A Chicago Affair Inspired by the Beauty of Ireland - Where Their Love Story Blossomed

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January 31, 2025

The Planning

Design / Vibe / Vision

Alex & Brian’s inspiration was Ireland - where their love story blossomed. Every corner of the breathtaking country is steeped in history, and they wanted to bring a piece of that magic to Chicago. They also wanted to highlight their love for the Chicago Cubs & subtle tributes to their fur baby Ivy. The couple envisioned a rich aesthetic that echoed the beauty of wood, iron and leather, reminiscent of charming Irish pubs and the rugged elegance of the countryside. They didn’t want to lose the delicate details that a wedding day embodies so to achieve this balance, they incorporated intricate trellis & ivy accents, soft and lush floral arrangements, and candlelight that danced against the dark wooden tables. They also wanted to celebrate their love for Chicago. Subtle nods to their favorite sports teams were woven into food and beverage selections. They opted for the classic Chicago Hot Dog & Beef Sandwich for late night bites that were presented to guests in hocker tray just like you would see at a Chicago Cubs Game (the couples favorite!), paired with a signature cocktails inspired by their dog, Ivy, named after the famous Ivy of Wrigley Field. The sweet details sprinkled in helped make everything feel personal, custom and intentional. The Field Museum transformed into an old Irish estate perfectly placed on the lakefront in Chicago! Ultimately, the wedding was a beautiful fusion of their love for each other, their roots in Ireland, and their shared life in Chicago. It was a day filled with laughter, love, and memories, where every detail—down to the last shade of green—told their story. The couple also noted "We are thankful for the partnership with Events to a T especially Emily and Bailey for their attention to detail, creativity and bringing our dream to life."

Proposal Story

"We met in the summer of 2018 and by summer 2019 had moved to Dublin, Ireland together! The company that we were working for offered an international rotation as part of our finance development program so we both applied, interviewed and were placed in our roles together! This is where our love story really begins. From weekend adventures to new cities to exploring the Emerald Island, our time in Ireland will always be cherished and special. Fast forward to summer of 2023, Brian planned a surprise trip overseas. We take turns planning an adventure each year so it worked out that Brian could use his to plan a perfect proposal without much suspicion! The trip started in Switzerland and after a few days we bounced over to Ireland. Brian was all about the details - he even booked the same hotel that we lived in - down to the very room! It brought back all the nostalgia. One of our favorite weekend things to do together was to take the train into Howth (a small fishing town) to go for a hike along the coast and grab lunch at the market afterwards. On our last afternoon in Ireland, this is exactly what we did - caught the train into Howth and went for our hike. The hike was cut a little short when Brian dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him! The rest of the evening we bar hopped around Dublin together and drank some Guinness to celebrate!"

Getting Ready

Bridal Portraits

Flat Lays

The Fashion

Wedding Gown

The wedding dress was the Amelie Brocade grown designed by Jesus Piero. The bride & her mother worked with a seamstress at Ultimate Bride in Chicago to design a custom bolero / topper to be built into the dress to wear during the ceremony and cocktail hour. This was such a fun element to surprise Brian and the whole bridal party and special for the bride to create with her mom.

Bridesmaid Dresses

The girls wore a variety of styles from Jenny Yoo in an Olive Green color and satin material.

Groomsman Attire

The boys wore the black Notch Lapel Tuxedos from Black Tux with Clover Cufflinks from the Alley Boutique (courtesy of Brian's mom's boutique in Cincinnati, Ohio) to match the bridesmaids Alex & Ani Clover Bracelets.

Wedding Party

Ceremony

Cocktail Hour

The Details

Food & Drink

For signature drinks, they were able to tie in one of our favorite cocktails named after their Dog Ivy who was named in honor of the Ivy at Wrigley Field in Chicago along with an IPA beer that happened to have dinosaurs on the logo in honor of the dinosaurs in the museum. IPA's are the brides favorite beer and Brian is a sucker for tequila so it was the perfect combo. And the late night espresso martinis were a hit - kept guests buzzing on the dance floor all night! The mini meatball sandwich was originally a joke early on in the wedding planning process. Brian's youngest brother told the couple he'd only come to the wedding if it was on a week-day and we were serving meatball "hoagies". Sure enough, we decided on a Friday and FFT had a "mini" meatball sandwich on the menu. After one bite at our tasting, they knew this app was going to be served at their wedding. JT was pleasantly surprised when he saw this tray come out and made us all laugh. For late night food, they also had Chicago style hot dogs & Italian beef sandwiches in hawker trays in honor of their favorite treats when attending Chicago sporting games as BIG Chicago sports fans!

Florals & Decor

Design & Decor was meticulously selected by Events to a T to create a balance between the rich textures & Irish pub inspired design, while still wanting to stay true to the romance & delicate detail that a wedding day embodies. Florals were provided by Kehoe and beautifully incorporated the wispy, ivy-like greens and delicate use of warm amber color throughout. They opted for a lot of stone & iron vessels and candles to again bring in the Irish pub accent. Alex's favorite element from the decor was all of the signage and stationery details. Bayview Printing Co incorporated leather elements into the ceremony card, stir sticks, table numbers and even bar menu which was an extra special touch to the couple as it was different than anything they’d seen before. The planning team included extra large statement pieces provided by Sound By Design such as the welcome sign & seating charts to draw the eye in such a large & vast space.

Wedding Cake

The dessert was amazing but the presentation is really what knocked it out of the park for Alex & Brian! Using a custom wrapped cake cart to display their four different dessert varieties, Food for Thought rolled dessert carts on the dance floor so that guests could have a treat without missing a beat!

Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs

There were two readings given during the ceremony prior to the Unity Moment. The first was Irish Blessing given by bride's godmother (Bev Breen) and the second was a close family friend of the Grooms family (Scott Luce) called True Friendship by Judy Bielicki. Both were sweet, memorable and fitting to the individual asked to give the reading.

Special Detail #1

The couple chose one of their favorite Disney songs for parents to walk them down the aisle. Although they have mostly opposite tastes in music, they were able to agree on songs that lyrics spoke to their love story. The live violinist and pianist duo added an elegant touch to the moment.

Special Detail #2

Cocktail hour was outside on the grand steps of the Chicago Field Museum overlooking Lake Michigan. The wooden barrels & pub lamps lended itself to kicking off the Irish Pub inspired evening. The couple also had custom match books as favors for guests to enjoy during cocktail hour and napkins with the Field Museum hand drawn on them.

Couple Portraits