Real Wedding…Ours!

Thanks so much to the wonderful editors of Brides Chicago for selecting my very own wedding to feature on the glossy pages of their publication!  The Spring/Summer issue is on stands now.  Here are just a few of the details highlighted by the Brides Chicago feature…

Our wedding took place on the grounds of the charming and beautiful country club where my family has been members for years, Hinsdale Golf Club.  The ceremony was initially intended to be set in the gorgeous manicured gardens, however, in an unsurprisingly Chicago turn of events…weather forced us inside for the ceremony and cocktail hour.  A second chuppah was created out of the fabric backdrop behind the band in a mere 20 minutes as guests were arriving.

My girls wore adorable party dresses from JCrew and carried bold magenta peonies {number one favs of my mother and I!}, accented with charming dusty miller and camellia.  Our custom letterpress invitations were produced by the lovely Jenna from Clementine ink + paper.

My mother in law and I surprised my husband {and our guests} with a serenade by the Cubs Dixieland Band for the duration of the cocktail hour.

Dinner and dancing took place in an elegant {and massive!} white tent set in the middle of the golf course – guests arrived via chauffeured golf cart and open air trolley.

Petite cabaret tables were positioned on the lawn outside of the tent where we had croquet and cigars available for guests, once the weather cooperated.  These cocktail tables were dressed in yellow linens and surrounded by white chiavari chairs with custom black and white striped cushions.

Back in 2006 {just after we got engaged} I chose a color palette that I had yet to execute for a client…Frenchy black and white accented by sunny yellow {ok ok, so since then the color combo has been a bit overdone…} The tables were set with graphic black and white linens from BBJ and topped with centerpieces set atop ornate lacquered stands and garden urns.  Flowers included cattleya orchid blossoms, casablanca lilies, open roses, fragrant peonies and barely-in-season viburnum.  We had beautiful yellow silk ribbons detailing each guest napkin that perfectly framed our menu cards.

Partytime Productions provided the tent and gorgeous lighting – pin spots highlighting each centerpiece as well as textured projections shone on the canopy above.  The tent ceiling also featured suspended votive candles that twinkled above guests as they danced and a black chandelier noted our family head table.

The sweltering day and unexpected weather did not disappoint.  The day was about love.  About life.  About family and friends.  It was absolutely overwhelming to look around the tent knowing that every person in attendance was there to celebrate and support Joel and I.

Forget dreams of a McMansion, luxe cars and expensive jewelry – can I throw a fabulous wedding-themed fete each year?  Please…?

{credits}  images taken by gerber and scarpelli.  tent and lighting by partytime productions.  linens provided by bbj.  tables, chairs, chargers, goblets etc. provided by tablescapes.  all floral and decor executed by my former home…botanicals.  my gown by the amazing alice padrul. 

Real Wedding: Kate & Mike!

An absolute favorite client of mine recently had her gorgeous wedding reception at the Peninsula Chicago.

Her late June wedding was a beautiful day that brides daydream about their entire lives.

The charming ceremony was held earlier in the afternoon at St. Clements, situated on a tree-lined street in the heart of Lincoln Park.

Upon arrival at The Peninsula, guests descended the grand staircase and passed through floor to ceiling curtains we added to create a more private, intimate setting for the cocktail hour. The curtains add much drama to the setting, while also framing the beautiful place card display perfectly. Cocktails were held in the foyer outside of the ballroom and on the stunning terrace overlooking the hustling and bustling Gold Coast summer activities.

The cream lamour curtains were held open and cinched with hand-tied bundles of summery flowers including hydrangea, roses and spray roses.

The seating assignments were arranged in a tidy spoke fashion, visually anchored by a collection of beautiful glass vases and compotes hosting varied gatherings of event flowers in muted hues. Varied forms of candlelight looked lovely as the sun began to set later in the evening.

Flowers and elements included open roses, hydrangea, peonies, viburnum, succulents and fresh mosses.

The curtains were closed just before guests were invited to dinner in the Grand Ballroom, to add to the romantic, candlelit feeling. As the sun set later in the evening, the curtains were re-opened revealing stunning city views and night lights.

We did a collection of elevated centerpieces and lower tabletop centerpieces. The lush and tailored garden arrangements were elegant, sophisticated and romantic – fit for Carolyn Rhome herself.

Coordinating flowers were accented by unique foliages including graceful maidenhair fern fronds, velvety broadleaf geranium foliage and muted dusty miller.

The elevated centerpieces will designed atop elegant glass vases – well above guests sightlines. To detail the tabletop, a collection of three vintage glass budvases hosted varied floral gatherings, while a trio of warm amber hurricanes added a twinkle around the room.

The low centerpieces were designed in footed glass compote bowls and hosted equally beautiful gardney arrangements.

The bridesmaids carried adorable bouquets designed with a fluffy base of green hydrangea. Butter yellow, antique pink and warm apricot roses were nestled into the hydrangea for a tailored, rounded bouquet.

Each setting was detailed with a glass beaded charger plate, topped with a folded napkin enhanced with a silk ribbon and a menu card scribed in the perfect shade of matching sage green.

I wish Kate and Mike (and their Hollywood-worthy-good-looks!) a lifetime of happiness! Perhaps they’ll renew their vows next year with an equally smashing celebration!

photo credits: outside of the peninsula – annie leibovitz for the peninsula. all additional images compliments of erica barraca

Press Feature – Rebecca & Gary

My great friend (and proud mama of a new baby boy – (see previous entry!)), Lisa Gia Bascomb of Parties Etc., and I worked together on a late summer wedding. Their wedding is now featured in the current issue of Brides Chicago.

Lisa’s clients, Rebecca and Gary, were simple and laid back and wanted their wedding to reflect themselves, while also lending an urban chic feeling to the setting – all with no fuss. We selected a color palette of crisp, summery apple green and white.

Their Chicago wedding took place at the Museum of Contemporary Art, on the very day of the legendary Chicago Air and Water Show. (Setting up the outdoor ceremony was thrilling as the F-22 Raptors soared overhead!) Here are the images from the exciting feature.

The ceremony took place outdoors, under a gauzy chuppah, composed of layers of white chiffon, cinched mid-way by custom green floral cuffs.

Two alternating centerpiece designs were placed on guest tables around the Museum. One half of the tables featured glass collection style centerpieces. These centerpieces were composed of varied glass geometric vases, positioned symmetrically in the middle of the table. Each vase hosted a mono-floral collection of green or white flowers including open-cut calla lilies, cymbidium orchid blossoms and green button pomps. The remaining guest tables featured a tall, sleek glass vase will an architectural burst of sculptural white calla lilies. The base of these centerpieces hosted a trio of vases, swirled with submerged flax foliage and topped with a floating disk candle, for a romantic glow around the room.

We worked with the outstanding husband-wife dream team Pen Carlson Photography – who shot the absolutely stunningly artful images. Brett and Kiri are one of my latest obsessions. They truly ooze talent (I am constantly inspired by their work). On top of that, they are incredibly lovely to work with. Here are a few more showstoppers taken by the dynamic duo:

I delivered the bridal party flowers to an apartment high in the Hancock Building – check out this brilliant view of the air and water show that the bridal party took in as they were getting fussed and mussed over by hair and make-up.

A shot of the groom – I love the editorial style!

The bride carried a sleek bouquet of open-cut white calla lilies, cut short and collected in double-faced silk ribbon. I absolutely adore this photograph!

The bride and groom arrived on the remarkable summer day. A day brides dream of.

A stolen kiss. The groom wore a coordinating miniature calla lily boutonniere – the perfect selection to compliment the bridal bouquet, but also a great choice as they are a wonderfully hardy blossom that holds up fantastically out of water.

Thanks to Parties Etc. http://www.partiesetcetera.com/, Pen Carlson http://www.pencarlson.com/ and my wonderful Botanicals Staff http://www.botanicalschicago.com/ for all their hard work to make Gary and Rebecca’s wedding day an affair to remember!