Planning a wedding with this crew behind the wheel – Ali of Engaging Events by Ali, photographer Yazy Jo and flowers by Exquisite Design – um, I think that wedding jackpot sort of sums it up. Add to that a gorgeous Chicago skyline and a couple that was so madly in love and you have the recipe for a pretty perfect wedding. Click here for even more including the tiniest, sparkliest Toms you’ve ever seen!
From the bride…We first met at a softball game in the summer of 2009. Originally, I was going there with a mutual friend of ours that wanted to go out later that night. Ed was not playing softball that day, and we had a chance to talk and to watch the game. Later that night, the team decided to go out for a quick dinner and some cocktails. There was definitely some chemistry that night that was unmistakable. But, we were both seeing other people at that time so that dating was delayed for a few months. We both kept in contact, and when we met the next time, we were both single. We have never been apart since that time!
Flash forward this to September, 2012. We decided to make a last minute trip to Lake Geneva for some relaxation and downtime. We had made some sandwiches and snacks for a hike through the Kettle Moraine State Park nearby. There was this hill that overlooked the entire state park that we decided to climb and hike. We arrived at the summit and it just happened to be a beautiful day. After a quick lunch, we started talking about the evolution of our relationship, and how much we cared about each other. After he stood up and looked at the view, he turned and knelt while I sat on a nearby bench. It was truly a magical day and totally unexpected.
I’ve always envisioned having a very minimalistic, but elegant, wedding, and I feel that is exactly what I got. White is my favorite color but I didn’t want an all white wedding, boring! I stuck with white table cloths to get the simple, clean look for my tables. I didn’t want any dramatic colors so for the floral colors, I went with rose pink, light green, a bit of blue and white, of course. Ali from Engaging Events and Alex from Exquisite Designs helped get the colors to work perfectly together. The deconstructed floral arrangements had a contemporary but elegant touch. For my bridesmaid dresses, I chose a very bright summer color, the designer calls it Fresh! And like the name, it gave my girls a fresh, sophisticated look. I paired their dresses with a bib necklace from Stella and Dot, and the pairing looked better than I envisioned.
Photography: yazy jo | Event Planning: Engaging Events by Ali, Inc. | Floral Design: Exquisite Designs, Inc. | Wedding Dress: JLM Couture, Inc | Cake: Bittersweet | Ceremony Venue: Covenant Presbyterian | Reception Venue: Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum | Shoes: Nordstrom | Bridesmaids Dresses: Alfred Sung | Catering: Blue Plate | DJ: Okyne Media Lab