A little bit traditional, a little bit contemporary and a whole lot of AMAZING, this Chicago soiree is all about bringing the fabulous to our Wednesday morning. I’m talking a stunning Allerton Hotel setting, seriously stellar DIY details (yes, DIY!) and a plethora of stop-you-in-your-tracks gorgeous images by JPP Studios. Add to all of that pretty a sophisticated Nicole Miller gown and bundles of beautiful textures and patterns galore and well. You’re about to fall head over heels in LOVE. See it all here.
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From the Bride… My husband Matt and I live in New York City, but I grew up in Indiana and Matt grew up in New Jersey. So when it came to finding a location for the wedding, we had to find the perfect compromise. Chicago was it — it was only an hour from where I grew up, it was easy for people to fly into, and it still had the city feel we were used to from living in NYC. We hosted our guests for our ceremony and reception at The Allerton Hotel on October 22, 2011. The location was just off Michigan Avenue (which was ideal for our visitors), the décor was beautiful yet unique, and the view of the city from the ceremony/reception room on the 23rd floor was breathtaking.
When it came to the overall theme and tone of the wedding, the only thing we knew was that we wanted it to have some personality. Classic, but fun. And after working in the wedding industry for over three years at that point, I was always most inspired by the interesting details, so I knew my wedding had to have that. We started with a palette of neutrals – grays, whites, creams, blushes and a touch of black. Rather than a punch of color, we decided to liven up the décor and details with a few simple patterns. Matt and I found some we loved at a local stationery store (a floral burst, stripes, polka dots) and we used those to tie everything together – from the paper products (including tissue packets we made for the ceremony!) and fabrics (bouquets, tablecloths, etc.) to the cake design, cocktail straws and everything in between. We also tried to take some of the “normal” wedding stuff and put a new spin on it. For example, rather than seating cards or one large seating chart, we bought nine different frames in various shapes, sizes and styles and framed all of our seating arrangements to make a pretty display. Instead of a traditional guest book, we bought 10 bottles of wine (one for each of our first 10 anniversaries) which our guests signed. In lieu of a tiered wedding cake, we decided on three cake flavors – s’mores, tres leches, and caramel apple – and twelve cakes (yes, twelve), each featuring a design that played off our patterns. For our first dance, we surprised our guests with a special one that was half a slow dance and the other half a choreographed fast dance. And since we didn’t have an “exit” from our ceremony (we walked straight into the cocktail hour), we did a confetti toss during our last song.
But at the end of the day what really brought it all together were two things. Our fabulous vendors. We’re convinced we had the best of the best. Our officiants made our ceremony so perfect and memorable that our guests still can’t stop talking about how special and amazing it was. Our cake baker made a showstopper of a cake display. Our day-of coordinator was a dream come true who kept everything running smoothly. Our photographer captured each and every special moment beautifully. Our band ROCKED and kept the dance floor packed all night. Etc. Etc. Etc. AND our loving family and friends. Enough said.
Wedding Photography: JPP Studios / Wedding Venue: The Allerton Hotel in Chicago, Illinois / Floral Design: Kristina Lynn Floral / Day-Of Coordination: Melissa Star Event Design / Officiants: Rabbi Michael Sternfield + Fr. Richard Jakubik / Wedding Cinematography: Lexoria Wedding Films / Wedding Cake: Bombon Cake Gallery / Lighting + Chuppah: Elegant Event Lighting / Chairs: Tablescapes Party Rentals / Band: Green Thirteen / Transportation: Windy City Trolley / Wedding Gown: Nicole Miller / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Hair: Adrianne of Maxine Salon / Makeup: Justine Spooner / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: LulaKate / Tuxedos: Jos. A. Bank