Intimate, personal, and nothing short of magical, this chic Chicago fete is the definition of fun. From the mini chicken and waffles served during cocktail hour, to the DIY paper cranes, to the couple’s dog posing as a paper cut out, every detail was planned to perfection. With touches like personal vows and the couple’s homemade sugar pie the sweetness is evident with every T&C Photographie image here!
From the beautiful Bride… This love story began when the two of us met through a mutual friend. We hit it off immediately, and became fast friends. We spent the better part of the following year diving head first into best-friendship, but couldn’t deny that we were falling for each other. I told my parents and friends that I just knew I was going to marry him before we even started dating.
Matthew & I got married at Loft on Lake in Chicago, IL. We wanted to showcase the beauty of the Loft space itself by keeping decorations clean and minimal. We had our ceremony indoors, and moved to the front area for cocktail hour while the room was flipped for our reception. To start off the day, the Groomsmen and Dads joined Matt for a straight razor shave and haircut party at a local barber shop, while the Bridesmaids, Flower Girl, Moms and I got ready in the Presidential suite at our hotel. We had an incredible team of vendors to help pull off our vision, but we did all of the planning on our own! Matt & I did quite a bit of DIY to make the day feel more personal, and my family made an incredible paper crane piece that hung on the Loft’s brick wall from a birch branch.
We wanted to make sure our wedding felt extremely personal and the opposite of traditional. The day was intimate, personal, and nothing short of magical. We believe that definitely shows in our photos. August 30th, 2014 will be my favorite day forever!
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DIY paper crane escort cards
1 | Fold paper cranes in a variety of 3″ x 3″ paper patterns
2 | Affix twine between two standing objects
3 | Hang cranes with mini clothespins
4| Write names on front and table numbers on back of tags
5 | Tie name tags with ribbon
6 | Hang ribbon off cranes
DIY paper crane wall/backdrop
1 | Fold paper cranes in a variety of 6″ x 6″ solid colors
2 | Thread gold embroidery floss on a needle
3 | Use needle to thread cranes from the hole in the bottom through the top center
4 | Thread as many cranes as you’d like onto a single string (we liked them varying heights/numbers)
5 | Spread cranes out along the string
6 | Add dot/bead of hot glue underneath the bottom of each crane, and slide the crane just over the bead of glue
7 | Once dry, tie each string onto a birch branch (you could also use a dowel rod, or any other long object)
8 | We hung our birch branch and cranes up against the wall behind the head table. It also makes a fantastic backdrop for photos.
Photography: T&C Photographie | Floral Design: Flowers by Stem | Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Bride's Shoes: BHLDN | Bridesmaids' Dresses: The Dainty Yard | Catering: Hearty Boys | Makeup: Shannon O'Brien MUA | Hair Stylist: Debra Petrielli Freelance Hairstylist | DJ: Style Matters DJs | Hotel: Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro | Bride's Earrings: BHLDN | Bride's Sash: BHLDN | Bridesmaid's Earrings: Bauble Bar | Ceremony & Reception: Loft on Lake | Ceremony Backdrop: Satin Chair Covers Rental | Confetti: BHLDN | Day Of Coordinator: Sarah Rhodes-Boyce | Groom & Groomsmen Shirts: Nordstrom | Groom & Groomsmen Suits: Jos. A. Bank | Groom & Groomsmen Ties/Suspenders: The Tie Bar | Groom's Shoes: Navy/Tan Sperry Topsiders | Groomsmen Shoes: Navy/Tan Sperry Topsiders | Pie Topper: BHLDN | Pizelles: Mark + Colette Evans | Shaving Party: Church Of Evangelical Faith | Sugar Pie: Mindy Segal