she had ever had on a first date. Nunes wasn't intimidated by her competitiveness at the games, and they stayed up late talking about just about everything. Meanwhile, Nunez felt like she was “floating on clouds” and appreciated that Brunske saw her shyness.
“That’s what our whole relationship was about: We could just talk to each other and be open and not judge,” Brunske, 27, said.
On Friday morning, Brunske and Nunez, 25, became the first couple to marry in Cook County in 2026, a milestone they and their families celebrated with kisses and applause. Brunske wore a red dress and a sparkling ring on her finger, while Nunes wore a red sweater of the same color.
Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon performed the ceremony at her downtown office, asking them to love, respect and support each other before pronouncing them married. They also made a toast. The Clerk's Office is the official registry of marriages throughout the county.
“I believe in love. I believe in everlasting love,” Gordon said. “And I look at you too, and it seems to me that this will last forever.”
Nunez applied for the coveted and competitive first marriage license, which came as a surprise to Brunske. Although they never thought they would win. After all, more than 1,000 Chicago couples entered this year's lottery, the largest number of applications ever received.
Therefore, it is not surprising that another couple initially won the lottery. But when they dropped out of the competition, Nunez and Brunske, who live in the Humboldt Park area, received a “surprising” phone call telling them they were the new winners.
Brunske and Nunes are also the first lesbian couple ever to win, officials said.
“I think it’s really cool,” Brunske said of the event. “2026 is set to be a year of love and prosperity, so I can’t wait to see what it has in store for us.”
They prepared for the ceremony for about two weeks. One of Brunske's best friends, Jen Guzman, said Friday that their marriage was “meant to be.” She was the first person her friend told about her engagement in September. Guzman joked that she initially missed the call, but immediately called back when Brunske texted “911.”
“They were always going through something, struggling, and never had time for themselves,” Guzman said. “It's like after all the struggle and negativity, they finally have a happy ending.”
Brunske's 11-year-old son also said he was “excited.” The couple said they hope to have more children in the future. Nunez works as a hairdresser for Home Depot and Branske.
The couple met on the dating app Tinder about two years ago. Brunske said she was browsing blindly and, by a stroke of luck, found Nunez. Nunez, however, said Brunske looked beautiful and was shocked when they turned out to be the same.
They always had fun on dates. Nunez fondly remembers their second mini-golf date, where she tried and failed to beat Brunske. They also have a tradition of going to Lollapalooza together. Nunes likes Brunske's positive attitude, and Brunske said she appreciates that Nunes “gives everything” to show she cares.
They bought the rings a few months earlier after they started talking about getting engaged. Brunske said it took “everything in me” not to show my then-girlfriend the ring before they enjoyed a quiet proposal at home.
After Friday's ceremony, the young couple left with gifts from local businesses, including a stay at the Ritz-Carlton and flowers from LaSalle Flower Group. Brunske said plans are being made for a honeymoon and reception for their extended family next year.
“We are happy and excited to begin this next chapter,” Brunske said. “I never thought I'd get married. So for anyone who's thinking that right now, remember that it's going to happen.”
