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November 22nd, 2011
Jiyoun Bae and Keunsuk Lee got married at the Chicago Botanic Garden on Sunday, June 5, 2011. It was such a beautiful day and we were so happy we could be a part of their special day. The grounds at the Chicago Botanic Garden seem endless and they’re the perfect backdrop for pre-wedding photographs. Not to mention, it’s an extradordinary experience for all the guests, especially those who have never been to the gardens before.
The talented Steve Koo captured all these amazing photos and we’re so thankful he shared them with us!
Jiyoun and Keunsuk had their ceremony and reception in McGinley Pavilion overlooking the water. Their ceremony was so romantic and sweet, they started with a sand ceremony. They had live ceremony music performed by musician Jeff Chan. The Bride carried an absolutely stunning bouquet created by Flowers Flowers.
The reception was a lot of fun and the pavilion looked great! The Bride really got into the DIY projects. She made the table numbers and ceremony programs among other personal touches. I just love this “Just Married” sign that they hung at the entrance to the pavilion.
Culinary Landscapes, the exclusive caterer at The Chicago Botanic Garden, provided some delicious hors d’oeuvres including tortilla cups filled with smoked chicken and topped with mango salsa and avocado cream as well as pork tenderloin with blueberry balsamic and brie. The presentations were just mouth watering as the taste! During dinner the guests dined on sweet garlic glazed fresh chicken breasts with mushroom filled brioche charlotte and roasted fingerling potatoes and fresh asparagus.
The Bride changed out of her gorgeous wedding gown and into this fun party dress for the reception. She even wore a pair of fabulous royal blue shoes! Their wedding cake, provided by Rolf’s Patisserie, matched the overall decor perfectly. I love how Jiyoun kept all the little details in the classic black and white pattern.
The Bride and Groom clearly had a blast at their wedding! All the guests had a wonderful time dancing the night away thanks to DJ Brent Rolland from Fig Media.
It truly was such a lovely event and we just love working at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Posted in bouquet, cake, Clementine, Dancing, details, DIY, floral, food, fun, music, outdoor ceremony, Photography, short dress, style, view, wedding, wedding dress, Wedding planning | No Comments »
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.
Posted in bridal party, bridesmaid dress, bright, cake, casual wedding, Clementine, color, Dancing, details, DIY, escort cards, food, fun, lanterns, outdoor ceremony, party favors, Rain, Umbrella, wedding, wedding dinner, wedding dress, Wedding planning | 1 Comment »
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.
Posted in accessories, bouquet, bridal party, bridesmaid dress, cake, color, details, floral, go green, Jewelry, lanterns, outdoor ceremony, style, venue, view, wedding, wedding dress | No Comments »
August 9th, 2010
Caroline and Edward really celebrated their wedding in style. Every detail was perfectly matched, charming and casual/chic. The whole event was extremely romantic and well thought out.
The picturesque beach setting is from non other than The 63rd Street Beach House. This post might get me in trouble because I once blogged about how difficult this venue can be if your not prepared for the Chicago weather; however Carrie and Ed’s day was beyond perfect.
All pictures are courtesy of the very talented Laurie Peacock!
They held their ceremony under the main pavilion of the beach house which over looks Lake Michigan. The view is so beautiful that the couple didn’t need to add a lot of ceremony decor. The bride’s dress was a perfect choice for their outdoor, beach wedding.
The architecture of the beach house is really intricate and is a great back drop for weddings. Their simple and elegant “alter” arrangements are the perfect size and style for the space.
After the ceremony, the guests had cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the south wing of the beach house. Since the weather was so nice and breezy the guests enjoyed the open air of the event space.
While they were cocktailing the staff broke down the ceremony and created this beautiful floor plan for their seated dinner. You can’t tell from this picture but the dance floor was located lake side at the top of the pavilion.
Some of the details I was mentioning earlier: Look at these fantastic menu cards, place cards and table numbers!
All in all it was a perfect day and Clementine wishes the happy couple all the best as their 1 year anniversary is approaching.
Posted in Clementine, details, environment, escort cards, outdoor ceremony, style, venue, view, wedding, wedding dinner, wedding dress | 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 6th, 2010
It has been raining so much in Chicago the last few days it got me thinking about all the weddings I’ve planned over the years that have gotten “rained out.” Last year was especially bad, I felt like it rained every other weekend. I have put together some tips for all the couples out there that are getting married this summer and hoping to have a portion of the day outside.
1) Choose a venue that has a nice rain plan so you won’t be forced to be outside. Clearly, this isn’t ideal. It might be cute for you and the bridal party but your guests won’t think it is. If you have no choice but to have it outside regardless of the weather, I strongly suggest buying baskets full of fun colored umbrellas for all your guests.
2) If you plan for the ceremony to be outside, rehearse the ceremony both inside and outside. Sometimes the weather is perfect on Friday but it rains on Saturday. It can be difficult to get the bridal party on the same page when they practiced something totally different the day before. Believe it or not…this is actually a rain back up plan. Notice the fans on the backs of the chairs and the tubs of bottled water. The couple had planned to have it outside in the middle of July and were planning to keep their guests cool and comfortable in the summer sun. This rain plan ended up being just as beautiful.
3) Give your vendors a break. Trust that they will do everything in their power to set up the wedding outside but remember that setting up a ceremony or cocktail hour with bar takes a long time. If it is raining while the crew is setting up your ceremony or cocktail hour they will have to pull everything inside for the sake of the event. If come 6:00 it is beautiful outside try to remember that they can’t relocate the entire party in 10 min. Just remember that all these great details will be just a fabulous inside.
4) If you end up with a rainy day – just move on and have the best day of your life! Some people say that rain on your wedding day is actually good luck! If you get upset about the rain you’ll only make the day worse….just make it fun by using a pretty bright colored umbrella or cute rain boots. If you make the best of it – you’ll end up with some really fun pictures and lots of laughs.
Regardless of the weather you’ll still have the most romantic day of your life!
Posted in Clementine, outdoor ceremony, Rain, Tuesday Tips, Umbrella, wedding | No Comments »
February 16th, 2010
Many couples dream of having an outdoor summer wedding. Many times outdoor ceremonies are in bright and sunny areas which can be uncomfortable for your guests. If you are getting married on a hot summer day you might want to consider providing your guests with cute parasols so each guest can be protected from the sun if needed. This is particularly important for your elderly guests.
You might also consider purchasing individual fans for each guest. You can put them in a basket or you can put one on each ceremony chair. Your guests will certainly appreciate your thoughtfulness for their comfort. Many gentleman are dressed in full suits and they can become very uncomfortable; these fans can at least cool them off before they have an icy beverage in hand during cocktail hour.
These thoughtful little additions can also double as your party favors. I think it is very important to consider your guests comfort on your special day. You spend so much time, money and creativity on your menu, floral decor etc…. your guests will really remember the special touches you included just for them.
Posted in Clementine, details, outdoor ceremony, party favors, Tuesday Tips, wedding | No Comments »
November 12th, 2009
Amanda and David wanted to have a destination wedding but it was too difficult for their families to travel too far a distance. The couple live in Chicago but the groom’s family is from Ohio. They decided to have their wedding in Galena, IL. A really beautiful little town with a lot of charm. The happy couple had many special memories in Galena during the years they dated. They always celebrated their anniversary in the adorable town.
I wanted to focus on how beyond beautiful their ceremony was…..does this look like Illinois? The ceremony was over looking a river and of course big trees and a sunny day completed the perfect romantic vibe. A butterfly even landed on her dress in the middle of the ceremony! I think that is a great sign of many years of health and happiness!
The bride chose navy blue and apple green which really complimented the natural landscape of the location.
The reception was held at the Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa. It was a beautiful resort with a fantastic ballroom with floor to ceiling windows. If you are dreaming of a destination wedding but still hope all your friends and family can attend you don’t have to travel too far; you can find beauty close to home. A romantic weekend doesn’t have to be in the tropics!
Posted in Clementine, environment, outdoor ceremony, wedding | No Comments »
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