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June 1st, 2011
I was beyond thrilled to work with Leyla and Charlie for their May 21st wedding at The Rookery in Chicago. They have such fun, creative personalities which really added a lot of personal touches to their fantastic wedding. The wonderful and talented Laurie Peacock Photography captured all the special moments and details.
They became husband and wife at Assumption Church in Chicago. They couldn’t have asked for a nicer morning, especially since May was such a rainy month in Chicago this year.
The reception was filled with little details that are special to the bride and groom. New Orleans was the un-offical “theme” of the event and the bold colors really looked fantastic in The Rookery. It was a nice contrast having the bold style of New Orleans alongside a Burnham built building that has intricate gold stenciling by non other than Frank Lloyd Wright!
These gorgeous centerpieces were created by Blumgarten and they captured the brides vision perfectly. They gave away chocolates in the shape of the fleur-di-lis which is a French symbol associated with New Orleans.
The dinner menu was even NOLA inspired with beef tenderloin and BBQ shrimp with creole ssauce served over creamy stone ground grits. The talented chefs at Jewell Events Catering did a great job, the entree was fantastic and a big hit among the guests.
Take the Cake designed the beautiful and elegant wedding cake. The design reflected the style of the bride’s wedding gown and it was  just stunning. Guests exclaimed it was the best wedding cake they’d ever tasted!
Please view this awesome video filmed by Kinema Group Films - they edited it during the reception and surprised everyone with a quick show and the bride, groom and guests had many tears.
http://vimeo.com/24093511
Posted in accessories, bridal party, bridesmaid dress, bright, cake, cake stand, color, details, floral, fun, history, menu cards, party favors, spring, treats, Uncategorized, venue, view, wedding dress | 1 Comment »
May 9th, 2011
I’m just dying over this wedding! I was cruising through Martha Stewart Weddings today and found this adorable, sweet, day-long wedding celebration. I just had to share……
The guests were asked to attend the event “dressed to impress” but in comfortable clothes. They were also asked to bring sun glasses and sunscreen.
The bride and groom rented bikes for all the guests and they had a celebratory bike parade through town. Everyone was able to decorate their own bike with streamers and balloons. The destination was a huge wedding picnic with food, drinks and mini golf!
In the evening they hosted a reception for 200 with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres!
I thought this was just a lovely occassion! I’d love to attend something like this….wouldn’t you!?
Posted in Bicycle, bright, color, food, fun, parade, picnic, short dress, vintage, wedding | No Comments »
April 22nd, 2011
You’ve already purchased your wedding dress, shoes, accessories and you’ve chosen your hair style for the big day, but have you thought about your makeup yet? Makeup artist, Nika Vaughan, has a really fresh approach to makeup; she wants you to look like YOU! A lot of my clients are concerned about their makeup looking too heavy or too glamorous, they really just want to look fresh and polished. If this is the look you’re going for, Nika Vaughan is the perfect makeup artist for you!
Don’t be fooled though, Nika also does a lot of fashion makeup too, so she can certainly handle fantastic, dramatic looks as well!
Nika has been sweet enough to give us all a few little makeup times that we can put to use this spring!
“I think this is a great time of year to add a little something new to your tried and true makeup routine. If the same face you wear to work is always the same face you wear for a big night on the town, then it might be time to skip a new pair of shoes and do some spring cleaning in your makeup bag.”
Tip Number One:
“You don’t have to have a Gaga makeover to try something new, but if your already comfortable with a rich brown eyeliner for day, for night try a true black like Bobbie Brown ‘Black Gel Ink Liner’ or Make Up For Ever’Aqua Eye Black Pencil’ Keep the line the same thickness as you would wear for day, and if you line your bottom lid, do it softly so that the liner on your upper lid is still a little bolder. Your eyes will look bigger, lashes fuller, and best yet, you’ll look more wide awake no matter when your day actually started.”
Tip Number Two:
“Try cream eyeshadow for super easy to apply color. If you’re short on time, apply a cream eyeshadow like “Shiseido’ Hydro-Power’ in Spring Plum with just your ring finger, and you’ve got a great sheer, shimmery wash of color that lasts all day. For a more nude look, try a matte version like Bobbi Brown ‘Long Wear Cream Eyeshadows’ in Malted or Cement. Most cream shadows are very smudge and water resistant, so don’t be afraid to wear them into summer. You can even layer a powder eyeshadow over them for a quick makeup change from day to night.”
Tip Number Three:
“If you’re torn about investing in a new fun lip color, but you’re afraid it will just end up living at the bottom of your makeup bag, try a bold color in a sheer gloss or lipstick instead. Look for something in a great color, that will hydrate without being too sticky. It should be packed with color so that a little goes a long way. If you have a less-is-more makeup routine, you might love just a sheer wash of fun gloss like ‘Scandal’ or ‘Babe’ from NARS. But if you’re no stranger to Sephora, you can always add a matte lipstick or (my favorite) Make Up For Ever ‘Aqua Lip Liner Pencils’ underneath your gloss for a more dramatic look.:”
You can reach out to Nika…..
773-220-9959
nika@nikavaughan.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/nikavaughan
Twitter: http://twitter.com/NikaVaughan
Tags: makeup, natural style
Posted in bright, color, style, Uncategorized, wedding | No Comments »
April 6th, 2011
Clementine hosted a really fun party to kick off the wedding season in style! All the guests are our industry friends and partners that we’re so fortunate to work with on a regular basis. I really wanted to just have a good time – I do love planning parties after all. It was a great success and I think everyone had a wonderful time.
All the participating vendors really out did themselves. Thank you again Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Jewell Events Catering, A Stem Above, J. Brown Photography, Cage and Aquarium, Take the Cake, 4 Flashes Photobooths, Event Creative, Halls Rental and Windy City Linens.
We of course featured the official Clementine colors, which was so fun for spring! We wanted a casual, welcoming environment so we included all cocktail tables, high boys and two different lounge vignettes.
A Stem Above provided fresh, colorful flowers for all the cocktail tables, high boys and lounge sets.
Halls Rental provided all the tables, chairs and lounge peices and Event Creative added the pillow accents.
Take the Cake provided adorable mini cupcakes; a huge hit with the guests! Jewell Events Catering provided some amazing hors d’oeuvres; nobody went home hungry that’s for sure!
DJ Victor was spinning fun, up-beat, music all night long!
The party was supposed to end at 9:00 but this fun crowd stayed until 10:00! We practicaly had to kick them out! Melissa and I are right there in the middle having a blast with such a great group of people!
We can’t wait to have another kick off party next year!
For more photos please visit our facebook page!
Posted in accessories, bright, cake, Clementine, cocktail, color, cupcakes, details, floral, food, fun, lounge, music, party favors, sparkle, spring, style | No Comments »
August 17th, 2010
If you’re looking for something beautiful and custom made to wear on your wedding day you must consider Erin Gallagher Jewelry. Their ideas and designs are perfect for the bride, bridesmaids and mother’s of the bride. “Erin Gallagher Jewelry is a custom jewelry boutique. Our customers are able to design their own piece of jewelry; from the style, type of stone, or chain length. Every aspect of the process is the customer’s design.”
 
 
“Most Erin Gallagher brides come to us because they want classy bride and bridesmaid jewelry. They’re looking for something that is elegant, tasteful, and the phrase all bridesmaids dread, something they’ll wear again.”
These necklaces are perfect for bridesmaids and they come in a wide variety of colors. I know I would certainly wear a necklace like this again and again.
“At our gem bar, in-store or online, is full of semi-precious stones and pearls found from around the world. Brides can choose what matches the dress and fits the style of their wedding and personality. All jewelry is made by women in our Chicago boutique.”
I strongly suggest checking out Erin Gallagher either on-line or in person for all your jewelry needs. They also have fantastic bracelets, brooches and rings. They even have something for the groom!
Posted in accessories, bridal party, bridesmaid dress, bright, color, Jewelry, sparkle, Tuesday Tips, wedding | No Comments »
July 19th, 2010
Hotel Sax was the home of this fantastic wedding ceremony. I love the placement of the flowers and the really bright colors. The room is decorated in neautral colors so the pop of color really stood out nicely. The flowers created an excellent focal point in the room. This wedding was in April, a season bursting with life. It was the perfect month to really showcase vibrant colors as guests were so ready for spring after all the bleak months prior.
The best part of the decor was the ceremony arrangements were then reused as the centerpieces for the dinner tables. Reusing arrangements is a great way to really jazz up a ceremony site for very little extra money. Not only is this cost effective but it’s “green” too. At the end of the day the client had less waste after the event.
I strongly suggest using arrangements more than once if possible. I have a lot of clients that reuse their alter arrangements for the place card table or gift table. It’s a great way to extend the budget, plus it would be a shame to have such gorgeous floral/decor only to be used for 30 min!
Daniel Gin Photography took these fantastic pictures. Stay tuned to the Clementine website, this wedding will be featured soon on our gallery page.
The floral was designed by Tony Polega with Bukiety Floral in Chicago.
Posted in bright, budget, Clementine, eco-friendly, floral, go green, spring, wedding | 1 Comment »
July 13th, 2010
I just love these flowers so much I had to feature them!!
Kristin and Jeff got married on May 22nd at The University Club. Their wedding was fabulous from start to finish (for more pictures check out their gallery on the Clementine Custom Events website). A Stem Above really outdid themselves with these rich and colorful bouquets and centerpieces. So many guests commented on the stunning flowers. I was asked many times “who provided the flowers?” It was my pleasure to tell them it was A Stem Above.
The bridesmaid’s bouquets were just as gorgeous at the brides bouquet. I loved how lush and colorful they were and they matched their dresses prefectly. The bride’s bouquet had such unique features, it really stood out from the rest of the floral yet it was cohesive at the same time. Every detail was perfect and nothing was over the top, it was all the right size, color, shape and texture.
Posted in bouquet, bridesmaid dress, bright, cake, Clementine, color, details, floral, wedding | 1 Comment »
May 25th, 2010
It has been hot in Chicago the past three days and it is making me crave a cold cocktail. I just love this presentation I found on www.marthastewartweddings.comThese ice cold vodka drinks are perfect for a summer wedding during cocktail hour, especially at an outdoor reception. Not only do they taste delicious and fresh but they really brighten up the bar. Your guests will be drooling over these cocktails!
Posted in bright, Clementine, cocktail, color, Tuesday Tips, wedding | No Comments »
May 13th, 2010
Congratulations Amanda and Craig!
This stylish couple live in thriving Los Angeles. They are both extremely into music, food and lots of laughs! They really took their personal style and ran with it at their October 31, 2009 wedding. Every aspect of the wedding screamed the two of them. I’ve never seen such a fun, laid back and yet glamorous wedding. Amanda and Craig really found a way to be themselves and still make the guests feel extremely welcome and comfortable.
Their destination was Temecula, California. A much smaller version of Napa Valley. The downtown area was just adorable and all the vineyards were stunning. Amanda and Craig got married in front of mountains, vineyards and all their loved ones. The ceremony was really special, as you can see, everyone is laughing and having fun!
The bridal party had an amazing time all day! The bride chose BCBG dresses for the bridesmaids which really added some LA style to the event. Amanda’s fun and playful personality is reflected in her floral choice, these bouquets are bright and fun, just like the bride.
The groomsmen wore chocolate brown pin stripe suits which was perfect for an October wedding. The adorable ring bearer couldn’t have looked more LA with his fantastic little suit, orange bow tie and sneakers. He certainly almost stole the show!
The color and decor for the wedding had a lot of pop. The linens were chocolate brown pintuck and the floral/decor was bright, vibrant orange and fuchsia with little accents of gold. Look at all these great details:
The whole evening was really well thought out. The couple didn’t want a formal event so they chose to lighten up the atmosphere with stations of delicious food in place of a traditional sit down plated meal. They served mini cup cakes in place of a traditional wedding cake.
The guests and the happy couple danced all night long to all their favorite songs. Their first dance was “Pictures of You” by The Cure. The bride changed out of her fantastic heels and into hot pink Converse sneakers. All the personal touches really made their wedding unique.
 
As the night was coming to and end, the bride and groom made sure to take a time out and really enjoy each other. Even though this party was full of fun, laughter and personality, they also save a little room for romance!
Staying true to their bold personalities, the couple left the party with a bang! They ran through all the guests holding lit sparklers and ran into their get away car. It gave all the guests one last chance to yell “Congratulations”
I’m always advising my clients to be themselves and to really add a lot of personal touches! Craig and Amanda did just that and look how well it turned out. They’ll be able to look back on their wedding years from now and remember not only how special their ceremony was but also how much fun they had!
Posted in autumn, bouquet, bridal party, bridesmaid dress, bright, cupcakes, destination wedding, details, fun, outdoor ceremony, style, wedding | No Comments »
April 8th, 2010
I am a huge fan of the colored shoes craze! It’s not that it hasn’t been done in the past it is just that more and more brides are jazzing up their wedding day look with pops of color. For as long as I can remember the bride wore white or silver accessories and now brides are finally breaking the mold! I’ve seen colored nail polish, bright colored flowers in their hair, colored jewelry and of course colored shoes.
How fabulous does this couple look? They are clearly just being themselves which is so much fun. There is something so festive and whimsical about colored shoes on the bride.
The bridesmaids are even getting in on the action. If you choose neutral colored dresses like grey or champagne bright colored shoes will look great. Even if you are only comfortable with them choosing one color instead of multiple colors as shown in this picture.
Colored shoes is a great way to let your personality shine. It is another great way to incorporate your wedding colors. These purple shoes really enhance the color of the flowers in this picture. Think about how much fun these shoes would be to wear on your wedding day – plus you can always wear them again.
Here are some ideas of shoes that are available to buy now! I found all these adorable, bright, fun shoes at Zappos.com
 
 
Colored shoes is a great way to give your wedding look a burst of style, trend, personality and sass; even if you are a more traditional bride with a glamorous ballgown. Anyone can pull off this look!!
Posted in accessories, bridal party, bright, Clementine, color, style, wedding | No Comments »
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just stunning. Guests exclaimed it was the best wedding cake they’d ever tasted! 
