University Club of Chicago Wedding by Robyn Rachel Photography
This shindig is Classic Chicago with two capital C’s. This couple’s style is so capital C, even their engagement began with a trip to Paris. It is only fitting that they chose the St. James Chapel, which is inspired by Paris’s Sainte Chapelle. A Stem Above adorned the University Club with sultry autumn hued flowers for the reception: a traditional love note to the season. The icing on this classic confection: the bride’s bow backed Oscar de La Renta gown. Robin Rachel Photography shot all the couture and classic loveliness and its all here in the full gallery!
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From the Bride… When Jeff proposed, he surprised me with a trip to Paris — complete with him packing Paris-appropriate clothes for me in his suitcase (I thought we were going to Scottsdale after all!). After we wined and dined our way through the City of Light, we were anxious to start planning our Chicago wedding. Chicago is where we met, fell in love and live. And we love this city! I knew from the start that I wanted a classic, yet modern and elegant event. First on my list was my wedding gown. To say that I love my wedding gown is an understatement! From the moment I tried on the Oscar de la Renta gown, there was no turning back. The silhouette, fit, and glamour of the gown were classic and beautiful. Choosing the color palette was easy — a mix of deep fall hues — burgundy, plum, violet and red. I wanted my bridesmaids to wear an assortment of those colors. With the help of my best friend and owner of Bella Bridesmaid Chicago, Erin Casey Wolf, I had the best selection of bridesmaids’ dresses at my fingertips. The girls’ Lela Rose dresses in three similar styles were a perfect complement to my gown and suited fall in Chicago perfectly.
Our ceremony was at St. James Chapel, in the Quigley Center of the Archdiocese of Chicago. St. James is small, charming and modeled after Sainte Chapelle in Paris. The stained glass windows are absolutely beautiful! With the help of Fr. Wayne Watts, our ceremony was personal and intimate — exactly what we wanted. Chicago has many wonderful venue options, so it was a little difficult to find the perfect one. But when we saw Cathedral Hall at The University Club, we knew we had found it! It is truly one of the most unique venues in Chicago. The room itself has such character and stunning architecture that we were fortunate to be able to keep our design detail to a minimum. Cathedral Hall has tall ceilings, beautiful stained glass windows and is filled with the crests of various prestigious universities. We took advantage of fall’s deep hues in our floral centerpieces. Our florist incorporated texture through black magic roses, succulents, monkey tails and kale. Cathedral Hall overlooks Michigan Avenue and Millennium Park, providing a perfect backdrop to our reception. The food and drinks were delicious, and the staff was a joy to work with.
Upon meeting with our photographer, Robyn Lindemann from Robyn Rachel Photography, we knew she was a perfect match. Her fresh, modern style perfectly captured our day. Equally as important, we genuinely enjoyed the company of Robyn and her second shooter, Shane! It was as if Robyn and Shane were part of our bridal party — we had so much fun! Now we are so happy to call Robyn, Shane, and Robyn’s fiancé, TJ, our friends! We are so happy with how everything turned out, and it would not have been possible without our wedding planner, Chrissy Magliano, and all of our vendors! Jeff and I were able to actually enjoy our wedding day stress-free! We are blessed and thrilled that our family and friends were able to share in such a special day with us.
Wedding Photography: Robyn Rachel Photography / Ceremony: St. James Chapel at the Quigley Center of the Archdiocese of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois / Reception: The University Club of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois / Wedding Planning: Chrissy Magliano of Big City Bride / Floral Design: A Stem Above / Wedding Cinematography: Lexoria Wedding Films / Band: Spoken Four / Wedding Dress: Oscar de la Renta via Ultimate Bride / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Hair: Erin Ahern of Salon Buzz / Makeup: Illium Figueroa / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Lela Rose via Bella Bridesmaid / Bridesmaids’ Shoes: Nina via Bella Bridesmaid / Flower Girls’ Dresses: Annie Girl via Bella Bridesmaid