Vintage + Colorful Outdoor Wedding Inspiration

What a beautiful way to start the week – a gorgeous tabletop, dessert table, and fashion shoot inspired by a French countryside tea party!  This chic shoot at Chicago’s Loft on Lake was designed by Carlene of Naturally Yours Events and features DIY and eco-friendly elements throughout.  Carlene created the escort card display from strips of muslin, lace, and textured fabrics tied onto a piece of wood, many of the florals were grown by Larkspur and are all seasonal, and the stunning bridal gowns were created by Mignonette Bridal using repurposed lace. Even the art from Emmy Star Brown is framed in old window panes!  I’m utterly in love with each and every little detail and all of the images by Julia Franzosa Photography!

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!

Lauren and Zach’s Chicago wedding is just as elegant as can be, with soft and sweet details that will be in style forever! The breathtaking Saint Clement Parish served as the location of the Catholic ceremony before the couple’s reception at Galleria Marchetti. Unique bouquets from Cornelia McNamara that included poppies and dusty miller are one of our favorite details of this affair, and the alternating pastel floral and baby’s breath arrangements at the reception have us drooling as well! Pretty pink bridesmaids dresses from Jordan are lovely, and the silhouettes complement Lauren’s Kittychen Couture gown, which she paired with a mantilla veil from Veiled Beauty. In a departure from typical fondant cakes, Lauren and Zach chose a buttercream frosted confection from Alliance Bakery, festooned with lush blooms in shades of pink and peach.The entire scheme is stunning, as you can see in these amazing images from Justine Bursoni!

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!

Laura and John—fresh from a flight home to Chicago from Istanbul!—spent a day around the West Loop with Julia Franzosa Photography for their casual but hip engagement photos. Navy and green are crisp and vibrant in their images at The Publican and near Fulton Market; monochromatic outfits on abandoned railroad tracks give off an earthy, laid-back vibe. We especially love the cozy, homey feel of the couple sitting on their front steps. Laura and John look so comfortable in these photos, and we just adore their natural smiles and happy faces!

Phung and Andrew wanted to plan a fun getaway weekend for guests attending their destination wedding, and after a few days of hotel scouting, they chose Cabo Surf Hotel & Spa as the perfect spot to say “I do.” For their ceremony on the Los Cabos beach, Phung chose a column-style Pronovias gown with a soft, flowing skirt and Reef flip-flops. Her bouquet of bold blooms and succulents, from Mazarte Floral by Martha Zarate, stand out against the ocean landscape and neutral bridesmaids dresses. Thanks to Maye Cortinas Wedding Consultant, Phung and Andrew were able to enjoy their beautiful day and give their guests an escape as well. Enjoy these gorgeous images from Evonne and Darren Wong of U Me Us Studios!

This Art Deco wedding inspiration shoot from Spindle Photography is just absolutely stunning! Inspired by the 1920s, designers from Mariee Ami in Birmingham, Alabama, joined forces to create a sophisticated, sparkly backyard party. Cloth of Gold Flowers used a palette of mostly white with hints of green and gold and even white feathers for arrangements, while Uprising Custom Cakes created a blue confection with gold detailing to complement the theme. Elegant and intricate gold and silver table settings from Table Matters rounds out the look. But the crown jewel of the affair is the Jenny Packham gown—with gold accents, beading, and rhinestones—that’s breathtaking. Everything about this soiree is perfection, like a page out of The Great Gatsby!

We love the laid-back feel of Angela and Justin’s Chicago engagement session! Gerald Carvalho Photography followed cute couple Angela and Justin to their favorite local haunts and captured them drinking coffee and just having fun together. These two are gorgeous and we adore Justin’s tailored coat and Angela’s fabulous boots! These two look right at home together, whatever they’re doing. Such a beautiful couple!

This gorgeous California secret garden shoot, brought to us by the fab Jen Huang Photography, sets our bohemian hearts aflutter! From the lovely and simple Saja gown to the bride’s soft, loose curls, everything here is uber-romantic. The pops of blue and white in the china echo the fountain wall for a bright burst of color, along with the bold pink-red and white florals by Kelly Kaufman Design. The groom’s classic gray suit is the perfect complement to all of the vibrant colors—see all of the loveliness in the gallery!

Eric and Mike’s Chicago wedding could be straight out of the pages of Town and Country. Held on the 17th floor of the Public Chicago hotel, the couple opted for an intimate gathering of just 20 close friends and family, and they went all out for those lucky enough to garner an invite! Festivities included a pre-wedding dinner and drinks, ladies’ and gentlemen’s outings, and a ceremony and reception full of love and laughter. Eric and Mike chose classic tuxes and shirts by Hugo Boss Black Label, Lanvin and Escada, and we love the playful touches of the Ralph Lauren bow ties. Following their vows, the couple hosted an intimate, seated dinner that wowed guests, starting with the ombre yellow-to-white floral arrangement—designed by Jessica Griffin of Botanicals—running the length of the table and ending with sliced cake prepared by the pastry chef at Public Chicago, who also set up an indulgent dessert bar with takeout containers so everyone could enjoy a late-night sweet snack. Elizabeth Tulipana of Anticipation Events kept the day moving along flawlessly, and Kiri and Brett of Pen/Carlson were there to document every gorgeous part of the couple’s weekend. The love these two share is palpable, and we are completely smitten with each and every little detail and moment!

Gray and yellow are a hot trend in modern color palettes, and the combo was perfect for Elena and Andrew’s contemporary affair at Chicago’s Galleria Marchetti. The mix of sunny and stormy carried over into ceremony programs that doubled as fans for guests, as well as their elegant gray, yellow and white bouquets and arrangements by Stems. Elena’s Melissa Sweet gown—with unique dimensional flowers gracing the bodice and skirt—stood out just enough from Andrew’s gray Banana Republic suit and the J. Crew bridesmaids dresses in the same hue. Inside a draped tent dotted with yellow and white Chinese hanging lanterns, guests toasted with a signature drink—a Moscow Mule—and danced to the couple’s DIY playlist as Laura Ivanova Photography captured the entire celebration into the night.

Our final Indie Wed Inspired Creations Contest entry is this beautiful and cozy winter tabletop from Grapevine Floral and John Dart Photography!  Using family heirlooms such as vintage silverware and linens, combined with cozy blankets and fluffy white flowers, Trish from Grapevine Floral created a homey, elegant tabletop perfect for a cozy winter wedding!

So excited today to show off the last two Inspired Creations Contest submissions from this year’s Indie Wed!  First up, a beautiful “salvage chic” ceremony with whimsical ribbon details and gorgeous florals from Kio Kreations and Hazelton Photography!  The ladies used repurposed architectural posts, ribbons and lush floral to create an unforgettable arch focal point. To accompany this lush salvaged arch the bride’s bouquet was made of fresh flowers, berries, and ribbon flowers and guest chairs were tied with ribbon streamers.

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!

It’s already so hard to resist photo booths, but add in antique details, vintage LPs, and fabulous accessories like these from Love, Lulu Mae? Sign me up! This team behind this Inspired Creations Contest put together the Ultimate Photo Booth. Guests use props like vintage hats, mustaches on a stick, sequined and feathered headbands to create photos, buttons, and even videos to post on friends’ facebook walls! Certainly, this is not your ordinary photo booth. It’s super interactive and has so many different options to play with. Doesn’t it look like so much fun?

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!

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!

Laine and Marty’s Victoria, BC engagement session was styled by one of their close friends, Jessica from Petite Pearl Events, and it’s just the perfect mix of sweet, chic, and vintage!  These two lovebirds are marrying next summer in Italy, so what better to do than to create an engagement session filled with some of their hometown Victoria charm?  The Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse was the gorgeous backdrop for the rustic fall shoot.  I simply adore the lush florals in shades of coral, peach, and pink from Verbena Floral Design, the lovely lace table runner, and of course, Laine’s amazing dupioni dress from Alida’s Gowns.  Sit back and enjoy the beautiful images from Eternal Reflections Photography!

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!

What better time to do a little love shoot than Valentine’s Day!  Leanne and Gordon are an absolutely precious couple, and this whimsical and quirky Valentine’s engagement session in snowy Chicago suits them to a T.  Their little table for two featured raspberry tarts, blooms in the palette of kisses, romantic ribbon and adorable cross stitch messages of love.  Thanks to my lovely friends Jessie from Simply Jessie Photography and Kelly from Fleur for sharing!