Illinois Weddings

After fawning over every perfect detail of this modern wedding, I am 100% positive that a city affair is where it’s at. Of course, the next adorable backyard soiree might have me dreaming of wide open fields but right now I am all about the cityscape. And every detail is exactly suited for this chic little number. The stunning, modern florals crafted by Hello Darling, the FONTastic papergoods by Smock + Spark, the killer images by Olivia Leigh Photographie – how could you go wrong with that lineup? Say I DO to the rest of this Chicago beauty in the gallery.

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From Olivia Leigh Photographie… The bride and groom, Kristen and Scott, were married on a very rainy day in September. Kristen looked phenomenal (!) in a couture Oscar de la Renta ensemble, complete with a removable peplum skirt and horsehair flower, along with a necklace that converted into a belt later in the evening. The ceremony was held at a historic neighborhood church, Saint Michael’s, that was just breathtaking inside. A family friend presided over the ceremony, making for a still-intimate ceremony despite the grandeur of the environment!  After the ceremony, we went on a bit of a photo adventure to several locations throughout the city, and the wedding party and immediate families also stopped for lunch at a restaurant/bar in Kristen and Scott’s neighborhood, PJ Clarke’s. This spoke to how relaxed the entire day was — it was pretty amazing to see Kristen in Oscar de la Renta and her maids in Vera Wang, eating at a bar in the afternoon! It ended up being a really special part of the day that allowed everyone to slow down and have some fun.

Following photos, we made our way to my always-favourite Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago. With the rain finally cleaning, guests sipped cocktails on the stunning terrace with views looking over all of downtown Chicago. Dinner and dancing followed in the museum’s restaurant, Terzo Piano, where Hello Darling did an amazing job on modern floral decor. Orchids, globes of flowers, succulents, and manzanitas echoed the modern architecture and clean lines.  Kristen and Scott had a lovely set of personalized paper goods that reflected the modern and artistic flair of their event. The reception featured intimate toasts and such a warm, family feeling. Having known each other for over a decade and with both of their families hailing from New Jersey, it truly felt like all of their guests knew one another, and the whole day was filled with such warmth and familiarity. It was such a joy!

Wedding Photography: Olivia Leigh Photographie / Wedding Ceremony Location: St. Michael’s in Old Town / Wedding Reception Location: Terzo Piano of the Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago / Wedding Dress, Accessories & Shoes: Oscar de la Renta via Ultimate Bride / Bridesmaid Dresses: Vera Wang / Wedding Invitations & Paper Goods: Smock + Spark via Magnificent Milestones / Floral Design: Hello Darling / DJ: Style Matters / Day of Coordinator & Calligraphy: Marilyn of Honey Bee Weddings / Hair & Makeup: Sonia Roselli

The pre-gamer to your Wedding Day, a.k.a the Engagement Party, can be such a fun way to get your feet wet when it comes to throwing big huge bashes to celebrate your love. Those are the best kind of parties in our opinion and this Chicago installment photographed by Melissa Hayes Photography is quite the stunner. Feast your eyes on some glamy, glitzy goodness concocted by Art of Imagination with even more to pore over in the gallery.

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From the Bride… With Phil being Australian and Chicago my hometown, the tyrannies of distance loomed large when we started planning our big day. Both of us are blessed with large families and a plethora of wonderful friends; we feared we’d single-handedly end the global airline slump with the number of plane tickets needed!

In the end, Phil and I decided to hold formal engagement parties in Chicago and Sydney to celebrate with our friends, and just have our families join us in Hawaii for an intimate ceremony in early 2012. With Sydney sure to sparkle in all its natural beauty, I was determined to show off my hometown and share it’s history, class, and old-school charm with our party guests. I fell in love with The Casino, a members-only club tucked behind the John Hancock Building, after attending a friend’s wedding there years ago. And, thanks to that same friend, we were lucky enough to secure the site for our Chicago reception.

Such an unusual and elegant oasis in the city, Phil and I embraced the club’s art deco splendor from the start, letting it dictate the mood for the entire evening. Guests were greeted by white-gloved doormen and white carnation boutonnieres were pinned on each man in the lobby. Phil’s boutonniere and my corsage had white ostrich feathers, as did the towering centerpiece in the club’s main room. (The women were handed faux pearls, sparkly diamond rings, boas, and flapper-esque headbands later in the evening.) We kept the table arrangements quite simple and opted for simple floating gardenias and candles.

A white tufted-leather circular bar served multiple signature cocktails in saucer Champagne glasses, which were accompanied by personalized napkins with funny facts about Phil and I. Between a cozy living room with a fireplace, a ballroom (complete with a 12-piece band) for dancing, and a petite side room with a photo booth full of props, guests had the run of the place all night long.

At midnight, we opened up a secret late-night lounge to encourage our guests to stay late. Living in Australia, I don’t get to see everyone at home often and really wanted to seize the opportunity to spend time together. Bar food was served and a jazz singer kept the party alive to 2 am! (Phil and I were the very last ones to leave.)  At the door, goody bags with mementos from our respective homes (Chicago Frango mints and Vegemite, of course!) sent us and our partygoers home happy.

Above all, we’d hoped for an evening that would be both fun and personal. The Casino proved to be the perfect venue for us to mingle, dine, and enjoy ourselves amongst all our loved ones and friends. I couldn’t be more proud of my elegant Windy City! And I simply can’t imagine a more perfect wedding … oops, I mean engagement party!

Photography: Melissa Hayes Photography / Event Design: Joseph Leigh Designs + Deborah Weisenhaus of Art of Imagination / Venue: The Casino / Band: The Steve Edwards Orchestra / Floral Design: Joseph Leigh Designs / Catering: The Casino / Makeup: Peter D. Noakes / Hair: Frankie Bush / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Dress: Naeem Khan / Invitations: Reagan Culbertson

Last weekend we featured a couple of wedding films and got the sweetest comments … about waking up on Saturdays, hoping we’d have posted another wedding video! So, Heather, Brittney and Andrea ~ today’s your lucky day. We appreciate your comments more than you can imagine!

We’re featuring a film from LOUDBYTE Cinematography. Although their offices are in Chicago, their passion is in Destination Weddings. So all you couples who haven’t signed on the dotted line with a cinematographer, DO pay close attention to Steve Gribben and Ton-Essa La’Rocque at Loudbyte.

Kemi and Grant’s trailer is SO mesmerizing. She really DOES get you at “I Do” …

from Loudbyte Cinematography on Vimeo

Grant and I first met at a pool hall when we were charged to be the wing-men for our friends’ blind date. A few weeks later, we all met back up at Grant’s house for a BBQ. Sparks flew from the beginning. Now, five years later, we are madly in love and married!

You can read what Kemi and Grant have to say about their experience with Loudbyte Cinematography right here!

Okay you winter brides, I hope you’re ready for this Chicago affair. Our bride has worked for LOLA Event Productions for years, so she obviously knew the amazing staff would be able to make her wedding dream become a wedding reality. And that they did. They were able to take the cold, blustery day in the Windy City and turn it into a warm and cozy Winter Wedding. And thankfully, Steve Koo Photography was there to capture every romantic detail. Read all about the wedding of one of their own on LOLA’s blog!

Don’t forget about the gallery for more!

From Steve Koo … Kristy and Brian had a wonderful, fun winter wedding at Salvage One, which is actually an antique and artifact store and, of course, also a gorgeous, unique event space. It was raining and rather gloomy outside, but Kristy was all smiles from the very start! They had their first look in the lobby of the Hotel Sax Chicago, then we headed straight to Salvage One. Even though we couldn’t go outside, there were more then enough fun places to take bridal party pictures inside the awesome space! LOLA Event Productions had done a beautiful job with the decor and the flowers, and DJ Chris Somera did a great job keeping the dance floor packed all night!

From our bride … When Brian and I first were engaged, we discussed what we wanted our wedding to be. We decided we wanted that warm cozy feeling you get when you’re inside on a blustery winter day, with close friends and family. On top of that, we wanted a rocking good party in a fun place and wanted the day to be stress free. As a bride who has worked for a wedding planning company for years, the planning came easy to me. I spent my time hunting down new-to-me vintage bride and groom cake toppers, picking out a dress, and of course stressing over what shoes to wear.

I already knew which DJ would keep the dance floor packed all night, and that Limelight would overachieve on food, cakes and service. Choosing trustworthy, wonderful vendors definitely helped ease the stress. The ladies at LOLA Event Productions were magic on the day. I let them know a few specifics of what I really liked when it came to floral and décor, explained what I was looking for very briefly, and then turned it over to them. And of course, it came out better than I could have ever dreamed. Despite having the kind of weather ones hopes will never happen when planning a December wedding in Chicago (snow, sleet, wind, cold), I was completely stress free on my wedding day. I wish every bride and groom the pure, unadulterated joy we had on our wedding day.

Hair: Jennifer Galavan / Makeup: City Lights Makeup / Planners: LOLA Event Productions / Flowers: LOLA Event Productions / Photographer: Steve Koo Photography / Entertainment: DJ Chris Somera from Mary Monica Music / Cakes: Limelight / Catering: Limelight / Venue: Salvage One / Host Hotel: Hotel Sax Chicago

My little heart loves this next wedding. A contemporary Chicago affair, with fabulous stationery and styling by Anticipations Events, gorgeous images from Michael Rastall Photography, and here is the kicker – it all happened in a local flower shop! I love unique venues! There are surprises around every corner of this celebration, but you’ll have to check out the full gallery to see it all.

click here for the full wedding gallery!

From Elizabeth of Anticipation Events…Elizabeth and Mike live in Washington DC but they grew up and fell in love in Illinois, so they were excited to show Chicago off to their friends and family and knew it was where they wanted to wed.  They were looking for a venue that was unique with an outdoor space and when they saw A New Leaf in they knew it was the one.

Even though they were planning from Washington DC , have really intense jobs and just under six months to put the whole thing together it was important to infused their style into the day and make it unique to them. Their style was urban and modern, a little preppy and totally classic. Elizabeth and Mike really trusted me to create all the elements for the wedding day in their style.  The save-the-dates were done in their wedding colors of black, white, yellow and gray. Each card had a calendar of August with their wedding date hand-stamped and embossed with a yellow heart. There was also a small tag attached with yellow and white baker’s twine that had the hotel accommodation information on it so guests could start booking right away. We used a gray envelope that I lined with yellow and white striped paper to mail them.

The invitation came in another gray envelope and was lined with floral wallpaper from Anthropologie that gave a subtle nod to the floral elements of their venue. The invitation was an accordion fold tied up with a yellow grosgrain ribbon. I drew a line drawing of the Chicago skyline that went across the entire invite so when it was opened all the way the whole skyline was visible. The last panel of the invitation was and RSVP postcard that was perforated so that guests could fill out their RSVP, rip it off and drop it in the mail. Easy-peasy!  We also included a mini-accordion with the weekends? events that Elizabeth & Mike had planned for their guests. Because many of them were from out of town they were kind enough to invite everyone to dinner at Gino’s East on Thursday night to welcome them to Chicago and then hosted a bon voyage brunch at the Sofitel morning after the wedding! It was an easy way to get all the information to everyone without another envelope or stamp. And a tiny slice of pizza, what’s not to love?  I also created programs for the ceremony. I used black linen cover stock to make a little cover for them and punched a heart shape from the wallpaper we used for the invitation liners for the front (we used this everywhere, wait and see!)

To welcome guests (and let them know they were in the right place, since it is a flower shop and not a traditional wedding venue) I made little signs out of chalkboards and ribbon.  The kissing ball was put to excellent use by their adorable flower girl—yellow flowers and a gray satin ribbon and she got to keep it forever!  I paper-mached two little buildings for a card box to play off of the skyline on the invitation.  They loved the idea of the thumbprint tree for a guest book so I drew one for them using their invitation fonts.  Fingerprints abound!  Using scrap paper from all of the various paper projects I worked on for them, I created a backdrop for their ceremony space.  It was simple, the materials were inexpensive and although it did take some time, it turned out to be one of my very favorite things. I thrifted old frames and painted them yellow, black and gray and then used more of the leftover paper to create all of the signage including the cheeky signature drink signs at each bar.  For their favors, Mike and Elizabeth wanted to give their guests a little “taste of Chicago” so they got bags of Garrett’s “Chicago Mix” popcorn.  Heaven! I created little thank you tags for them out of them with a thank you message from Mike and Elizabeth on each. I backed them with the wallpaper, tied them with the twine from the save-the-date and embossed a yellow heart on each, just so we could come full circle.  And of course, a little thank you banner for their thank you notes.

Ceremony & Reception: A New Leaf / Catering: Food Evolution / Wedding Planning & Styling: Anticipation Events / Photography: Michael Rastall Photography / Florist: A New Leaf / Stationery: Anticipation Events / DJ: Kristin with Toast & Jam / Ceremony Music: Panache Entertainment / Hair: Sine Qua Non / Make-up: MAC / Brides Dress: Cosmobella by Demitrios / Bridesmaid Dresses: black dresses chosen by bridesmaids / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew / Cake: made by family members / Favors: Garrett’s Popcorn / Alcohol: Binny’s Beverage Depot / Guest Accommodations: Sofitel Chicago Water
Tower / Rehearsal Dinner: Gino’s East

A morning ceremony and brunch reception, complete with coffee bar and barista I might add, sounds delightful, no? Top that off with an adorable couple, bridesmaids rocking fabulous shoes, and flowers from Sylvia’s of Arlington Heights that seem to jump off the screen – and I’d say we have a winner of a wedding. Each image from Dawn E. Roscoe is just as beautiful as the last, so head on over to the full gallery for a full dose of lovely.

click here for the full wedding gallery!

From the Bride…I had always dreamed of having a morning wedding and a brunch reception. Eric and I aren’t big drinkers and after all the weddings we’d been to he game for something a little different. My three top priorities were: venue, photographer, band. According to my dad, we hit the “ball out of the park,” on all three. My family church isn’t beautiful or traditional, but it’s where I grew up and it holds a special place in my heart. We live downtown Chicago, but both families are from the suburbs, so we decided on the most urban of suburban venues, the Metropolis Ballroom in Arlington Heights, Illinois. About 40 minutes outside the city, it was a quick drive for most of our guests. The floor to ceiling windows and dramatic ceilings took our breath away when we first saw it. And it didn’t disappoint on the big day.

We are Catholic and the wedding ceremony was very important to us. We asked our best friends to sing for us in our choir. It was such a treat to hear our friends use their talents and support us with love and song on our most special day! We had three priests at the wedding, each from a different part of my life at our family parish. Having all three of them there was so special. I interviewed about 15 photographers before deciding that Dawn Roscoe was the right photographer for us. It was the best decision we made. Photography was so important to me – capturing the little moments that might be missed was the number one important factor to me. Dawn did an outstanding job. We added the photo booth as another way to document the big day, and the photos are hysterical! It’s fun to see our usually serious friends and family get silly! The mustaches on a stick from Etsy were a big hit! The 16 piece orchestra rounded out our classy daytime wedding. Live music was also at the top of my priority list and it couldn’t have been better. The Swing Assembly in did an amazing job. We asked for swing and big band hits – they did not disappoint. I am still getting compliments on how amazing the music was – they even brought a male and female singer! My dress was a plain Emerald gown with a custom sash and two different jackets. I knew I wanted a ¾ lace jacket for the wedding, but that I wanted to change into something a little more fun for dancing. In the bridal salon one day we tried on this little jacket by *** just for the fun of it and four women who didn’t know us walked all the way to the back of the salon to tell us we had to buy the bolero. It was settled. We had the lace jacket and sash custom made and then I changed when it was time to head into the reception into the bolero. Such drama!

The bridesmaid dresses were Alfred Sung, and they were perfect for an afternoon wedding on the cusp of fall, but with summer weather. For me it was all about the SHOES and DETAILS for my girls. Each girl received a pair of teal BP shoes in a pump or a sandal – and her very own personalized accessories. It was so important to me that each of my best girls be individuals. They are each so special to me in unique ways – so why should they all look the same on my wedding day!? Flowers were lower on my priority list, so I was surprised when they became more important as our planning went on. I’m 6 feet tall, and I was going to be wearing A LOT of dress, so I knew I was going to need A LOT of flowers. I told Sylvia’s I wanted a bouquet so big I would need a wagon to hold it. And they didn’t disappoint! I think my bouquet weighed 12 pounds! Sylvia’s went out of their way to pull out all the fall stops for our flowers. I still get compliments!

Since the wedding was in the morning and the reception was in the afternoon, we decided to have a coffee bar and barista serving lattes and other espresso drinks all day – and then we pulled the coffee theme throughout the wedding. When you walked into the cocktail room and reception you could smell the espresso brewing! We’re big coffee drinkers, so it was a real treat! We got so many compliments on the coffee bar! The reception ended at 5, which gave Eric and I about 2 hours of sunlight with Dawn by ourselves. It was the best decision I ever made, for 2 reasons. First, Eric and I got to spend some time just the two of us between festivities. The drive to our shoot locations was one of the best of my life – with my new husband! And reason two, I was willing to walk around the woods in my wedding dress because the wedding and reception were over. We got some AMAZING shots in the daylight. Dawn did an amazing job capturing our joy and love that day, just the two of us. When the sun set and the light was gone, Eric and I said goodbye to Dawn and headed to my parent’s house where the post-wedding BBQ was underway. It was the most perfect day!

Photographer: Dawn E. Roscoe / Venue: Metropolis Ballroom / Band: Swing Assembly / Florist: Sylvia’s of Arlington Heights / Hair: Styles Down the Aisle / Dress: A L’Amour and Custom by Sara C

A New Leaf in Chicago is quite the stunner in terms of venues. It is filled with exposed brick, concrete floors, a spectacular garden and on this lovely day, a gorgeous wedding for a couple that wanted to keep an easy breezy vibe mixed with a fun, cocktail atmosphere. In the Bride’s words “more mingling, and less sitting.” We like her attitude. YazyJo Photographers captured the day and filled the gallery with even more fabulosity so be sure to stop by.

loving this Chicago wedding? See more of it here!

When we started looking for a place to hold our wedding we knew that we wanted the ceremony and reception in the same place and an intimate setting that would accommodate a cocktail style wedding that would promote more mingling and less sitting. We also wanted something simple, modern and romantic. We fell in love with A New Leaf right away, the concrete floors, exposed brick , interesting floor plan and candle lit was the perfect setting for what we imagined. What sealed the deal though was the garden area, which is inset between the buildings. The cobblestone ground, mismatched tables and stacks of terracotta flowerpots were romantic, simple and didn’t look high maintenance or over done. The trees were lit with small white Christmas lights and Japanese round paper lanterns.

It was the perfect setting for our wedding. Additionally, a New Leaf was also our florist. We wanted simple flowers so we chose a single orchid stem in a bud vase as our centerpieces for the tables. The space didn’t need a lot of embellishing and we wanted something simple that would mirror the simple style of the space. My bouquet was red calla lilies with an aqua wrap and the girls carried a mix of red seasonal flowers, also wrapped in an aqua wrap. The men’s boutonnieres were orchids with a fern frond and David wore a calla lily with a fern frond to match my bouquet.

My dress was from David’s Bridal and I chose a simple and elegant design and chose to dye my crinoline aqua to incorporate our red and aqua color scheme. My shoes were Cole Haan peep toe heels in red. My bridesmaids wore black cocktail dresses, each in their own design, also from David’s Bridal. The junior bridesmaids wore red floor length dresses with pick ups along the skirt which matched the flower girl’s dress which was white with an aqua sash and bow. Most of the linens were black with the napkins in red and aqua. We liked the classic look of black linens with just a pop of red and aqua. Initially I did not want a veil until I found the perfect birdcage veil with a feather fascinator on etsy. My stylist designed my hair in a vintage updo to compliment my veil and fascinator. Since I am a knitter, I also needed to make sure that I had a knitted item. My shrug that I wore during the reception was hand knitted by myself using silk yarn (Tilli Tomas) embellished with glass beads.

Photography: YazyJo Photographers / Flowers: A New Leaf Chicago / Shoes: Cole Haan / Invitations: Paper Source / Ceremony and Reception Location: A New Leaf Chicago / Catering: Food for Thought / Cake: Bittersweet Pastry Shop / Dj: Toast and Jam / Veil and Fascinator: Brenda’s Bridal Veils on Etsy / Hair: Sine Qua Non – Jenna / Makeup: Benefit / Men’s suits: Alfani / Officiant: Bruce Otto – Spirited Weddings

Planning your wedding “style” is no easy task! But when you know what you love, and you LOVE what you want … everything just takes on a magical twist! Margaret and Jake’s old world Chicago styled wedding was all that and so much more! From  Fleur Inc, Sarah Drake Design, Engaging Events by Ali, and Amanda Hein Photography ~ a rich, classic celebration!

From Fleur Inc… Orchids, orchids and more orchids! Phalaenopsis. Cattleya. Dendrobium. Cascading and lush … dramatic and whimsical. Margaret knew from the very beginning that orchids were her favorite! The bridesmaids carried them, her bouquet was filled with them, the centerpieces featured them. Margaret and Jake’s wedding was classic Chicago-style with an incredible color palette. A palette that would work for any season, any style … any celebration! A remarkable combination for any season!

See more of this wedding on Fleur’s blog feature and in our gallery!

Flowers: Fleur Inc. / Photography: Amanda Hein Photography / Invitations: Sarah Drake Design / Ceremony: Moody Church / Reception:  Union League Club of Chicago / Planner: Engaging Events By Ali / Bridal gown: Maggie Sottero (altered to make it into the dress of Margaret’s dreams by Toula at Ms. Couture) Bridesmaid dresses: Ann Taylor

This (incredibly gorgeous) couple’s fondness for art and architecture made a modern-styled wedding in none other than the Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago an absolute no brainer. They could not have chosen a more perfect location for their wedding to represent their signature style, and the amazingly talented Olivia Leigh of Olivia Leigh Photographie made sure that fabulous style was captured beautifully. It’s modern, it’s industrial, it’s chic – and so is each image in the gallery. I guarantee you’ll love all the industrial portrait shots – they are stunning!

click here for more modern!

From the talent behind the lens, Olivia Leigh…Erik + Katie are a couple that met and fell in love in Chicago, but now live in Seattle. A couple that has a fondness for art, architecture and style, and also wanting a space to showcase Chicago, the Modern Wing at the Art Institute was a natural fit. Katie wore a gorgeous Vera Wang gown with a classic veil and dove grey Chanel shoes. Her maids wore beautiful modern dresses from J Crew, and they carried bold fuchsia rose bouquets that popped beautifully against them. Erik was also dapper in his tux from Hugo Boss and modern shoes from Gucci that Katie picked out. After seeing each other for the first time at the Elysian hotel and taking photos around the city, Erik and Katie held a beautiful ceremony in Griffin Court in the Modern Wing. Katie walked in to a string quartet’s performance of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and joined Erik on a modern ceremony platform accented with tall calla lilly arrangements.

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktails on the beautiful terrace of Terzo Piano, the Modern Wing’s reception space and restaurant. Erik and Katie also made the Art Institute’s impressive impressionist gallery available to guests to view during cocktail hour, and we took advantage of this time by creating some portraits in this space. Nowhere else can you have a bridal portrait with your choice of Monet! The reception decor featured modern floral and glass arrangements, along with unique white table linens. Guests enjoyed rousing toasts, a delicious meal, the much-enjoyed photobooth, and then proceeded to dance the night way. We were also able to create some late night portraits on the landmark bridge connecting the museum with Chicago’s Millennium Park. Erik and Katie are a beautiful and kind couple, and it was such a privilege to witness and capture their wedding, along with all the sweet, tender moments they shared with each other throughout the day through beautiful portraits and touching natural moments.

Photography: Olivia Leigh Photographie / Florals: Botanicals / Officiant: Terry Brady / Venue and Catering: The Modern Wing/Terzo Piano at the Art Institute of Chicago / Accommodations: The Elysian / Hair & Makeup: Claudia and Jo from Sonia Roselli / Gown: Vera Wang / Shoes: Chanel / Vintage car company: Classic Chassis / String quartet: The Lake Shore String Ensemble / Grooms’s suit: Hugo Boss / Groom’s shoes: Gucci shoes from Nordstrom / Bridesmaid dresses: JCrew / Print: Sparkll / Photobooth: SayPhotobooth! / DJ: Beep Media, John Londay / Cake & Cupcakes: Sweet Mandy B’s

I’m definitely smitten with the color palette of this winter wonderland photo shoot but what I really love is that the team behind it, Redwall Photography, Kio Kreations and RBK Creations, warmed up the white, silver and cool blue theme with loads of cozy textures and totally accessible and eclectic elements.  The sweet decor feels ethereal, organic and serene but, best of all, I think all of our snow-loving brides and grooms will find loads of attainable inspiration from this wintry shoot.  The full gallery has more inspiration and ideas for you to make your own!

Click here for more winter wedding inspiration in the full gallery!

We designed a Winter Wonderland Wedding with a chic eclectic feel to go with the Armour House, beautiful historic venue in Lake Forest, IL.  Rather than have icicles and snowflakes everywhere, we kept it more understated with a handful of snowflake button details, small amounts of gel ice and scattered snow. We went with mostly white tones with touches of silver, pewter and icy blue. All of the flowers consisted of white blooms and silvery foliage with a little color brought into the mix with the organza and button stems. These organza flowers were also featured on the birdcage veil hairpiece, the necklace, and we also included them as an accent on the bride’s shoes.

Speaking of accessories, the beautiful funky asymmetrical necklace is a new item created by RBK Creations. The necklace has three layers of high quality glass beads in clear, silver and creamy pearls. There is a vintage inspired brooch on one side and a flowy handmade organza flower on the other. The necklace is finished off with a white satin ribbon used to tie it. This style of necklace is completely customizable from the color of beads, organza, brooch, ribbon…you name it!  As a cute, simple DIY, we bought a pair of pewter flats for the bride that we decorated with organza flower accents. For less than $30 she had a totally unique pair of shoes that fit her theme perfectly.

Instead of matchy-matchy centerpieces, we created a stylish, fresh, collected look of mismatched pieces filled with white flowers and silver foliage. We grabbed every vase and container we could find in clear, white, silver or ice blue including some silver mercury glass votives, vintage mason jars and bottles in blue and clear and some old milk glass vases. The vases and containers were both old and new, but worked perfectly when mixed together. Most of the vases were filled with white flowers and silver foliage including peonies, ranunculus, football mums, lisianthus, Dutch tulips, parrot tulips, Star of Bethlehem, dusty miller, silver sage and spray roses. We also filled a bunch of votive holders with gel ice and candles. One added touch we did was to include some white candies (Jordan almonds, yogurt-covered pretzels, and Lifesavers mints) to the mix, which made for some edible décor for the guests to enjoy. The collected containers and vases were placed on a long, beveled mirror that we repurposed as the “table runner”. It used to be part of a piece of old furniture! To complete the centerpiece look, we sprinkled some faux snow around everything and lit the candles. With the final touch of the crinkly white lamour tablecloth, it all worked perfectly together.

The bridal bouquet was a hand-tied, swooping bouquet of peonies, tulips, lisianthus, ranunculus, spray roses and some button and organza stems. The boutonnière was made to match and featured a mix of white flowers and silver foliage with 2 button stem accents. The button stems are created with RBK’s special stash of vintage buttons in whites, ivories, blues and grey with rhinestones mixed in as well. The organza flowers are created by hand and include numerous layers of fabric. Each petal is hand cut; there are around 16-20 layers per flower! The same vintage/rhinestone buttons finish off the flowers. They have a very romantic feel and resemble ranunculus.

We really loved creating this eclectic Winter Wonderland wedding featuring a beautiful bride at a stunning venue with subtle winter elements and chic mismatched details.

And as a super special treat for you today we have included the low-down on how to create those adorable shoe clips so you can get your DIY on!  There are more images from their project in the full gallery!

Bridal Flats

Supplies:

Metallic flats with plain front (no details on toe of shoe) We bought ours at Payless Shoes

Velcro circles (stick-on kind)

Organza floral stems (from RBK Creations)

Directions: This project could not be easier! Just add the Velcro to both the shoes and the cut-down organza stem and you’ve got some custom flats. You can even change out the flower later to a button or brooch and wear them for other occasions!

Photography: Redwall Photography / Flowers + Décor: Kio Kreations / Accessories + Specialty Button Flowers: RBK Creations / Makeup + Hair: Cynthia Sally Makeup and Hair Artistry / Venue: Armour House / Linens: The Chair Couture / Model: Amy Christian

This wedding has sent me over the colorful edge with its remarkably bright yet oh so gorgeous palette of citron and red. Who would have thought this would be such a beautiful pairing? But all color aside, this also happens to be a really unique, totally charming wedding. The uber fun bride and groom did hold their nuptials at an Illinois tree farm after all. Genius, pure genius. Adorable couple, vibrant colors, and breathtaking images from Lark Photography = hog heaven for a wedding blogger. And trying to chose which photographs to use was so very hard. There were just that many great ones which means visiting the gallery is an absolute must. See it all here.

see more of this beautiful day here!

I’ve been working with brides and creating elements for weddings for about 5 years now, so my laptop was already full of folders bursting with wedding ideas. But when it came to my own wedding, I felt what probably so many brides feel–where to start? One of the beautiful things about weddings is how much they’ve evolved. These are not our grandparents nuptials. I believe the number one thing your guests should say from the moment they see your invitation to the moment they get in their cars after your reception is “Wow, that was so them.” So Dugan and I decided to start with the things we liked, and try to figure out how to make them all work together from there. My favorite color is yellow. (I believe it’s a completely underutilized “fall wedding color.” Look out your window now and what do you see? Yellow!) Dugan decided he wanted to wear a red tie and so I thought if that’s his one request, I’m going to figure out a way to make it work. (But I did stop telling people my wedding colors were “red and yellow.” Even I think that sounds strange!) I love pearls and feathers and when things look effortless… Dugan likes color and fun, so those were all elements to consider incorporating. I’m so blessed to have some of the most creative women I know as friends–fellow designer, Sarah Axelson and spatial genius, Chrissy Parks. They helped me bring direction and vision to our eclectic mix of ideas and styles, and I had so much fun with them. The final inspiration was a sort of “old meets new,” and “Anthropologieish” became a verb we used often. We wanted everything to have vintage charm, but to still feel happy and fresh and easy. My good friend and photographer Laura was probably the second phone call I made the day after our engagement. I knew that no one would better capture the tone and vision of our day than she would, and I was right.

Sarah designed our invitations. She had an idea from the very beginning, and I was so grateful! I spent hours with my mom at the sewing machine laughing and yelling as the velvet ribbon for the band got stuck over and over again. I finished them off with bright white calligraphy and handfuls of vintage stamps. I made clips for my shoes out of feathers and vintage earrings. My necklace from J. Crew was the first thing I purchased for the wedding. My beautiful bridesmaids’ dresses were also from J. Crew. (I have to say, the fine people at J. Crew treated us like movie stars. It was a great experience to work with them). I choose different accessories for all the girls in our wedding because it was important to me that their individual styles and personalities would get to shine through the uniformed dresses. Dugan did the same for the guys–different ties from Express and shoes from TOMs. His suit and their vests were also from Express. My maid of honor Ashley ventured her Grandmother’s house as a place to get ready, and it was perfect the perfect setting! I loved getting to relax all day with some of my favorite girls in the world. The wedding and reception were at Williams Tree Farm. God blessed us with a completely magical day. The leaves fell like glitter as the sun was setting through the trees. Chrissy peppered the aisle with rose petals and lined it with a variety of vintage candleholders, all hand-painted to match and adorned with unique corsages. Dugan’s mom officiated our wedding, and that was such a special and personal gift. Another treat, our friend and musician Nathan Eiesland of Scattered Trees sang during communion. We laughed and cried and laughed… and when we went to break the glass (a Jewish tradition we incorporated into our ceremony) and the glass didn’t break, I even laughed all through our first kiss! I had fallen completely in love with vintage blue mason jars, and made it my personal goal of collecting as many as possible. Event Floral created the most gorgeous mix of flowers and feathers and berries for the boutonnières and bouquets, and then mixed and matched the flowers in jars throughout the reception to make it feel fresh and easy – like a vase at your own kitchen table. Good friends Jason and Bob made custom flavored brownies for us as favors for our guests, and local apples served as place cards. Each layer of our delicious cake from Patricia’s Pattisserie was a different yummy flavor, and we topped the whole cake off with vintage picture frames. Dugan’s sister Breeze sang during our first dance, and Dugan surprise serenaded me as well. The glow from the candles, lights, and lanterns felt intimate and romantic. It was a beautiful day full of love and perfect little details everywhere.

Photographer: Lark Photography / Event Design: Lindsay Letters and Chrissy Parks of Hello My Dear / Invitation Design: Sarah Axelson of Hello My Dear / Calligrahy & Paper Goods: Lindsay Letters / Flowers: Event Floral / Cake: Patricia’s Pattisserie / Ceremony & Reception Location: William’s Tree Farm / Officiant: Sharon Sherbondy / DJ: Jordan Chance, Luxe Productions / Guys shoes: Toms / Bride’s dress: purchased at Wedding Belles / Bridesmaid dresses & bride’s necklace: J.Crew / Groom’s suit, groomsmen ties & vests: Express

Day 2 …. of SMP’s Wedding FilmFest! And this short film from I Do Films is from one of our favorite weddings, ever on The Little Black Book Blog! We featured Terese and Ed’s wedding a few weeks ago {here} and {here} with the gorgeous images from David Wittig Photography.

We can’t tell you how much we loved their wedding!

And today, from I Do Films, this toe-tapping, positively grin-for-two-solid-minutes highlight film from Terese and Ed’s spring wedding in Chicago!

Ed & Terese from I Do Films on Vimeo

D E L I G H T F U L  !

Want to see more from I Do Films? Check out these terrific short films …

Martha Stewart Weddings Presents A Bridal Market Celebration

Michael & Buffy’s SO-Cool Aruba Wedding

It is official…we are absolutely beside ourselves with a mega wedding crush.  Between the pale blue details that are so delicate and pretty, the clean, modern succulent centerpieces,  and the breathtaking backdrop of the Garfield Park Conservatory…this Chicago Wedding knows the way to our blogger hearts. And paired with the photography by Melissa Hayes? Complete and total perfection. See lots more of this gorgeous day in the gallery.

click here to see more of this beautiful wedding!

From the Bride, Della…

Bob and I love our home in New York where we met, but out of respect and love for our families, we chose to return to Chicago to be married. We’re both art directors and when we started planning our wedding, I knew that our collective creativity and my years of planning and designing my friends’ weddings would help me bring together every detail of our own. Bob wanted to get married at the Garfield Park Conservatory partly because of its intrinsic beauty and strength as an essential community center but also because his father’s family lived in the area back in the 40s and 50s. My mother was married in India in the 60s and it was her 41-year-old wedding sari that I wore on my wedding day which was the inspiration for our wedding aesthetic. Woven pale blue silk (the polka dots were fashioned with actual silver thread,) inspired the subtle circle patterns see sparingly throughout the design. With this and a focus on simplicity, the invite was executed utilizing a blind debossed pattern with light gray ink for the typography.

The Conservatory is filled with such amazing flowers and plants that I chose to keep the centerpieces flower-free – highlighting my favorite succulents as accents. For table numbers, cylinder vases were partially filled with white sand while pillar candles were grounded in their center. I used tall white candles from the dollar store, and wrapped them with Chinese rice paper sourced back in New York whose varying white patterns added a hint of warmth. Guests were encouraged to take home the different milk glasses on the tables – items my sister hunted at local thrift stores over the last 6 months. Instead of a guest book, our family and friends were encouraged to write us individual messages and seal them in envelopes — a time capsule so that we will open and enjoy on our one year anniversary. The food was amazing. We wanted to represent Chicago as well as New York City, choosing cheesecake and Black and White Cookies in lieu of traditional wedding cake. This was as big a hit as it was delicious. Special thanks to Tom Kokinakos and his staff at Phil Stefani Signature events.

We wanted the details of our wedding to carry meaning and involve those closest to us. Bob wrote the beautiful ceremony. My brother’s old friend at Florist on Forest arranged my bouquet, corsages and boutonnieres. My makeup was done by the talented Kathleen Gardiner – the youngest sister of my high school friend. Her close friend Nick Stenson did my hair. My much loved twin nephews, Luke and Max, wore a youth version of the same shoes Bob wears. My adorable niece, Maya, carried a flower ball I purchased from Elmo and Ike on Etsy. Our officiant, The Honorable Maureen Connors Barton, is one of Bob’s mother’s childhood friends. (Their group of close girlfriends have a standing dinner at Chicago’s South Side Ignotz’s Restaurant, and here we chose to have our rehearsal dinner.) And finally, I cannot begin to say enough about Melissa Hayes Photography. She, with her husband Casey, spent the whole day with my family and I. She is simply amazing and was able to capture everything and in a way that I could never have imagined. My family adored her. She was so personable and sincere — a very important quality when inviting someone to share such a special day. And the pictures are a great representation of who we are as people as well as our family and friends – warm and inviting.

Documentary Wedding Photography: Melissa Hayes / Venue: Garfield Park Conservatory / Music: Just Press Play Productions / Catering: Stefani Catering / Hair: Nick Stenson / Makeup: Freelance Artist Kathleen Gardiner  / Bridal Dress: Vintage Indian wedding dress that was also worn by her mother for her own wedding / Hair Flower: Silver Pencils / Invitations Designed by the bride

Every once in awhile, we ~ the editors at Style Me Pretty ~ get up on our grandstand to applaud the fantastic cinematographers in our Little Black Book. And this month ~ the MONTH of November ~ that’s just what we’re going to do!! Each day at 3:00p (CST), we’re going to publish a short film ~ a trailer, a highlight, a same-day-edit. We implore you to take 5 minutes out of your hectic schedules to sit back and relax and experience the feelings of love and friendship and excitement of your fellow-brides’ glorious wedding days!

Some will make you laugh. Some will make you cry. But we guarantee, they will all warm your heart and make you oh-so-excited thinking of your own wedding! Please-please-please let this fabulous group of artisans know how much you appreciate their talents! (i.e., appreciate = comments!)

We are so excited to begin our November Wedding FilmFest with this spectacular Russian wedding from Life Stage Films!

From Life Stage Films … Elana and Eric found us on Google! They fell in love with our films and asked us to fly to Chicago for their wedding. Theirs was the first Russian wedding we had filmed and now, we have firmly established that they are the masters of partying! Everything was PERFECT for their wedding … the city, the weather, the ceremony AND the celebration! Oh, and you should know ~ Eric designed Elana’s rings and the tuxedos! All-in-all their wedding was extravagant and amazing and one to be enjoyed for a very, very long time to come. Enjoy!

Venue/Catering : Elysian Hotel / Entertainment: Marat – MC Extraordinaire / Photos: Alex Goykhman / Florist & Decor: Erin McDonald from Heffernan Morgan Designs / Custom tuxedos and accessories: Eric Kipp Custom Clothiers / Dance instruction: Jessica Owen, Arthur Murray Chicago

• When Eric and I saw each other all dolled up for the first time during our big reveal and when we arrived at the Elysian (our wedding venue) in a horse-drawn carriage. Matt and Melissa did such an amazing job capturing these moments!
• Matt’s amazing same-day edit, which we watched through a crack in the door, since we were hiding in the hallway before our official introduction as husband and wife.
• Our first dance, for which I changed into a custom-made Latin ballroom costume. Eric and I worked so hard to learn an amazing, choreographed routine for our first dance and we didn’t want our hard work getting lost under my wedding dress! When the music started, Eric came out on the dance floor alone and I made my entrance a few moments later. Our guests were completely shocked by my costume change and the intricate routine–everyone said we belonged on Dancing With the Stars! Our friends, family members and co-workers are still talking about our first dance!
• We really wanted our family members involved in the wedding as much as possible. The Elysian was so kind as to bring in a baby grand piano so that my mother, who is a concert-level pianist, could play for our guests. To make the moment even more special, our photographer put up a slide show of photos from the wedding day on the flat screen TVs we installed in the space. Everyone was so surprised to see photos that were taken just moments before and truly enjoyed the live piano accompaniment.
• A few months before our wedding, my Russian-speaking grandma took over the Elysian kitchen and taught the 5-star chefs there how to make her signature fish dish. Grandma is still talking about the experience, saying it was one of the best days of her life!
• The food was a big highlight for us and we spent many hours working with the chefs to create a custom menu. We served our guests 12 unique, Russian-inspired courses, plus wedding cake and dessert table. We also flew in 10 lbs of caviar to top off dinner.

We also learned so much during our wedding! A little advice to couples planning their wedding ~

• Lighting adds so much to even the most beautiful space. We used a combination of uplights and intelligent lights during our ceremony and rehearsal, which allowed us to change the color scheme throughout the evening. With the colors changing constantly, the venue felt new and fresh throughout the evening.
• We had a jam-packed schedule during the reception, including giving grandparents and the entire bridal party time to make a toast. This kept guests interested throughout the evening.
• I highly recommend hiring a same-day coordinator. I didn’t do this and really wish I did!
• Spend extra on a great videographer and photographer. The day goes by so quickly–make sure you capture every special moment with a great team!
• Call every vendor a few days before to confirm when they will arrive. The one vendor I didn’t call was nearly 2 hours late, which drastically cut into our photo time.
• Make sure to remind guests to turn off their cell phones before the ceremony. Also, consider asking for no flash photography.

WE know YOU know that we love to splash big beautiful color images across the pages of Style Me Pretty. But we also know that sometimes ~ black and white rules! And from the moment we saw these images from David Wittig Photography ~ well, you’ll see …

Are you in love with David Wittig Photography ??

I’m serious … it just gets better and better …

Awesome … in every way, shape and form of the word!

. . .

We often ask our brides if they are glad that they had a “first look” session.
Here’s what Terese had to say …

Because we planned from the beginning to have a late evening wedding, there was really no other option than to see each other and take photos before the ceremony. Our photographers set it up so that I was standing at the end of a long, tree-lined path and Ed walked up from behind. I was nervous and giddy until the moment I felt him kiss me on the shoulder and put his hand on my arm. Looking back, I can’t imagine not having this time alone with Ed to relax and smooch a little before the real craziness of the day began.

Afterward, we spent some time taking photos along Lake Michigan. Our hotel was also along the lakeshore and at one point we looked up at the top of the hotel and saw our moms and the bridesmaids looking down at us and waving. I couldn’t have planned the moment more perfectly if I had tried!

Our ceremony location was any easy decision. Once we decided that we’d get married in a church, I knew it would be Holy Name Cathedral. Not only is it a stunning cathedral in the heart of the city, but it’s also in the neighborhood where Ed and I live, so it’s the church we attend together.

After the ceremony, we were standing in the back of the church as our guests filed out. I hadn’t seen my grandpa yet and suddenly he appeared and wrapped me in the biggest hug. Through tears, he couldn’t stop telling me how happy he was for Ed and me. Dave and Nancy discreetly captured this moment and I am so grateful to have these photos.

We’ll have the “rest of the story” and more spectacular images from David Wittig and Nancy Beale in just a bit…

If you’re anxious to see more ~ David & Nancy have posted the entire day in all it’s glory in a slideshow on their blog {here}.

It will totally blow you away!

Photography: David Wittig Photography
Church: Holy Name Cathedral
Reception: Chicago Illuminating Company
Flowers and Event Design: Kehoe Designs
Coordination: LOLA Events
Video: I Do Films
DJ: Cage and Aquarium
Catering: Food for Thought

Despite the fact that you see one outdoor wedding after another on SMP (and around the web, frankly), we are always, always, always on the search for really beautiful indoor, ballroom style weddings. I had a ballroom wedding myself so I know just how tricky they can be when it comes to design. The yucky carpets, the banquet chairs…you know what I’m talkin’ about. Well this ballroom wedding is anything but yucky. It’s flat out GORGEOUS and the bride did an incredible job infusing her day with a little bit of princess, a little bit of Marie Antoinette…and a LOT of style. Photographed by the powerhouse duo, Jeffrey and Julia Woods (who we love, big time), this is definitely a keeper. And if you are dying to see more, click right here!

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

With the help of my mom and our wedding coordinator Beth Maxwell, we were able to create the perfect elegant country club wedding with an outdoor feel. After falling in love with Manolo Blanhik’s “Something Blue” shoes, I knew everything about the wedding would have a touch of elegance and “blue”.

The day began early in the morning with my mom, bridesmaids, in blueberry Juicy Couture tracksuits, and myself, in a white Juicy Couture tracksuit, getting our hair and makeup done. Marissa Schmitt at Studio 110 in Chicago, Illinois and Makeup by Sabrina made my wedding “look” flawless and stunning.

Staying traditional, Nick and I decided the big reveal would be walking down the aisle. It was a moment I know we will both remember forever. My dad walked me down the aisle to the River City Quartet at Sacred Heart Church. As we left the church, man and wife, eleven doves were released as we made our way to a white Rolls Royce getaway car—with blue interior of course!

Our reception turned out absolutely beautiful. From the specially made sushi inspired from our favorite roll from Ko Fusion in Champaign, Illinois to the large outdoor tent, draped in white with crystal chandeliers hanging down the center to our amazing band and vocalist, Peter Oprisko, who kept the party going for hours. The guests were able to dance the night away, overlooking the picturesque Illinois River.

The inside of the Country Club of Peoria was draped in elegant rose-colored dupioni silk, with ruffled silk hanging at the corners. These beautiful linens were inspired from my wedding gown. The ivory chiffon ruffles hung beneath my Monique Lhuillier blue sash, similar to the ruffles from the table. To continue the theme of blue, the groom wore a blue and navy striped bowtie with his black Calvin Klein tuxedo to match the groomsmen. The bridesmaids wore beautiful navy chiffon gowns by Amsale. Barbara Evans at the Cake Connection dyed the Ron Ben-Israel inspired cake, which was trimmed in ancient architectural elements, a deeper shade of the blue in my sash.

As a special surprise to Nick, Beth helped me create “Lavin’s Pub,” a dedication to Notre Dame football and his Irish heritage. Here, wedding guests could enjoy pub food, such as sliders and potato skins. Cyd’s Sendsationals created the Notre Dame mascot in the form of a standing rice crispy treat and a red velvet cake (Nick’s favorite) adorned with the Lavin family crest.

Before leaving the reception the guests were able to collect strawberry shortcake in a jar, which were created by That’s a Cake? and inspired by Martha Stewart. After almost a full year of planning, our wedding day was exactly what we wanted it to be and more. Jeffrey and Julia Woods captured our memories of this day perfectly.”

Photography: Jeffrey and Julia Woods / Cinematography: Jeffrey and Julia Woods / Flowers, Event Design + Planning: Save the Date / Ceremony Location: Sacred Heart Church / Reception Location: Country Club of Peoria / Dress: Oscar de la Renta with Monique Lhuillier Sash / Bridesmaid Dress: Amsale / Cake: That’s a Cake? / Make-Up: Studio 101, Chicago

There is something so utterly romantic about this next featured affair. Photographed by the talented team at m three studio, it’s elegant and timeless and when you read the details that went into the day, you see that it’s also a perfect representation of the gorgeous couple. But what I love the most about this pretty, pretty wedding is that the style is such a mish-mash of all of the little things I love…an elegant backdrop and an understated design paired with handmade touches and totally approachable decor. Bottom line? It’s total love. To see even more, click right here.

click here to see TONS of additional pics in the gallery!

From M Three Studios…Katie Martindale & Chris Foreman are a New York couple with roots in Chicago, and as such, they chose to marry at the beautiful Cuneo Mansion.  You might recognize it from the movie “My Best Friend’s Wedding”.

Their day had threatening skies but their willpower and love was stronger and the rain stopped just in time for their outdoor ceremony and started again just at the end of the cocktail hour on the lawn.   The overcast light cast a great glow on all of the remarkable details from their day.

The reception tent was filled with the heady scent of lavender, with varying pots sitting at each table.  The floral arrangements for each table differed from collections of vintage glass bottles hosting single blooms to small groupings of candles and blooms to full arrangements.  The textures of the floral bouquets and arrangements was endlessly interesting – with many layers providing surprises at each look.

A few special touches…Chris cut, sanded and wood burned custom cheese boards for each table.  Katie imported cheeses from Wisconsin, creating a selection of three of their favorites for every table, along with a bowl of squeaky cheese curds. Chris brewed a special wedding day brew for the out of town guest bags.  The groom’s sister created unique and custom clutches for each of the bridesmaids.  The bride had one “bride’s man”, who entertained the crowd later that evening with a raucous edition of “Proud Mary”.

Ceremony + Reception Venue: Cuneo Mansion and Gardens / Florist: Asrai Garden / Cake: Rolf’s Patesserie / Music: The Chicago Groove Collective (reception), Gipsy Trio (ceremony/cocktail hr) / Caterer: Kenmare  / Makeup: Cali Perisi  / Bride’s Gown: Jim Hjelm / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridesmaid Dresses: Saavy Bridal in WI / Photography: m three studio / Groom’s Suit: Ralph Lauren, Armani ties / Groomsmen Suits: Ralph Lauren / Bridesmaid’s Clutches: Melissa Foreman / Stationery: Bella Figura

I’ll admit that we go crazy for gorgeous, meticulously planned and executed weddings BUT (yes, there is a BUT) we also go nutzo for intimate, super, duper sweet affairs. You know, the ones that pull at your heart strings and have you balling like a little baby because they are just.that.sweet. This is a secret wedding sent to us by Simply Jessie Photography and it falls right into that category. This couple absolutely could not wait till their fall wedding to be husband and wife so they called up their photographer and proclaimed their love under a tree with their dog by their side. Too sweet! You can find more from this sweet day in the gallery.

find even more of this sweet, sweet wedding in the gallery!

I received a call on Wednesday asking if I had time to come out for a secret wedding out at a local Chicago park. I was on board the moment we spoke. She is my kind of gal. They have a wonderful Fall wedding planned but just could not wait any longer. They were ready to be married and Saturday was the day.

Eric and I met them at noon. They picked which tree they wanted to be under and our secret wedding began. There were dandelions, beautiful light, trees, a light breeze and a couple so in love that there they stood. Within twenty minutes under the oak tree among their audience of birds, water, morning walkers and their dog Roxi, they are now husband and wife.

On top of it all, they had really fabulous details and style. Meaghan picked a white dress out of her closet, planned a picnic for their private afternoon on a vintage table cloth, and brought all their love letters to read to one another as newlyweds. They even brought a keepsake flower press from Meaghan’s childhood to document the blooms that were on display that day in the park. It was simple, ridiculously romantic and crazy beautiful.

Photography: Jessie and Eric Stevens of Simply Jessie / Flowers: Paul at Marguerite Gardens / Ceremony Location: Promontory Point Park Chicago / Minister: Reverend Rebecca

We are leaping across the pond from Canada to the gorgeous hills of the English countryside for our next fete. This pretty wedding was captured by Chloe of Caught the Light Photography and it is quintessential English splendor. We are loving the intimate, laid back feel of this garden party and think you will too. And the guests deserve an honorable mention for their rockin party wear. See all the fancy frocks and country glamour in the gallery.

see more of this English beauty here!

From the Bride:

We got married on June 4th this year and had our reception at the very pretty Anchor Inn, in “Jane Austen country”, Hampshire in England, where we live. We fell in love with the venue as soon as we saw it. The staff were helpful and friendly from day one. The country pub offered charm and a laid back atmosphere which is exactly what James and I were looking for. It was perfect. The outside space also sold us as we imagined how wonderful it would be if the weather was good… As it happens it was perfect!

Peonies are my favourite and I was lucky they were in season. I wanted the flowers to be relaxed and pretty, they suited the venue perfectly. Charlotte is my mum and has been a florist for over 20 years I left the flowers completely to her as I trust her judgement completely. She did an amazing job and everyone complimented on how beautiful they were. My bouquet was stunning!

Photographer: Chloe of Caught the Light / Venue: The Anchor Inn, Lower Froyle, Hampshire, UK / Bride’s dress & veil: Miss Bush Bridal / Shoes: Monsoon / Bride’s headpiece: Polly Edwards / Accessories: Earrings from House of Fraser / Groom’s suit: Ted Baker / Groom’s tie: Paul Smith / Florist: Charlotte Armstrong (my mother!) / Cake: Adelaide Ward (a friend) / Rings: Designed by couple, made by Marmalade in Chiswick /

This E-Session is so freaking pretty…it could EASILY be a really gorgeous wedding. The flowers alone, designed by the fabulous studio Fleur in Chicago, are enough to send me clear over the edge. Add to that a couple that is madly in love, a little white dress that is absolutely adorable and a pair of cowboy boots and what do you get? Umm….perfection. Photographed by Jaclyn Simpson and Jennifer Kathryn, this little e-session will definitely make you smile. Click here to see even more.

click here for the full gallery!

From Fleur… Brian & Pip will be celebrating their marriage this September.  But first we wanted to take some engagement photos to show off their personality.  Sassy, creative, warm and endearing.., these images capture their joy and love for each other.  The location was Videnovich Farm in Michigan where the couple shared a picnic, strummed their guitars, stole a few kisses and laughed in the rain.  A picnic table was set up as a mock up of their wedding flowers.., vintage glass vessels, blue mason jars and lush vintage-inspired arrangements.

Photography: Jaclyn Simpson and Jennifer Kathryn / Flowers and Event Design: Fleur, Chicago