A wedding at Chicago's Salvage One is guaranteed to be filled to the brim with vintage charm and quirk. This soiree starring two beautiful brides (who couldn't be more head-over-heels in love) shot by Kari Bedford Photography is no exception. Über-personalized touches like a brooch bouquet made from the brides' mother's and grandmother's vintage jewelry and a reception intro film done by the amazingly talented I Do Films make this beauty of wedding one you'll be swooning over all morning! Take a peek at the rest of the delicious details in the gallery!
Chicago Wedding at Salvage One by Kari Bedford Photography
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From Amanda, a Bride... The back of our custom program fans read "Two brides, one dress, & an affair to remember." And that, it was! As a wedding photographer myself, I knew how wonderful weddings with personal touches and details full of meaning can be, so I knew I wanted our wedding to really be about us. From the custom program fans to the "Hers and Hers" mix CD favors to the custom gelato flavors to the handpicked songs and even the introduction film of us (created by I Do Films) we screened before being introduced into our reception. These personal details showcased how very different we are individually, but how we really are a perfect fit for each other at the end of the day.
My day started with my bridesmaids at The Elysian Hotel, sipping mimosas, watching Keeping up with the Kardashians, and getting perfectly made up. While Katrina got ready at our venue, Salvage One, by drinking countless cans of coca cola, eating McDonalds, and playing with our niece. I wore a beautiful gown, Kate Spade shoes, hand beaded Swarovski Johanna Johnson accessories, and vintage rhinestone earrings that once belonged to Katrina’s great-grandmother that I had repaired to wear on my wedding day. I also had a vintage brooch bouquet made from rhinestone pieces that I collected from both our grandmothers and mothers. Katrina wore a sharp suit and Chuck Taylors, with a last minute addition of a pocket watch given to her by one of our friends. Our first look was on the roof of Salvage One, with the Chicago skyline in the background. Katrina is a little bit country and I am a little bit rock and roll, but at the end of the day, the country girl did move to Chicago to marry her city girl, so it was the perfect setting.
The ceremony was held outdoors with pink garden roses hung in old bottles all around the ceremony aisle, full of greenery. Before we walked down the aisle, our families were treated to a performance of the Paul McCartney song "Maybe I’m Amazed" sung by our very talented cousin (an up and coming jazz singer!). Our wedding party then led the way up the aisle, including our niece with a sandwich board sign that read “Amanda & Katrina, About To Be Married” that I had made. We walked up the aisle together and were married by my very own father in front of all our loving friends and family. We couldn’t have been happier! Our niece led the wedding party out by pulling an embroidery ring of turquoise ribbons and tin cans clanging on the ground (a DIY project made by my mother). It couldn’t have been more perfect. Our reception was one big party and that is exactly how we wanted it to be! Before being announced as Mrs. and Mrs. Miller, our guests were shown the reception introduction film we had made on a stage. The film showcases our relationship perfectly: A laid back country girl and a high-maintenance city girl who found love in the middle. We were then introduced to our guests, complete with Katrina’s requisite McDonald's coke as she had all throughout the film.
We wanted a very informal and fun wedding, so everyone sat where they liked, Toast & Jam kept the tunes going all night, and the food and gelato was served until everyone was stuffed! We had candy cigarettes and chocolate cigars in vintage cigar boxes at the bar. My amazing officiant father made glass milk jugs into beautiful lights that adorned every corner of the room. Our wedding favors were mix CDs of Amanda’s rock mix and Katrina’s country mix. (We even made a bet before the wedding of which one more people would want to take home. My mix of indie rock songs definitely won!) The photo booth was full of people all night long, and the dance floor was never empty! At the end of the night, we went back to our hotel utterly exhausted from all the fun, but bursting at the seams with love from our families and oh-so very happily married!
Wedding Photography: Kari Bedford Photography / Wedding Venue: Salvage One in Chicago, Illinois / Floral Design: Chicago Flower Company / Brooch Bouquet: Fantasy Floral Designs / Wedding Cinematography: I Do Films / Wedding Invitations + Print Materials: Flakes Paperie / Catering: J&L Catering / Wedding Cake: Luscious Layers Bakery / Gelato: Black Dog Gelato / Photo Booth: 312 Photobooth / DJ: Toast & Jam / Accommodations: Waldorf Astoria Chicago (formerly The Elysian) / Wedding Dress: Weddings 826 / Heels: Kate Spade / Accessories: Johanna Johnson / Wedding Suit: Express / Sneakers: Converse / Hair: Laurie Rodgers / Makeup: Nika Vaughan