DIY has come a long way. From overly crafty to perfectly classic, it’s amazing how SMPers have made doing it yourself oh-so-chic. This gorgeous Bride is the perfect example. She took DIY and made it all her own. Her timeless, jewel tone-infused soiree captured by Jaclyn Simpson Photography will have us smiling for days, and you can see all the reasons why right here.

 

From the Bride… My style is classic, but I inherited a love of bold retro colors from my dad, so our color scheme became jewel tones. A punchy purple was brought out in the bridesmaid dresses and peonies, while our paper products added bold blues, pinks, and greens. My love of art deco and glamour came out in the smaller touches like my shoes and jewelry, so as not to haunt the groom.

Our wedding was filled with DIYs, from all paper products to the cake to peony arrangements in the centers of the reception tables. The ladies in the family called our wedding “a labor of love,” and I’m so grateful for the late night alternations sessions, flower arranging, and invitation printing I shared with so many women in my family and Evan’s. They ultimately brought us closer together.

Holding the ceremony in Evan’s home church in Elmhurst made our service even more personal. Choosing Carlucci in Downer’s Grove as our reception venue enabled us to have a relaxed atmosphere with indoor eating and outdoor cocktail hour and dancing, our ideal plan.  And being an Italian restaurant, the food was second-to-none. Our DJ, Clint, just “got us” and played music that kept the party going well past midnight.

Jaclyn Simpson, our photographer, was my favorite vendor to choose and ultimately made us the happiest on our wedding day and for the months following. She wasn’t invasive at all (in fact, I barely noticed her) but she was able to capture moments in such a way that it feels like I’m reliving them from such a close proximity. If I can advise one thing to brides – choose a photographer whose personality and style you love because it will make for a pleasant wedding day and the happiest physical memories afterwards.

Wedding Photography: Jaclyn Simpson Photography | Ceremony Venue: Yorkfield Presbyterian Church in Elmhurst, Illinois | Reception Venue: Carlucci Restaurant in Downers Grove, Illinois | Floral Design: Phillip’s Flowers | Hotel: Marriott Suites in Downers Grove, Illinois | Outdoor Photo Venue: Morton Arboretum | Wedding Cake: Alissa Stormer, family | Reception Music: DJ Clint from The Pros | Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston | Bride’s Earrings: Nadri via Nordstrom | Bride’s Bracelet: Vintage | Bride’s Shoes: Ivanka Trump via TJ Maxx | Bridesmaids’ Attire: J.Crew | Mens Attire: Men’s Wearhouse | Hair + Makeup: Shear Encounter (630.968.0201)

Rain on your wedding day may not be on the top of the list of things you hope as your big day approaches, but just one look at this chic Chicago soiree captured by Cristina G Photography and you might reconsider. Because the drizzle did nothing but make for some epic shots these two will treasure forever, and I’ll go as far as to say it made their gorgeous day that much more gorgeous. See for yourself right here.

 

From Cristina G Photography… Lindsay and John’s wedding was a celebration filled with love, laughter and spring showers. They were prepared for anything the day may bring and they were going to embrace it. I asked Lindsay while she was getting ready how she felt about taking pictures in the rain. She did not hesitate to say yes. Wholeheartedly. She cared about her memories more than about the dress, the cold, the rain… anything. As long as she had her love by her side, that is all that mattered. I took that and ran away with it! Music to a photographer’s ears. We all had matching umbrellas for the bridal party and I brought my favorite vintage 1920′s umbrella for the bride and groom. Very useful accessories as the sun gave way to the clouds and rain just as we approached the lake for our first picture location.

Wedding Photography: Cristina G Photography | Reception Venue: Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago, Illinois | Floral Design: Fleur De Lis | Wedding Cake: Amy Beck | Wedding Invitations + Paper Goods: Lily Red Studio | DJ: Tony Ho from Sounds Abound | Wedding Dress - Alyne via A L’Amour | Bridesmaids’ Attire: Nordstroms | Men’s Attire: Formally Modern Tuxedo | Hair: Kristin Creaney  (kristincreaney@att.net) | Makeup: Elana Darrus (a.darrus@comcast.net)

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Chicago has this chic yet casual feeling that simply can’t be matched. So it’s no surprise the people that call the fabulous city home are in a league of their own. And when they decide to tie the knot and ask Erica Rose Photography to snap up a few shots for their engagement? You just know you are in for some prettiness with the perfect amount of personalization. It’s all the reasons I love Chicago engagement sessions wrapped up in one post, and you can see it all right here.

 

From Erica Rose Photography… Brenna and Andy’s engagement session is one of my personal favorites, I love that they wanted to do something a little bit outside the box that was reflective of the two of them as a couple. Brenna came to me with the vision of a really fun shoot, the two of them popping a bottle of champagne with the skyline in the background…the images would be used on the save the date for their mimosa-filled brunch reception. I love it when couples put forethought into their weddings, and Brenna definitely has that going on! Brenna & Andy will be married this June in an outdoor ceremony downtown Chicago.

Wedding Photography: Erica Rose Photography | Location: Chicago, Illinois