Alicia Shonuga

Wedding & Events Planner

Hi there! I’m Alicia, the lead wedding planner here at truejoyweddings. Although I have a bit of a non-traditional background, stick with me for just a second.

I graduated in December 2015 from the University of Waterloo in Canada, accomplishing a B.Sc in Chemistry. I started in the Wedding & Events space the following month in January 2016, as an Assistant Wedding & Events Coordinator for Annie Melissa Events in Toronto, Canada. In that same year, friends of mine were getting engaged & married, so naturally, I offered to help plan their weddings.

In 2019, truejoyweddings officially launched, initially serving the Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge and Toronto regions.

In the midst of all this, I met the one whom my soul loves and we planned our own intimate elopement at Toronto City Hall in July 2018. After a long 1.5 years of long-distance marriage waiting for the visa process, I finally immigrated to Chicago, IL on February 25th, 2020 to reunite with my Chicago-native husband. truejoyweddings also migrated and began serving the Chicagoland area in January 2021.

With years of experience, I’ve had the privilege of working with many different couples planning very unique weddings; from various venues, themes, styles, guest counts, cultures, traditions, preferences, and budgets. In addition, I believe my Chemistry background truly sets me apart! I’ve developed a very strong sense of attention to detail, as being just slightly off in a lab setting could mean the difference between a successful experiment and an explosion. I’ve easily applied this skill and intuition into wedding planning.

Equipped with my meticulous attention to detail and organization, strong vendor relations and professionalism, and fueled by our genuine passion to see all couple’s starting their marriage with the best celebration ever, truejoyweddings will turn your wedding dreams into a stress-free, JOY-filled reality!

Deric Shonuga

Wedding & Events Planner

Hey! I’m Deric; the husband, day-of assistant, and second half of truejoyweddings.

I jumped on board in 2021, after seeing the passion for weddings exuding in my wife when she would plan and even just talk about her couples. Adding not just an extra set of hands and eyes over the day of the wedding, I play a vital role in ensuring all parties involved are heard, seen, and taken care of.

From calming the groom down with a pep talk right before the ceremony to finding grandma a wheelchair at the venue to even running out to get your DJ another extension cord, I not only add an extra bit of assurance to the exceptional service truejoyweddings provides, but I also contribute a different perspective, making sure we are covered on all fronts.