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From Marina of Birch Design Studio… The design concept for Amanda and Colin’s wedding was a fresh twist on classic patterns in vibrant colours, inspired by a selection of photographs they loved featuring garden trellises, striped textiles, chinoiserie porcelains. These patterns inspired their paper goods, which juxtaposed a variety of crisp patterns in blue and green to create a fresh take on the coordinated invitation suite. We translated this into the décor for their wedding by mixing and matching tailored napkins in bold patterns at each table. On a larger scale, we used oversized stretched canvases featuring these same patterns to punctuate the white walls of the Art Institute. The tailored white dinner tables showcased vivid purples, greens and blues to tie this modern twist on a classic approach to mixing patterns. Even Amanda’s spectacularly timeless wedding gown was juxtaposed with vibrant blue peep-toe heels as a nod to her own chic style. It was such a pleasure to create a wedding for Amanda and Colin that spoke to their personal style, and I feel in the end, their wedding truly was a reflection of their unique personalities: clever, modern, fun, and bold, yet also elegant and sophisticated. 

Wedding Photography: David Wittig Photography / Wedding Ceremony: Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, Illinois / Wedding Reception: The Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois / Event Design, Planning + Production: Marine Birch of Birch Design Studio / Flowers: Renee Price of Kehoe Designs / Wedding Cinematography: I Do Films / Wedding Invitations: Suitor / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Custom Linens: Private Label Linens / Hair: Robyn Tornabeni Productions / Makeup: Rosie Scianna / Lighting, Fabric Panels + Production: Frost / Entertainment: Entourage from Arlen Music

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Post tags: Art Institute of Chicago, Birch Design Studio, Blue, Chicago, David Wittig Photography, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Green, I Do Films, Illinois, Kehoe Designs, Monique Lhuillier, Private Label Linens, Suitor, The Modern Wing
Post categories: Chicago Weddings, Contemporary, Illinois Weddings

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From Theresa of Theresa Scarbrough Photography… I wanted to share with you Beata and Charles’ Chicago urban chic wedding from the fall of 2011. They are such a fun and sweet couple and I hope you enjoy looking over their images! Beata had her dress embellished with jewels on one side of the waist and matched it with the same jewels in her earrings and necklace matching with the glitter heels from Kate Spade. Charles wore his Army uniform. They were married on October 29th, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois, at St. Hyacinth Basilica. Portraits were taken around downtown and the reception was at the quaint Fulton’s on the River.

Wedding Photography: Theresa Scarbrough Photography / Ceremony: St. Hyacinth Basilica in Chicago, Illinois / Reception: Fulton’s on the River / Flowers: New Six Corners Flowers in Chicago, Illinois / Officiant: Rev. Francis Róg CR / Wedding Cinematography: Jeff Manimbo / DJ: Corey Sanford of Music Masters Entertainment, Inc. / Cake Topper: Milk Tea / Wedding Cake + Mini Pastries: Rolf’s Patisserie (Now Closed) / Red Velvet Cake Balls: The Bleeding Heart Bakery / Wedding Programs: Shine Invitations / Menus + Seat Assignments: DIY by Bride / Photobooth: Smilebooth / Makeup: Kelly Letto of Bobbi Brown / Getting Ready Location: dana Hotel and Spa / Bridal Party Gifts: Anthropologie / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang / Dress Applique + Hair Piece: Belle Vie Bridal Couture / Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Various Amsale Dresses in Eggplant / Sketch Pin Design + Save-the-Dates: Kelly Murray / Sketch Pins: Pure Buttons

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Post tags: Amsale, Anthropologie, Belle Vie Bridal Couture, Bobbi Brown, Chicago, Corey Sanford, dana Hotel and Spa, Fulton's on the River, Illinois, Inc., Jeff Manimbo, Kate Spade, Kelly Letto, Kelly Murray, Milk Tea, Music Masters Entertainment, New Six Corners Flowers, Pure Buttons, Purple, Rev. Francis Rog CR, Rolf's Patisserie, Shine Invitations, Smilebooth, St. Hyacinth Basilica, The Bleeding Heart Bakery, Theresa Scarbrough Photography, Vera Wang
Post categories: Chicago Weddings, Illinois Weddings, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride… Spencer and I truly had a wonderful wedding in Chicago. It was amazing to be surrounded by our friends and family as we became husband and wife. Planning our wedding was an incredible amount of work, but so worth it! To see everything come together on our big day was simply amazing.

We started off the day getting ready with our wedding parties at Hotel Sax. It was such a great morning. My maid of honor, Erin, went above and beyond thinking of so many fun pre-wedding details. She made fun girly wedding CDs, had our champagne labeled with our picture and wedding date and even made sure I had a “Mrs. Brydon” hanger. After we were all ready, Spencer and I shared our first look. David and Nancy selected the ultra-modern fourth floor at Hotel Sax; it made for a perfect backdrop. I loved seeing our wedding party all ready — they looked fantastic! Our color palette was vintage blue and gray with yellow accents. The yellow was a beautiful pop of color for our July wedding. The flowers we selected were a nice blend of playful, whimsical, while still being truly classic. All the details looked gorgeous against the backdrop of The Chicago History Museum where we held our ceremony and reception. My absolute favorite part of our big day was our wedding ceremony and WOW, the emotions were flowing. Spencer and I wanted our ceremony to be about our commitment to each other. After much thought, we asked our great friend Derek to marry us. We went through the process (easy!) of getting him ordained. Spencer and I worked together, picking out what we liked from different ceremonies to create something that fit exactly what we were looking for. Derek has known us throughout our relationship and truly was able to speak about us as a couple and the commitment we were making. We chose to include a wine ceremony blending the bitter and the sweet in life. Spencer’s sister read, we wrote our own vows, and our pups, Biscuit and Bailey, stared as ring bearer and flower girl.

We enjoyed pulling together a few DIY projects with the help of our friends and family. Rocks with “A&S” and “07.16.11” stamped on them held down the programs. Erin made an amazing card box that had unbelievable detail and was so well done. We made our table numbers, incorporating our engagement pictures and parts of our invitations. We also surprised all of our Miami University friends with our band selection, The Paul Otten Band. This was the band we all sang along with until the wee hours of the morning at our favorite college bar. The Piano Man helped make the night exceptional! All the details came together to create the wedding we loved!
We are so thankful to all the vendors who put so much time and thought into our wedding day. We are incredibly fortunate to have such wonderful friends and family that helped make everything possible. Thank you all — we love you so much! Cheers to a great party kicking off a wonderful life together!

Wedding Photography: David Wittig Photography / Wedding Venue: Chicago History Museum / Wedding Flowers: The Flower Firm / Catering: Berghoff Catering / Bakery: Swirlz Cupcakes / Ceremony + Cocktail Music: Parkwest Strings / Reception Music: The Paul Otten Band / Wedding Dress: Wedding Belles / Hair: Kara Widhalm + Melissa Burgess of The Cutting Edge  / Makeup: Vanessa Morales of Nightingale Beauty / Groom’s Suit: Harleys for Men / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Groomsmen’s Suits: JoS. A. Bank / Rings: Tiffany & Co. / Bridesmaids’ Jewelry: Erin Gallagher Jewelry / Wedding Menus + Programs: Wedding Paper Divas / Transportation: Chicago Trolley Co. / Hotel: Hotel Sax Chicago / Ceremony Puppy Logistics: Urban Out Sitters / Stamped Rocks: DIY / Card Box: DIY by the Maid of Honor

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Post tags: Berghoff Catering, Blue, Chicago, Chicago Trolley Co., David Wittig Photography, Erin Gallagher Jewelry, Gray, Harleys for Men, Hotel Sax Chicago, Illinois, J. Crew, Jos A Bank, Kara Widham, Melissa Burgess, Nightingale Beauty, Parkwest Strings, Swirlz Cupcakes, The Chicago History Museum, The Cutting Edge, The Flower Firm, The Paul Otten Band, Tiffany & Co., Urban Out Sitters, Vanessa Morales, Wedding Belles, Wedding Paper Divas, Yellow
Post categories: Chicago Weddings, Illinois Weddings, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride… Being a wedding planner myself (I own Sweet Pea Studio in Chicago), it was really important to me to make sure my wedding was a reflection of me and my groom. From personal touches in the details to nods to our family and heritage, we really wanted to wedding to scream “Ian & Kristin.” To start, we had the exact same wedding venues as Ian’s grandparents did 60 years prior — same church, same reception. And I was really proud to be wearing “The Veil.” It was first purchased in 1920 in Belgium and given to Ian’s great grandmother by her husband-to-be. The veil, made of “Bruges lace,” was dipped in tea to get the ecru color. Since then, Ian’s grandmother, mother, sister, aunts and cousins have worn it on their wedding day. I was the 12th woman to proudly wear it down the aisle, and at each wedding, a “veil photo” is taken where everyone there who has worn it stands behind the bride, holding the veil. We had our rehearsal dinner at an Italian restaurant (my family is Italian), a bagpiper to pipe us out of the church (Ian is Scottish), and we had the Chicago Cubs Dixieland Band play during cocktail hour (my late great uncle was Phil Cavarretta, a famous Chicago Cubs baseball player back in the 1940s). Our wedding reception was held in the ballroom at the Woman’s Athletic Club on Michigan Ave, where Ian’s mother is a member. The building has landmark status in the city and has a gorgeous, 1920s feel to it.

When it came to bringing our personal style to life in a ballroom setting, it was a challenge to include what Ian likes too. I’m into ballet, pink, ruffles and flowers, and growing up I always just wanted my wedding to be like Shelby’s in “Steel Magnolias” (i.e., blush and bashful). Ian is into fishing, nature and animals … which really has nothing to do with pink. I wanted to somehow combine our styles into one cohesive look and feel so it wasn’t just about me. So, we mixed lots of outdoor textures with soft pink florals. The floral plan included pheasant feathers in one of the centerpiece designs, and all the boutonnieres were pheasant feathers and monkey tail ferns. Our tables were named after African animals (we honeymooned in South Africa), and the names were slid into mini tree stump holders from Etsy. Ian and his groomsmen wore camouflage socks, and he even changed into a camouflage bow tie after dinner, which was so Ian. My dress made me feel like the ballerina I used to be, especially with the pink tulle crinoline I wore underneath. We absolutely love gummy bears, so we put our own spin on the candy bar idea with a gummy bar. And for a nod to Chicago, the city we love and adore, we had Frango mints in our hotel welcome bags and served our favorite deep dish pizza (Lou Malnati’s, of course) as a late night snack.

One of my favorite elements was our DIY save-the-dates. I found these rustic, wooden pencils which just seemed so perfectly us (I’m also a writer). My sister spent hours putting them together with me, and while it was a lot of work, I was so happy with the result. The save-the-dates really inspired me and set the tone for the rest of the wedding! We have so many favorite memories of the day, but one of our favorites was just after the ceremony when we had our “royal” moment. The church has this little balcony that overlooks the courtyard, so rather than coming out the front of the church like most couples do, we came out on a balcony, kissed and waved, just like Will & Kate! Overall, our day was everything we wanted: it was all about us. We had the most amazing vendors and could not have pulled off this day without them!

Wedding Photography: Molly Grace of Vrai Photography / Wedding Planning: Sweet Pea Wedding Studio (The Bride’s Company) / Flowers: Avant Gardenia / Wedding Ceremony: St. Chrysostom’s Church in Chicago, Illinois / Wedding Reception: Woman’s Athletic Club in Chicago, Illinois / Wedding Cinematography: Optrix Weddings / Wedding Dress: Christos via Belle Vie Bridal Couture / Bride’s Pink Crinoline: Loca Loves Pirate / Bride’s Belt: Weddings 826 / Bride’s Shoes: Ivanka Trump / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale via Bella Bridesmaid / Jewelry: Left Bank Jewelry / Veil: Vintage Family Heirloom / Day-Of Coordination: An Event Less Ordinary / Cocktail Band: Chicago Cubs Dixieland Band / Reception Band: Final Say / Photo Booth: Red Eye Photo Booth / Wedding Invitations: Yellow Bird / Wedding Save-the-Dates: DIY / Hair: Blush Salon & Spa / Makeup: Primp / Late-Night Pizza: Lou Malnati’s / Tree Stumps Place Card Holders + Large Tree Stump with Wedding Date: This Fine Day

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Post tags: Amsale, An Event Less Ordinary, Avant Gardenia, Bella Bridesmaid, Belle Vie Bridal Couture, Black, Blush Salon & Spa, Chicago, Chicago Cubs Dixieland Band, Christos, Final Say, Illinois, Ivanka Trump, Left Bank Jewelry, Loca Loves Pirate, Lou Malnati's, Optrix Weddings, Pink, Primp, Red Eye Photo Booth, St. Chrysostom's Church, Sweet Pea Studio, This Fine Day, Vrai Photography, Weddings 826, White, Woman's Athletic Club, Yellow Bird
Post categories: Chicago Weddings, Illinois Weddings, Traditional Elegance

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From the bride… The day could not have been more perfect. I pictured myself over-the-top emotional and full of tears, but instead I was beaming with excitement and joy every second. From getting ready with all my best friends and family to ending the night dancing away I was constantly happy! I currently am a wedding coordinator for Honey Bee Weddings, so knowing what goes into making a day run smoothly, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to relax. However, I was surprisingly calm and loved watching all the details fall into place. I also had the best team of vendors including Honey Bee Weddings, who coordinated my wedding. A few highlights of the morning were having a wonderful glam team making me feel like a celebrity, my BEAUTIFUL bouquet and putting on the dress (later I added a gorgeous hand-made sash!). Then, seeing Kyle for the first time was so surreal yet calming. We had been waiting for this moment for a long time (dated for 11 years) and having the moment come true was magical. We kept looking at each other saying, “Can you believe it’s here?”

Kyle and I knew from the beginning we wanted our wedding to feature our love of food and wine, yet not be stuffy and make our guests feel like they were at party. We hit the jackpot with Spiaggia because its food is exquisite and the décor went perfectly with my black, silver and white theme. It was also my goal to add as many personal details as possible. I don’t think of myself as crafty, but after hours of online research, I realized how much I could create by turning my wedding into semi-DIY. My favorite projects would have to be the programs, wine bottle “guest book,” tissue pouches and  homemade cake-pops for our favors.          

Overall, I felt like the wedding truly represented Kyle and I as a couple and celebrated our love for each other.  And to make it even better, our guests seemed to have a blast! It was the perfect day!

Wedding Photography: Steve Koo Photography / Flowers: Tina and Dollie / Event Design + Planning: Honey Bee Weddings / Wedding Venue: Spiaggia / Wedding Dress: Pronovias / Bride’s Shoes: Enzo Angiolini via Nordstrom / Bride’s Bracelet: Macy’s / Hair: Livia Caporale / Makeup: Sonia Roselli / Wedding Cake: Sarah’s Candies and Pastries / DJ: DJ Erik

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Post tags: Black, Chicago, DJ Erik, Enzo Angiolini, Honey Bee Weddings, Illinois, Livia Caporale, Macy's, Nordstrom, Pronovias, Sarah's Candies and Pastries, silver, Sonia Roselli, Spiaggia, Steve Koo Photography, Tina and Dollie, White
Post categories: Chicago Weddings, Illinois Weddings

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From Jen of Jen Huang Photography… Melissa and Jeff, college sweethearts, were married at the Chicago History Museum, which is full of soaring ceilings and impressive architecture. Their colors, red and navy, were bold and bright; beautifully set against the Stickley furniture and details of the ballroom. The intimate wedding started off with a beautiful outdoor ceremony with the Museum behind them and continued into the light-filled ballroom where guests were seated at long tables set with Stickley chairs. Melissa and Jeff danced all night, surrounded with their close friends and families.

Wedding Photography: Jen Huang Photography /  Wedding Venue: The Chicago History Museum / Wedding Flowers: Botanicals, Inc. / Catering: Food for Thought / Wedding Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / Band: Ron Bedal Orchestra / Cake: Flour Cake and Pastry / Wedding Gown: Boutique Victoria / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Sung

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Post tags: Alfred Sung, Botanicals Inc., Boutique Victoria, Chicago, Flour Cake and Pastry, Food For Thought, Illinois, J. Crew, Jen Huang Photography, Navy Blue, Red, Ron Bedal Orchestra, The Field Museum, Wedding Paper Divas
Post categories: Chicago Weddings, Illinois Weddings, Traditional Elegance

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From the bride… I have dreamed of my wedding day since I was a little girl; and I can say without hesitation that it was the most beautiful day of my life! September 17, 2011 began with as an unseasonably warm, sunny Chicago day, which kick started the festivities and eased my anxiety for our garden wedding. I was surrounded by my best friends and my mother, laughing and enjoying the primping process and each other! As my mom helped me into my dress and veil, I knew that this moment had become a reality, and I couldn’t wait to see my groom.

I met my fiancé Anthony in high school. I was a timid 14-year-old, and he was an overly-confident and very talkative upperclassman. We would cross paths socially for the next ten-plus years until finally the stars aligned, and we began to date! We were virtually inseparable and once our girls (Violet the basset hound and Whiskey the basenji mix) became friends, we knew that our lives were moving forward … together. Anthony proposed to me at Culver Academies where we first met, and I had no idea! I have never been so surprised in my entire life; it was a magical day that I will remember forever. The wedding planning was such a joy; I loved every minute of it! We wanted to incorporate elements that had personal meaning and represented us as a couple. Our wedding truly came together with the details, details, details! My father is from Turkey, so it was important for us to add in some Turkish trinkets and flair to honor my heritage. We had evil eyes tied to the programs, a lavender good luck toss to bless us as a couple, and of course some lamb skewers!!

We were married under a stunning pergola laden with roses and dahlias. My husband’s aunt acted as our officiant, and we decided to recite our own vows. I forgot about the rows of guests as I stood before Anthony — it was a moment that just became about us. And with a blink of an eye, we were cocktailing and celebrating our marriage with our lovely guests! As we entered the tent, we felt like we were in a dream. The smell of herbs and flowers set the tone, along with the vintage china, cut crystal and mismatched estate silverware. Every detail complemented the others, and the overall picture was pure perfection! Garlands of tissue paper flowers and cafe lights created a whimsical canopy over the dance floor, which was beyond gorgeous. The evening was filled with laughter, jazz and bubbling champagne. It was the most perfect day, surrounded by our family and friends, and I wouldn’t have changed one thing!

Wedding Photography: Jeffrey and Julia Woods / Flowers: Cornelia McNamara / Event Planning: Renny Penderson of Bliss Weddings and Events / Venue: Galleria Marchetti / Cake: Bittersweet / Wedding Dress + Ceremony Veil: Palazzo / Small Pouf Veil: Sara Gabriel / Shoes: Kate Spade / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew / Groomsmen Khakis + Navy Sport Coats: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Dresses: Lula Kate / Bridesmaid Shoes: Nina / DJ: Beep Media / Hair + Makeup: Gina and Agata of Beauty on Call

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Post tags: Beauty on Call, Beep Media, Bliss Weddings and Events, Blue, Chicago, Cornelia McNamara, Galleria Marchetti, Illinois, J. Crew, Jeffrey and Julia Woods, Kate Spade, Lula Kate, Nina, Palazzo, Renny Penderson, Sara Gabriel, White
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Chicago Weddings, Illinois Weddings

From the beginning stages of the planning process, Ken was involved in every part of the planning process. Our three most important aspects that we kept in mind throughout the process were family, friends and romance! The gorgeous St. James Chapel and Trump Tower Chicago locations allowed us to maximize the amount of time we spent with our guests but also take in the beautiful photo opportunities of downtown Chicago.

My dress choice was a total surprise to myself. I had pictured more of a traditional satin top lace bottom dress but immediately fell in love with the contemporary vintage style of Lazaro. When I tried the dress on everyone in the dressing room came immediately over to me to oo and aw and admire the dress. I knew that was the one! It was such an amazing dress that even during photos when it got all muddy, by the time we got to the church, it had dried and all the mud fell off!!

The dress helped set the theme of the wedding — contemporary vintage. Ken described the vision to the florist and they hit the nail on the head with the floral scheme. The flowers were probably my favorite detail of the wedding and I will always remember the unbelievable smell of gardenias in my bouquet!

Everyone says it is good luck if it rains on your wedding day. I always thought this was just something everyone said to make you feel better. Boy was I wrong! I could not have imaged a more perfect day, rain and all. The umbrellas were amazing props and captured some romantic photos being snuggled up under the umbrellas! Had it not been raining, we would not have taken photos under the Trump Riverwalk — where we captured some phenomenal photos reminiscent of the Kennedy’s (or so says Ken!). Some of my all time favorites!

Larry King Orchestra set the tone for the reception and everyone had such a great time. Besides the gorgeous venue, the top two compliments following the wedding were the band and the food. Larry King even timed the memorial day fireworks viewable from the reception to the Katy Perry song firework!

I loved the toasts too…the uniqueness and creativeness of my father’s which laid the foundation to the video, the history toast from the best man, the best wishes from Ken’s father to the most eloquent and heartfelt speech from the maid of honor!

Photography: Riverbend Studio / Event Planning & Design: Engaging Events by Ali / Cinematography: Xpress Video Productions / Flowers: The Flower Firm / Orchestra: Larry King Orchestra / Lighting: Frost Lighting / Ceremony Location: St. James Chapel / Reception Location: Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago / Invitations: William Arthur from Yellow Bird Stationery / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Dress: Lazaro / Wedding Rings and Engagement Rings: Tacori / Linens: BBJ Linens / Bridesmaid Dresses: Coren Moore – Bella Bridesmaid, Chicago

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Post tags: BBJ Linens, Black and White Photography, Chicago, City Views, City Weddings, Classic, Color Palette Purple White, Engaging Events by Ali, Frost Lighting, Glamourous, Illinois, Jimmy Choo, Larry King Orchestra, Lazaro, Rain, Rainy Day, Riverbend Studio, St. James Chapel, Tacori, The Flower Firm, Traditional Elegance, Trump Chicago, Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, Trump Tower, Umbrellas, Wedding Planners & Designers, William Arthur, Xpress Video Productions, Yellow Bird Stationery
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance