This Chicago wedding goes out to all you modern loving brides out there! And who doesn’t love a simple and chic yet totally glam wedding? I, for one, am a HUGE fan and loving every inch of this colorful and contemporary celebration. The pops of pink, yellow and orange create a striking contrast to the sleek Chicago hotel. The result is polished and positively perfect. It could only be made better by the sweet images by Robin Lin Photography! See them all in the full gallery!
Click here for the FULL wedding!
From the bride… Our wedding was July 23, 2011. We met exactly 3 years prior on our first date after finding each other on eHarmony! Yes, we are an eHarmony success story. As busy professionals, we were both looking for a way to meet a quality individual who had the same relationship goals in mind. Our first date was in Chicago and we thought it was only proper have our impending nuptials there. Since the majority of our guests were from out of town, we wanted to make the day’s logistics as simple as possible. theWit Hotel provided the ideal venue where we could have the rehearsal, ceremony, reception, and accommodations all in one place! The décor blended perfectly with the modern and minimalistic mustard + charcoal gray theme of our wedding. I created a “home town” goodie bag to greet each of our out of town guests that included a local, hand-made soy candle adorned with our custom wedding label, Chicago-style mix popcorn (caramel/cheddar), locally made chocolates, and organic fruit and nut bar, water, scenic postcards, and a “to do” guide, all packaged in a sustainable and reusable canvas bag with DIY labeling.
The simple and elegant ceremony featured a harpist playing carefully selected pieces that created a romantic mood in which we exchanged our personally written vows. Delicate orchids placed on light boxes at the altar, along with colorful rose petals on the aisle, created the perfect atmosphere. The ceremony was followed by a private screening for our guests in the SCREEN ROOM. We prepared a pre-wedding video that was shot in the vein of an eHarmony commercial so our guests could get a real flavor of us as couple. Guests were served popcorn and lemonade garnished with fruit as a theatrical refreshment. This flowed into a cocktail-style reception where heavy appetizers and food stations accompanied flowing libations. The room was scattered with high-boys, low-boys, chaise lounges, cubes, and couches to create a lounge environment. The table centerpieces alternated between warm votives and fresh orchids.
Upon completion of passed bites, my nephew, who is a poet, recited a beautiful poem written exclusively for my husband and me. My favorite line: “Love is that tingly feeling when you feel their touch; for when you hear their voice it’s what keeps you awake at night because suddenly reality is better than your dreams” still resonates with me on a daily basis as it is so true. Following bites of our delicious square three-tier cake and our first dance (“Lets Stay Together” by Al Green), guests were encouraged to take a picture (goofy or otherwise) in the photobooth while leaving a few words of goodwill in the guest book that was created on the spot by the photobooth technician. In the morning, we bid our out-of-towners a fond farewell with an assortment of fresh juices, coffee, fruit and pastries during the post-wedding breakfast.
Wedding Photography: Robin Lin of Robin Lin Photography / Flowers: Asrai Garden / Event Design + Planning: Bride + Monique Speight (monique.speight@gmail.com) / Wedding Venue: theWit Hotel in Chicago, Illinois / Wedding Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / Ceremony Programs: DIY / Wedding Dress: Modern Trousseau via White Chicago / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo via Nordstrom Rack / Wedding Cake + Reception Favors: Luscious Layers / Ceremony Music: Faye Seeman of Kithara Trio / DJ + Lighting: Edwin “Eddie” Maldonado of Pitch Control Productions (djedlo@gmail.com) / Rentals + Lounge Furniture: Classic Party Rentals / Hair + Makeup: Montgomery Martha of Marquin Salon and M.A.C. at Macy’s on State Street / Jewelry: The Left Bank