Whimsical + Vintage Chicago Wedding

Joanna and Erick were determined to find a serene setting in Chicago for the backdrop of their wedding, and they sure found the perfect oasis with Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. The couple brought casual elegance to this refreshing venue with vintage accents like mason jars and milk glass vases bearing pastel flower bouquets created by Fleur for their outdoor ceremony and reception. To go along with their “loose and natural” theme, the bride and groom encouraged their bridal party to embrace their unique sense of style by assigning a color scheme and allowing their friends to choose their own attire. A variety of pies replaced the traditional wedding cake, and hand-sewn teabags were given as favors to all the guests at the end of the evening. We love with the heartfelt touches incorporated into this wedding and Jaclyn Simpson did a fantastic job capturing the day!

A secret garden hidden in the center of Chicago? Alyssa and Mark were on a mission to make it happen. A fantastic place to start was their venue, The Ivy Room, to which they added tons of vintage details: antique books, a vintage typewriter, wooden table numbers, and lace doilies. Even their invitations (the couple designed and made them!) remind me of a secret map. Dawn Roscoe took beautiful photos of their day and truly captured their secret Chicago garden feel!

We love this absolutely classic féte hailing from an illustrious museum in our nation’s capital today. This Washington DC wedding was photographed by one of our favorites, Lisa Blume, and it is elegant and so special and timeless. According to Kelly, she couldn’t take her mind off of the National Museum of Women in the Arts’s design and sweetly, how she could picture traipsing down the staircase to meet her dear dad at the bottom to walk her down the aisle to her beau Jamie (tears!). Speaking of tears, we had to mention this touching detail. Kelly needed to have her grandmothers there in some way, so to commemorate these wonderful women in her life, she shipped in two paintings from North Carolina of them and had her grandmother’s tea cup in her bridal suite. Endearingly, the teacup was a gift her grandmother gave to her sister for her wedding.

We were completely and utterly smitten by Loriann and Wesley’s Texas Hill Country wedding at Camp Lucy the moment we set eyes upon it. The couple mixed relaxed glamour (how fabulous are Loriann’s bejeweled Gianni Bini heels?) and romantic decor to create a sweet, slightly shabby-chic soiree. Bee Lavish designed a garden ceremony under a magnificent arbor by Whim Florals, with illuminated oak trees and elegant, bright florals on each aisle pedestal. Guests then moved inside the timber-framed Great Hall, where they were greeted with farmhouse style tables, lush garland centerpieces, and vintage china. Loriann is the picture of sophistication in an Enzoani gown and her mother’s vintage veil, and her maids are sweet and chic in J.Crew frocks. Each and every image from Michelle Boyd Photography is perfection!

For their Massachusetts wedding day, Alex and Chris wanted nothing but everyone to have a splendid time, good food, good drinks, and good memories being passed around. All captured through the lens of The Light and Color Wedding Photography, the Ipswich couple chose to have a traditional wedding day. Alex chose a classic A-line Hayley Paige beauty and the cherry on top of her trousseau was her mom’s veil that she donned for her day. Their ceremony was held at St. John’s Prep (fun fact: Alex is a dentist and St. John’s Prep was the same school where Alex’s boss and Chris’s dad went. The guys are still good friends!), Chris’s high school alma mater. For their wedding reception, they dressed up The Hellenic Center in shades of soft blues and pinks, and organic-style blooms designed by Chris’s sister-in-law, Teresa. Weddings like these that are centered around family and steeped in tradition always leave such a feel-good warmth to our day.

We are completely smitten with the romantic and airy feel of Jae and Robert’s wedding at The Highlands Country Club in Garrison, NY. After a gorgeous ceremony under a to-die-for floral arch, Ivie Joy Floral Arts & Events brought the feeling of a garden indoors for the reception with natural and organic arrangements of anemones, ranunculus, garden rose, dahlia, and hydrangea, in beautiful blush and white tones. Along with white chiavari chairs, the light tones were a perfect match for sleek wooden tables in the gorgeous dining room of The Highlands. Sweet details such as doughnut cufflinks (both are dessert lovers!) and a custom gown from Mika Inatome made Jae and Robert’s wedding uniquely personal to them, and the entire day is beautifully captured by Brklyn View 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!

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!

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!

Chicago’s Salvage One is an absolutely gorgeous event space—its unique, modern, rustic interior was the perfect backdrop for Erin and Mike’s simple but chic soiree! Captured beautifully by Anna Guziak Photography, their winter nuptials featured candle centerpieces from Fleur that complemented Salvage One’s vintage, mismatched wood tables, and a fabulous all-out dessert table from Sweet Table Chicago. We are absolutely in love with Erin’s sophisticated embroidered gown and lush, hand-tied bouquet—see all of this relaxed and sweet day in the gallery!

We love the simplicity of this affair, held at a family residence in Indiana. Meghan and Josh’s inspiration gave way to natural details such as pretty baby’s breath and pink David Austin rose bouquets by Marcia’s Flower Cart. The sweeter elements got a shot of rustic flair with barn wood tables built by Meghan’s stepdad and planted succulent favors and centerpieces. The backyard venue provided soft surroundings for the bride’s Watters gown and pale pink D’Zage bridesmaids dresses. Meghan, who is a wedding photographer, wanted to make sure the whole affair showed plenty of both her and Josh’s personalities, and we see them shining through in these images from Clary Photo!

Weddings are all about showcasing the bride and groom’s personalities, and Shannon and Patrick knew they wanted a down-to-earth but elegant affair. Mission accomplished. From the slightly industrial but beautiful location at Salvage One in Chicago to the lovely and casual peach, pink, cream, and green arrangements from Asrai Garden, this wedding is all about kicking up your heels and having fun. Gorgeous pictures from Steve Koo Photography highlight the most dramatic touches of the day, like Shannon’s lace-covered, scalloped Marisa gown and the jaw-dropping city skyline. We adore the natural look of the glowing Chicago sign, the perfect backdrop for a star-crossed couple on their special day.

Carrie and Will’s wedding is all about easy elegance and natural beauty.  Sharing a love of the outdoors, the couple chose to hold their reception at Will’s family home in North Carolina, and their elegant reception tent full of ivory and green details echoed their gorgeous surroundings.  I just love all of the personal elements in their wedding – everything from bridesmaids in cowboy boots to Randy McManus‘ suggestion to use annuals in their centerpieces (Carrie and Will planted them after their wedding and now they will always have a reminder of their big day!). Such a beautiful, classic Southern wedding with gorgeous images from Kellie Kano!

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!

When you find out that Christine and Michael’s guest list consisted of family from 19 different states, you’ll wonder like us how they accommodated every single one of them. They happened upon Morristown, New Jersey because of its proximity to major airports and train stations: a huge plus. What they really lucked out on was The Madison Hotel-Conservatory. Cassi Claire Photography captured the breathtaking venue and its high glass walls, stark white interior with a slight industrial vibe, and the abundance of flowers already perched inside. The couple wanted to keep their colors simple, so they opted for a classic color palette so as not to detract from the conservatory itself. Apple Blossom Flower Shop created pieces with white flowers front and center and heaps of greenery strewn throughout, from the bouquets to the centerpieces. Check out local conservatories for their wedding availability; they are usually decked out in impressive flora and fauna already and are such a unique option for wedding venues.

Let’s all take a moment (or two) out of our day to check out this bliss-inducing Janita Mestre wedding. It’s delightfully in the desert, so of course you’re going to spot a few cacti at Galway Downs, but you’re going to see such a dreamy color palette too. Being so close to Valentine’s Day, Stephanie and Alex wanted to evoke love all throughout, so they picked pink as their go-to hue. Big and bright blush and ivory florals by Events by Floral Sensations complemented the eye-catching David’s Bridal mauve bridesmaids’ dresses, and we loved this idea, too. Instead of continuing the soft tones everywhere, shake up the colors like Stephanie and Alex and throw a deep hue in the same color family somewhere that will be seen. Adding it to the bridesmaids’ dresses was a clever touch without overwhelming the couple’s desire to have an airy feel to their wedding day.

After Jessica and Zach got engaged, they sweetly joined Jessica’s parents on a trip to DC to celebrate their wedding anniversary. One of their excursions there was to take a walk on the grounds where her parents held their wedding ceremony, the National Cathedral. Naturally, they were so smitten with the gardens and the buildings that once they found out the Gothic-style cathedral was now hosting wedding receptions in addition to ceremonies, the New Yorkers jumped on the chance to get married there. Jessica wanted an “elegant and ethereal” day so with the help of Caroline Dutton Events and Kate & Lilly Floral Design, they drew inspiration from the Bishop’s Garden on the grounds. With Audra Wrisley capturing all the pretty pale pink roses, peonies, greenery, and everything in between, the duo said their I do’s and partied the night away in one of the most amazing venues we’ve seen.

Valerie and Ken’s Tower Hill Botanical Garden wedding was like walking into another time. Every corner was filled with gorgeous flowers and art, every detail simple in its elegance. The greenhouses and gardens at Tower Hill inspired the color and style for their wedding. Julie Lapham Designs created arrangements with succulents and airplants, roses, eucalyptus, and anemone, and many of the succulents are now growing in the couple’s home! Seeded paper escort cards doubled as favors, a Jenga game served as the guest book, and colorful tabletops graced the Orangerie. We’re simply in love with every moment captured by Arielle Doneson Photography!

Whitney and Matt were married on a picture perfect summer day at Charleston, SC’s historic Boone Hall Plantation. A classic color palette of blush and gold accented the rustic beauty of the location. The front lawn, with its ancient oak trees and ornate gate played host to the ceremony, and the reception on the Cotton Dock was decked out with greenery and lush blooms by Lindsay Bishop Events, with chandeliers and candles adding a touch of sparkle to the natural surroundings. Ruffled LulaKate bridesmaids dresses in peony pink added a fun pop of color and perfectly accented Whitney’s gown from Bridals by Lori. Head over heels for this beautiful day and the images from Rachel Red Photography!

Elizabeth and Alan were married on a picturesque autumn day amidst the rolling hills of Lexington, Kentucky. The Mansion at Griffin Gate Marriott Resort & Spa provided the perfect backdrop to Elizabeth’s vision of a majestic and sophisticated wedding with an intimate dinner party atmosphere. Elizabeth and Alan designed many of the day’s elements themselves, staying true to their unique love and commitment. The wedding ceremony, written and designed by the couple, took place in front of the mansion beneath a white trellis assembled and decorated by Elizabeth. In fact, the bride along with friends and family created all of the tablescapes and decor elements using flowers from FiftyFlowers and Blooms by the Box! A color palette of blush and red tones beautifully complemented the antique grays and blues of the mansion décor. Elizabeth selected a spectacular, crystal-encrusted gown from BHLDN and custom-made veil, staying true to her vision of royal wedding elegance and echoing headpieces worn by the noble ladies of centuries past. She is an absolute vision! We adore each moment of their carefully curated day, as beautifully captured by Justine Wright Photography!