The Stan Mansion is one of Chicago’s many weddding and event venues, where we are the exclusive vendor for all event production, decor and design. While we most often work with couples in producing their weddings and receptions,  for this NYE event decor, we kept in line with the Parisian elegance of the event.

The sold-out party was one of the most exclusive parties in the city. With delicious Hors D ‘Oeuvres and dinner served by D’Absolute Catering, the party featured multiple live performances and a premium top shelf open bar. Running late into the morning, the black tie affair drew hundreds of stylish attendees who filled the historic venue, taking in our NYE Event Decor and stunning feather centerpieces by Cattleya Bridal.

Part of the NYE event decor included upgraded, custom 20-foot panels of luxurious crepe-back satin fabric that formed the VIP settings to both sides of the main room. To add more flair to the look, we projected soft swirls over the fabric.

The place settings were elaborate and crystal-laden – going with the elaborate, Parisian-flair of the overall event.

Be sure to visit venue’s website & book your event there today. Photos courtesy of D’Absolute Catering.

The West Loop, as the name suggests, is located directly west of Chicago’s downtown core. Where once the area was home to an endless number of factories and warehouses, today the neighborhood is well-known for the way art galleries, some of the city’s top restaurants, such as Girl and the Goat and Publican and meat-packing plants all mix and mingle as more and more empty old brick buildings are converted into luxurious lofts. Less known is how the area is also home to a surprising number of wedding venues.

These West Loop wedding venues, listed in no particular order, are all a perfect match for urban couples looking for something unexpected or unconventional for their Special Day. Over the years we have worked with all of them and wanted to share with you all of these unique wedding venues.

Loft on Lake

This West Loop wedding venue is a great way to start our list – an elegant and refined space, it is distinctly warm thanks to it’s exposed brick and vintage timber beams. The venue’s centerpiece is a sweeping, 65′-long skylight that floods the Loft with light during the day and makes it an ideal choice for hosting a ceremony. Having hosted hundreds of events since it’s inception in 2009, Loft on Lake joined the Green Wedding Alliance, giving couples looking to “Green” their Special Day. Explore our work at this venue. Visit their website.

Room 1520

Just a little over a year ago, this West Loop wedding venue was a virtual unknown but in just a year, it’s modern and minimal aesthetic has charmed Chicago couples who have flocked to the venue to experience it’s clean lines, crisp white walls and a flair for the unexpected, as each couple tends to truly transform the space for their weddings. See more of our work at this venue. Visit their website.

Galleria Marchetti

This venue has been a well-known wedding and event venue for many years – even with the spate of recent venue options popping up in the West Loop, the Galleria has everged stronger than ever, hosting dozens of gorgeous weddings that give urban couples the best of both worlds: an urban setting, a lush outside area the flexibility of customizing their events as they see fit. See more images from the gorgeous purple-tinged reception at this space here.  Visit their website.

Salvage One

Among west loop wedding venues, Salvage One is perhaps most recognized – for years also functioning as a vibrant architectural artifact resale store – the lower level of the building supplies some of the city’s most stylish with unusual and historic elements from all around the world. The rambling setting plays host to wedding and receptions – with ceremonies in the fun outside fountain area and the receptions in the exposed and airy upstairs. Visit their website.

Ignite Glass Studio

Ignite Glass Studio is the newest addition to West Loop’s wedding venue scene – this recently opened space is a functioning glass and art factory, where dozens of artists create beautiful and intricate artworks. We hope future Chicago couples are inspired by the space’s creative pedigree and open & flexible layout for their events.

Kitchen Chicago

Kitchen Chicago may be, even among west loop wedding venues, a somewhat unexpected choice, considering it’s also a functioning shared kitchen space for a number of local bakeries and other businesses. With the right touches, however, the space is transformed into a warm and intimate space that is ideal for couples looking to have a really personal experience in a unique space, without breaking the bank. Visit their website.

Here’s another beautiful Rookery Building wedding. A real Chicago wedding from earlier this year, this wedding ceremony was a simple and minimal affair where the decor played off against the ornate and beautiful detailing of this historic venue.

A traditional Jewish ceremony, this lovely couple opted for a clean and minimal chuppah structure that allowed a good number of people to stand underneath and allow all the guests to see into the ceremony space. The bride was led to the chuppah by her parents and our fabric upgrade at the top of the stairs was a great and economic choice to enhance the look of the pictures, without requiring the couple to drape off the entire second floor.

      We are the exclusive vendor for light & decor for all Rookery Building weddings. To learn more about the venue, explore the Rookery Building portal here. Photography by Andre LaCour Photography.

In the winter months, our team of Event Production Experts are often called upon to be a part of corporate holiday party decor and we love the challenge. These events are always a fun challenge and this was no exception.

SAVO group brought us on board for their Winter-themed holiday party in the cool & minimal West Loop event venue, Room 1520. We played up the venue’s white walls with bringing in panels of semi-sheer imported fabrics and hundreds of cut hanging crystals. The crystals sparkled in the icy-blue up-lighting and washes that transformed the venue into a true winter wonderland.

We projected leafless winter branches over the bar by the entrance to set the mood. The rest of this corporate holiday party decor included ghost bar stools and sparkling crystal centerpieces with candles and winter greens. Crisp white lounge settings with glass tables and leather benches all throughout the venue completed the look.

Deborah worked hand-in-hand with the client in realizing the vision for their event. Be sure to explore the rest of our corporate events and see our full range of event production and event design.

Venue: Room 1520. Photos by Vitaliy Vladimirov.

Earlier this year we were part of yet another Galleria Marchetti wedding. The beautiful & unique wedding venue played host to this couple’s gorgeous summer soiree. Featuring gorgeous and thoughtful touches throughout, it was a memorable evening.

While it’s hard to pick just one favorite detail, it could easily have been the champagne bar which served the guests a number of lively and fresh cocktails during cocktail hour. The couple included sweet touches, such as colorful bunting and menus for the bar, matching signs for their sweetheart table and simple but elegant decor that let the setting really shine and make a statement.

The definite centerpiece of this West Loop reception was the up-lighting of the permanent tent structure that transformed the already beautiful space into something even more elegant with our summer branch gobos in soft shades of purples, pinks and lavenders.  The couple even had their initials projected on the dance floor in a matching tone.

We’ve worked with the photographer, Steve Koo, a number of times and know him to be talented & creative, but we can’t help but be a little proud of how our light & attention to detail comes through in so many of the pictures. Be sure to visit his website sometime, but meanwhile, scroll through the gallery and be inspired by this real Chicago wedding!

Photos by Steve Koo Photography. Venue: Galleria Marchetti. Event Planning by Sweetchic Events.

As you saw in Part 1 of this real Chicago wedding, the couple warmed the clean and elegant aesthetic of the Room 1520 with our amber and pink lighting.

For the rest of the evening, the couple continued to glow, as if still lit. You can see from the photos how they reused the ceremony draping as a backdrop for their sweetheart table. For the dancing and the reception, we continued the same lighting palette as in their ceremony, using soft blues, purples and pinks to tie the light & decor to the centerpieces and the many romantic details throughout the event.

In case you missed it, the previous post featured this wedding’s soft and elegant ceremony – view those photos here.

Thank you to Jason & Anna Photography for so beautifully capturing our work and for sharing the images with us. Be sure to visit their portfolio.

The wedding decor at this event at downtown’s Elysian Hotel was truly stunning. Featuring only our best wedding decor, the setup included a wide wall of our platinum crepe-back satin and a stunning, show-stopping platinum, crystal-laden fabric structure with elegant detailing on the ties and a soft & sheer canopy overhead.

The dramatic displays were up-lit in soft pinks to play off of the warm amber and golden tones throughout the space. Juliet, of Cattleya Bridal matched the glitz and glamor of the space by bringing in tall crystal displays that sparkled with candlelight. Later, as the space was reset for reception-style seating, a sweetheart table was placed under the fabric structure.

We loved seeing the fabric structure stay up throughout the evening, creating a perfect focal point. A sweetheart table with a sparkly linen was added underneath and the aisle decor were repurposed as centerpieces.  

All guests were greeted by this dramatic entry – using matching platinum fabric and crystals, it created a stunning display that set the mood of the whole event. Photos by Adrian Nastase.

This real Chicago wedding was really something. Combining the clean, modern and elegant aesthetic of the West Loop’s Room 1520 with the warm personality of the bride and groom was a perfect match.

For their ceremony, we brought in a wide panel of our beloved crepe-back satin, in a pretty, satin-like platinum,  which we up-lit in a warm shade of pink. The light filtered from the windows and through the fabric, creating a beautiful sort of glow on the ceremony stage. The aisle was lit with a golden amber light, giving the bride a stunning halo-like look as she walked down the aisle, with her father at her side. She literally glowed!

Scroll through the ceremony pictures and stay tuned for part two – the dancing, the speeches and the fun & energetic, after dark reception that is not to be missed!

Don’t miss the second half of this stunning wedding – check out the reception and dancing here.

Thank you to Jason & Anna Photography for so beautifully capturing our work and for sharing the images with us. Be sure to visit their portfolio.

The civil union decor at this Loft on Lake event was soft, romantic, with a slight touch of rustic elegance. The two gorgeous brides had a strong vision when it came to their event decor and were so sweet and gracious every step along the way.

Their “first-peek” was touching for everyone – both teared up at once and all through the evening, the ceremony and reception were filled with touching moments such as these that really made this event special.

Aside from building the forty-foot wall of crepe-back satin fabric, we gave the space extra warmth with soft amber uplighting and touches color and light throughout. For the reception, we added draping at the back of the space to create a clean look with a branch GOBO projection that matched the couple’s aesthetic.

Photos by Lofty Weddings Photography. Courtesy of Loft on Lake. Catered by Honest Foods.

As a Style Me Pretty “Little Black Book” member, we love seeing our name come up on weddings we have been a part of. Especially when the featured weddings are of a couple as laid back and wonderful to work with as these two.

For this cool, urban event at Architectural Artifacts, we were asked to make the expansive atrium more intimate by stringing Italian globe lights and adding warm, amber ambiant lighting to create a lively and inviting space for the guests to dance in and celebrate.

Be sure to see the other weddings featured on Style Me Pretty that include our work.

Corporate event decor is just as diverse as the weddings and other private events we are so often a part of. For example, Leo Burnett, with offices in 80 plus countries hosts an annual award show at their Chicago headquarters to showcase the wide range of  their work and highlight some of the best design and advertising moments from the past year. For the past several years, we have been a part of this event – having worked closely with their team for the previous iterations, this year’s event was completely redone, providing a fresh challenge to showcase the many areas of work in a matter that was consistent with past presentations.

The red and black fabric allowed the presented work to shine, while the red carpet added a sense of elegance to the fun, multi-day event. We enjoyed being a part of this celebration of creativity and imagination and can’t wait to see what the Leo Burnett designers will have to share next year.

Loft on Lake in Chicago’s artsy West Loop neighborhood is such a unique, urban venue, that it only makes sense that it would host a civil union just within months of the law’s passing in Illinois. The owners, Cher and Steve Garrett have always been proud marriage equality supporters, even helping found the Stand Up project recently. For this civil union, the couple opted for a 40′ wall of fabric that ran the length of the entire space.

After the short but touching ceremony, the two grooms performed a Unity Candle ceremony and while the guests cockailed in the front space, took pictures all around the West Loop. For their reception, the pair had us transform the space using dark blues to match the look of their union. To bring warmth back into the open loft venue, we used GOBO projections of leaves and branches in an ambre shade of orange to add texture to the space.

We had a lot of fun working with this lovely couple and we were thrilled to be part of their Special Day!

Photos by Lofty Weddings Photography. Courtesy of Loft on Lake. Catered by Hearty Boys.

We recently were brought on by Guggenheim Partners to produce their annual holiday party at the Trump International Hotel’s Grand Ballroom. This was the company’s first time at the Trump International Hotel and the client was nervous about the change of venue. Impressed by Deborah’s event production and event design experience, they asked Deborah to personally oversee every element of the production of their event. Because of another event in the same space, the Art of Imagination team had only a three hour window to transform the space into a chilly winter-scape – which included five glow bars, GOBOS and dozens of LED lights throughout the ballroom and a second area which played host to the silent auction during the event.



Juliet Tan, of Cattleya Bridal, was responsible for the centerpieces – using crystals, mirrors and winter greens to continue the event’s theme. Photos by Vitaliy Vladimirov.

Situated on the historic Kedzie Boulevard in the trendy Logan Square area, the Stan Mansion is hidden behind a neatly-manicured wall of hedges but even from outside, it’s clear that the building is something truly special.
And while the building is a turn-of-the-century construction, the Stan Mansion as a venue is new – having turned 3 last year. Art of Imagination, though, has been the exclusive vendor for all light and decor at the Mansion since it’s founding by owner, Cera Stan. In just three years, Cera transformed the gorgeous but vacant space into one of the most in-demand wedding and event venues in all of Chicago. In those three short years, Cera undertook a series of massive upgrades and renovations for the venue, including a formal marble foyer, new floors and carpeting and much more – which have only added an additional sense of grandeur.
The Stan Mansion has consistently been featured on “Four Weddings’ – and we’re glad to say, the featured Stan Mansion brides have won every time!

We love featuring real Chicago weddings – such as this stunning event, hosted at the Chicago Cultural Center. We worked closely with the bride in realizing the vision for her Special Day – bringing in the branch GOBOs for a touch of organic whimsy to this elegant affair.

Details of the romantic Chuppah wedding structure we constructed in partnership with Cattleya Bridal.

We created a chic lounge setting for the reception which offset the rest of the event decor wonderfully.

This was a corporate theme party to remember. Leo Burnett opted for a fun and unusual election-themed Halloween party at their office for all their creative designers. Playing off of the upcoming elections, the party was all about the dangerous, dark side of politics. We created “voting booths” where guests could vote by “bribing officials” – with proceeds supporting a local charity. There were cobwebs, rats and red tape everywhere. Even an animatronic Jason made an appearance, vying for votes!

Photos by Vitaliy Vladimirov.

We recently partnered with our good friend Anthony Navarro, of Liven It Up Events on a project that was both a lot of fun and supports a fantastic cause. Anthony had the idea to gather members of the wedding world to create a platform where caterers, florists, stationers, planners and others could come together to profess their support for marriage equality.

Deborah and the Art of Imagination team are firm supporters of full marriage equality nation-wide and we were excited to be asked to participate in the Stand Up Project. Since civil unions were legalized back in June of 2011, we have worked with a handful of same-sex couples in planning and designing their unions across the city, including two at Loft on Lake, at Room 1520, the Rookery Building and Stan Mansion.

Be sure to watch this and the other videos posted on the YouTube channel and spread the word.

In today’s Wedding Glossary entry we cover the ever-present GOBOs or gobo. GOBO is a term derived from “GO BlackOut” or “Goes Before Optics” and is a template slotted inside, or placed in front of, a lighting source and used to control the shape of emitted light. Developed for use on film sets, the term “gobo” has come to generally refer to any device which produces patterns of light. It is typically a metal plate that is affixed to a light source, allowing the light to shine through particular portions, resulting in a displayed pattern or logo on a wall, floor or ceiling.

Gobo design and use is one of our many specialties. In terms of weddings and events, we use gobos constantly. One of the most common uses is, of course, when a couple requests to project their monogram on a wall or floor. Additionally, gobos are also perfect for adding texture and interest to an area using light. We have a library of custom patterns that we project on any surface, such as leaves or branches for a touch of softness or romance to a focal point.

Gobos are great for corporate events – they are an ideal means to project a logo or icon to make the event complete.

The Rookery Building, is located in downtown Chicago, right in the heart of the Old Financial District and is one of the most unique venues in the entire city. Now 124 years old and boasting architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright, the venue is one of the hardest to book for brides – events are typically scheduled far more than the usual year in advance!

Art of Imagination has been exclusive at this elegant wedding venue since 1996 – we are lucky to work with every bride that comes into the space. Thanks to a unique hanging fabric design we developed exclusively for the building, we are able to mask the store fronts that face into the space, without detracting from the amazing architectural details.

The Chicago Cultural Center is an amazing architectural gem, right in the heart of downtown Chicago. Opened in 1887, the massive building is a Chicago Landmark building that houses the city’s official reception venue where the Mayor of Chicago has welcomed Presidents and royalty, diplomats and community leaders. Famously the central library building, it was converted to an arts and culture center. The Center is one of the city’s most popular attractions and is considered one of the most comprehensive arts showcases in the United States. The building is also home to the world’s largest Tiffany stained glass dome and a dizzying amount of decorative tile and elaborate, vintage decoration – all details that make it an ideal setting for any wedding, which is why the building is one of the most in-demand wedding venues in the city even as few realize that the space is open to hosting such private functions.

Deborah and our creative team have worked here a number of times – but our most recent wedding here was also a high-profile event – this bride won a contest from the Oprah show to have her wedding documented and profiled on both the Oprah show and online.

Deborah worked directly with the bride to create a stunning, soft and romantic display for her special day – we created a modern lounge setting that would complement the historic setting and we washed the head tables in amber tones, with GOBOs of leaves to match the organic tile work. And for the ceremony, we created an elaborate wedding structure with vintage chandelier crystals that reflected light as the couple stood underneath.

It all came together beautifully. The florals, the food and the decor all made for an unforgettable evening. For more photos, visit our