Hannah Miller was scrolling through a dating app in the summer of 2018 when she saw Nathaniel Al-Najjar’s profile. He was dressed in a sailor suit, using a cast photo of himself from a role in the musical H.M.S Pinafore.
“He looked so cute in his photo,” she said.
Al-Najjar found Miller equally captivating: “The exact right person found that [photo] endearing. Hannah came from a theater background, so that’s what caught her eye.”
At the time, both were living in Chicago and the two eventually met for their first date at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! in Lincoln Park.
From there, the pair dated steadily for two years and moved in together in the summer of 2020 as both of their leases were coming to an end.
“COVID was rampant when we moved in together, but it went well,” Al-Najjar said.
In the summer of 2022, the pair moved to Evanston where they currently reside.
Al-Najjar is the son of Lynda and Nabil Al-Najjar, of Wilmette. He graduated from Northwestern University in 2016 and is a consultant with Marketplace.city, a startup consulting firm focusing on local governments.
Miller is the daughter of Mark Miller and the late Sandy Miller, of Gardner, Kansas. She graduated from Kansas State University and obtained a master’s degree in education from DePaul University in 2023. She is a second grade teacher at Roycemore School in Evanston.
Cracking each other up
The couple share a love of storytelling and find each other incredibly amusing.
“We are endlessly entertaining each other despite being inscrutable to everyone else,” Al-Najjar said as he mentioned the many jokes and expressions the two have cultivated during their relationship.
Miller shared her love of Peter Pan and explained how her childhood crush’s impish and pixie qualities are manifested in Al-Najjar.
“Nathaniel kind of embodies Peter Pan,” she said. “He’s very cute and has gorgeous dimples. He smiles with his eyes.”
As for the actual marriage proposal, things didn’t go exactly as planned. Al-Najjar’s mother is French-Canadian and he planned to propose to Miller after a hike to the top of Mount Royal in Montreal, with a photographer waiting to capture the moment. Miller had never been to Montreal, and Al-Najjar was eager to show her one of his favorite locations in the area. A canceled flight delayed the original proposal date, but with a bit of patience, he was able to pull off the surprise at the end of the couple’s weekend.
“Hannah wasn’t totally surprised by the proposal, but she was surprised by the photographer,” Al-Najjar explained.
Hannah Miller and Nathaniel Al-Najjar’s wedding in Chicago. Credit: The Still Life 
Credit: The Still Life 
Credit: The Still Life 
Credit: The Still Life
The couple was married on March 30 at Cafe Brauer in Lincoln Park Zoo, close to the site of their first date. Michael David Allen, a close friend of the couple, served as officiant in front of 125 guests. To honor the bride’s late mother, a chair along with a bouquet of her favorite flowers was in place for the ceremonies. Flowers for the event were provided by Flowers for Dreams.
Both Miller and Al-Najjar were extremely taken with each other as they spent time prior to the ceremony for a first look, when the couple first saw each other all dressed up in wedding attire, a meaningful and private connection with no one else present. Emotions flowed from each as they convened, one of the many poignant moments they shared during the entire event.
“Hannah looked good and she knew it,” Al-Najjar commented.
‘Emotional and very special’
“Nathaniel’s reaction was what I expected,” Miller added. “He welled up. We received a lot of compliments on our written vows and I enjoyed that. It was emotional and very special.”
Following a delicious dinner, the wedding guests danced to tunes spun by DJ Tabitha of Toast and Jam.
The couple was surrounded by friends and family from far and wide, as guests traveled from Canada, Singapore and Sweden to share in their happiness. Reconnecting with childhood friends made the event even more special and built a true community around the two and their union.
While they plan a honeymoon to Switzerland later this year, the newlyweds are enjoying their married life together and parenting their two kittens.
Editor’s note: The Evanston RoundTable is pleased to present They Do, a glimpse into the love stories and celebrations of local readers and their relatives. Please contact us if you have a wedding or commitment announcement you’d like to share and include your name, the name of your partner and an email address. We’ll be in touch to spread the love.