Wonderful photographer, Becky Hill, recently told me that a wedding we did together this summer was featured on Elizabeth Anne Design’s blog and I wanted to share a few of the images as a way to inspire us to keep the faith this chilly winter weekend…summer will in fact make it’s way back to us, and it is so very worth the wait!
The sunny August day could not have been more picturesque – it was a day that girls dream of from early ages when the only weddings attended were hosted in the backyard in honour of favorite stuffed animals. Chelsea and I worked together to design a wedding that was simple, elegant, refined and sophisticated. A romantic and classic color palette of creams, ivories and champagnes were subtly highlighted with dusty antique pinks.
The traditional ceremony took place at the charming neighborhood church, St. Mikes in Old Town. With a bit of time between the ceremony and reception, the bridal party and Becky toured the city in search of beautiful photo ops – copious to be had.
The bride and groom were among the first to arrive at Hinsdale Golf Club for just a few moments to themselves before the celebration continued in the formal gardens.
The gorgeous ring {on loan from her jeweler} was just the perfect shade of soft pink.
The dinner and dancing was held in the beautiful dining room overlooking the verdant golf course.
A trio of centerpiece designs {by great friend and designer extraordinaire, David Gould} enhanced guest tables around the room. Here, a low silver-footed bowl hosted abundant collections of open roses, spray roses and hydrangea. Understated hints of seeded eucalyptus added a bit of depth and texture.
The cake was created by local bakery Toni’s Sweets, and accented with silk ribbons and crystal brooches.
Chelsea and Adam started the evening off with a first dance to the sexy Sade song, By Your Side. {Music provided by Mary from Toast and Jam}.
It was a pleasure to work with such a beautiful couple in such a lovely setting…Many happy years, Chelsea and Adam!
While luxe fashion house Lanvin gowns may not normally be in our budgets…if you were going to splurge, it certainly could be for the biggest fashion moment of your life – your wedding day!
Lucky for you, both Lanvins’ US flagship store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and net-a-porter now offer a small a handful of the fashion-forward creations designed by Alber Elbaz, possibly perfect for the fashionista bride. {And guess what! Some are nearly as affordable as a JCrew gown! Perhaps two will be necessary?}
Silk charmuse strapless gown. Fluid and light for a boho-chic bride.
Silk blended bustier dress. Romantic and charming for a more casual garden wedding.
Ostrich feather-trimmed georgette gown. Simple yet dramatic for a snowy Chicago winter wedding.
Silk charmeuse shift dress. Uber classic in silhouette with a modern length.
The breathtaking Elysian has been hosting events for less than a mere year, after it’s much anticipated opening last winter. For the countless times I’ve been there – whether for meetings, site visits or a delish dinner – it took until this past weekend to actually host a client event there. The stunning and rich details of the classically current hotel are enough to inspire alone. Marry those qualities with the amazing service staff {from the valet attendants to the waiters} and mouthwatering cuisine and I must say…Chicago has one superior venue – absolutely perfect for anyone’s stylish special event.
Acknowledging and honouring the setting is often my first step when designing a wedding. The Elysians’ varied grey hues, crisp white molding and marble, black chairs and chargers and dazzling crystal detailing proved to be the perfect backdrop for Diana’s chosen color collection. Classic and crisp black and white was highlighted with a varied range of pink tones – ranging from dusty pink champagne to boldly saturated fuchsia. I partnered with my wonderful friend and designer extraordinaire, David Gould of Lush Flowers {he is now also heading up Event Creative’s floral department}. He went above and beyond – as always – focusing on quality, detail and design like no other…
Here are a few images from Diana and Reas’ celebration {ps: they are absolutely head-over-heels-in-love, I’ll have you know!}
Diana carried a gorgeous bouquet composed of insanely fragrant garden roses, ranunculus, anemones and scabiosa. The groom wore a dapper white anemone boutonniere. {David made a second boutonniere, as anemones are quite delicate and may need a swap out mid-day!}
Prior to the ceremony, the couple hosted a brief champagne welcome reception – always a fabulous way to start a celebration! A charming tower was constructed from old fashioned coupes set atop the hotel’s luxe white marbled credenza.
Simple black and white programs awaited guests at their seats. The content highlighted the traditions of their special Jewish ceremony.
The unique {and plentiful} ballroom chandeliers feature a gorgeous, argyle-like pattern that was my inspiration for the aisle treatment…
A glamorous chuppah was custom design and created for Diana and Reas’ wedding. The luxe tufted, upholstered canopy was created in an unexpected oval shape – perfectly sized for the petite ballroom. White fabric panels, edged in black tumbled to the ground, cinched mid-way by fluffy rose tie-backs.
The short aisle was also bordered by flickering candles, perfect for their evening, autumn ceremony.
Guests found simple seating assignments arranged on a table set in the foyer following the ceremony.
When guests re-entered the transformed ballroom to find their seats, they were presented not only with their choice of wine, but with offerings of shots of vodka and cognac – an absolute must for the brides’ Russian Jewish guests. A certain way to ensure a great {if not rowdy!} celebration!
Three varied centerpiece designs were placed on alternating tables around the room. The charming black and white toile linen was a fresh alternative to the {dare I say…overdone?!} damask patterns that were also available. Here, the low centerpiece featured a black lacquered compote hosting a lush, full and tailored collection of varied pink roses and garden roses – subtly accented with dark cotinus foliage.
Black menus were scribed in rich pink calligraphy, allowing guests to start dreaming of the meal, yet to come, as soon as they were seated. A pair of petite rosebuds accented the dark menu, tucked neatly in the corner of each folded napkin.
Table numbers featured Russian characters, another charming detail tailored to the brides’ family and friends.
Ornate black risers hosted sphere-like arrangements, also massed with an abundant collection of roses, garden roses and cotinus.
The bride and grooms’ chairs were highlighted with petite signs secured with thin silk ribbons.
Her gorgeous cake {made by the talented hotel staff!} featured a tufted/quilted texture, similar to their chuppah.
The third centerpiece design was a tall candelabra, hosting graceful, long, thin taper candles and petite vases of coordinating blooms below. I am absolutely mad about the elegant, residential look of their ceilings!
The wedding was simple, beautiful, elegant and sophisticated. And while I’m certain the bride and groom were mesmerized by the beauty of their intimate affair – they really and truly seemed to only have eyes for each other…
All the best to Diana and Reas! Xx.
{image credits} happy couple by dan verson. remaining photos taken by me – stay tuned for more of the professional ones!
The media coverage has been quite silly – deeming Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky’s nuptials ‘the wedding of the decade’, unknowingly estimating a total price-tag of ‘millions of dollars’, discussing the heaps of celebs that they assumed would be in attendance and on and on and on…
All of that said, I have to admit, I’ve been quietly eager to learn {legit} details of the celebration – as a tented soiree held on a sprawling estate in sleepy riverside community Rhinebeck NY seems just my style…
Here are the few images we’ve seen from Chelsea and Marc’s lovely day:
The 50 acre Astor Courts Estate sits proudly along the Hudson River.
As everyone knows by now, Chelsea wore a gorge Vera Wang gown, carried a creamy and tailored bouquet {is it all hydrangea and garden roses? gardenia’s? I can’t quite tell!} and was escorted down the aisle by her father. {PS: even ‘American Royalty’ use the understated white folding garden chairs – love the cost effective decision!}
The interfaith ceremony took place under a natural chuppah, laden with what seems to be woody and gnarly grapevine studded with white roses and hydrangea. Their custom Ketubah {the Jewish marriage agreement} was displayed in the background.
The handsome couple had absolutely stunning weather for their special day. I am so proud that {even though I am ultimately interested} they decided to keep the details hushed, focusing on the private celebration of their new lives together.
Mazel Mazel.
{image credits} all images taken from the huffington post
I know, I know…It’s all about the bride! However, I think it is absolutely unexpected and ultra-modern to dress your pals in barely-hued bridesmaid dresses.
I absolutely love that the maids wore a truer white, and the bride selected a gown that was a whisper warmer in color.
Varying the look and style of each dress allows your girls to feel more comfortable and confident…who knows, perhaps they’ll actually wear their dress again! {unheard of!}
Pale nude tones are still fashionably – and flattering!
Set yourself apart by requesting that your ladies wear short dresses.
Tiring of the typical sage green bridesmaid dress? Be bold by dressing your girls in the softest, palest tones!
{image credits} 1&2 from martha stewart. 3 unknown source. 4 from giaconali photography
Joel and I are celebrating our two year anniversary this week! I feel such an imbalance of reality: in one moment it feels like we were married just yesterday, while the next I feel like we’ve been together forever.
I told my husband {only mere days away from our anniversary} that anniversary gifts are to be romantic and special…so…No…we’re not exchanging gadgets or golf clubs.
I had so much fun putting together my gift and am nearly giddy with excitement about the sentiment, all thanks to a Bliss clients’ inspiration.
I enlisted the help of a knowledgeable sommelier to select a wine due to mature in the next 5-15 years. I wanted an Italian wine {in honour of our dreamy honeymoon} and found a fragrant cedar wine box to store it in.
Here, a chocolate brown double-faced silk ribbon was the only adornment my rustic box needed.
For the next 8 years, Joel and I will write one another love letters on our anniversary. We’ll write about where we are in our relationship, in our lives, and talk about dreams for our future together. The letters will go sealed and unread into the wine box.
On our 10 year anniversary, Joel and I will open our delicious bottle of wine to share while reading our letters to one another. Quite the celebration! Alternatively, if we ever find ourselves in trouble, if we seem to have lost our way – the wine and letters can be used {in case of emergency} to remind one another how special our love is.
I don’t know how I got lucky enough to score a gorgeous bottle of wine and letters to share in just shy of a decade – but in the meantime, I also walked away from this anniversary celebration with gorgeous new sparkling bands to pair with my engagement ring! All thanks to my sly husband!
Celebrare l’amore!
{image credits} k+j dance by gerber and scarpelli. cutie writer via kate spade
Renny recently had a favorite client wedding at Chicago Illuminating Company – she borrowed my camera for the evening, and after returning it I discovered the beautiful pic’s and wanted to share.
Chicago Illuminating Company is a sought-after venue for chic, urban brides looking for a contemporary, fairly raw space. The incredibly simple color palette of bright, crisp white, gunmetal gray and rich French {or Bliss?!} blue was beyond stunning.
The focus of the simple ceremony set-up was a custom backdrop created by Jesse for Botanicals. A classic floral monogram was centered above the couple and relocated for later use.
Because of the smaller guest count of 80 {how dreamy does that sound!}, the ceremony was held in one room at CIC, cocktails in another and dinner in yet another. The perfect progressive event!
French blue curtains were dramatically pulled back to invite guests from cocktails to dinner. Chic square tables were dressed in BBJs gunmetal bengaline and topped with low, lush centerpieces. Bold white chiavari chairs added the perfect balance to the design.
This is the perfect example of a way to let other elements lend color to your event, rather than simply relying on flowers for color {a much surer way to get the exact hue you’re looking for}.
Each table was focused with a single pin-spot to illuminate the gorgeous, seasonal floral creations.
A few of the guest tables were custom built by Botanicals and inlaid with a gorgeous metallic paper. The lovely and unexpected additions fit the setting perfectly.
Textural florals included fluffy white hydrangea, open roses, fragrant peonies, delicate lilac, Dutch tulips and garden stock.
Some of the tables were designed with four petite cubed arrangements gathered in the middle of the table, creating the same footprint as the other larger boxed centerpieces. A great way to keep your guests guessing!
Forgoing a traditional wedding cake, the bride and groom served individual cakes to guests. I am absolutely obsessed with these cuties, created by Amy Beck Cake Design.
Just look at the single hydrangea floret detailing on each cake! Love.
Extra-long sparklers were used as a charming and whimsical send-off as the beautiful couple made their way down the cobblestone courtyard to their awaiting car.
What’s hot and stylish in wedding design right now? Posh Personalization. Going Green. Creative Color Palettes. Mixing Metals.
Here’s a lovely way to bring all of those trends together with one simple and memorable element: A gorgeous Brooch Bouquet. Check out this stunner photographed by Alice Hue:
Start collecting brooches and buttons during your engagement. Spread the word to your shower hostesses and have them ask everyone attending to bring a special piece to add to your collection. Borrow baubles from family members. Spend a weekend antiquing with your girlfriends to find some vintage pieces. Your friends and family will feel honoured to have made such a special (and simple!) contribution. Just think of the calm you can achieve at any given moment on your wedding day by glancing down to your bouquet and remembering all those who love and support you and your man!
After the wedding, the options are endless. Use your bouquet in its entirety as a sculptural detail on your mantle, or pull it apart to use the pieces individually: Use to enhance your clothes. Add glitz to your coats. Banish bad hair days by clipping them to headbands. Use it as a gorgeous clasp on a simple belt. Create napkin rings to bind your heirloom linens etc. etc.
This chic bouquet is a certain way to ensure your bridal blooms don’t fade before your candles burn out. Take satisfaction in the fact that seasonality doesn’t have to rule this design!
With your own special collection of brooches, you’re sure to have a lifetime love affair with your unique and completely personalized bridal bouquet.
While I must admit the majority of my clients will register at the usual suspects: Bloomingdale’s Home, Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma etc. {all of which I think are wonderful options}…I do get excited about the more unexpected options {Ok, ok, so we may have registered for Cutco knives, but that’s not what this is about…}.
One of my favorite local tabletop and home boutiques, Tabula Tua, has gorgeous and unique home accessories, china and furniture. It also has a…registry! Shop in the charming boutique or direct friends afar to the website for gorgeous gifts galore.
Right now, I’m loving the elegantly rustic Match pewter pieces found at Tabula Tua:
The beautiful dinnerware is handmade in northern Italy.
I adore the vintage look of the pewter pitcher. Use with freshly cut blooms when you’re not using it as a serving piece.
The beautiful and varied candlesticks look gorgeous clustered or singly – anchoring a mantle or adorning a tablescape.
Registering for your wedding doesn’t mean you have to select china, linens and flatware…have some fun with pieces that inspire you and your beloved…
-The honey jar is perfection – in use or not!
-I also adore the butter dome…your bagel never had it so good!
-Just because you’re perfecting your nighttime routine of wrinkle fighters {sniff sniff…haven’t won that battle yet!}, teeth whiteners or lash enhancers doesn’t mean you have to do it with plastic pieces from your college years. Get rusticly glam with Matchs’ bath collection!
-Accent your guest room nightstand with one of their gorgeous timepieces – your pals will never be late for breakfast again!
