Katy Coffey and Brian Werle’s story is one of second chances—at love, at life, and at giving back. The couple, who found each other later in life after raising children and navigating previous marriages, recently tied the knot in a celebration that combined joy, purpose, and a deep appreciation for books.
The pair were married on Coffey’s birthday. Their wedding was small but full of meaning, with Coffey’s son, Beck, and his childhood friend singing “All You Need Is Love” during the ceremony.
But what made their wedding especially unique was their gift request. Instead of asking for traditional presents, the couple invited guests to give children’s books. Their goal was to donate the books to a place where they would inspire and delight young readers.
“Reading was a huge part of our lives when our kids were growing up,” Coffey said. “We read every day, every night.”
Coffey’s daughter, Rosie, now has tattoos inspired by her favorite childhood books: Harold and the Purple Crayon and Strega Nona. Coffey herself still keeps boxes of children’s books in storage, hoping to one day read them to grandchildren.
Through Rosie’s work at Start Early, a nonprofit focused on early childhood education, the couple partnered with Educare, a child care center in Chicago’s South Side that serves children from six weeks to five years old.
Educare provided a list of book suggestions. The couple also consulted Women and Children First, an independent bookstore in Chicago, for additional recommendations. Combining those lists with their personal favorites, they created a registry filled with titles like The Rainbow Fish, The Color Monster, Julian Is a Mermaid, and Being You.
Their wedding invitations included a QR code that directed guests to buy books through the bookstore, which shipped them directly to the couple’s home. At the wedding, the books were displayed alongside guests’ place cards.
A few days later, Coffey and Werle donated 62 books to Educare.
“It felt really good,” Werle said.
The couple now hopes these books will help children feel seen, valued, and proud of who they are.
“What we want,” Coffey said, “is for the next generation to feel loved and celebrated, to feel proud of their diversity, and to feel like they’ve been seen.”
