When you get right down to it, this is the kind of wildly beautiful yet deeply personal wedding we preach here on SMP. From the gorgeous blush and gold stylings by Kelly Lenard to the Bride’s late mother’s photograph sewn into her BHLDN dress, it’s everything an “I do” should be and we’re got a front row seat. Lauren Balingit captured the moments, and you can get started in the gallery right here.
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From The Bride…On June 7th 2014 I married my Prince Charming, Mike, in the suburbs of Chicago, and my fairytale wedding came true. It was a sunny day, filled with our best friends and family celebrating the commitment we made to each other. I was lucky enough to hire Lauren Balingit, a film photographer, to capture all of the day’s beautiful moments, and her fiancé, Alex Balingit formerly of 27 Entertainment.
The décor was a combination of gold, blush and pale blue, along with pieces of my favorite childhood memories. The nostalgic smells of lavender from family trips to France, several Disney elements, blue birds, and my favorite flower, lily of the valley. I remember picking the lilies in my Grandmother’s garden in Indiana with my Mom. Both my Mom and Grandma, sadly, could not be present on our special day. My Mom was close to my heart though as my Aunt Cyndy sewed a picture of her in my dress. Also, for our recessional we asked our friends and family to sprinkle us with the blue bird confetti (that my aunts and cousins individually hand-punched!) to honor my Mom’s beautiful spirit. Blue birds also adorned our wedding cake, tying a bow of ribbon with their beaks, similarly to how Cinderella’s dress was sewn together.
I felt like a true princess wearing the wedding gown I chose from BHLDN Chicago, designed by the incredible Catherine Deane. My lovely veil was vintage-inspired as well from the bridal boutique Meringue, also in Chicago. I wore the timeless Sakura halo created by Cécile Boccara from France, which further incorporated the delicate pearls that embellished my dress. I carried a vintage Whiting & Davis gold mesh bag, and my earrings were by Nadri that my Mike had given me for our one-year anniversary. The morning of our wedding day, he surprised me with a gold monogram necklace incorporating my new initials, LOM. It was an honor to wear it as part of my wedding ensemble.
The incredibly talented wedding stylist, Kelly Lenard from Intertwine, is whom I give all the credit for our wedding décor. She communicated with me for months to bring all of my scattered ideas to tasteful fruition and beauty. I asked Kelly to incorporate as much gold into the day as possible. She misted metallic gold paint onto baby’s breath, eucalyptus leaves and seeds, to enhance our whimsical theme. She even surprised me the day of the wedding with the most stunning bright pink peonies that complimented my bridesmaid’s dresses perfectly! Also, as a tribute to the amazing Irish family I was marrying into, Bells of Ireland adorned the pews of the church aisle. My husband Mike and I used the cork collection filled with the memories we had shared and written on, to use for place card holders at our reception.
Two days after our wedding I was beyond excited to get dressed up again, but this time having the magnificent city of Chicago for a backdrop. Kelly Lenard created a stunning secondary bouquet for me, incorporating more vibrant colors and large garden roses, and a gorgeous floral crown. Lauren Balingit photographed us as we frolicked around our favorite city and strolled along the crystal blue water. After the shoot, Mike and I visited our favorite Irish Pub in the city, The Celtic Crossing for a pint of the black stuff. It was the perfect way to end our wedding weekend!
Photography: Lauren Balingit | Floral Design: Kelly Lenard | Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Cake: Toni Patisserie | Church: Ascension Catholic Church | Makeup: Alyssa Lalagos | Hair: Robert Jeffrey | Suits: Men's Wearhouse | Country Club: Butterfield Country Club | Video: 27 Entertainment