As summer begins it’s gentle descent into fall…I feel the desperate urge to resist with all my might. I adore this summery board of strawberries and gingham found on Snippet and Ink and so love daydreaming about what this summer has been and what it still may have in store for us sun-worshipers.
Recent bride, Rebecca, and her planning-partner-in-crime sister, Jordan, were one of my absolute favorite clients to date. These sisters have such an impeccable style, fun and hilarious personalities and a marvelous grasp on reality. After spending the weekend with their friends and family, I could clearly see where they get it!
Rebecca and her sweet-as-pie husband Dan’s wedding is currently featured in Brides Chicago and I’m thrilled to share some of the gorgeous photos taken by favorites Stevi and Matt of Avery House.
While Rebecca and Dan live in Chicago, they chose the brides’ hometown of Bloomington Illinois to host their wedding weekend. Rebecca loved the idea of having her wedding at the country club where she grew up.
Here was an early inspiration board I created, before things evolved just a bit:
We ended up selecting a soft palette of creams, champagnes and golds accented with victorian blue, and a tonal highlight of peachy apricot {instead of the pinks}.
Here are a handful more images of the dreamy day:
The bride got ready in her childhood home {although her fabulous {and just a hint overly ambitious!} mother was in the middle of a major home renovation…that said – it certainly made for plenty of room for hair and make-up without much furniture!}
Rebecca rode to the ceremony with her parents and sister, Jordan.
The maids carried charming bouquets of garden roses and peonies. They were the perfect pairing against their dusty victorian blue dresses.
The happy couple, newly crowned man and wife!
The day was absolutely saturated with moisture. It rained forcefully from sun-up to sun-down, with just a few breaks that allowed for some photos on the golf course. The weather never once put a damper on the newlyweds’ moods…they were floating on air all day.
Obsessed with this pic.
Guests cocktailed under the protection of a tent overlooking the verdant golf course.
Everyone moved inside for dinner, where candelabras and white peonies dressed each table.
All printables were created by one of my favorite stationers, Jenna of Clementine Ink.
Stud.
Guests moved back outside for dessert and dancing, as the rain finally lost it’s determination.
The weekend was such a reflection of Rebecca’s hard work. To speak of it visually, it was warm, sophisticated, charming, romantic, classically current with a hint of prep. To speak of it emotionally, the wedding day was such a celebration of two people that were so clearly meant to be.
The newest issue of CS Brides {the Chicago Brides’ go-to for all things dreamy in the local wedding world} is out! I was thrilled to have a favorite client wedding featured on their glossy pages.
The incredibly romantic wedding of gorgeous young couple Emma and Tom was too much fun to plan! The couple came to me in the very earliest stage of planning…post engagement. They had been to very few weddings, weren’t quite sure about colors and stylings and wanted a partner to help shape their New Years Eve wedding vision into something romantic, formal, wintry, festive and current…
{haha}
I had such a wonderful time working with the blissfully happy couple {and the brides’ incredibly fabulous mother} that I wanted to share a bit more about their day.
I started playing with a few color combinations to get conversations going. With only mere deliberation, we landed on a palette of creams, greys, dusty blush and golds. Here was the inspiration board I created to use as a planning tool throughout the process.
After quite the hunt, the couple fell in love with an intimate private club, The Racquet Club of Chicago, and thought it was the perfect location for their winter wedding. The club has such a charming, residential feel – absolutely perfect for the intimate guest count of 100.
Beautiful boxes bound in grey velvet ribbons awaited guests that traveled from near {the brides’ dearest friends and family were from Indiana} and afar {quite the trip for the grooms’ friends and family who traveled from England}. The boxes contained indulgent treats hand-picked by the couple including a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, Garretts Popcorn, Luna Bars, nuts, mints and much much much more…
The bride wore a dramatic full gown by Vera Wang and her ladies wore Jenny Yoo in a gorgeous slate grey {my favorite alternative to black}. The brides’ bouquet was inspired by the bouquet her mother carried years ago and was composed of individual white phalaenopsis orchid blossoms. Her bridesmaids had petite bouquets of cream garden roses, dusty pink lisianthus, velvety grey dusty miller and subtle hints of winter green.
The groom, wanting to dress as a proper Englishman, wore tails.
We arranged for the couple to have their first meeting in the charming and intimate library of the private club where the wedding ceremony and reception took place.
The ceremony was held in the card room at the Club. My dear friend and fabulous designer, Jesse Deckard of Event Creative, took care of all floral, lighting and decor. Here, Jesse’s staff custom built a shelving unit to perfectly slip into the window frame, allowing us to display copious amounts of candles to provide the romantic evening ceremony backdrop.
The couple floated on air, as they recessed as husband and wife.
Both the cocktail hour and dancing took place in the living room, walls of windows overlooking the gorgeous Gold Coast residential street.
The dining room featured two exaggerated, long tables, each set for 50. The heavy beams above were cascading with suspended candles, twinkling above guests as they dined.
The tables were dressed in grey damask linens and topped with countless candles and floral arrangements in containers ranging from cut crystal and vintage silver to white peeling birch bark. Florals included a creme collection of hydrangea, garden roses and orchids, subtly accented with dusty pink pepper berry and lisianthus, bleached peacock feathers and snow-tipped pine cones.
Unique flocked succulents adorned the tabletop, with worn votive cups flickering in the backdrop.
Because there were only two tables from which to assign guests their seats, we had each menu card hand calligraphied with each guests’ name. Guests were encouraged to wander the room, taking in the insanely gorgeous setting, as they found their seats.
Charming signs reminded the couple of their location.
The main bar was set in the library after the couples’ first meeting. Jesse custom designed this bar to look as if it was a piece of furniture – perfectly fit for the charming setting.
A gorgeous and indulgent spread awaited guests after dinner, set in front of the fabulous trophy case. Cupcakes were from Sweet Mandy Bs, petite fours, home made marshmallows, macarons and a croquembouche were done by Vanille Patisserie… and that only supplemented the heaps of candies I also arranged for!
Following a loving toast from the groom, waiters passed out flutes of champagne and individual packs of golden confetti. As the clock struck twelve, everyone celebrated to a rowdy version of old lang syne {a decidedly English tradition}.
This young couple is simply mad about one another. Their will be no secrete to their success – they’ll always have each other {and the memories of their fantastic affair on New Years Eve!}
I am buried in teensy final details for the wedding of one of my most favorite and loveliest brides this weekend. I so hope the weather for their Central Illinois wedding holds up!
The bride is not only drop dead gorgeous {even when coming straight from yoga to planning meetings!} but her style and taste is Spot. On. I am over the moon with all of the charming details we’ve dreamed up and can’t wait for it to come together.
The wedding is taking place at the brides families’ country club – where they have been members for years. Cocktails, dinner and dancing will take place in a dolled up tent – of which you know I’m quite partial to!
I love this photo of a quietly sophisticated bride in her Vineyard gown and Patricia Underwood hat, under the shade of an elderly tree against a backdrop of a verdant golf course. I’m sure I’ll have heaps of equally gorgeous photos to share in the coming weeks.
The obsession with gorgeous Kate Middleton has grown exponentially over the last few months, with the culmination of excitement coming to a head in the wee hours of the morning, as the world watched in sleepy anticipation to see if the silently stylish future princess would live up to everyone’s expectations.
Although many people may describe her dress as safe with an old fashion silhouette, I saw an instant connection to the glamorous gown of {my style icon}, Grace Kelly.
Kate’s dress, designed by Sarah Burton, Creative Director at Alexander McQueen was beyond appropriate for a bride in an ultra formal ceremony {one with millions of viewers/critics}. And although the dress may be a bit conservative, I adored the romantic lace bodice that felt a bit more modern, doing a beautiful job of showcasing her fabulously trim waist. Her hair and make-up was exceptionally perfect {no surprise there}!
But…leave it to me to zero in on her {dare I say modest?!} bouquet:
Her petite clutch bouquet {designed with a handle – something we all view as out-dated…shame on us!} was composed of a collection of delicate blooms including Sweet William, Lily of the Valley, Hyacinth and a hidden sprig of Myrtle, taken from a bush planted by Queen Victoria in 1845.
I have always adored ‘the language of flowers’ and have no idea if her selections {designed by famed florist, Shane Connolly} were chosen for the look or the meaning, but perhaps it was a combination of both.
Sweet William – A tribute to her future husband?
Lily of the Valley – Love’s good fortune
Hyacinth – Constant love
Myrtle – Love
While I may have designed her bouquet to be just a bit larger in size to compliment the fuller skirt, I think the selections are timeless and beautiful…and who asked me, anyway!
I must say, I am certainly enamored by this gorgeous girl and am sure many many future brides will take cue from her regal style and timeless floral selections for years to come.
{image credits} kiss from royalwedding.aol, grace kelly from wedding-dresses.tk, car and bouquet from express.co.uk
A favorite client of mine is having her wedding in a beautiful tented pavilion this summer. This bride has absolutely impeccable style and I am beyond thrilled to be working with her and her lovely family.
She initially came to me with a color pairing of emerald green + white (which you know I adore…so Kate Spade!) That said, there was a part of me that wanted to play around with ‘summertime’ a bit: take advantage of the bright, warm hues that are so seasonally inspiring…We swiftly came to a color story of peaches/apricots, coral/melon, creams and bright kelly greens.
She wants her design to feel a bit shabby chic, so we’re working with soft gauzy fabrics for the outdoor ceremony, eclectic vintage containers including cut crystal and milk glass to highlight guest tables and the inclusion of fresh summer fruits like peaches and apricots for added dimension and depth.
Attached is the inspiration board I put together for her day…Makes me shiver with anticipation of warmer temperatures and summer breezes!
The problem with many of the large, gorgeous churches and cathedrals in the city is that they host multiple weddings in addition to regular services and masses on any given weekend. Because of that, many have adopted a ‘no tossing’ policy, prohibiting guests to shower the newlyweds with petals, birdseed, fresh lavender {the scent alone is enough to help etch that moment in your memory!} or anything that leaves a mess.
Instead of foregoing the beautiful photo-op {or going for the expected bubbles or bells}, Why Not…have charming ribbon wands made – have ushers hand them out as guests exit the church and have them wave them enthusiastically as you make your grand exit.
This is a simple project that Renny and I have done countless times. Find yourself a bit crafty with some extra time on your hands? {We can’t possibly be talking about brides…who has extra time!} – thin dowel rods, strips of beautiful ribbons from here and a hot glue gun is all you need.
A traditional toss of feather-light confetti gets a modern update in a rainbow of colors…
Or Why Not…consider a cute {less eco friendly} balloon release post ceremony. Ask guests to make a wish or blessing in your honour as they daintily float out of sight.
So Why Not…add yet another fantastic layer of charm and drama to your grand exit with these simple ideas. And who wants rice stuck in their perfectly coiffed hairstyle, anyway?!
{photo credits} ribbon wands by artisan events. confetti from braedon flynn photography. balloon release by olivia leigh
We all know how much I adore stores like Jcrew for producing a line of bridal gowns that are fresh and stylish yet a bit more realistically priced – as compared to the likes of Carolina Herrera and Vera Wang gowns – so I was more than thrilled when Anthropologie finally debuted it’s own wedding shop last week: BHLDN {pronounced “beholden”}.
Here are a few of my favs:
The Ribboned Silk, Monarch and Trumpted Pavot Gowns are each under $4,100.
The Pleated Fantasy Gown is one of my top picks – heaps of drama for $3,600!
And how fantastically charming would the Eyelet Medley Sheathe be for the boathouse or golf-course bride – especially when we’re talking about a price-tag of $1000!
And it doesn’t stop at fanciful frocks…
The have darling shoes…
Fun jewelry…
Cutie capelets, boleros and shrugs…
Daring or dainty headpieces…
Sexy or sweet lingerie…
And adorable accessories like gloves, clutches, belts and more…
Inspired by the Dutch word for “To Keep”…BHLDN is certain to stay a while!
I love love love it when I have the opportunity to work with clients that come to me looking for major guidance and direction with color composition. To my delight, I have had a few recent lovelies that have allowed me to play with color combinations – with just a hint of direction – granting me the freedom to play…
Here, for a spring client that hoped for a collection of colors that read soft, pretty and slightly unexpected, I played around with dusty peaches and apricots, pairing it with grays and graphites and grounded it with an accent of richer navy.
As the snow continues to dust our layers of packed powder, here in Chicago, this board helps me to keep the faith…
A beautiful couple, Yui and Bill, hired me to help plan their wedding in mere months. The bride had visions of her ceremony in a lush, outdoor setting, while they both wanted the reception to feel cool and contemporary – leading us to choose The Ivy Room, as the setting for both the ceremony and reception.
We enlisted fab photogs Dana and Spencer of Dana Rossini Photography to capture their day…here are a few of the artful images, showcasing their chic and modern urban wedding.
Dana and Spencer had a blast scouting unique and special locations for the hours we allowed for photos around the city, prior to the ceremony.
A fun spin around town also happened prior to the wedding…not quite married yet!
The groom was sure to tailor his attire to his typical taste…tough guy.
The bride was sure to tailor her ensamb to her taste…sky-high heals were a must!
The early evening ceremony took place in the charming courtyard of the Ivy Room. The bride, from Bangkok, wanted to incorporate traditional elements of her heritage so the ceremony was a beyond beautiful combination of both Thai and Western traditions.
{all floral and decor provided by the lovely renee of kehoe designs}
Dressed in custom traditional Thai for the ceremony, the bride and groom said their vows as the early fall breeze just barely made itself known.
Monks from the couples’ temple ensured the ceremony was incredibly memorable.
A lengthy, but special, shell ceremony encouraged participation for all guests during the ceremony by pouring holy water from beautiful conch shells over the couples’ hands and passing along their individualized well wishes for the bride and groom.
Guests moved inside for the chic, lounge-style reception. A combination of seating styles featured varied lounge vignettes, custom leather tall tables and cocktail tables to inspire movement and a true party atmosphere.
Cool blue and purple hues saturated the room for a surprising contrast from the garden-like ceremony.
Clean arrangements of lilies and orchids subtly enhanced the setting.
The brides background continued to play into the evening through simple and small details. Here, a VIP lounge was a respite home-base for the bride and groom.
While a delish popcorn bar was set-up for late night bites inside the ballroom, we had individual bags of the gourmet goodness bagged for guests to take on their way out.
{all food and beverage provided by melissa and the fabulous blue plate catering team}
In addition to the savory saltiness, it was important that there were lovely sweet treats for guests to indulge in, in between dances.
The couple beamed with love and appreciation for one another and for the gorgeous day they shared with their closest friends and family. I had TOO much fun working with Yui and Bill and miss them terribly!
