Colorful, Vibrant and Fun: Bridal Shower

September 15th, 2011

We have all been to about a million bridal showers, here are some new fresh and fun ideas!   Clementine was thrilled to work on such a fun project.  Thanks to the talented Olivia Leigh for capturing all these great photos! 

Natalie Walsh from Hello Darling created this amazing table-scape incorporating interesting textures and colors; mixing whimsy into every last detail. 

Kara Gordon of Magnificent Milestones custom designed the invitations and menu cards.  She kept with the whimsical  and colorful theme.  They are the perfect blend of modern and retro. 

 

The guests were greeted by this fantastic display of goodies.  The place cards were pinned to the large rainbow lollipops which were surrounded by fun treats including cake pops, mini doughnuts, mini pies and cookies.  All the adorable bites were provided by Jewell Events Catering.  Hello Darling custom designed all the fabric covered boxes which we then used as serving platters. 

 

 The ladies got to help themselves to a bellini bar.  Each flute was filled with champagne and fresh berries, then the girls chose their preferred juice.  They all  had a great time mixing and matching the flavors. 

Most importantly everyone had fun!  There were a lot of laughs and tears and good times! 

Thank you to Jane’s restaurant for providing such a lovely space and a delicious menu. 

 

Chicago for a Destination Wedding

August 1st, 2011

 

Jessica and Mick are from Florida and yet they decided to host their wedding in Chicago! Their wedding ended up becoming a destination wedding and many of their family and friends had never been to Chicago before.

Jessica grew up in Chicago and moved to Florida when still relatively young, she was thrilled that she was able to visit Chicago every summer after they moved because she just loved everything about the city.  Once she graduted high school she took Mick to visit Chicago and show him all the wonderful reasons she loved it here.  He ended up loving it too and the two of them say Chicago is their favorite city!  As a native Chicagoan I often take for granted all the wonderful attractions our city has to offer. 

The newly weds spent their afternoon taking pictures all over town at some of the best Chicago hot spots including Navy Pier and Millennium Park.  The guests really enjoyed their mini vacation.

They chose The W Lakeshore for their reception venue which overlooks Navy Pier.  The 360 view had guests glued to the windows during cocktail hour and of course later in the evening for the fireworks display. 

Kehoe Designs did an outstanding job with the floral and decor.   The bride picked out vintage inspired farris wheels for the table arrangements which Kehoe Designs decorated with large, fresh blooms.  They created a custom fabric treatment on the circular ceiling in hot pink, the couples signature color.

Since they had a destination wedding they chose a bit of a travel theme for some of the details.  They had guests write messages on Chicago vintage post cards and they gave guests custom luggage tags as a party favor. 

 What a fun wedding!  All the guests had a blast enjoying Chicago and Jessica and Mick were able to tie the knot in their favorite city!  Clementine wishes them all the best and we’re so happy we were able to be a part of their big day! 

Photos courtesy of Bella Pictures

 

Bridesmaid Accessories

July 28th, 2011

If you’re not sold on the idea of having all your bridesmaids wear different dresses you might want to consider another way to “mix it up” a bit.  One of my client’s had all the ladies wear the same dress but she had them accessorize with the broach of their choice. 

I think this nice little detail is a great way to have each dress, each bridesmaid, a little different. Yet at first glace (and in the wedding pictures), they all look the same.

 

These photos are courtesy of Laurie Peacock Photography.

 

Backyard Tent Wedding

July 13th, 2011

Andy and Judy tied the knot over Memorial Day Weekend at the Groom’s parent’s home in St. Charles, Illinois. The back yard was a beautiful backdrop for the special event. Even though it rained almost all day, the event went off without a hitch!

Clementine was fortunate to work with such an amazing family. We met Andy and Judy last year at Andy’s brother’s wedding which we coordinated at the Danada House. We were so happy to get to work with such a wonderful family again.

The couple wanted a low key, casual affair that focused on good food, good music and good fun! They put a lot of effort into creating such a lovely event. The bride made all the adorable centerpieces which also served as the table numbers.

These fantastic place cards matched the invitations; they shared the same pattern and color.  They were sitting on little bamboo holders.  I just love how the event style is both backyard BBQ yet it also reflects the bride’s Vietnamese heritage.  The two style came together nicely. 

 

They handed out mason jar mugs and individual servings of tea for the party favors which were a big hit!  Many of the guests were drinking beverages from their mason jars all night.  Once coffee and dessert was served, many guests asked for hot water so they could enjoy their tea. 

After feasting on a delicious and hearty meal of BBQ roasted pulled pork, au gratin potatoes, fresh spinach salad and orzo pasta salad, they all enjoyed an amazing dessert spread including wedding cake, mini cookies, french macaroons and mini fruit tarts. 

 

They danced the night away and everyone had so much fun.  The rain even stopped and it was a clear and beautiful night. 

 

All these amazing photos are thanks to the talented Julia Rendleman, Louisiana-based newspaper photojournalist available for travel and destination weddings. She has done over 100 weddings in the Chicagoland area.

Clementine’s Royal Wedding!

June 28th, 2011

 

Angela and Andrew chose the wedding date of April 30, 2011 long before the date of the Royal Wedding was announced to be on April 29, 2011.  With all the hoopla of the Royal Wedding it was refreshing to participate in the wedding of Angela and Andrew, who were super low key.  They were really focused on family and fun for their big day in Chicago. 

Shelley from Cage and Aquarium captured all the special moments from their wedding day! 

 

They got married at St. Clement in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.  It turned out to be a really beautiful day. 

After the ceremony was over they gave each other a little toast while they drove around the city taking pictures with their closest friends.  Trolleys are one of the best ways to celebrate while taking photos. 

Lynn Fosbender from Pollen created these stunning bouquets.  The flowers were huge and they matched the bridesmaids dresses perfectly.   Pollen is an eco-friendly floral design company located in the Ravenswood neighborhood. 

The reception took place at the gorgeous Newberry Library, located in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood.  The Newberry Library has so many amazing features, including this beautiful staircase.  Inside the ballroom they have hardwood floors, huge windows and three really ornate light fixtures. 

During the cocktail hour the wait staff greeted guests with trays of Bellinis.  The guests also enjoyed a nice assortment of passed hors d’oeuvres

The reception including a lot of nice details incluing these adorable place cards.  The flower on the place card not only matched the flowers on her menu cards, invitations and ceremony programs, but they also helped the servers know what the guests were eating for dinner!

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Occasions Catering outdid themselves with excellent service and a creative menu.  The guests dined on their choice of beef short ribs or roasted pepper and asparagus stuffed chicken breast! 


                                                                                                        

The bride and groom danced the night away to the music stylings of DJ Victor of Cage and Aquarium.  It really was a fun crowd and everyone really enjoyed themselves. 

Thank you to Angela and Andrew for letting Clementine be a part of their wedding day!

Family Tree Guest Book

June 21st, 2011

I just love this guest book idea.  I’ve seen something similar before but I really like how the guests made their own leaf.  Everyone really got into it, by the end of the night the tree was very full with lush multi-colored leaves.  Now the bride and groom have a custom canvas for their home. 

My client, Kate, found this great idea on Chicks n Hens (Where Happy Brides Gather) on Etsy.com. 

Jeremy Lawson Photography provided these great pictures.

Stunning & Romantic at The Elysian

June 10th, 2011

When I first met Leah I just knew we would really hit it off!  She is about a sweet as it gets and her personality can light up any room.  When I met her amazing new husband, Bob, I knew right away that it was going to be a very special wedding.  They are so perfect for each other and I was honored to be a party of their special day. 

 Leah and Bob tied the knot at St. Clement Church in Lincoln Park.  Their family was so close and you could just feel their love for one another.  I just love this picture of Leah’s dad right before the ceremony was about to begin. 

 Leah was full of excitement.  She was cool as a cucumber the whole morning and when we got to the Church she just beamed with pure joy.  I love this photo because it captures her fun personality perfectly. 

Leah looked stunning as she walked down the aisle.  Her wedding day “look” was absolutely perfect for her and it only enhanced the Church and the venue that much more. 

The new husband and wife!  After the ceremony was over the couple celebrated with their friends and family.  They loaded up a trolley and rode around town noshing on Potbelly’s sandwiches.  Everyone had a great time. 

The reception took place at the gorgeous Elysian hotel in Chicago’s Gold Coast.  The service, menu and style of the hotel were all top notch.  The guests dined on a creative menu including oysters, beef carpaccio, pork belly, fresh halibut, beef tenderloin and risotto. 

These beautiful floral arrangements were designed and creative by Renee Price of  Kehoe Designs.  The blooms were huge and very fragrant, the room was filled with fresh floral aroma. 

Leah, Bob and all their guests had a great time dancing the night away with the music styling of DJ Drew from Fig Media

Clementine had a wonderful time meeting all their friends and family and we hope we can cross paths again some day!  We wish you all the best!  Congratulations to the happy couple!

Special thanks to the talented Joseph Mark Photography (located in Dallas, TX) and Joseph Ryan Martinez of Fig Media for providing memorable photos and video to document such a wonderful day!

Little Bit of NOLA at a Chicago Landmark

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

Something for the Guys!

April 28th, 2011

Even though a lot of Grooms are pretty involved with wedding decisions these days, most wedding details are about the Bride.  Do something fun for the Groom and all the guys at the party.  Cigar Dudes Inc. specialize in cigar bars that are perfectly appropriate for weddings.  They provide high quality 4″ cigars that are designed to last about 20 minutes.   This way your guests will be able to enjoy a cigar but they won’t be outside smoking it all night long. 

Of course cigars aren’t only for the guys, lots of women will smoke them too.  It’s a fun little treat for your guests and since they are only providing the Cigar Bar it won’t steal away from the focus of the event.  Guests can either choose to enjoy a cigar or not, there won’t be a cigar roller distracting guests from the dance floor. 

The cigar bar comes with everything your guests will need to enjoy their cigar.    The cigars are hand picked from Honduras, Nicaragua and Dominican Republic.  They also include three jet flame Executive cigar torches and three stainless steel, double blade cigar cutters.  All the cigars will be displayed in mahogany humidors to best serve your guests. 

If your space doesn’t allow smoking or doesn’t have outdoor access, you might want to consider the cigars as party favors.  Cigar Dudes, Inc. can provide custom wrappers with your wedding colors, your names and your wedding date. 

It’s a great way to include something the guests will love.

Fresh, Summer Wedding

April 14th, 2011

I love the fresh vibe you get at The Danada House, located in Wheaton, Illinois.  The grounds are so beautiful and include lots of fresh flowers, green grass and horse stables.  The Danada House has so much fantastic charm, it really is the perfect setting for a summer wedding. 

Robyn and Matt exuded a fresh, laid back, style and it was perfect for the venue.  The bride was stunning with flowers in her hair and on her dress.  Jenna Bruhn from Avant Gardenia creative an amazing bouquet that fit the bride’s style perfectly. 

 

The groom and groomsmen looked sharp and cool on such a hot day!  I am convinced this wedding happened on the hottest day of 2010. 

The ceremony was held outside and was surrounded by trees, grass and sunshine. 

The reception details really kept with the overall theme of the wedding.  It was just beautiful and the vibrant green matched the green of the trees in the back ground nicely. 

These centerpieces were perfect for the look and feel of the wedding.  The reception dining room had floor to ceiling windows and there arrangements helped bring the outdoors inside. 

 

It was just such a lovely day and I’m so glad I got to work with Robyn and Matt. 

The amazing photos are courtesy of the talented Jessica Strickland Photography.