Urban Glam Inspiration Shoot

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!

There’s nothing better on a cold and snowy day than the arms of your sweetie wrapped tightly around you. This warm and fuzzy engagement shoot by Laura Ivanova, Melissa Schollaert, and Molly Michel would make anyone excited for winter love and the stunning winter-inspired anemone, rose, and privet berry bouquet by Asrai Garden would set any chilled heart aflutter! The cool greys and soft pastels in these photos Laura Ivanova by are perfect inspiration for a winter wedding!

We were so thrilled to have The Sweetest Occasion and Elizabeth Anne Designs team up with Chicago’s most fabulous bridal show, Indie Wed, to hold the first-ever in person Inspired Creations Contest!  Teams of Chicago wedding vendors submitted inspiration boards for the event, and 6 talented teams were chosen to exhibit their Inspired Creations Contest concept at Indie Wed in January.  In addition to the brides’ and grooms’ on site voting, votes from the EAD and TSO blog readers will be counted, so weigh in on your favorites!

Today is such a fun day for me because I get to show off my very first designed shoot! I was so thrilled when Sara Gray asked me to create a shoot for her latest MarryThis! wedding guide, and immediately enlisted the amazing Kelly Marie Uss of Fleur to join in to help me style a romantic summer wedding shoot, full of vibrant colors and elegant and fluffy blooms. I love trends, but wanted to take a few of the design trends that are popular today, such as vintage china and lace, and use them in a way that was classic and timeless, a wedding that would stay fresh and inspiring for years to come. We chose the absolutely fabulous Aeree Loft at Room 1520 as our venue, its clean white walls and amazing light were the perfect backdrop!

Any way you spin the color green in a wedding palette, it is quite the versatile shade. From soft pastels like mint or sage to deep hues like the beautiful emerald or hunter green, you can easily use this earthy color at any wedding during any time of the year if you fancy it. It’s so timeless and we’re glad that wedding extraordinaires like Olive Fine Weddings & Events and Alexandra Lee ran on the same wavelength as us. This styled shoot has a hefty helping of green all over it, and if you take out the seemingly wintry elements to this inspo, you can readily use it all throughout the year. The luxe blooms by Willrett Flower Co. (check out the installation framing the sweetheart table!) may need some tweaking when it comes to what’s in season and what’s in your area, but no matter if you’re a spring or summer bride-to-be eyeing this shade of green, you’ll certainly get the same gorgeous effect that Alexandra snapped for us.

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!

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!

This elegant ceremony and handsome after-party are simply perfect for the quickly approaching cool weather! Greatest Expectations Special Events & Weddings, Inc., styled this shoot along with Julia Franzosa Photography, and it features a simple, Zen-like beginning followed by a crisp reception that includes a homemade s’mores and hot cocoa bar from Truffle Truffle. Genius! We adore the geometric color-block stationery in white, gray, and black from Sarah Drake, as well as the greenery arrangements paired with bronze succulents from Pistil & Vine. There’s just nothing better than a timeless Chicago affair—complete with traditional tuxes from Black Tie Formalwear—where no detail was overlooked! See it all in the gallery!

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!

Isn’t there just something magical about hot air balloons? Our Inspired Creations Contest concept today from Pemberley Events, Petal Play Design, Image Icon Photography and 11 Eureka Boutique was inspired by a photo of a fun-loving couple in a hot air balloon. Floating glass balls and papier-mâché hot air balloons floated above a vibrant and colorful tabletop filled with roses, tulips, and poppies. The color didn’t stop with the flowers! Along the natural runner sat colorful vases and glassware too. The seating chart was actually burlap map of the world with different colored hot air balloons showing people where to sit. Such an adorable theme and wonderful ideas for a colorful travel-inspired wedding!

Welcome to day 2 of the Indie Wed Inspired Creations Contest! The incredible team involved in today’s shoot created an amazing and beautiful idea, a “Belles and Gents Bar”. Picture this: one day, wives crash an old-school gentlemen’s club bringing in big beautiful blooms and brightly colored details to freshen up the usual decor of cigars, highball glasses, aged scotches, and decanters. SQN Events stocked the bar with his and hers drinks (homebrews and sweet tea) from Femme du Coupe personalized by Courtney Callahan Paper and treats like chocolate-covered cigars and bourbon-infused brownies from truffle truffle. Fleur never disappoints with their stunning florals and these peony, ranunculus, and cotton arrangements are absolutely some of my favorites! Love this brilliant idea and beautiful photos by the wonderful Simply Jessie Photography!

Goodness gracious, me oh my. From the moment I saw the invitations, I knew I’d be in love with this inspiration shoot. Add in the killer cacti and the insanely beautiful models and I’m completely hooked. Photographer Elle Golden Photography brings us an incredible vintage chic collaboration with Christopher Confero Design and Bella Signature Design in the middle of the desert outside Las Vegas. Really though, does it get any hotter than this?

Irving Street Kitchen in Portland, Oregon provided a unique venue for this shoot that’s a gorgeous mix of rustic and urban – with a bit of glam thrown in for good measure! This inspiration shoot was a collaboration of quite a few vendors including styling by Hitched Weddings and amazing floral from Petalos Floral Design. I love all the different lanterns that were used for the table and those sweet treats look so yummy! Thanks to Jessica Hill Photography for capturing it all and sharing with us!

Deciding on Galleria Marchetti in Chicago as their venue was one of the easiest choices for Emily and Tom. It wasn’t as easy, however, for Emily to keep Tom from wanting to hang streamers from the tent. Either way, their colorful wedding looks like it was a blast! The florals by Fleur are stunning (love the limes!) and Emily’s necklace makes me want to dig through my mom’s jewelry and find a brooch to steal just so I can have it made into my own necklace by Elva Fields. The couple is very lucky to have some extremely helpful friends. Emily’s sorority sister, Amanda Hein, took great photos of the day, the one of the bridesmaids shoes is my fav!

There is just so much pretty in this shoot, I’m over the moon! Kelly Maron Horvath of Paper Stories, Lauren LePine of Ryan Alexander Events, Lynn Fossbender of Pollen, Stevi Savage of AveryHouse, and Shannon Spellman of Plate have dazzled me with their interpretation of glitz and glam for the Inspired Creations Contest, it’s an absolute wonderland of handmade charm.  Mercury glass accents, mother-of-pearl buttons, satin ribbons and gilded china from Plate are just a few of the ways that the team incorporated glitter and glam into their tabletop and dessert display.  And since the Inspired Creations Contest is all about being fabulous on an approachable budget, everything from the sewn paper bunting to the ribbon table runner, escort card holder, cake topper, and even the cake itself was created by Kelly, and all of the decorative accents used in the shoot were brought in from the team’s homes and studios. 

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!

Jordan and Joe’s Chicago wedding is all about classic, timeless glamour. After a ceremony in River North’s Holy Name Cathedral, the couple selected the venerable Millennium Knickerbocker for their reception—a venue with an old Chicago feel—and its stately ballroom with its gold gilded ceiling was the inspiration for their decor. Sarah from Vale of Enna worked magic in the ornate ballroom, creating romantic and lush centerpieces of candelabras, greenery, and white and ivory blooms. We simply adore this couple’s elegance and style, and the gorgeous images from Emilia Jane Photography!

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!

We are head over heels for this sweet and classic wedding inspiration from Tiffany Siladke of A Splendid Occasion! The romantic details–floral china, rose-colored glass, brass candlesticks—is lovely and soft, while bold florals from The Bread & Butterfly drop hints of bright color throughout. Stunning hair and pretty makeup, courtesy of Nika Vaughan Bridal Artists, pairs perfectly with the ethereal lace gowns by Alice Padrul. We just can’t get enough of this fabulous shoot from Emilia Jane!