Traditional elegance and subtle drama (in the form of incredible decor lighting done by a family friend!) was the name of the game for this beautiful Bride and Groom who got just what they wished from their incredible team at Tailored Engagements. SMP fave, m three studio, was there to capture all the pretty, and lucky for us, we’ve got the full gallery of glamour right here!
From The Bride…Bryan and I really wanted a wedding that wasn’t trendy and reflected our personal aesthetic – clean, elegant, unfussy, but classically beautiful and subtly dramatic. (Thirty years from now, we wanted to look back and think “what a gorgeous day!” not “oh, no, what did we make our bridesmaids wear!”) For inspiration in style, we looked to the old-world charm of our breathtaking venue, and also some of our favorite color combinations – the cool, deep navy of the night sky, glittering metallics, and the striking simplicity of white-on-white florals. What took it to another level was the high-drama lighting, which was really our only decor and was a favor provided by a fantastic firm out of Chicago (my dad is a lighting designer and called in a favor with a few friends).
What made us happiest about our wedding was that by making a few strategic choices, we were able to really splurge on what we felt was important and would make our wedding an event that we ourselves would want to attend (we can admit that at this point in our lives, we’d been to enough friends’ weddings to have a short list of ‘must-haves!). We scrimped where we could – even though in the end it didn’t feel like scrimping. We sent digital save-the-dates instead of paper, eschewed goody bags, rented jewelry (Rent the Runway) and bridesmaid dresses (Little Borrowed Dress), my shoes were ones I already owned, my dress was from the clearance rack albeit impeccably tailored. We wrote our invites, menu cards and programs ourselves via a template on Wedding Paper Divas. That meant we could afford several rounds of amazing food and drinks, the best photographer, a fantastic multi-piece band, live ceremony music, and a fabulous wedding planner, that in the end were the most important parts to the day. As we planned, we found that neither of us were obsessed about details and neither of us could craft or DIY to save our lives – so we were more than happy to leave that all to professionals!
It paid off, I think! Our friends and family said it was the best wedding they’d been to (they’re biased), and we were able to throw a celebration that brought together all closest to us who were part of our lives. And in 30 years, we have gorgeous photos to look back on!
Photography: m three studio | Wedding Planner: Tailored Engagements | Floral Design: Friend Of The Family | Cake: Sweet Perfections | Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas | Ceremony Venue: Milwaukee Athletic Club | Reception Venue: : Milwaukee Athletic Club | Bridesmaids Dresses: Union Station | Hair & Makeup: Lovely Salon | Band: Velocity | Groom's Suit: Suitsupply | Ceremony Music: North Coast Orchestra | Bride's Gown: Mikaella Bridal | Draping: Barking Pony | Lighting Design: Design Lab Chicago