Illinois Weddings

These two? They are literally as cute as they come. No questions about that. They are the type of duo I bet everyone loves being around not only because they are ridiculously good looking, but they also seem super in love. And that just tends to be a no fail combination in people, don’t you agree? Evan Hunt Photo followed them around in the city that they love to capture all this pretty to share with us, and you can catch every last (beautiful) moment right here.

From the bride…Joe and I had a vision for a romantic engagement shoot set against the stunning backdrop of Chicago’s playgrounds – Lincoln Park and the Gold Coast – the locations of some of our favorite haunts. Since we both work downtown amidst the electric hum of the city, we opted for classic locations where we often go to escape it all. Initially we were hoping for snow, but with this record-setting snowless winter, we just stuck to our scheduled shoot date and ultimately couldn’t have been happier (although we could’ve been warmer as the temperature dropped 15 degrees while we were out). We began at North Pond, one of our favorite spots for romantic dinners and moonlit walks, and ended at Oak Street Beach to revisit the scene of Joe’s proposal. In between we stopped at the iconic 4th Presbyterian Church right on the Mag Mile, to steal a kiss and capture a few pics in the oasis of the courtyard. We had a fantastic experience with our photographers Evan Hunt and Erin Moody, and the results were exactly what we wanted: timeless photographs that capture the images and emotions of our love, in the city we love the most.

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Wedding Photography: Evan Hunt Photo | Locations: North Pond, 4th Presbyterian Church, Gold Coast Beach in Chicago, Illinois | Bride’s Attire North Pond: Coat + Shoes: Via Spiga, Belt: Ralph Lauren, Dress: Zara, Tights: Hue, Necklaces: Vintage, Kate Spade | Groom’s Attire North Pond: Coat: John Varvatos, Suit: Jos. A Bank, Shirt: Banana Republic, Tie: Jones New York, Belt: Perry Ellis, Shoes: Dolce & Gabbana | Bride’s Attire 4th Presbyterian Church: Blazer: Theory, Dress: BCBG Max Azria, Shoes: Via Spiga, Bracelet: Nadri | Bride’s Attire Beach:  Turtleneck: Gap + Pants: Ann Taylor | Groom’s Attire Beach: Bow tie: Tommy Hilfiger + Sweater: Michael Kors | Bride’s Hair: Salon Sanjoy

Beautiful doesn’t even touch the surface of describing this wedding captured (stunningly) by Studio Finch. Not even close. It’s layer after layer of cultural beauty with another layer of gorgeous design on top of it all just for good measure. It’s inspiration overload in the best possible way for your Monday morning, and you can see every stunning detail here.

And Shadow Vision Films is keeping the pretty party going with this gorgeous film you shouldn’t miss…

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From the Bride…When planning our wedding there were 3 things important to us: 1) Family 2) Chicago 3) Blend of cultures. When we entered our wedding venue the morning of our wedding, we felt all three right away. Our breath was taken away by the magical secret garden feel that our decorators delivered on. It truly was our vision heightened to the extreme. Housing a 500 person wedding, we also wanted to make sure we felt it was intimate and reflected our taste. With small details and design work, we think our creative, Brooklyn personalities did prevail. From adding fun facts to our table numbers, to asking our guests questions to put into our guest book, and to the live drummer- we felt like we were able to party in the most beautiful venue on Navy Pier in Chicago just as we would if it were just Ben and I in our living room. We were and still are on top of the world, over the moon and filled with joy.

From the Groom…  When a close friend moves to a new and strange place, you need to pay a visit right away to help them get situated. So I headed up to Bristol, Connecticut to visit my good friend Tim. Along the way I met Pooja. Those eyes caught my attention right away. We merely exchanged a few words, but I knew we would meet again. That night, a fuse was lit that led all the way back to Brooklyn. Before I knew it, we were the best of friends. She laughs at my terrible jokes, she loves when I play drums as loud as I can, she deals with my love for punk rock, she loves Taco Bell, she is an amazing friend, confidant and support system- I think I am the luckiest man alive.

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Photography: Studio Finch | Wedding Venue: Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois | Floral + Event Design: Shaadi Creations | Cinematography: Shadow Vision Films | Wedding Invitations +  Guestbook: RadWorks Reception | Wedding Dress: Custom made in India | Shoes: Jimmy Choo

With a ceremony + reception held at two of Chicago’s most iconic venues (St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church and Chicago History Museum) I knew this pretty-in-pink wedding had to be good! Amanda Hein Photography worked her magic, capturing the bride’s gorgeous custom Rivini gown, the beautiful blooms by Petal Play Design and every last detail coordinated by Tying the Knot. See it all in the full gallery!

From the Bride…Our wedding was a long time in the making. Kevin and I are high school sweethearts and celebrated our 6 year dating anniversary just before tying the knot. From the moment Kevin proposed (with an insanely gorgeous ring) I knew the exact vision I had for our big day. Anyone who knows me knows I am a serious romantic and just die for the color blush pink. When I first saw a blush, gray, and ivory wedding color combo it was love at first site. I really wanted the look and feel of our wedding to be soft, elegant romance. I wanted all the flowers to be lush and fluffy. Luckily Viv, our florist, totally understood my vision and made it come to life. I was obsessed with having peonies (my favorite flower) incorporated in the wedding but was told they were out of season. By a little luck and a whole lot of prayer, Viv was able to get me the most gorgeous peonies flown in from a tiny farm in Alaska. Seriously she is AMAZING. It totally made the day that much more special. I was so in love with my bouquet!

We wanted our guests to feel all the love that we felt on our day. We were married at St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church in Chicago. I attended DePaul University as an undergrad and fell in love with the beauty of the church. Our reception took place at the Chicago History Museum in their Chicago Room. From the cocktails on the terrace to the classic and beautiful architecture of the building, it was perfect. The absolutely delicious dinner and dancing to the live band were icing on the cake for a truly idyllic day.

There were some truly memorable and magical moments from our wedding day. One of them was that our wedding weekend coincided with the Chicago Air and Water Show , so it was so cool to see the planes flying overhead while we were taking photos. Another favorite moment was hearing the speech my insanely talented sister and MOH gave, the absolute perfect combination of sweet, sassy, serious, and hilarious. She totally nailed it. By far though, my favorite part of the day was exchanging vows in front of our family, friends, and God committing ourselves to one another forever.
I could not be more grateful to all of our FABULOUS vendors. The day would not have been the same without you! I love watching our wedding video over and over reliving the most wonderful day of our lives.

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Wedding Photography: Amanda Hein Photography | Ceremony Venue: St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Chicago, Illinois | Reception Venue: Chicago History Museum in Chicago, Illinois | Wedding Coordination: Tying The Knot | Wedding Cinematography: Gravity Weddings | Floral Design: Petal Play Design | Wedding Cake: Sweet Mandy B’s | Band: High Society Orchestra | Wedding Invitations + Stationery: Paper Source | Wedding Dress: Custom Rivini via Belle Vie Bridal Couture | Bride’s Shoes: J.Crew | Getting Ready Lace Robe: girlwithaseriousdream | Wedding Rings: Larc Jewelers | Bridesmaids’ Attire: J.Crew “Arabelle” | Groom + Groomsmen Attire: Black by Vera Wang via Men’s Wearhouse | Hair: Christina at Velvet Roar Salon | Makeup: Julie Munn Makeup Artist

I’ve been known to gush a bit in my day. It’s just what I do. And honestly, it’s hard not to when you spend your day swimming in a sea of the most gorgeous weddings around. Weddings that are not only full of gorgeous details, but they are also filled with couples that could not be more in love. Just like this darling duo captured by Elite Photo. Each image shows just how thankful they are to have each other, and how can you not gush over that? See so much more here.

From Elite Photo… Reanna and Steve were married on a rainy day in July at the beautiful St. Athanasius Church in Evanston, Illinois. They chose the Kenilworth Club for their reception afterwards. The Kenilworth Club Assembly Hall, designed by noted architect George W. Maher, is the historic building that has served as Kenilworth’s community house since its construction in 1906. Kenilworth, Illinois is a perfectly manicured city just north of Chicago. The club is just blocks from Kenilworth beach. A private beach for Kenilworth residents and guests. The bride and groom received a pass for the day, so we were able to hit the beach for some fun and pretty photos in between showers. Their getaway car was a white Bonneville convertible with blue and white interior and the perfect dancing hula girl on the dashboard.

This couple was all about the details. Each table at the reception was decorated differently, but in the same rustic chic style with elegant pearls and whitewashed frames as well as vintage vases , boxes, and statues. Their invites were printed on vintage hankies and hand stamped inside of lace envelopes tied in beautiful string. The brides dress had a blush tool underneath that complimented the bride and matched the amazing brides maids dresses. The bride got ready at the chic Hotel Orrington in Evanston and enjoyed a rain-free limo ride to the church. It poured during the ceremony, which was somewhat magical. It’s really something special to be in an old church and hear the pounding rain on the roof of that large stone building.

One of the bride’s favorite and necessary photos she wanted was in front of her beautiful church. Unfortunately, the front stairs were under construction that day and so we rescheduled another day to come back and photograph them in front of the church. Of course, it rained even harder that day. We laughed the whole day during what I now call “the rain session”. Reanna and Steve spent 2 full hours in the constant rain and enjoyed every minute of it. It was magical and you can really see their love and adoration in the images from the day.

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Photography: Elite Photo | Ceremony Venue: St. Athanasius Church in Evanston, Illinois | Reception Venue: Kenilworth Club in Kenilworth, Illinois | Floral Design Carol Knutsen from The Gilded Lily | Catering: Catered by Design | Wedding Cake: Deerfields Bakery | Music: John Sapsford (studiorion@gmail.com)

I like to think that I learn a little something new every day here at SMP – and today’s life lesson?  Fall in Illinois is downright breathtaking.  So breathtaking, in fact, that it makes THE perfect spot for some e-session picture taking, much like these drop-dead gorgeous snapshots captured by Jenelle Kappe.  With rich Autumn hues, an uber-stylish duo and a whole lot of happy, it’s what I call a literal wonderland of pretty.  See it all in the full gallery.

From Jenelle Kappe… It was a perfect Summer-like Fall morning in St. Charles, Illinois. Amanda and Jordan were amazing to work with!  They are absolutely head over heels for each other, the perfect match. They are to be married at the St. Charles Country Club this June. St. Charles is an adorable quaint town and being only about an hours drive from downtown and where Amanda’s mom lives, it was the perfect place for their engagement session.

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Wedding Photography: Jenelle Kappe | Location: Park in St. Charles, Illinois

The use of color + bold pattern in this modern Chicago wedding from LOLA Event Productions is simply too good for words. Pulling inspiration from their gorgeous venue, the Museum of Contemporary Art, these childhood sweethearts infused their personalities into everything from the donut bar to the handmade chevron napkins! See the rest of the images by Z+V Photography in the full gallery!

From LOLA Event Productions…Tara’s love for modern art, color and graphic imagery was so fun to incorporate into the design of her wedding day at the Museum of Contemporary Art on October 27, 2012. The Damien Hurst painting entitled “Spot” was the inspiration for the escort card display and cake, and floral elements in a warm hombre design paired with clean white containers perfectly complimented the Martin Creed graphic displays in the main gallery where the reception took place. Each place setting was finished with a fun button with things on them like a drawing of their adorable dog Winston. Tara really did save the best for last as the party went wild with dancing… a custom donut bar for guests to snack on or grab “to go” on their way out the door. A fun, chic and fabulous event for these childhood sweethearts!

From the Bride… Immediately after the ceremony, Sean and I walked around the outside of the museum to get back inside. It was just the two of us, walking down the street near Michigan Avenue in our favorite city. It was a really special moment.

During and after the wedding, people gave me two really wonderful compliments. First, they told me that the wedding was “so Tara.” All my personal touches came through–from the personalized buttons to the chevron napkins I made by hand to the colorful flowers to the donut bar and dotty wedding cake! My vision really became a reality and it wasn’t just a wedding I ripped out of magazine–it was our wedding. Second, people told me it was the best wedding they had ever attended. These compliments came from people totally unsolicited. The band was amazing and everyone really enjoyed themselves, which is all that we could ask for!

The day of our wedding was extremely cold. Although it had been unseasonably warm leading up to the wedding, our wedding day was freezing. Our dream was to hold the ceremony outside at sundown under the twinkly city lights with the skyline as the backdrop. Our parents were adamant that we move the ceremony inside because it was too cold. I know an indoor ceremony would have been fine, but our (freezing) outdoor ceremony was magical! I don’t regret sticking to my guns and listening to my instinct. It was freezing and I ripped my dress but our guests said it was so beautiful and the view was amazing. Plus, Hot spiced rum cocktails helped keep the edge off!

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Wedding Photography: Z+V Photography | Wedding Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago in Chicago, Illinois | Event Design + Coordination: LOLA Event Productions | Floral Design: Botanicals | Catering: Wolfgang Puck | Wedding Cake: Bombon | Entertainment: Indigo via Arlen Music | Wedding Dress: Watters | Bridesmaids’ Attire: Dessy | Makeup: Susan Staley

Get your ooohs and ahhhs ready, because this wedding from Ashley Biess Photography has adorable written all over it. Overflowing with sweet and sentimental details all sitting pretty in the beautiful Blumen Gardens, it’s image after image of lovely. To top it all off, The Petal Boutique made sure the blooms were plentiful and pretty, serving as the icing on the cake to this stunning day. See it all here. 

From the Bride… I knew right away that White Pines Wedding Canyon was where I wanted our ceremony to be. My family has been going to White Pines for years for our family reunions, and having such a life changing event there seemed right. I was lucky because Aaron loved it from the moment he saw it, and so it was set. It had every part of “outdoorsy” we were looking for. Blumen Gardens was a gem. All it took was one evening stroll through their gardens, all lit up and sparkling, to know it was the perfect place for our reception. The building had charm and personality, and the staff decorated so well for the season—pumpkins, scarecrows, leaves, and vintage signs that accompanied our fall wedding perfectly. We loved everything about it!

At our reception, we wanted to serve our guests a variety of fall treats, including apple cider from Jonamac Orchard (where where had our engagement photos taken). Our dessert table was exquisite. Laura from Swiss Made Bakery did such a wonderful job setting it up in a way that it blended with Blumen Gardens, and everyone in the family had plenty to take home and enjoy for a few weeks!

The rest of the wedding was in the details. From our owl cake toppers, handmade in Italy, complete with Aaron’s golf cap, to our taffy apples, to the wine cork name tags, to our memorial table where not a single special person was forgotten, we were truly blessed to have the wedding we did. Thanks Mom and Dad!

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Photography: Ashley Biess Photography | Ceremony Venue: White Pines Wedding Canyon in Mount Morris, Illinois | Reception Venue: Blumen Gardens in Sycamore, Illinois | Wedding Planner: Ladi Events | Cinematography: Studio One | Floral Design: The Petal Boutique | Caterer: Nat’s on Maple | Dessert: Swiss Made Bakery | Apple Cider: Jonamac Orchard | Cake Topper: Perilla Pets | DJ: Music By Design | Props +  Lighting: Upstaging, Inc. |Chairs: Arlington Rental | Transportation: AAA Limousine | Ringer Bearer Sign: Bragging Bags | Wedding Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas | Guest Book: Hers and Mine Designs | Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal | Veil: Brendas Bridal Veils | Bridal Shoes: New Bride Co | Bridesmaids’ Attire: David’s Bridal | Flower Girl Dress: Olivia Kate Couture |Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse | Hair + Makeup: Ami Christianson

This little gem of a wedding from vendor dream-team Jeremy Lawson, SQN Events, Lily Red Studio and Fleur will transport you to a different place and time. The gorgeous grounds of the Chicago Botanic Gardens make the bustling Second City seem miles away and the muted, vintage vibe has me seriously swooning. Top it all off with the mix-matched maid’s dresses from BHLDN and the sweetest ever bride + groom, and this, my dears, is what wedding dreams are made of. See it all right here!

From Fleur Inc… Molly & Nick are are cute absolutely as cute as a button.  This darling couple chose the Chicago Botanic Gardens as the backdrop for their wedding.  It truly could not have been a more perfect afternoon. Warm sunshine, a stunning view, and a team of vendors that was so thrilled and honored to be working with them!  Congratulations to Molly & Nick!

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Wedding Photography: Jeremy Lawson Photography | Wedding Venue: Chicago Botanic Gardens in Chicago, Illinois | Event Planning + Design: SQN Events | Floral Design: Fleur Inc | Catering: Culinary Landscape | Pies: Sweety Pies Bakery | Ceremony Music: Elaine Dame Quartet | Reception Music: Toast & Jam | Wedding Invitations: Lily Red Studio | Bridesmaid Dresses: BHLDN | Makeup: Nika Vaughan Makeup Artist

You know how you know a wedding is going to be awesome?  When the bride and groom not only plan a seriously sophisticated Michigan Shores Club soiree (complete with beautiful blooms from Ashland Addison Florist and an amazing black, white, silver and yellow color palette), but also plan an after-party that is crazy amazing.  (Think bowling, music, hot dogs and beer and you are on the right track.)  Add to all of that lovely a gallery chock-full of gorgeous images captured by Lauren Wakefield Photography and, well.  Happy Wednesday.  Click here for the full gallery.

From the Bride… From the moment Matt and I got engaged in November of 2011, I dove head first into wedding planning! Having dated for 8 years, I had been looking forward to the time where I got to plan our own wedding, and we truly enjoyed each minute of it. I was incredibly lucky that my mom enjoyed wedding planning as much as I did, as she tackled each and every task with me. Matt and I knew we wanted a classic and chic wedding, with cheerful color, so we decided to go with black, white, silver and yellow as our wedding color palette. We also wanted to make sure that each of our personalities shined through the little details throughout the day, so we really tried to pay special attention to each aspect of the wedding to really make it as personal as possible.

I contacted an artist on Etsy to design a custom map for the wedding, which we in turn had transferred to canvas tote bags to be the base of our hotel welcome bags for guests. We filled each welcome bag with some of our favorite things (a bottle of wine, a candle, lotto tickets, etc.) so each guest started the wedding weekend with a special treat and got to enjoy some of our favorite things. We also both went to the University of Dayton, so had our school letters as the groom cake. We had two signature drinks – his and hers, and had each of our favorite cocktails with a fun little spin on it!

Since most of our guests were from out of town, we hosted a late-night party after the reception ended in the bowling alley at the club. We had bowling, Chicago-style hot dogs, beer, and music for our guests to enjoy until the wee-hours of the night!

One of our favorite moments of the evening was when our bridal party surprised us by starting off the dancing! A couple of the groomsmen had talked to the DJ to play a song when the dancing was about to start and call the bridal party out to the dance floor. Matt and I had no idea what was happening and before we knew it all the bridesmaids and groomsmen were busting out their best dance moves! It was hilarious and a great way to kick off an evening of dancing.

My one piece of advice that I would pass down to any bride is to make sure you and your groom stay by each other all night! Matt and I knew we wanted to spend the night by each other’s side, and made a conscious effort to do so! It easy to get pulled in different directions, but the night is about celebrating the two of you together, so be sure to enjoy each moment together as husband and wife!

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Wedding Photography: Lauren Wakefield Photography | Ceremony Venue: Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Glenview, Illinois | Reception Venue: Michigan Shores Club in Wilmette, Illinois | Wedding Cinematography: Lexoria Films | Floral Design: Ashland Addison Florist | Wedding Cake: Sweet Mandy B’s | Transportation: Chicago Trolley & Double Decker | DJ: EMM | Wedding Invitations: William Arthur | Custom Map: Eliza Jane Ink | Signage: Tie That Binds | Wedding Dress: Kleinfeld | Shoes: Jimmy Choo + Tory Burch | Hair: Salon Soca | Makeup: Blue Mercury

When you’re as seriously stylish (+ stunning) as these two Chicago sweeties are, finding the perfect backdrop for your e-shoot isn’t exactly what I would call a necessity.  I mean, let’s face it… these two lovebirds could be swimming in a sea of white nothingness and would still look downright amazing.  But, when you add in a fabulous Lincoln Park setting and some Chicago skyline beauty, it takes it to a whole new level of pretty.  One that was captured in devastatingly gorgeous images by Yazy Jo and is filling our gallery with some serious pre-wedding bliss.  Join me there to soak it all in.

From the Bride… We started our session in Lincoln Park, which was an obvious choice of us. We live close by and love hanging out around the south pond and Lincoln Park Zoo. It’s such a refreshing oasis in the middle of the hectic city, not to mention, it’s where we got engaged!  We then headed downtown. We didn’t have any particular plan in mind, but knew Yazy would do a wonderful job capturing our amazing city and telling our story.  Thanks to Yazy, the day was perfect.  We capped it off by going to dinner where we had our first date.

Wedding Photography: Yazy Jo / Location: Lincoln Park in Chicago, Illinois

Although there is a teeny tiny part of me that wants to run off to Hawaii, find a secluded beach and say “I do” with the one I love, there’s just something about a classic affair that tugs at my heart strings. Every single time.  Maybe it’s the traditional ceremonies, the stunning ballroom settings or the gowns with trains that go on for miles (and miles), but diving into a classic soiree always makes me one happy blogger.  And this breathtaking gem planned to perfection by Weddings by Karolina?  It’s a show-stopper of a day with crazy gorgeous florals from The Flower Firm and one glorious image after another captured by Ann & Kam Photography.  See it all in the full gallery.

From Weddings by Karolina… Marilia and Daniel are originally from Latin America, but were planning their wedding from Iowa, and chose the big city of Chicago to have their wedding day. Since every single guest was from out of town they wanted to make sure that everyone would have plenty to see and do in Chicago.  They chose the beautiful St. Mary of the Angels Church for their ceremony. The church was still decorated with Christmas trees, poinsettias, and beautiful Christmas lighting, so the church didn’t really need much decor. Although the Flower Firm did provide some beautiful altar arrangements on pillars.

The reception was held at the lovely Peninsula Hotel. The entrance to the cocktail hour had beautiful white drapery with a gorgeous floral arrangment adorning the place card table. Cocktail hour and dinner music was played by the Michael Daly Jazz Trio. One of my favorite parts of this wedding was Marilia and Daniels’ intimate guest list of 45. There were smaller tables used for the room that fit 5 guests at each table. The Flower Firm again did beautifully arranged tall centerpieces atop a mirrored base surrounded by candlelight. Marilia and Daniel used unique Bem-Casados cookies, a Latin American tradition, for favors. I definitely loved this intimate wedding and how the couple brought a piece of Latin America to Chicago.

Wedding Photography: Ann & Kam Photography / Ceremony Venue: St. Mary of the Angels in Chicago, Illinois / Reception Venue: Peninsula Hotel in Chicago, Illinois / Event Planning: Weddings by Karolina / Floral Design: The Flower Firm / Wedding Cinematography: Lexoria Wedding Films / Shoes: Ivanka Trump

This intimate wedding totally had us at that gorgeous Melissa Sweet dress. And from there it just kept getting better. Surrounded by their closest friends and family, a super festive backdrop, and one fabulous photographer (Emilia Jane Photography) this adorable couple said their oh-so-sweet I Do’s. See all the pretty details rights here in the full gallery.

From Emilia Jane Photography… With only 75 guests, this intimate affair pulled at my heart strings from every direction. Hollyn & Matt’s love for each other and their families is so beautiful. Her hot Vera Wang shoes were almost too much, but the gorgeous Melissa Sweet dress couldn’t have been any prettier, and oh my gosh her veil! Stylish brides are too fun! One of my favorite parts of the day was our time for sunset portraits. I love getting to spend a few minutes away from the noise and hubbub of the day for the couple to just be together.

Wedding Photography: Emilia Jane Photography / Wedding Venue: Redfield Estate in Glenview, Illinois / Event Planning: Kristine Aletha Weddings / Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet / Shoes: Vera Wang / Bridesmaids’ Attire: Coralie Beatrix / Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

This couple? They are beyond fabulous. Fabulous in the sense that their wedding was themed around their favorite brews and hosted at Two Brothers Brewing Co (they even brewed their very own for their guests to enjoy). How can you not love this couple for that? I definitely have a little couple crush. It has a little to do with all their personal touches they put into this party, and everything to do with how adorable they are. See every last bit from Aaron Ottis Photography right here.

From the Bride… Matt and I share a love of good beer, so even before we got engaged Matt knew he wanted our wedding to be at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora. Also, the venue’s fireplaces, exposed wood beams, and giant tapestry of bears fit our woodsy aesthetic.

He proposed to me in January, and we were set on a fall wedding, so we worked hard crafting and planning with friends and family to get everything done on time. My Pinterest addiction was in full-swing at that point, so many of the DIY elements (coaster favors, wishing tree guest book) were inspired by projects I had pinned there. I tasked my bridesmaids (and bridesman) to help me poof out tissue paper puffs, my father-in-law hollowed out a log for our card box, and my brother-in law painted slices of wood for table numbers.

My favorite project was Wedded Bliss, a saison-style beer Matt brewed out of herbs I grew that summer in my garden. We served it at our reception and gave wax-sealed bombers to special guests at the wedding.

All of our vendors, friends, and family helped make everything run perfectly so we were able to enjoy the experience as it happened. While everything went by so quickly that it was a whirlwind, the feeling of elation from that night will never leave me.

Wedding Photography: Aaron Ottis Photography / Wedding Venue: Two Brothers Brewing Co in Aurora, Illinois / Floral Design: Raymond Joseph from RJ Designs / Cake: The Cakery, Inc / Save The Date: Art by Shaun Fitzpatrick / Paper Goods: DIY by the Bride / Wedding Dress: BHLDN / Groom’s Attire: Indochino / Hair: Paul Rehder from Paul Rehder Salon / Makeup: Odalisque

One look at this gorgeous duo, and you just know this wedding was one for the books. And one look at the description below and you’ll find out it was precisely that. Set in the city that hosted their love story, Chicago, in the gorgeous Greenhouse Loft, the entire day captured by Caroline Dixey Photography was a perfect combination of lovely and personal. Which we just happen to adore. See so much more here.

From the Bride… The inspiration behind our day was our city, Chicago. It’s served as the backdrop for most of our 11 year romance and has made us both who we are today. We wanted our wedding to have a clean, bright, natural feel with glowing lights. The wedding took place at Greenhouse Loft which was perfect; lots of light, wood floors, and a great layout. We had our invitations designed by Tweedle Press, a local printer that does great letterpress style invitations, and we blew up a big version of it for all our guests to sign. We reused San Pellegrino bottles, which has a blue label with little red stars (tying in perfectly with our Chicago vibe and invitations) as our table numbers, and twine was tied around the neck to bring it all together. Ferrero Rocher’s served as the treat denoting the seating arrangements and aqua fresca was served to guests arriving for the ceremony. Our dear friend and mentor married us, and the simplicity and uniqueness of it all was a perfect depiction of us individually and as a couple. Another good friend of ours read a passage by The Dalai Lama, and the energy of all our favorite people in the world blessing our marriage was incredibly moving.

We’re foodies and audiophiles, so we had to have certain components of the day be top notch. Our caterer was Antique Kitchen Catering, now blowing up with their local gourmet taqueria, Antique Taco, and it was so on point. We had stations serving composed plates; steak w frites and a chimichurri, fish and carnitas tacos, and orecchietti pasta w a creme sauce and mushrooms were all among the offerings. Mini Chicago style hot dogs were served as a last night snack. The music was provided by our friend DJ Limbs of Cage & Aquarium productions, and the dance floor stayed packed all night. Our friends and sisters gave classic speeches and the entire day was more perfect than we could have ever hoped for.

Wedding Photography: Caroline Dixey Photography / Wedding Venue: Greenhouse Loft in Chicago, Illinois / Event Planning + Design: the Bride / Floral Design: Fleur / Catering: Antique Kitchen Catering /  Wedding Cake: Bittersweet / Wedding Invitations: Tweedle Press / Cake Topper: The Funky Shack / Wedding Dress: Manuel Mota via Glamour Closet / Headband: Brass Lotus / Shoes: Diane Von Furstenberg

Krakora Studios sent us this pretty Lake Forest wedding and we’ve been chomping at the bit to share it with all of you. It’s classic style with a vintage twist and there’s nothing not to love. From their traditional blue, white and black color palette to those fun, striped linens, we’re loving each and every inch. Click here for the full gallery!

From Krakora Studios… Janie + Joey were married on August 18, 2012 in Lake Forest, Illinois – the date that both of their parents were also married.  Their wedding day started off with make-up at their home in Lake Forest and was followed by their ceremony at The Church of the Holy Spirit and then their reception at the Knollwood Country Club. The wedding had a slight vintage twist with their old 1929 Buick Convertible that came with old money bags and a Tommy Gun for a fun prop later. Since their church did not allow any photographers inside the sanctuary, we opted for a first look with their wedding party present so we could get some of their reactions.

Janie had a close friend that passed away when they were younger and she tried to incorporate/acknowledge her on the day.  The cake knife that was used was the same one that was used on their grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary cake (and also at their bother and sister’s weddings).  The sterling baskets that the flower girls carried were her grandparents wedding presents, as well.

They had a sparkler send off at the end of the night.

Wedding Photography: Krakora Studios / Ceremony Location: The Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, Illinois / Reception Location: Knollwood Country Club in Lake Forest, Illinois / Event Planning + Design: Debbie Saran / Floral Design: Bitter Sweet Designs / Wedding Invitations & Paper Goods: Kristy Rice of Momental Designs

I’ve been able to step on the fine streets of Chicago in my day, so it doesn’t surprise me a bit when a couple as cute as this one couldn’t imagine saying I do anywhere else on the planet. It’s charming and cozy, yet big city chic and makes the perfect host for such a party – and the proof is in the pictures from Imagination Photography. It doesn’t hurt that every detail was thougth of thanks to Bliss Weddings & Events, and it all makes for one fabulous gallery to devour. See it all here.

From the Bride…After growing up in our respective suburbs of Chicago, Matt and I ventured south to Vanderbilt University where we both developed our love for country and found the love of our lives. On our 6 year anniversary, after having just moved away to Dallas, Matt proposed with a beautiful ring and we immediately began planning the big day, which we knew would be held where all our loved ones and hearts still were – in Chicago.

The ceremony was extremely important to us so we planned our day around it. Growing up, I always dreamed of getting married at the church where my parents were married 40 years ago, St. Mary of the Angels. The building’s architecture and details are gorgeous and are made even more special by the many life events that occurred there among my family. Being able to continue the tradition at the church made our day that much more personal and meaningful.

Planning a wedding in Chicago while living in Dallas proved to be trickier than anticipated; however, our parents were a tremendous help with much of the planning, and we also enlisted the help of a great family friend and an amazing wedding consultant, Kara Superfine of Bliss Weddings and Events. With her impeccable style and expertise in both wedding design and planning, we knew we would be in good hands and our vision for the day would come to fruition.

For the reception venue we needed to find somewhere large enough to hold our 350 guests, but that still felt intimate. Matt and I decided on the historic Navy Pier Grand Ballroom, which was the perfect mix of a blank slate with an open and elegant feel, breathtaking views, outdoor space, and old-world charm. With the help of the visionary Jesse Deckard from Event Creative, we were able to create a beautiful and warm space in the ballroom using gorgeous soft blush garden roses, endless candlelight glowing through depression and mercury glass, and lush flowing fabric hung from the 80 foot ceiling. My bouquet included white, ivory and blush garden roses with white lisianthus, and the boutonnieres were ivory spray roses with seeded eucalyptus berries.

On our wedding day, it rained throughout the entire morning of preparations, but as soon as we pulled up to the church to become man and wife, the rain stopped, the clouds parted, the sun came out, and we were blessed to have a beautiful day. As we had hoped and dreamed and planned, and with the help of our loved ones and creative geniuses turned loved ones, our wedding had a romantic vintage feel with a modern touch, and left everyone feeling the warmth of a summer night in Chicago and the love shared between Matt and me.

Photography: Imagination Photography / Wedding Consultant: Bliss Weddings & Events / Ceremony Site: St. Mary of the Angels / Reception Site: Navy Pier – Grand Ballroom / Hotel Accommodations: The Drake Hotel / Florist & Lighting: Event Creative / Linens: BBJ Linens / Entertainment: Colby Beserra & The Party Faithful / Transportation: Chicago Motor Coach / Hair & Makeup: Erin Graham, Rachel Reiman / Invitations: Clementine Ink / Dress: Alice Padrul / Shoes: Badgley Mischka

The Greenhouse Loft is, hands down, one of my favorite Chicago venues. The 20th century building was transformed into an eco-friendly, rustic meets modern wedding wonderland, allowing couples to completely transform + customize the space. And this Mr. and Mrs. did just that. Bringing in bold colors, gorgeous florals and a whole lot of DIY amazingness, they created the casually elegant soiree of their dreams! Click here to see it all. 

From the Bride… We really wanted our personal style to shine through on our wedding day – in each and every detail! After all, a wedding is all about the details and it’s a celebration of our love and lifelong commitment to each other right? It was really important to us to incorporate our college pride into the details of the wedding and we tried to wherever possible.

Probably one of the most personal things about our wedding was the ceremony – it was so special and so far from traditional. A long time friend of my family, officiated our wedding.In our meetings with Clint, we expressed that we really wanted the focus of the ceremony to be about commitment and loyalty and we shared how important our family and friends were to us. During our ceremony, he talked about the fact that almost everyone in our bridal party were lifelong friends and siblings of Mike and mine – relationships and friendships we’ve had and maintained for more than 20 years. He also talked about the respect and admiration we both have for our parents and their relationships – mentioning that our parents have been married a combined 77 years! While our ceremony was short, it was one of the most personal and romantic experiences.

When we first started the planning process, we wanted to create an experience that was really personal and unique to us. We wanted our guests to be at our wedding and say, “This is totally Kristen and Mike!” Mike and I had never been to a wedding with food stations before and were a little nervous about how this would work logistically and esthetically for dinner service. After the first meeting with our catering manager and our vision of what we hoped our menu would look like, we knew it was the perfect set up. To promote our theme of casual elegance and a fun, conversational atmosphere, we decided to do heritage themed food stations – a blend of our cultures through food.

The Greenhouse Loft itself is an early 20th century loft building with garden-facing floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The space features recycled wood floors from an old Edison Factory found in New London, Wisconsin – they are over 100 years old! Right outside the doors of the Greenhouse Loft glasshouse is the 8,000 square foot organic sky garden which was the sight of our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour. We prayed for good weather so that we could use this elegantly gorgeous outdoor space.

I am an extremely detail oriented person and I really wanted to be involved in the selection and/or creation of every detail for our wedding. So much about our wedding was DIY – from the invitation assembly and calligraphy, to the table numbers, to the Mason jar guest favors. My family is pretty creative so I wanted to take advantage of that! One of my favorite memories of wedding planning will forever be our wedding invitation assembly line. My mom, sister, and I sat around my kitchen table on two Sunday afternoons for hour and hours to put them together.

Wedding Photography: Heather Parker Photography / Wedding Venue: The Greenhouse Loft in Chicago, Illinois / Wedding Planning: Lauren Knuepfer from LK Events / Floral Design: Allison Denny from Stems / Officiant: Judge Clint Hull / Wedding Cinematography: R.E.M. Videography / Catering: The Hearty Boys / Wedding Cake: Amy Beck Cake Design / DJ: Christopher Vittorio from Spin Productions / Ceremony Musicians: Dolce Strings / Cake Topper + Thank You Tags: The Pink Koala / Favor Tags: Leafy Vine Design / Ring Bearer Sign: 4 The Love of Hannah / Wood Signs: And The Sign Says / Wedding Stationery: Paper Source / Wedding Dress: Custom made via The Gown Shop / Bride’s Jewelry: Left Bank Jewelry / Bride’s Veil + Accessories: Sara Gabriel via The Gown Shop / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaids’ Attire: BCBG / Bridesmaid Jewelry: Five Little Gems / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: Calvin Klein via Men’s Wearhouse / Groom’s Tie: JoS. A. Bank / Groomsmen’s Ties: Tie Bar / Flower Girl Attire: Target +  Claire’s / Hair: Livia Caporale / Makeup: Brian Sutherby

I love how out-of-the-box this wedding is. From the Studio Paris ceremony to the dueling pianos at the reception, this wedding is totally unique and showcases this couple’s amazing love for the city of Chicago. Redwall Photo captured all the bright, modern details and you can see it all right here in the full gallery.

From the Bride…Our goal in planning the wedding was ultimately to open up and share our lives with our family and friends. Adam and I both love Chicago, so we wanted to showcase all things we love about living in the city. We chose to have our ceremony at a somewhat unusual downtown venue, Studio Paris. It is popular nightlife location where we have spent more than a few nights together as a couple and with our closest friends. But during the day, it is filled with light and fresh air, and the space resembles a contemporary urban loft with exposed brick and industrial touches. It was a perfect place for our ceremony! The weather on our wedding day was beautiful, so we were able to have the windows and rooftop open, which gave the feeling of having an outdoor ceremony. I loved our choice to have a violin & guitar duo play our ceremony music because the combination of those two instruments has such a beautiful and modern sound. Adam and I asked one of his life-long friends to be our officiant, and together we worked on our ceremony script, picked several readings, and wrote our own vows. It was very important to us to have such a personal and meaningful wedding. I couldn’t be more pleased with the ceremony, it perfectly suited us.

We continued to make other aspects of our wedding reflect our downtown lifestyle by keeping things lively, modern, and fun-loving. My bridesmaids wore black cocktail dresses that were perfect for dancing the night away, accented with bright, sparkling heels (which I couldn’t resist wearing myself!) The floral arrangements included vibrant pinks and deep purples. For our reception, we celebrated at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza. We decided on this venue immediately when we saw the room. The ballroom directly overlooks the Chicago River and has the most amazing views of downtown. What better way to display our favorite city to our guests! We made the reception personal by incorporating several of our most-loved things, including an array of cupcakes brought in from my favorite bakery, and also framed a caricature (made for us while on date at Navy Pier) for family & friends to sign instead of a guestbook. But the best part of the reception by far was the entertainment. It was important to us to have live music and wanted something more unique, so we decided on having dueling pianos instead of the traditional DJ or band. The pianos were great; guests had a great time interacting and requesting songs. One of my bridesmaids and I were even able to join in and sing along with the pianomen to one of the songs- it was so much fun!

Overall everything about our day was perfect, I couldn’t imagine it any better! We had a really wonderful group of vendors that made our wedding spectacular, and such wonderful family and friends that helped make it so special.

Wedding Photography: Redwall Photo / Ceremony Venue: Studio Paris in Chicago, Illinois / Reception Venue: Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza in Chicago, Illinois / Wedding Coordinator: Weddings by Karolina / Floral Design: Details in Bloom / Wedding Cinematography: Brittany Lynn Studios / Ceremony Decor: Revel / Wedding Cake: Alliance Bakery / Cupcakes: Sugar Bliss / Reception Music: Howl at the Moon / Lighting: MDM Entertainment / Photo Booth: Magic Moment Photobooth / Wedding Invitations: Dan Mouradian / Calligraphy: Write by Mike / Ceremony Programs + Menus: DIY by the Bride / Transportation: M&M Limo / Wedding Dress: Sincerity Bridal / Bride’s Jewelry: Tejani Jewelry / Rings: Tiffany & Co. / Bride’s Shoes: Steve Madden / Bridesmaids’ Attire: Bill Levkoff / Flower Girl Attire: Fairy Wonderful / Groom’s Attire: JoS. A. Bank

Chicago has chic down. That’s not a question. But this adorable couple took that Chicago chic style and added their own dash of cuteness, making for one personality-filled party at the Chicago History Museum. The best part? We get to see the ahh-inducing day unfold thanks to the talented Melissa Hayes Photography, and you can do just that right here.

From the Bride…Our wedding look place during a July heat wave in Chicago — 104 degrees outside! Our grandmothers were melting as we working through the pre-wedding photo session on the sun-drenched patio where our wedding was to take place that same evening. Fortunately, the temperature dropped 20 degrees over the course of the afternoon, bringing welcome relief and allowing us to have a beautiful outdoor ceremony in full view of Chicago’s beautiful Lincoln Park. We managed to speak our vows without breaking, and our best friends from different parts of our lives – including some “groomsmaids” and “bridesmen” – made their own contributions.

We then moved a inside to a glorious ballroom at the Chicago History Museum. It was outfitted in Jazz-era décor, with an overall theme of live music. Each table was named and decorated for a live show that my new husband and I had attended together, and at each setting was placed a small bottle of our homemade vintage Manhattan cocktail. In the same spirit, we had gone all-in on our ballroom dance training and were all set to begin our First Dance to end all dances, when the “wrong” song started to play. No problem — we had the perfect backup tango and it turned out even better than the original. One thing I learned that night: don’t get derailed by “little” problems during your wedding, whether it’s the wrong song, a late car, or a toppled wedding cake (yes, that happened). Those are the moments our family will treasure and laugh about for years to come.

While the celebration overall was kind of a whirl, I remember so many wonderful images – the beautiful succulent terrariums at the tables, the vintage whiskey decanters, the scalloped bodice of my once-in-a-lifetime dress and Scott’s perfect bowtie. After dinner we danced to a mix of 90s hip-hop and old country music, and left the party humming from all the excitement and floating like rock stars. It was the best day of our lives. Absolute magic.

Wedding Photography: Melissa Hayes Photography / Wedding Venue: The Chicago History Museum in Chicago, Illinois / Wedding Planner: Naturally Yours Events / Wedding Cinematography: Sterling Wedding Cinema /  Floral Design: Pistil and Vine / Caterer: Blue Plate / Wedding Cake: Luscious Layers Bakery / Music: Cage and Aquarium / Wedding Invitations: Spilled Ink Press / Wedding Dress: Kenneth Pool via Ultimate Bride /  Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo

Planning a wedding in just three months isn’t always easy, but when this beautiful bride and her Marine beau realized that their original date in April 2013 wouldn’t be possible, they decided a December wedding was most definitely in order.  And, oh my goodness, was it beautiful.  Think Texas-inspired details, pretty pink hues and an amazing Enzoani gown from Blush Bridal Lounge, all captured in beyond beautiful images by Ashley Biess Photography.  See every last one in the full gallery.

From the Bride… Who says you can’t plan a wedding in 3 months? It’s definitely not easy, but it CAN be done, ladies! My husband and I had originally been planning for an April 2013 wedding in my hometown, Chicago. Planning from Austin, Texas, we were hoping for a longer engagement to get all of the details just right. My husband, a Marine, found out in September that there wasn’t a guarantee he’d be able to make it to our April wedding date. We were quickly forced with the decision to move up our wedding to December, only 3 months away.

Did I mention that I didn’t even have a dress yet!? The stars aligned when I found out that the designer of the dress I fell in love with only had ONE dress left in my size in the ENTIRE country. It was meant to be! From that moment on, Joe and I knew that we wanted to bring some of Austin’s fun and quirky style to Chicago. We included a craft beer station at our reception, served a signature Mexican Martini cocktail to our guests, and made a custom recipe book of our favorite meals as a favor. With the help of the modern style of the Greenhouse Loft, we felt like we had transplanted our home in Austin, Texas to Chicago for our special day.

Just to add a cherry on top: my husband and I Texas Two-Stepped for our first dance, and I wore my cowboy boots to do it JUST right. We embraced the soft, romantic winter weather and decorated with ivories, blush tones, golds, burlap and natural wood. We dimmed the venue lighting and lit the space with candles for a warm, inviting ambiance. It was the perfect day and I wouldn’t have done it any differently!

 

Wedding Photography: Ashley Biess Photography / Ceremony Venue: Assumption Catholic Church in Chicago, Illinois / Reception Venue: Greenhouse Loft in Chicago, Illinois / Wedding Planner: Naturally Yours Events / Floral Design: Natural Beauties Floral / Caterer: Goose Island Brew Pub / Bakery: Jarosch Bakery / Entertainment: Steve Edwards Orchestra / Wedding Invitations: The Memory Trunk / Programs + Recipe Book: Designed by Bride / Wood Escort Card Holders: Made by Bride / Dog Thumb Print Tree: Made by Bridesmaid / Burlap Table Numbers: Made by Bride / Wedding Dress: Enzoani “Gloria” via Blush Bridal Lounge / Bride’s Sash: Enzoani “Fern” / Bride Shoes: Badgley Mischka “Macee” / Bride’s Fur Stole: Vintage / Bridesmaids’ Attire: Bill Levkoff / Bridesmaids’ Jewelry: Forever21  / Bridesmaids’ Belts: J.Crew / Hair: Kate from Salon Anovin