I have so very many things to be thankful for this lovely holiday morning and I just added this gorgeous Chicago affair by Heather Parker Photography to the list. Held at one of my favorite venues of all time (the oh-so-wonderful Gallery 1028), these two high school sweethearts tied the knot in style with vibrant red and pale pink hues, beautiful blooms and one very gorgeous pair of sparkly shoes. Yes, I am more than smitten with this wonderful soiree… and you will be, too. So, be sure to join me in the gallery for all of the pretty and then have yourselves a very, very happy Thanksgiving, lovelies! xoxo
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From the Bride… The story of how Josh and I met can be found on our beautiful and unique letterpress wedding invitations. Josh and I were camp counselors at our local YMCA. Initially, we became very close friends. We’d talk on the phone every night and spend as much time together at school as possible. The summer of 2002, we started dating. And the rest is history. All of our most memorable moments have been spent together. And being one year apart in school has meant double the fun: prom, graduations, college parties, travel abroad. We are the quintessential definition of high school sweethearts… and college sweethearts for that matter!
Josh and I consider ourselves true Chicagoans. While we did grow up in the north suburbs, we have both spent so much time in the city. Since we moved in to the Lakeview neighborhood together right after college graduation, we now think of Chicago as our home. So getting married here was the obvious choice! When my mom and I pulled up to Gallery 1028 to visit for the first time, I literally said, “Let’s just go… this is a loading dock!!” But she convinced me to take a look…I fell in love! When I brought Josh back to see the space, he loved it just as much as I did! The perfect raw venue, but with a distinct vintage vibe. Exactly what we wanted for our wedding.
Josh and I were the first of our friends to get married so we truly had no idea what we were doing as we went through the planning process. It took us a long time to land on colors and a theme, but once we did, we were both so pleased. Galley 1028 can go two ways, super modern with clean lines, bright, colored lighting and lucite furniture or it can be vintage, playing off the antique floors, exposed brick walls and beautiful vaulted ceiling and that’s exactly what we did.
I’ve always considered my design style to be “modern vintage.” I know that sounds like a complete contradiction, but it works. For example, our vases were all antique milk glass vases that we found on Etsy and eBay. We used only roses, the iconic flower of romance but we used modern colors of the rose: a bright red/pink and a pale peach. For our desserts, we combined traditional treats from both of our heritages and modern candies.
Instead of following the traditional format of the wedding, we wanted our wedding to be extremely personal. Even though there were guests that neither of us knew, we wanted them to feel welcome and a part of the intimate event by making sure THEY knew US. Our invitations told everyone the story of our relationship and our officiant’s words and our vows both provided a great deal of insight into who Josh and I are as individuals and as partners.
Wedding Photography: Heather Parker Photography / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: Gallery 1028 / Wedding Stationery: Magnus Deuling + Tweedle Press (printing) / Mr. + Mrs. Signs, Lips on Sticks, Stashes on Sticks: The Paper Stache / Wedding Gown: Melissa Sweet via Priscilla of Boston / Bridesmaid Dresses: Ivy & Aster via Bella Bridesmaids / Veil: Bride + Mother of the Bride / Bride’s Jewelry: Jody McGill of Vintalogie / Cufflinks: Under Her Charm / Florist: Groom’s Uncle, Daniel Aquado / Tuxedo: Calvin Klein / Officiant: Friend, Joshua Grossman / Wedding Planner: Laura Patterson of The Ideal Day / DJ: Noah of Style Matters / Wedding Cake: Sweet Mandy B’s / Dessert Stands: Vintage / Desserts: Mothers of the Bride + Groom / Chandeliers, Draped Curtain, Hora Chairs: PJ Acosta of Studio AG / Stickers for Candy Bar: MAU Promos / Love Bird + Minnie Cake Topper: garden4arts / Hair: Daniel Aquado / Make-up: Eric Holt Makeup