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December 29th, 2011
Katherine and Jonathan got married at The Chicago History Museum on August 20, 2011. Their wedding day was picture perfect. Every moment and every detail was just as sweet as they are. I just loved working with them and getting to know them over the course of the year.
The fabulous Brett and Kiri of Pen/Carlson provided all these fantastic pictures!
The Chicago Air and Water show was just wrapping up while the bridal party was out taking pictures. If you look closely, you can see that half of the bridal party is looking at the jets flying right over their heads! The bridal party was a great group of people, everyone was having fun and sharing loving memories of the couple all day.
I just love the bridesmaids dresses! Not only is the color so rich and beautiful, but the shape of the dresses were classic yet trendy and flirty all at the same time.
They decided to have their ceremony inside the Chicago Room where it was nice, quiet and intimate since the Air and Water show was earlier in the day there was a lot of foot traffic outside. It was a very special and beautiful ceremony.
After the ceremony guests were invited outside to enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the patio. The weather was perfect so guests were very comfortable sipping their summer cocktails. Blue Plate Catering provided a wonderful variety of appetizers including baby lamb chops, goat cheese tartlets, tuna tartar and panini lollipops.
After cocktails the guests were wowed when they re-entered the museum to find this stunning place card table. Hello Darling provided all the floral and decor their wedding. Katherine was so beyond thrilled with the look of the reception, it was exactly what she always dreamed. Natalie from Hello Darling really listened to what Katherine wanted and the outcome was a little modern, a little vintage and a lot of romantic charm.
Once all the guests were seated for dinner, Dustin from Toast and Jam invited the newly weds to join their party! They kept the momentum going as Jonathan whisked Katherine directly into their first dance.
Shortly after they danced they cut into their wedding cake. Katherine’s one wish for dessert was to have a small chocolate cake from her favorite Evanston bakery, Tag’s Bakery and Pastry Shop. She also ended up surprising Jonathan with a custom groom’s cake of his favorite team’s stadium. Bleeding Heart Bakery did an outstanding job. He was really surprised and couldn’t believe Katherine was able to sneak this little detail past him since he was involved with every vendor meeting the entire planning process.
Hello Darling and Blue Plate Catering made the Chicago Room of the Chicago History Museum sparkle with such amazing color and texture. Every detail from the flowers, to the crystal candles and vintage cut glass vases to the linens and glassware all went together perfectly, the room really looked spectacular and the bold colors fit the couple’s fun personality as well.
This is one of my favorite pictures, this pretty much sums up the feel of the entire night! Love, laughter and good times. It was an amazing night.
Posted in bridal party, bridesmaid dress, bright, cake, Clementine, cocktail, color, Dancing, details, escort cards, floral, food, fun, Photography, sparkle, style, Uncategorized, unique vendors, vintage, wedding | No Comments »
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.
Posted in accessories, bridal party, bridesmaid dress, Clementine, details, Jewelry, sparkle | No Comments »
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!
Posted in bouquet, cake, cocktail, details, floral, sparkle, spring, Uncategorized, wedding, wedding dinner, wedding dress | No Comments »
May 20th, 2011
I had the pleasure of meeting the fabulous owners of Glo last week at an event hosted by Beauty on Call. Glo was founded by Jaclyn Gamboa and Kristi Gabrione in 2009.
While planning their own weddings they tirelessly tried to find the perfect solution for the perfect wedding day glow and ended up creating a custom airbrush tanning company. This service is perfect for brides and bridesmaids because they’ll come directly to your home which makes it super easy and time efficient for busy brides.
According to Jaclyn and Kristi “Airbrush tanning is the only safe way to receive a beautiful, golden brown tan in just one session. Glo’s solutions are organic and do not contain alcohol or any artificial fragrances. The active ingredient, DHA, is an FDA approved sugar cane derivative that provides a safe alternative to UV tanning.”
“Glo is dedicated to customizing a specific needs of our clients. After a skin consultation, technicians will vary the shade, depth, and color of your tan according to your skin type and preference. Glo’s innovative system uses two separate airbrushes. Unlike spray booths, their airbrush experts contour your body by hand, ensuring an even flawless tan. Their will never be an orange streaky mess and your hands and feet will look naturally tan.”
“Whether you would like a single in-home appointment or a tan party for your entire bridal party, Glo can customize the perfect tan for brides within 30 minutes per session.”
Clearly Glo isn’t only for brides and bridal parties, it is perfect for anyone who is looking for a healthy way to have a sun-kissed look in any season.
Posted in color, fitness, healthy, sparkle, style, Uncategorized | 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 »
February 28th, 2011
By now you should know that I love winter weddings! I was really excited when I met Katy and Billy and they told me they were getting married at Holy Name Cathedral and their reception was going to take place at The Chicago Cultural Center on December 4, 2010.
Katy and Billy have such big, fun, sweet personalities and everyone involved on their special day went out of their way to show them just how special they are.
Katy looked absolutely gorgeous walking down the aisle at Holy Name. Her glamorous gown was perfect for the grand cathedral.
Katie Powell from Fleur Du Jour made beautiful and elegant bouquets and they matched the eggplant purple bridesmaids dresses perfectly.
By the time the ceremony was over it had started to snow. They were such good sports about it; they really embraced the weather and all it had to offer.
They drove around town in a trolley provided by The Chicago Trolley and Double Decker Co. The entire bridal party had a blast staying warm inside the trolley and toasting the happy couple.
How romantic is this picture? I just love it, it’s like a winter wonderland. I still can’t believe Katy didn’t wear any winter boots, she really was determined to keep her wedding day look.
At the Chicago Cultural Center they had a slight holiday theme for their reception. It wasn’t over the top but they did have some really great features. My favorite was the Christmas tree that was placed in the entrance of the reception hall that was decorated with family pictures. Guests who brought gifts to the party placed them under the tree. It was really cute. At the end of the night we passed out Christmas ornaments as party favors, which were a big hit!
G.A.R Memorial Hall has never looked so elegant and warm. It was perfect for December. Everything was rich in tone with warm golds and purples; which was a nice change from traditional green and red holiday decor. Food for Thought provided an amazing three course seated dinner.
Dena from Toast and Jam rocked the dance floor all night. The crowd was so much fun and at the end of the night they were seriously yelling “one more song!” It was as if there had been a live band!
It was such a pleasure working with Katy and Billy and Clementine wishes them all the happiness in the world!
These amazing photos are courtesy of Andrew Collings Photography, Inc.
Posted in bouquet, bridal party, bridesmaid dress, color, details, floral, holiday, music, party favors, sparkle, transportation, wedding, wedding dinner, wedding dress, Wedding planning, winter | 2 Comments »
August 24th, 2010
The fantastic Flower Firm has an amazing signature Lucite table that can be used in many different ways. I’ve seen it used as a buffet table, a bar or a place card table. This fabulous table is different for every event. The Flower Firm will fill the inside of the table with different decor elements that match your theme and style. It is such an impressive piece and it creates a distinct focal point in any room.
My client’s chose to use it for their place card table. It was the first thing guests saw when walking into the reception area at The Four Seasons. Later in the evening we used the same table to display the party favors, little bags of Garrett’s popcorn. The table looked beautiful all night long.
Posted in details, escort cards, floral, sparkle, wedding | 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 »
March 31st, 2010
One of my best friends wore a Ban.do headband on her wedding day and it was fabulous! I love that headbands are so stylish and Ban.do creates so many fantastic shapes, sizes and styles. The original designs at Ban.do are perfect for your wedding day!
They also carry a wide variety of styles that are perfect for your every day life!
These hair accessories range in price from $35.00 – $200.00 and I love how they have so many different styles. There is something for every whimsical, romantic, rock star, glamorous and fashionista woman out there!
Posted in accessories, details, sparkle, style, vintage | No Comments »
March 19th, 2010
Congratulations to Tara and Jason!
The couple opted to have a glamorous winter white wedding in downtown Chicago. They chose the stunning Allerton Hotel for both their ceremony and reception. The location was absolutely perfect for their winter theme. The venue has beautiful windows with fantastic views of the city.
Since they got married in January, the sun set before their evening ceremony began. The ambiance was extremely romantic with illuminating candles, lanterns and the city skyline twinkling in the background.
Tara decided to do all the decor herself…which many would say is a lot for a bride to handle. Since she chose a winter theme she decided to skip the flowers and focus on crystals, branches, sparkling leaves and lots of candle light. Not only did this save her money but it allowed her to prepare many of the items in advance. She also didn’t need to worry about wilting flowers.
Tara and Jason had a wish bowl for all their guests to leave them happy thoughts, wishes and advice for their new marriage. They also featured votive candle place cards. All the guests took their lit candle into the ballroom and added more candle light to the dinner tables.
They couldn’t have asked for a more romantic night – even the street fit their theme! Tara carried a bouquet made of crystals that enhanced her gorgeous gown and really set the tone for the entire evening.
You don’t have to spend a fortune on flowers and decor in order to have an amazingly romantic wedding! Tara and Jason put all their personal touches into their wedding and I know they felt their special day was perfect.
Posted in bouquet, budget, Clementine, DIY, sparkle, style, wedding, winter, wish bowl | No Comments »
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