We’ve spent so much time talking about our Bridal Gown Giveaway – we wanted to take take a moment to feature the genius behind the gowns – Jenny Yoo herself. Having met her a few times since first partnering with her company several years ago, we know her to be a down-to-earth and genuine person who’s a pleasure to be around – read on to learn more about Jenny Yoo.

From the start, Jenny’s passion was to create and design her own collection of bridesmaid dresses. Jenny’s clear vision and motivation has driven her company’s rapid success and recognition in the bridal industry. Her modern and elegant designs emphasize her philosophy that one must evolve with the footsteps of today’s changing times. She launched her first collection in November 2002.

Since then, her reputation has blossomed and she has been featured in countless editorials and televised media coverage. Several of Jenny’s dresses have been featured onNBC’s The Today Show in its “The Today Show Throws a Wedding” for the past 3 years and her dresses even won the prestigious top prize. She has been featured in numerous publications like InStyle Weddings, Martha Stewart Wedding,Town & Country and many more.

Jenny’s vision, direction, and designs are refreshing and continues to raise the bar in the industry to create understated, yet uniquely stylish, quality dresses.

We were recently part of Martha Stewart Wedding Party. Lovebird Events reached out to us early in their planning to be a part of the soiree. For the event, brides walked through an entry-way we created. For our area, we built a 12′ show-stopping chuppah centerpiece in the main show, using our ivory and platinum crepe-back satin.

Both we lit with uplighting in various shades of pink.

Scroll through for all the lovely details and stay tuned for a video of the event.

The chuppah we created for the event – the sashes were crystal-studded cuffs with fabric roses made from matching fabric.

Pure Kitchen Catering‘s Baked was on hand providing tasty treats for brides and guests.

These cute cake toppers were part of the Newlywish display.

Here’s the Fancy Candies team, rocking vintage aprons.

Fancy Candies display included plenty of quite-literal eye candy.

The ever-talented ladies at Hello Darling creating a whimsical & colorful table display.

Our friends at Poladora also had a booth, showcasing some of the many local businesses who are part of their registry.

The amazingly talented Reenie Rose painted one of her photo-realistic on-site between talking to brides and guests.

These treats are by Vosges Chocolates – we loved seeing bird feathers used on the favor boxes.

We recently worked on a spectacular civil union project at Room 1520. This West Loop venue played host to a romantic and glamorous affair for a beautiful and lovely couple who were a joy to work with.

Below are just a few teasers of their event. We loved all the details – the mercury glass, the chandeliers and vintage crystals and lots and lots of luxurious panels of fabric and soft uplighting which all combined to create a truly beautiful setting.

Enjoy this sneak peek while we wait for the official photos to come in – all photos taken by Deborah’s iPhone.

Florals by Juliet Tan of Cattleya Bridal. Be sure to visit Room 1520’s website for more information.

This handsome couple had their wedding at Room 1520 in the West Loop. For their ceremony, the pair stood underneath a beautiful chuppah wedding structure covered in curly willow and flowers. The structure held lace over the couple during the ceremony. It was a whimsical and romantic touch to an already elegant affair for 150 guests.

For the ceremony, we washed the aisle with an amber light that made the space glow with warm, bright light, forming a focal point right at the ceremony area. Later, for the reception we transformed the space with a a cool-blue and lavender perimeter lighting all along the exposed brick walls of the venue.

The whole event had a very laid-back attitude very much appropriate for the setting. Scroll through the gorgeous pictures by Olivia Leigh and take in the fun ambiance and gorgeous setting at this West Loop wedding venue.

Hello Darling provided the florals and styling for this chuppah.

 Be sure to visit Olivia’s website to view more of her work. Contact Room 1520 today to host your wedding or reception there.

Our decor ideas were recently featured on ABC7 as part of their DIY Oscar Party planning segment. Click image to watch the segment or scroll through for our decor ideas.

1. Creating the red carpet and backdrop with props next to it so they can add special touches:
– take photos with guests’ smart phones and post to Instagram
– Winner will be announced for Best Dressed by whoever gets the most likes and/or comments
– Have a red runner (pick up from a party store); backdrop

2. Décor: Candles – candles and more candles
Make custom candles with printed velum inside listing the movies up for Academy Awards.

These are the items you need:
– 1-12″ clear glass cylinder
– 1-frosted vellum paper that already has a color copy of the Oscar statue printed on from a home printer
– LED light which you can buy at a craft store or even Home Depot
– scissors
– double-sided tape
– pencil

Instructions:
You take the vellum and wrap it around the outside of the cylinder to determine the size needed then mark it with a pencil- cut it evenly and with the double sided tape adhere it to the front of the cylinder. Place the glass cylinder upright then drop in the LED light and voila…you have your own illuminate Oscar for the night which can serve as a take home gift!

All you creative brides have something else to look forward to in our Bridal Gown Giveaway – our friends at the Crowne Plaza Metro Hotel  have graciously agreed to be a part of our giveaway. A complimentary stay will be a prize to one of our top six runners up. In case you need to be reminded, all we need to know is how you brides are bringing Imagination and Creativity to your Special Day – you can either fill out the form, contact us or tweet us at @art_imagination.

We’ve had so much interest in these two weeks – and we hope this extra perk will be just the push some of those DIY brides on our blog will need to enter.

All you creative brides have something else to look forward to in our Bridal Gown Giveaway – our friends at the Left Bank Jewelry & Bridal Finery are now part of our giveaway – with both our winner and runner-up each receiving a lovely surprise along with their prizes from Jenny Yoo. A pair of earrings and a bracelet are up for grabs in our giveaway – all we need to know is how you brides are bringing Imagination and Creativity to your Special Day – you can either fill out the form, contact us or tweet us at @art_imagination.

Calling all brides!  Share your imagination and win a beautiful gown from Jenny Yoo Bridal Collection. Each and every day we are inspired by the creativity of our brides who continue to find fresh and exciting ways to showcase their personalities for their special day. To reward all you creative, imaginative brides, we have partnered with the Jenny Yoo Collection in giving away one of their luxurious gowns valued at up to $3,000 and other prizes.

Entering is easy – visit our Bridal Gown Giveaway page to submit your registration. All brides have until March 4th to submit their inspired designs, DIY tips, whimsical touches and more. Be sure to include the following information

• Basic Contact Info

• Answer how are you bringing creativity and imagination to your wedding day in 500 words or less.

• Submit a photo of you and your fiancé

• You have the option to also submit a video story via YouTube.

Six of the most creative entries showcasing their creative ideas will be selected by our Creative Team and posted on our website. To find the winner, it will be up to the finalists to gather votes from friends and family. In return, we are throwing a fabulous Announcement Party on April 4 at our Creative Offices in the West Loop – where the finalists will bring their fiancee and up to four guests and enjoy bites and champagne as the announcements are made. That night, one lucky bride will win the $3,000 gown but everyone will be a winner that night with additional prizes furnished by our sponsors.

This recent Stan Mansion wedding reception remains one of our recent favorites. Artfully captured by the very talented Bethany of Maypole Studios, you can see from the photos how the event effortlessly captured the personalities of the couple. The two were so fun – dancing and having a great time until the very last.

Using a striking black and red palette, the couple was not afraid of color, creating lots of contrast with their centerpieces and decor. The overall look gave the room so much lively energy. We brought in bright red draping around the focal center stage area with pink uplighting and amber branch projections that created a strong focal point for the entire space and complemented the manzanita branch centerpieces by Cattleya Bridal. Along with the stage, we also created a dramatic entryway display in a matching red fabric.

The manzanita branch centerpieces by Cattleya also included vivid red flowers on the branches and beautiful hanging votives – a modern and elegant look that alternated with a collection of hurricane votives with submerged matching flowers. There were, of course, lots of candles throughout and red everywhere one looked.

Scroll through the photos and let us know what you think in the comments below.

This dramatic place card table greeted the guests as     

The groom was very stylish with his Ohio-themed tie pin and cufflinks made from vintage CTA subway tokens. And below, the bride had the most fun, with these pint-sized entertainers who helped get everyone on the dancefloor.

Photos by Bethany of Maypole Studios. Visit Stan Mansion website to inquire today. Florals by Juliet of Cattleya Bridal.

This Stan Mansion wedding reception turned our so beautifully. While we have the privilege of working with all the couples that book the venue as part of our exclusive event decor and event production privileges, we loved working with this couple who were so obviously having a lot of fun all throughout the planning process. Of course, this only made our jobs that much easier. They had lots of fun and inventive ideas for their special day and it clearly showed. Purple was the main color throughout the evening and hues and shades of lavenders as well as purples dotted the evening.

Our part was creating the dramatic stage fabric display and uplighting, providing a centerpiece to the entire evening. We also created a beautiful display of crepe-back satin fabric – which guests walked through as they walked up the stairs to the main room. On the landing they were greeted by our crepe-back satin fabric, leading them up to a touching display of family wedding photos from several generations. This fabric display, although a small touch compared to the rest of the decor was important, setting the mood and stage for the evening, letting guests know right away they were entering a special place.

In the main space, aside from the central stage, we created washes of purple throughout, with overlaid projections of branch patterns for a softer look that complemented the purple uplighting. Be sure to scroll through the pictures and leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Photos courtesy of Stan Mansion. Photography by Husar Photography. Florals by Cattleya Bridal.

The many beautiful, historic venues in Chicago provide endless inspiration for our work and today we are examining the history of one of our venue partners – the stunning and storied Stan Mansion in Logan Square. It took over a century for this Masonic Lodge to become the unique wedding venue that it is today – this is a brief look back at that journey.

Facing the historic Logan Square boulevard, the mansion is a part of the 2 1/2 miles of the Logan Square Historic District, an area that has remained virtually unchanged for 100 years. The homes that line the boulevards were never converted into rooming houses or low rent apartments like other parts of the City and have retained most of their beautiful woodwork, stained glass windows and original charm.

The building was built in 1921 during the area’s greatest years. Just a few years earlier, in 1918, Illinois celebrated its centennial. That year, a classical columnar monument topped with an eagle was commissioned. Logan Square, being one of the most influential neighborhoods in the state, was selected as the site for this memorial – this landmark is now the symbol of the neighborhood and is just steps away from the venue.

What’s most impressing is that the grandiose building was built in just six months. Built to house a chapter of the Knights Templar, the building remained a masonic lodge for a majority of it’s years until the neighborhood saw a decline. Years later, Cera Stan and her husband bought the building and from then on Cera took on the maintenance and restoration of the building, including a recent and complete refresh in 2012 that finally returned the building to it’s original splendor.

In the few years since opening it’s doors, the Stan Mansion has become a highly successful and popular wedding and event venue, where the historic elegance, the large capacity and many options for customizing events have drawn couples and corporate clients of every kind. You can see some of these events in this blog and in the venue page – leave your thoughts in the comments below.

A brochure from 1928, featuring the building and the venue today. Historic photos courtesy of Stan Mansion. Venue photo by Adrian Nastase.

The Style Me Pretty feature for this Room 1520 wedding is our second recent mention on that blog. The editors over there really adore the West Loop venue’s clean lines and modern aesthetic and it was no surprise to see this lovely wedding featured on their site.

For this wedding, we worked with the couple to create a chuppah fabric structure to match the venue’s elegant look. We kept the chuppah simple, but nonetheless it created a dramatic and engaging focal point for the entire ceremony. It was the perfect canvas for the couple to stand in front of and as you’ll see, it created a romantic and clean backdrop for their pictures, softly filtering the light coming in from the outside to give the ceremony area a beautiful glow.

Scroll through the gallery of photos from Jeremy Lawson’s Photography and let us know your thoughts in the comments!

See the rest of the feature and the amazing team of wedding vendors here. Photos by Jeremy Lawson Photography. Be sure to visit the venue’s website to inquire. Event planning by Engaging Events by Ali.

This Rookery Building wedding is the epitome of the class, elegance and sophistication inherent in the building. We’ve talked at length about the history and charm of the venue and when a wedding like this comes along, it all comes together in a brilliant way that is just gorgeous.

Of course, the editors at Style me Pretty took note and promptly featured it on their website. Scroll through for the stunning photos and be inspired by the setting, the clean lines, DIY touches and the gorgeous, beaming couple.

We love this clean and minimal display created by Juliet, from Cattleya Bridal. Using a collection of pillar votives in varying sizes created this stunning place-setting look. We could see so many brides using this idea – even a DIY bride could easily recreate this look, it’s so versatile! You will see, the couple opted to wrap both levels of the interior in fabric, creating a seamless, complete look that added to the feeling of elegance throughout the evening. Wrapping the second level is, of course, optional, but more and more Rookery couples opt for that look on their big day.   

You can see the rest of the feature and the stunning details here. Florals by Cattleya Bridal. Wedding planning by Soiree Weddings & Events.  Photos by George Street Photo & Video.

This was a recent corporate holiday party we designed and produced at Room 1520. We loved working on this event enough that we also created this video slideshow for you to enjoy – take a look and share your thoughts in the comments.

You can see the photos used in the slideshow in this blog post. Photos by Vitaliy Vladimirov.

This Women’s Club of Evanston wedding was so much fun! You’ll see from the pictures, but this wedding became more than just a ceremony and reception – it was a true party where everyone had a blast. Of course, this started with the laid-back couple who were such a pleasure to work with in designing this wedding, but even the bridal party and the guests really picked up on the light atmosphere and it was palpable in the room.

For the ceremony, the couple asked for something truly unique – not content with simply having a wall of our crepe-back satin with our vintage crystals as a backdrop, they wanted to bring in an element of whimsy and had us design and produce large cloud cutouts to hang along with the crystals for a rain-like effect that brought a lot of character to the ceremony.

After the ceremony and all throughout the reception, the backdrop stayed up, providing a clean and elegant backdrop for pictures throughout the evening. You can see it in all the below pictures, which just shows how the backdrop provided added value by “beautifying” all the photos! Be sure to scroll through the post – what do you think of this fun & elegant wedding? Doesn’t the bride look stunning walking down the aisle – let us know in the comments!

Steve Koo was the photographer for this wedding – be sure to visit his website for more beautiful wedding inspiration.

Among all Chicago bridal shows, Committed is the city’s only Green bridal show and it is not a show to miss. Last year, we attended as guests and had a blast! Unlike other bridal shows, Committed is small and intimate, giving couples a chance to talk to each vendor and ask questions directly. Even though we knew all the vendors, for brides It was a great chance to get a lot of the wedding planning out of the way – and the best part is that each involved vendor is eco-friendly, so brides could “green” your wedding without any extra work!

This year, we are excited to be a member of the alliance and to actually have a booth at the show. After the tremendous success of last year’s show, the organizers are promising a larger, more interactive show that still keeps the fun and casual atmosphere of last year, including an expanded layout on the second floor, filled with interactive activities from all of the vendors – with so much creativity under one roof, we expect the show to be a lot of fun.

Personally, we can’t wait. With more space, more activities and more vendors, this will be THE bridal event of the season to attend for all urban brides.

We’re thrilled to be taking part – here are our favorite moments from last year’s show!

Beautiful, custom and vintage gowns by Mignonnette Bridal. This year, the show takes over more space of the Green Exchange building, so expect to see a much bigger fashion show!

We’re looking forward to treats from Katherine Anne Chocolatier and on-site pampering from Head 2 Toe Mobile Spa. 

Cage and Aquarium will be on hand to provide the awesome music and Pollen will have their trademark, eco-friendly and inventive florals to admire.

Of course, the Alliance will have volunteers on hand to answer questions. To learn more about the Chicago Green Wedding Alliance – be sure to visit their website! All photos by Julia Franzosa. Get your tickets today.

There are so many amazing, unique and interesting Chicago event venues, we never get tired of talking about them. All across the city couples and clients will find spaces of every shape and size and look for whatever their vision may be.

Loft on Lake is a great example, because as a blank canvas of a space, no matter what the client’s visions may be, the space allows for all kinds of customization as far as the look and feel of an event. Popular with weddings, the space is also an ideal location for many kinds of corporate events. Most recently, the venue hosted fashion shows, car launches, holiday parties, and luncheons. Below is a recent corporate themed party we produced at the venue for “CEOs Around the World”

“Roarin’ Chicago” was the theme – and we provided the layout and setting by bringing in light, fabrics and props to set the mood for the guests. We guided the client to the optimum placement and overall design of the event – for example we insisted they bring in red velvet tablecloths – the unusual touch was a big hit with the guests.

Our floral partner, Cattleya Bridal & Floral Design created the stunning ostrich feather centerpieces that gently swayed in the breeze created by the fans. We also brought in the candle-lit bar backsplash and the L-shaped curved, leather-lined black bar – also a big hit with the guests.

Can you then see why It’s hard to believe the above space is the same as below – with the soft amber lighting and the minimal decor, but there are the beams and the trademark skylight. Below, are three separate recent weddings and receptions at the venue that featured our work.

We love this last shot of an aisle. The soft, romantic glow and the elegant touches are stunning, and the very opposite of the corporate event at the top. Corporate event photos by Vitaliy Vladimirov. Wedding photos courtesy of Lofty Weddings Photography.

A beautiful Renaissance Chicago wedding – full of stunning, elegant details throughout the night. The photogenic bride and groom looked amazing – perfectly complemented by the bridal party – all in matching black and white attire.

The evening was made of sparkling touches – such as the bride’s glittery Jimmy Choo heels. Relying on a simple but elegant palette made of varying shades of white gave the space a definite modern flair. From the flowers, to the cake, even to our crepe-back satin fabric backdrop, everything went together and focused the attention on the bride. We especially love the consistent use of hydrangeas throughout. In the end, the evening’s clean lines and refined, elegant feel earned the wedding a feature on Style Me Pretty. Scroll through the photos and see why – and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments!

The bride made a statement in her sparkly Jimmy Choo heels – and her understated use of jewelry offset her jewel-covered designer gown. Stunning!Stunning photography by Miller + Miller Photography – be sure to visit their website. Be sure to see the rest of our Style Me Pretty features here.

We loved being part of this beautiful Kitchen Chicago wedding. We helped this couple transform fun and unique wedding venue in the artsy West Loop neighborhood into a warm and intimate affair perfect for their DIY-chic style.

To create that perfect setting for their ceremony, we created a wall of fabric in our trademark ivory crepe-back satin, with a simple and elegant wedding structure in a matching fabric, using our lovely hanging crystals to add a touch of sparkle to the ceremony.

For the reception, we created soft swags of sheer fabrics to help lower the venue’s sweeping ceilings and create more of an intimate setting for the party below. The reception was where the bride’s creativity really shone – using simple but meaningful touches throughout the party allowed the couple to cut costs while still having fun.

Scroll through for details and lots of warm touches. Do you like this Kitchen Chicago wedding? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Beautiful photos by Agnes Malorny. Visit Kitchen Chicago’s website and learn more about this West Loop alternative wedding venue. See more about this wedding right here on Style Me Pretty.

This Glessner House Museum wedding was a beautiful summer soiree at this historic and unique wedding venue. Seeing these pictures when it’s so cold outside really makes us wish for the warm, long summer nights.  You’ll see that the bride wore a simple, vintage-infused dress with a lot of fun details – even wearing a black sash and heels to match her groom’s black and white suit ensemble. They both looking sharp! The couple were smart in keeping their decor simple. Even the florals were a bit restrained – letting the bride’s glowing smile radiate and fill the space with warmth. Doing so really let the lush museum setting provide the perfect setting for the evening.

The couple opted to cover the dance floor with a tent – so to bring a bit of organic whimsy to the dancing area, we project many overlapping branch patterns, creating a lush setting to match the beautiful garden setting of the museum’s Courtyard in a color that picked up the blues and greens from the bride’s bouquet. We loved designing this event!

We are the exclusive vendor for light, fabric and event production at this venue. Inquire about hosting your wedding at the Glessner House. Joe Gallo Photography generously provided the photos – be sure to visit his website and see the full range of his work.