Vintage Inspired Elmhurst, IL Wedding at Wilder Mansion
Vintage served with a heaping helping of charm, this Wilder Mansion wedding captured by Cassandra Eldridge Photography is the definition of darling. It's the kind of wedding that will warm your heart right up the minute you lay eyes on all the prettiness, and you can see just what I mean here.
From The Bride...My husband and I met in college 8 years ago and from the start, we were the very definition of two opposites that attract. He a college athlete and business major, me a nerdy anthropology student involved in academic clubs. What brought us together was our mutual love and dedication to our families and we really tried to incorporate our family and cultural traditions into our wedding.
We selected the Wilder Mansion in Elmhurst for its historic charm but also its casual elegance. Guests could move from room to room. They could sit and visit with old friends or dance the night away. When planning the reception décor, I really looked to the mansion for inspiration. After all, it is really just a big home. We set the tables with centerpieces made exclusively from family pieces. From crystal punch cups, silver pitchers and my grandfather’s books, each space was a unique representation of our families’ past. Our florist, Natalie of Zuzu’s Petals, really helped bring our vision to life. Touches of lavender and rosemary mixed with traditional garden roses and hydrangea. The result was an elegant ambiance that still held the comforting warmth of the familiar.
The women in my life worked so hard to help make the day special. A touch of blue on my dress was a Swedish enamel heart charm to honor my mother’s heritage. It is also a tradition for Swedish brides to wear a tall crown on their wedding day, typically one made of silver or gold and passed from mother to daughter. My homage to this tradition was to use my family’s crown as the perfect topper for our beautiful cake created by CHOW in Elmhurst. Lastly, mothers, aunts, sisters, and friends, all gathered the night before to pack each wedding favor: homemade cookies and chocolate truffles from family recipes.
Of course, a few DIY projects were incorporated too. We made all of our invitations, programs, menus and signs with materials from Paper Presentation. Cute little cocktail flags for the reception were made from washi tape and ribbon wands added a bit of fun to our ceremony.
With a few surprises along the way, the love of our family and friends, some amazing staff and a pinch of luck, our wedding was everything we could have hoped for and more!
We selected the Wilder Mansion in Elmhurst for its historic charm but also its casual elegance. Guests could move from room to room. They could sit and visit with old friends or dance the night away. When planning the reception décor, I really looked to the mansion for inspiration. After all, it is really just a big home. We set the tables with centerpieces made exclusively from family pieces. From crystal punch cups, silver pitchers and my grandfather’s books, each space was a unique representation of our families’ past. Our florist, Natalie of Zuzu’s Petals, really helped bring our vision to life. Touches of lavender and rosemary mixed with traditional garden roses and hydrangea. The result was an elegant ambiance that still held the comforting warmth of the familiar.
The women in my life worked so hard to help make the day special. A touch of blue on my dress was a Swedish enamel heart charm to honor my mother’s heritage. It is also a tradition for Swedish brides to wear a tall crown on their wedding day, typically one made of silver or gold and passed from mother to daughter. My homage to this tradition was to use my family’s crown as the perfect topper for our beautiful cake created by CHOW in Elmhurst. Lastly, mothers, aunts, sisters, and friends, all gathered the night before to pack each wedding favor: homemade cookies and chocolate truffles from family recipes.
Of course, a few DIY projects were incorporated too. We made all of our invitations, programs, menus and signs with materials from Paper Presentation. Cute little cocktail flags for the reception were made from washi tape and ribbon wands added a bit of fun to our ceremony.
With a few surprises along the way, the love of our family and friends, some amazing staff and a pinch of luck, our wedding was everything we could have hoped for and more!