Chicago, you just might be the queen of classic, downtown-chic fêtes. I am constantly blown away by the Windy City’s style, and when LK Events is involved on top of everything, stylish doesn’t even begin to cover it. She put the chic in Chicago for this affair, and you can see even more of her stylings at work in the full gallery of images!
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From the bride… Having both grown up in the suburbs of Chicago and meeting each other at our office on Michigan Avenue, our initial ideas for a wedding after getting engaged were anything but a downtown occasion. We were so inspired by the romantic and whimsical DIY farm weddings we saw online and hoped for something to reflect our love of low-key, outdoor camping, barbeques and snowboarding trips with friends. But ultimately we decided it was most important to us that all our family and friends be able to join our celebration so to make it accessible to everyone, downtown it was! The easiest choice was our band. My sister got married the previous summer and booked Ken Arlen’s Entourage. They made the night! We were so certain Entourage would be crucial to putting on the best possible party, that we actually picked our wedding date based off when they were open. They did not disappoint. We also had a great wedding planner, Lauren at LK Events. She is a true professional, incredibly organized and kept us positive (so important!). I don’t know how we would have managed the final days without her!
The weekend started with a family dinner at Gibsons — they are always so good to us, and it’s a classic Chicago experience for out-of-towners. Our rehearsal dinner was along the same vein, at Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse in River North. That evening set the tone for the weekend, which was very Chicago and fun coming first before pomp and circumstance. Our group isn’t one to call it a night after dinner, so after Harry’s we headed to District, which we closed out the night before our big day.
You often hear people say that their wedding day was the best day of their life, and Saturday, November 19th was exactly that. We had a rather large wedding party, 19 attendants in all, and were so grateful we had each and everyone with us as we got ready and took wedding party pics before the ceremony. Eric and I did our first look on the bridge joining Millenium Park to the Art Institute of Chicago over Monroe Street — we don’t have words to describe the feeling. Following that, we spent about 45 minutes with our amazing and super laid-back photographer Peter Wynn Thompson taking pictures with our favorite pieces in the museum. It was like a dream, all dressed up, walking through the Art Institute just hours before taking our vows. And before we knew it, the trolley filled with our best friends scooped us up to take pictures around the city. We had a ball. The venue itself was extra special because my mother has been a volunteer docent at the Art Institute of Chicago for over 25 years. Jessica, a designer at Botanicals made it extra special by incorporating rustic elements and an earthly feel to give the modern space a cozy, backyard feel. Our ceremony was officiated by a friend of the family, also a docent at the Art Institute and a Lutheran pastor. The rest is a bit of a euphoric blur. Eric and I even got to steal a moment alone towards the end of the night by Lunar, a solar-powered object on the Bluhm Family Terrace that glows to reflect the color of the moonlight. We ended the evening walking back to the Affinia from Jake Melnick’s, an Engelhart post-wedding tradition. Thanks to my dear friend Kate for gifting me a silver pair of TOMS, allowing me to party through the wee hours!
Wedding Photography: Peter Wynn Thompson / Wedding Venue: Terzo Piano at the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois / Wedding Planning: Lauren of LK Events / Flowers, Decor + Lighting: Botanicals, Inc. / Catering: Bon Appetit / Wedding Cake: Mother of the Bride / Chalkboard-Painted Table Number Bottles: DIY by the Bride + Groom / Band: Entourage via Arlen Music / Wedding Dress: Oscar de la Renta / Hair Flower: The Left Bank / Hair: Anna Gowler of Beauty Bar by Anna (630-945-4532) / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo + TOMS / Bridal Party Getting Ready Location: Affinia Chicago / Groom + Groomsmen Getting Ready Location: The Hard Rock Hotel Chicago / Family Welcome Dinner Venue: Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse / Rehearsal Dinner Venue: Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse