Just when I thought I’d seen it all, this Midwest wedding sneaks up behind me to surprise. Because when you take a cafe wedding set in the heart of Chicago, you know you’re in for something major. Add in the massively talented Jacqui Cole Photography and Toast and Jam and you’ve got it all on lock. See it all in The Vault!
From Jacqui Cole Photography…Matt and Teresa wed at the iconic Cafe Brauer in the heart of Lincoln Park, Chicago. Teresa wanted understated, elegant details with bold pops of color. The bright touches of purple were perfectly offset with the dusty shale bridesmaid dresses. Teresa looked stunning in her form fitting Vera Wang gown. We enjoyed roaming around the city for portraits and ended the evening dancing the night away inside the stunning Cafe Brauer.
From the Bride… Matt and I met in 2011 and fell in love over a mutual love of summer in Chicago. The early days included days and nights in Wrigelyville, Lincoln Park, and the South Loop neighborhoods.
I was never the girl who grew up dreaming of her wedding day. I didn’t have colors in mind, a dress, a location, or a groom. When I met Matt the “big day” became more of a reality. While we dated we would talk about a “hypothetical party” we would have someday with all of our friends and family. We would share what we wanted that day to look like and who was most important to us.
The dream wedding became a reality when Matt proposed in October 2014. We were on our way to Dubuque, IA (my hometown) for a weekend retreat from the city. We stopped in Galena, IL at a scenic overlook, which is halfway between our hometowns and Matt shocked me when he got down on one knee. And we went on our way to celebrate the weekend with awaiting friends and family in Dubuque.
Our wedding day was so personal. It meant so much to us to have such talented friends and family who helped with the design of the programs, menus, and table numbers and helped our vision come to life. The vendors also listened so closely to our requests and delivered exactly what we wanted. Tiger Lily Catering helped us create the menu with our favorite foods and Candle Ready Cakes helped us create the perfect cake and desserts (we should’ve ordered more because our guests LOVED them).
We were very intentional about every detail throughout the day. Our apartment is referred to by our friends and family as Pollack’s Pub and we wanted our guests to feel right at home. We hoped our guests would enjoy the city and provided transportation to our ceremony at St. Clement’s Catholic Church, and encouraged guests to make their way to Cafe Brauer by stopping at bars/restaurants in the area or checking out the Lincoln Park Zoo- the weather was perfect that day and our guests definitely took advantage.
My favorite part of our day was our first dance. The song was one that was very special to us and our relationship and not many people recognized it. That moment frozen in time was as if we were the only two in the room. The photos don’t even do it justice. It was such a special moment that was so perfectly captured.
Future Brides: Don’t be shy! You will have so many options (and opinions) that come your way- be sure to speak up if you’re unsure or don’t like something. I never would’ve found my wedding dress if I didn’t speak up and tell the stylist I didn’t want the heavy ornate dress. My color scheme was very specific and the florist changed almost everything about the arrangements two weeks before the wedding and they ended up just as perfect as I had hoped. How was I supposed to find anything that matched dusty shale dresses? I browsed so many magazines and websites and social media of other weddings and I slowly pieced mine together- with the help of my groom and many others. There will be so many highs and lows throughout the planning process, but the planning is so worth it to be entirely present for the dream day.
Photography: Jacqui Cole Photography | Coordination: Levy Restaurants | Floral Design: Kloeckner Preferred Flowers | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Cake: Candle Ready Cakes | Invitations: Minted | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Makeup: Brian Doebereiner | Hair: Epoch Salon | DJ: Toast and Jam | Venue: Cafe Brauer | Calligraphy Table Numbers: Sarah Kane | Signage: Sarah Kane