I’ve had the goofiest grin on my face ever since I started diving into the details of this gorgeous wedding — Everything is so fun! The best way to describe this wedding at Skokie Country Club is literary love. This couple used books and libraries to inspire their decorations, and I especially love the escort cards nestled in fanned out pages of books. What a perfect way to share their love story and to start the next chapter of their lives together. Many thanks to Kathryn Krueger Photography for capturing every page of their wedding story right here in the full gallery of images!
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From the Bride… We wanted to be married in the church that I grew up in, and we had the reception at my grandparents’ country club. The day of our wedding, Jordan and I saw each other for the first time on our wedding day at the top of the bluff, overlooking Lake Michigan. Not only is this one of my most favorite places in the world, but also it is very special to us because that is where Jordan proposed to me eight months before we were married!
The theme of our wedding was “Our Story.” We wanted to share our love story with our guests, and so we created a timeline of important events, or “chapters,” in our relationship and stories to go along with them. Guests were able to read this during the cocktail hour. Instead of numbering our tables, we made each table a “chapter.” These chapters corresponded with the chapters on the timeline. Jordan and I dated for almost three years, with a yearlong break in the middle. During our time apart, we were out of contact for almost a year, living 2,000 miles away from each other. And then Jordan happened upon a note I left as an April Fool’s prank in the library of the college we attended. I was only going to be in town for a few days and wasn’t planning on contacting him, but through this note, we reconnected, ended up getting back together and eventually were married! Libraries have been special to us ever since, so we incorporated books into a lot of the decorations – on the tables, as well as where the guests found their place cards.
Most of our DIY ideas came from my dear friend, Cassie Dadakis. She had a lot of fun ideas about how to incorporate our story theme into the decorations. She showed us how to fan the books to create a place for the guests’ place cards. We also wrapped the books that decorated the tables in pretty paper and spray painted some of them gold. For the timeline, we created storyboards with pages from old books modge-podged on the background. If I could capture my wedding in one word, I would have to say – serene. It felt so peaceful and fun and exciting. I felt like I was just floating though the day!
Wedding Photography: Kathryn Krueger Photography / Ceremony: Christ Church Lake Forest in Lake Forest, Illinois / Reception + Catering: Skokie Country Club in Glencoe, Illinois / Floral Design: Lisa Sharry (847-910-9664) / Officiant: Syler Thomas (847-835-0600) / Wedding Cinematography: Ben Lemenager (815-401-4388) / Wedding Cake + Desserts: Deerfields Bakery / Wedding Invitations: Judy + Whitney Lawrence (847-234-7944) / Band: Sean Rolando (708-380-6219) / Wedding Dress: House of Brides / Alterations + Lace Top: Doris Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: DSW / Bride’s Earrings: Anthropologie / Engagement Ring + Wedding Band: Foster & Son / Hair: Salon 580 (847-234-2530) / Makeup: DIY by the Bride