Modern Chicago Wedding

There’s so much to love about Liz and Brian’s classic Chicago wedding!  After a ceremony at the iconic Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue (you may remember this gorgeous church from the movie My Best Friend’s Wedding), the wedding party moved to the hip new theWit for rooftop cocktails and an elegant, modern reception full of orchids, hydrangea, and fabulous views of the Chicago Loop.  The always amazing Ali Phillips of Engaging Events by Ali flawlessly pulled together all of the details, showing the couple’s 180 guests the best of the Second City.  Sit back and enjoy these dreamy images from YazyJo Photography!

Amanda and Mike’s big city Chicago wedding portrays a certain sweetness that is both charming and sophisticated! Following a traditional Catholic ceremony at St. Josaphat Parish, the couple and their friends and family headed to the gorgeous Chicago History Museum for a night of great food and dancing, thanks to Blue Plate catering and tunes from Matt Lewis and The Union. Amanda says she wouldn’t change a thing about the day, and we can see why! From the lovely ice blue bridesmaids dresses from Bella Bridesmaids to her own amazing Tara Keely gown, the attire was simple and elegant. Emilia Jane Photography captured beautiful images—we especially adore the iconic photos with the backdrop of the Chicago skyline! We love the mix of baby’s breath, peach roses, and white peonies in floral designs by Revel Décor, as well as the adorable confection by Amy Beck Cake Design—there’s so much to love, catch it all in the gallery!

When it came time for Nina and Eric to choose a location for their “simple yet elegant” wedding festivities, the New York City-based couple knew they wanted to celebrate in Chicago, where they grew up, met and fell in love. The W Chicago – City Center had just the right amount of ornate architecture and modern design they wanted. Nina and Eric called on Clary Photo to document their day, and we love how the images capture all of the details and romantic moments of the affair. Soft flowers in shades of ivory, pink, and gray—plus a touch of orange—from Fleur anchored the ceremony and reception; the bouquets were a sophisticated accent to the gray bridesmaids dresses from J.Crew. Nina chose a classic Anne Barge gown with a jeweled waist, but as a nod to her Korean heritage, the couple’s mothers were traditional Hanboks during the ceremony. Alliance Bakery continued the sophisticated theme with a four-tier wedding cake topped with more sweet blooms, while Nina and Eric added a punch of fun color with pink and orange serving pieces from Leif.

Marguerite and Nicholas had a quintessential Chicago wedding at the landmark Drake Hotel!  Their ceremony was held at the stunning St. Clement Church, the same place where both Maggie’s parents and grandparents were married. Phillip’s Flowers did a beautiful job blending classic and modern, mixing glittery floating candles with elegant white blooms such as ranunculus, orchids, hydrangea, roses, and calla lilies. Olivia Leigh did a fantastic job capturing this beautiful couple, their amazing venue and all the gorgeous details!

Tiffany and Peter’s Chicago wedding was elegant affair with a fabulously fresh color palette and just the right amount of vintage. But truly? I am obsessed with the flowers from this wedding. Seriously, obsessed. Like, want to print these photos out and just hang them in my room like a Leonardo DiCaprio poster obsessed. Stunning job by Stems! Tiffany looked beautifully vintage-elegant in her lace Monique Lhuillier gown, birdcage veil, and some of my favorite Badgley Mischka shoes (which I happened to wear for my wedding day too so maybe I’m biased). This wedding is for sure one of my favorites!

This sweet little Chicago wedding showcases so much of my lovely city!  From the portraits on Wacker Drive to the reception at Fulton’s on the River, Andrea and Rob chose locations that reflect the best of Chicago, and Jessie from Simply Jessie Photography captured all of the images with her always amazing eye.  Fluffy white flowers and navy blue accents from Fleur complemented the view of the water from Fulton’s, and Greatest Expectations made sure the day ran off without a hitch.  Andrea is stunning in her classic Marisa gown and mantilla veil.  Oh and there is a pup - I love pups in weddings!

Speechless is the word to describe how we feel about Shannon and Matt’s stunning Chicago wedding! These images from Emilia Jane leave us breathless from beginning to end, starting with the strapless column gown from Manuel Mota for Pronovias that Shannon paired with a long, simple veil from Mira Couture and a headpiece she made herself from a Nadri necklace. Shannon’s modern princess look was topped off with gold platform Brian Atwood shoes. Soft peony and garden rose blooms in pink, peach, and cream by Vale of Enna Flowers created a romantic atmosphere. Custom sequin linens by Ryan Turner of Stemline Creative add a sophisticated shot of glamour, and the centerpiece of the setup–a tinsel chandelier by James McDermott–had the bride swooning most of all. “Everything dazzled all night as the light twinkled off of the tinsel and bounced on to the walls,” says Shannon. Changing out of her gown into a bespoke reception dress by Azeeza, Shannon joined Matt on the dance floor for a non-traditional first dance before cutting into their gold leaf-accented cake by Tipsycakes. We’re in total agreement with Shannon when asked what our favorite part of this beautiful wedding is: all the sparkle!

Michelle and Marty live in New York, but they chose Michelle’s hometown of Chicago to celebrate their big day. We’re drooling over their rich color palette in fuchsia, blue, and purple, and although their reception was held at the Chicago History Museum, it was totally elegant and modern! The flowers by Kloeckners are absolutely amazing and really pop both as centerpieces as well as against the soft gray of the bridesmaids’ dresses. The event was stunning! The team at Greatest Expectations did an incredible job and these photos by Gerber+Scarpelli Photography have surely brightened our day!

Modern and fresh Room 1520 was the setting for Alex and Charlotte’s gorgeous Chicago soiree! The ceremony beautifully brought together Charlotte’s Presbyterian background and Alex’s Jewish heritage, and, inspired by a sweet Southern summer, the couple, along with their wedding planner Beth Bernstein of SQN Events and florist Hello Darling, transformed the raw, industrial loft space with lovely garden-style arrangements, mercury glass vases, and a cozy lounge area. Working from a palate of soft grey, smoky lavender and sage green, the narrow rectangular tables created an intimate dinner party feel for the evening reception. We love Charlotte’s natural, curly updo and beautiful Monique Lhullier gown—she and Alex radiate love in the beautiful images from Olivia Leigh Photographie!

Ann and Brian were married at the Art Institute of Chicago‘s Modern Wing, the perfect venue for their vibrant color palette of black and white with pops of green and bright purples. The florals by Art Quest incorporated different types of orchids everywhere, from the huge white phalaenopsis in Ann’s bouquet to the bright green cymbidium and fuchsia phalaenopsis on the tables at the reception. The perfect flowers for a modern wedding!  This sleek, sophisticated event was flawlessly executed by Beth Bernstein of SQN Events and the fabulous photos were captured by Margaret Busk of Garbo Productions.

Casandra and David’s wedding venue, Osteria Via Stato, is about four blocks from my house! Not only is it a fabulously yummy restaurant, but I was excited to see it transformed for a wedding. I love the romantic sea of candles and handmade runners at each table, and the positively gorgeous images that Jen Lynne Photography captured. If you are looking for alternative wedding venues, I definitely recommend scouting out your favorite local restaurants. As you can see, the end result is just lovely. Click here to view the complete gallery from this wedding – thanks Jen and Casandra for sharing!

Modern and sophisticated, Melissa and Michael’s Chicago wedding at Hotel Allegro captivated us from the moment we set eyes upon it! The couple worked with Bianca of Estera Events to bring their vision of a chic, contemporary spring wedding to life. Working with a sleek color palette of silver, white, green, and navy, the always-fabulous Fleur created arrangements with an assortment of candles and white peonies, hydrangea, tulips, and garden roses. Every element down to the gorgeous cake from Alliance Bakery featured snowy white blooms! We simply adore Melissa’s classic bridal updo and natural makeup by Sonia Roselli, a perfect complement to her trumpet gown. Each moment is beautifully captured by Kina Wicks Photography!

Elise and Michael’s wedding showcases the stunning city of Chicago almost as well as it illustrates their love for each other! An interfaith ceremony at Old St. Patrick’s Church brought together both families’ traditions, and their Chicago Cultural Center reception—planned and designed by Beth Bernstein of SQN Events—is the epitome of classic sophistication. The stunning Preston Bradley Hall, with its ornate dome and stately marbled walls, was the perfect backdrop for a reception featuring elegant calligraphy details, centerpieces of greenery, candles, and soft white blooms from Flora, and a rocking party set to the tunes of Matt Lewis and The Union. Each and every image from Olivia Leigh Photographie is perfection!

Syreeta and David’s at The Peninsula is modern Chicago elegance. Kehoe Designs worked with a clean color palette of silver, black, and ivory to transform the Peninsula’s ballroom for the ceremony, with a classic white uplit chuppah and lush florals elevated in black urns. The guest list was comprised of immediate family, so in lieu of a traditional reception, everyone was treated to cocktails followed by an intimate dinner at a feasting table with a lush rolling landscape of white floral, woven between gorgeous black candelabras. We have to gush over this incredibly fashionable couple: David is the epitome of the dashing groom in a Yves Saint Laurent tux, Tom Ford tie, and Prada shoes, and Syreeta is absolutely glowing in a J. Crew gown, BHLDN headpiece, and sparkly Christian Louboutin heels. We love the easy elegance of this beautiful wedding from Justine Bursoni Photography!

You know when two wedding photographers are getting married, it’s bound to be spectacular! And such is Sarah and Matt‘s magical affair at Salvage One. The industrial, whimsical locale was perfect for pastel florals from Fleur, romantic candlelight, and vintage decor from BHLDN. We adore their invites, elegant but fun with silhouettes, from Love vs. Design. Sarah said no to traditional bridesmaids and matching dresses, and instead focused on a gorgeous classic gown from J.Crew for herself paired with glittery Kate Spade shoes. Special touches at the event, coordinated by Liven It Up Events, included desserts from Molly’s Cupcakes, mini burgers from The Slide Ride food truck, and custom cloth napkins by Dot & Army. We’re swooning over the amazing images by Pen / Carlson and we know you’ll agree that it’s one of our favorites of 2013!

Lauren and Dallas settled on Chicago for the location of their wedding festivities, the place where they first met at Northwestern University. Together they chose Saint James Chapel for their traditional Catholic ceremony and Racquet Club of Chicago for the site of their reception. To tie in with the peach and gray decor scheme, bridesmaids wore strapless Donna Morgan dresses from Nordstrom, paired with peony bouquets from Fleur. Lauren’s embroidered Lazaro gown from Bridal Couture was a classic choice that sparkled with a beaded headband and jeweled shoes purchased from Etsy. A DIY seating chart, a project Lauren and Dallas completed together, set the scene for an elegant but personalized reception with lush florals, vintage touches like mercury glass, and a dessert by Cake on a shiny silver stand. We’re swooning over every perfect detail in these images from Shane Welch Photography!

We love the pretty pastels woven throughout Su and Ray’s outdoor wedding at Promontory Point in Chicago’s Burnham Park. Lush bouquets of pink and cream ranunculus and peonies mixed with dusty miller by Vale of Enna are the perfect complement to romantic coral bridesmaids dresses by Jarlo. Su’s Vera Wang gown is hands-down one of our favorites ever, with a big structured bow taking the focal point of the gown’s front. To celebrate their heritage, Su and Ray incorporated a tea ceremony into the celebrations, and the red dress Su wore to cut the cake from Bridgeport Bakery is simply stunning! We are swooning over these beautiful images from Kina Wicks!

We’re firm believers in elegant simplicity, and that’s precisely what Esther and Jeremy’s LA restaurantwedding delivers! In these sweet and sophisticated images from Alders Photography, what stands out most is the lush cream and green florals by Dandelion Ranch. All other decor is kept minimal for both the ceremony and reception at LA’s mod and earthy Campanile Restaurant. Esther stuns in a column-style Vera Wang gown that features an ecru-colored embellishment on the waist, defining the dress with an extra-special touch we adore! Likewise, the understated boutonniere on Jeremy’s Ermenegildo Zegna suit is a classic but stylish detail. This day was perfect for the bride and groom, who just wanted to celebrate and enjoy the occasion surrounded by family and friends.

We love the mix of Dallas style in Rachael and Cam’s Santa Barbara destination wedding! The entire affair is equal parts California mod and Southern sophisticated, starting with Rachael’s contemporary column-style Amsale gown. But to offset the crisp lines, she chose soft white peonies and hydrangeas for florals by Juniper Designs. We also really like the look of black-and-white striped ribbon around bridesmaids bouquets, paired with their taupe Bari Jay dresses. The outdoor ceremony was held at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore, Santa Barbara, before guests entered the hotel’s Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club for an indoor/outdoor reception. Events by Philippe ensured the details were perfect, like gold sequined linens atop cocktail tables, dramatic flower topiary centerpieces, and tailored striped chair cushions on Chiavari chairs to mimic the wedding details. The gold cake prepared by the resort is the perfect send-off for this elegant bash! We adore all of these spectacular images from the amazing Hazelnut Photography!

Tracy and Mark infused tons of character into their Chicago wedding day, and the entire affair is just lovely! Tracy’s beaded Allure Bridals sleeveless gown with lace and flowy train is timeless but perfectly on trend, too. Chocolate brown bridesmaids dresses by Jim Hjelm are a sophisticated choice for a city wedding, especially one held at Gallery 1028, with it’s exposed brick walls and wood beam ceilings. We love the woodsy florals infused with white roses and green hydrangeas from Studio AG, which are also found on the modern square cake by Alliance Bakery. These images from Todd James Photography are filled with warmth and light—gorgeous setting, gorgeous couple!