This beautiful wedding was held at a newer Chicagoland venue located in the West Loop area of the city. Both the wedding ceremony and wedding reception took place at Open Secrets Studio.The blank canvas was the perfect backdrop for our design team to execute Jamie and John’s vision. Jamie really wanted to see a hanging structure overhead; our team in collaborations with the designers at Fleur created a wooden structure featuring lush flowers of sage, pink and burgundy colors.

We hung the structure to be used and repurposed throughout the event. First, we created a focal point for the couple’s nuptials, and then, during the reception, the structure was perfectly placed over the head table for a dramatic flair. Just behind the structure on the open wall, we placed a summer foliage light pattern to create a natural look, coordinated with the farmwood table, place settings, centerpieces, and other design elements. Matching that aesthetic, we added Italian globe lights above the 2nd floor terrace area, where guests were greeted with cocktail tables, a bar area, and food stations.

Photography: Becca Heuer Photography | Floral Design: Fleur | Cake: Sweet Mandy B’s | Catering:Entertaining Company | Event Planning: City Girl Weddings (Kerrie Gallagher) | Event Design: Art Of Imagination | DJ: Okyne Media Lab | Officiant: Meghan Kennedy | Guitarist: Neil Dixon Smith | Letterpress Printer: Steracle Press | Open Secrets Studio: Open Secrets Studio | Party Rental: Table Scapes | Photography – Assistance: Gina Deconti

We could not be more excited to see our lovely couple, Katie & Evan, on Bespoke-Bride.com. They are such a fun and vibrant couple, and this colorful wedding blog is a perfect platform to show off their fun and creative wedding that they hosted at the Glessner House. It was a thrill to work with them, creating their vision and setting the mood for their guests. Our staff created the lighting for this beautiful wedding, with over head lamps  and vintage globe lighting.

Venue: Glessner House//  Officiant: Rev for Whatev// Photographer: Brian Morrison// Catering:D’Absolute// Lighting: Art of Imagination// Music: Cary Kanno, Zach Coulter and Rusty Bass-Ehler// Bride’s dress, groom’s suit and bridesmaids dresses: JCrew// Favors: Chicago Honey Co-Op//

The Brides’s Choice Event hosted by Room 1520 invited designers, paired with planners, to create unique and inspirational settings, ultimately voted upon by the brides themselves. Our design team at Art of Imagination was paired with our dear friend Anthony Navarro of Liven It Up Events. Our space to create was the bridal Head Table. Since Room 1520 is a clean, white canvas, we created an urban outdoor setting bringing nature indoors, with the added essences of chic enchantment.

Birch trees that Art of Imagination often uses, framed the couple and brought in a Spring-like color when we added the cherry blossoms and other pink flowers. The elegant, white voile fabric added an airy lightness, while the diffused white light behind provided the sunny happiness.  The essence of enchantment was a subtle touch, accomplished using a projection of crystal white water waves. The magical ambiance could be felt immediately. To ground this etherial setting, we incorporated one of our grandiose chandeliers with hanging crystals.

In collaboration with Liven It Up Events, Windy City Linen, and Tablescapes our designers personally selected the glassware, flatware, tableware, and other couture rentals that brought the whole tablescape together. Deborah customized the fold on the luxury napkins to include tiny details inspired by the glassware, china, and florals. She tied each with fresh greenery and accented with a galax formed flower nestled inside. Speaking of flowers, Deborah and Anthony both ventured to the wholesale florist to choose the Spring favorites that completed the look. From magnolia tips to seeded eucalyptus, galax leaves were selected, as well as the lovely and vividly fuchsia agonis. Fresh greenery was displayed throughout, from the accents in the small black basket at each place setting (repurposed from Deborah‘s Flower and Garden Show set-up) to the bountiful garland edging the table, beautifully placed and fluffed by Anthony.

The vintage farmwood table is a repurposed piece of furniture from Art of Imagination‘s personal collection, as well as the damask dining chairs. The gorgeous, charcoal studded bench was on loan from Platinum Events and give a unique options to our newlyweds for their sweetheart table seating.

All in all, the challenge was enjoyed by our entire team and it was so much fun collaborating with our fellow industry friends to create this whimsical outdoor/indoor setting. And, as the cherry on top, our beautiful head-table setting won the event’s competition! We are blessed and so grateful to be designated as the Bride’s Choice! Thank you to everyone involved in the makings of this luxurious setting, the event itself and everyone on our Art of Imagination staff. Can’t wait to see what next year will bring!

This year, our Art of Imagination team was invited to partake in the Chicago Flower and Garden Show at Navy Pier. We were elated. if you have followed our brand, you know that we love finding and sharing inspiration. Whether it is in fashion, home decor, color trends, patterns or cultures of the world, our designers find inspiration everywhere. And we love to share our inspirations and inspire others.

For this particular vignette, we were inspired by nature and the appeal of greenery sprouting in the gardens. While it may seem that Spring will never truly come… or has possibly already passed us by, our designers embrace the au natural color palette and brought in Earthy textures like wood, moss and stone to complete the overall look.

We hope this table setting inspires you to bring in natural textures and plants to your dining room decor. If outside is looking bleak and white with snow, browse through these details and be inspired to put your green thumb to work indoors! The overall theme of the show was “Do Green. Do Good” and along those lines we incorporated many recyclable and repurposed details. This tablescape is created tapping into inspiration derived from nature and Deborah’s love of being “green.” Sustainability is the future for our society and using our “imagination” for innovative designs. From the fabric backdrop being 100% organic cotton to the table and floor designed from recycled and refurbished wood. The beautiful chinaware is an heirloom collection from her grandmother and the green plants and herbs are edible.

Special Thanks to Tuan Bui Photography for these darling photos.

It was absolutely wonderful partnering up with Debi Lilly and her team at A Perfect Event for an afternoon tea with Pure Kitchen Catering, M&M Special Events, Private Label Linens and Angela Eve dancers at Chicago’s newest hot spot event venue, City View Loft in the West Loop. With a Moroccan theme, our designers at Art of Imagination created the custom luxury draping and light patterns to reflect the mood and color palette of the event.

We created an entrance with stripes of white, platinum and gold fabrics, swaged open with gold tassels accented with fringe.  Fit for royalty, we hung a burnished gold sheer fabric over the dining area and hung globe lights underneath the fabric to create the intimate feel.

The light pattern design was inspired from Moroccan architecture. We custom created special lighting frames to display the patterns along the entire wall. Each table and vignette was accented with an array of colorful flowers and linens, the use of custom lanterns and paper patterns complimented the theme. The variety of food items on the menu, provided by Pure Kitchen Catering, added an ethnic flair bringing the whole event together. They even poured Moroccan gunpowder green tea infused with mint as a welcoming beverage in authentic and colorful glassware.

A Perfect Event – Florals, Event Design, Lanterns, Teacups, Favors
Art of Imagination – Custom Drapery & Ambient Lighting Design
City View Loft – Venue
M&M Special Events – Rentals, Lounge Seating
Private Label Linens – Tablecloths
Pure Kitchen Catering – Menu and Beverages
Angela Eve – Dancers

While the Spring season should be filling our days with sunshine, and blooming color… sometimes mother nature throws us a curve ball. This winter has been brutal and never-ending, but the Easter weekend and so many other Spring festivities are coming fast. So, we welcome bright color palettes, pastel trends, and the beginning of wedding season.

To get into the Spring spirit, our creative design team at Art of Imagination decided to let the light shine into Room 1520 and break out the china. The vintage china, of course. Similar to Friendsgiving, our team built an entire tablescape around the idea of hosting multiple friends for an Easter weekend dinner. We introduced a Spring color palette featuring a soft purple tablecloth with lavender, pink, soft butter yellow, and sage green details. The beautiful chinaware from Tablescapes resembles a pattern from the French Royalty, and compliments the beautiful colored glassware.

Our event planners  also came up with a few kid-like traditions that are sure to make your adult guests smile. Guests can dye eggs during the cocktail hour, to later be used as place cards on the table. A colorful candy buffet is not only a trend that’s booming, but also a great reason for guests to make up their own Easter baskets.

Special Thanks to our friends at Tablescapes and Private Label Linens for the beautiful tablecloths and napkins. Art of Imagination provided all chinaware, glasses, decor and liquor. And, a special thanks for these amazing photos by Room 1520’s own Stephen Hamilton for the photos!

Wedding Season is around the corner and we would love to share this modern wedding dress by Nicole Miller available at Jenny Yoo-Chicago. The antique white couture gown, called Georgina, features a strapless beaded sweetheart neckline, a silk faille, and a fitted column skirt with a narrow train. Perfect for a chic, gallery-like venue, similar to Room 1520 in the West Loop, a dress like this complements a modern and geometric themed wedding day.

During an on air broadcast, our creative team designed and staged a themed wedding set suited for this beautiful gown. Using a clear lucite pedestal, we featured a wedding bouquet that was a stunning work of art. Next to it, a white round glass table was set for the bride and groom. This sweet heart table featured two lucite chairs and a collection of black and white geometric shaped vases with bright colored flowers. The place setting was very clean and minimal, yet the napkins offered the perfect opportunity to include a pop of color. Two white frames behind the name made he setting picture-perfect.

Tables design by Art of Imagination with rentals from Tablescapes and floral provided by Juliet Tan Florals.

MARCH MADNESS is here!!! The brackets are announced; let the games begin! …and the party fun! Here are some of our favorite quick snack and party ideas to keep your own team of “players” happy throughout the tourney!

Bite-sized treats are the perfect snack, as you and your friends cheer on your team through the bracket. Mini-Sliders and Wings are the #1 crowd pleasers and hearty option with so much variety, from the meat to the toppings. The spread shown below features grilled chicken, bison, beef, and veggie sliders; the plethora of Wings from Output Lounge in Chicago.

Popcorn is another great option for a snack that packs a big punch! Serve the easy-to-make munchy in individual servings by using cute popcorn props from your local party store. Create your own signature mix or host an entire buffet of flavors, salts, and other great toppings. Chicago loves their popcorn so be sure to grab your favorite local variety at Garretts, Marianos, or Wells Street Popcorn.

Be sure to have some fun with the desserts! These basketball cake pops from  Elysia Root Cakes could feature your team name for a more personalized option! Display them in a unique way, like a handful of everyone’s favorite gummie worms!

The table decor was an easy DIY project, using plywood from Home Depot. Our team placed contact paper on it, and used a white marker to draw the lines of the court. Simple and Easy!!

Special Thanks to Output Lounge for the delicious menu! We’d also like to thank our friends at Elysia Root Cakes for the beautiful desserts. Art of Imagination provided all of the chinaware, glasses, decor and liquor.

IndieWed 2014 was beautiful. The annual bridal event took place in the vintage Ravenswood Art Center earlier this year. Partnering with Naturally Yours Events and other fabulous Chicago talents, we transformed the 3rd floor space into a vaudeville-inspired carnival with a lounge area.

The theatrical lounge area, appropriately entitled Cirque de L’Amour, wasn’t complete with a sweeping red curtain and performance area. As a creative touch, our designers incorporated floating parasols from Bella Umbrella of different patterns in front of the floor to ceiling industrial windows.

See more great photos from this lounge at Naturally Yours Events blog!

Congratulations to our stunning bride, Carolina! She looks amazing in her Jenny Yoo Couture wedding dress. Carolina won our Bridal Gown Giveaway from last spring and got to choose a gown of her choice from Jenny Yoo Chicago. Photos by Maypole Studios.

The Oscars are the perfect occasion to host a black tie cocktail party with your closest friends and family. Set the mood by offering a menu of drinks inspired by the movies nominated.

We recently met up with our friend, Andrea Metcalf to discuss What to Serve at Your Oscars Party! You can see more from that segment on her website, WomensForum.com

Here are a few of our favorite concoctions inspired by this year’s Best Picture nominees:

Gravitational Pull

– Powdered Tang mix, to rim cocktail glasses
– Fresh squeezed lime juice
– 4 oz russian vodka
– 1 oz of blue curacao liqueur
– 1 oz prepared Tang

Use wedge of fresh lime to moisten the rim of two martini glasses. Then roll the rims in tang mix to coat. In a cocktail shaker, shake remaining ingredients with ice. Strain and serve in prepared cocktail glasses.

Royal Constellation

– 4 oz of Champagne of your choice
– 2 oz of elderberry liquer w splash of soda

Add the ingredients together. Voila! Once you add the splash of soda, try adding some crushed dry ice chips and watch the fun begin. Also illuminate with blue LED ice cubes.

Alexander (Brandy)

– 1 ounce Gin or Brandy
– 1 ounce Dark Crème de Cacao
– 2 ounces Heavy Cream
– Grated Nutmeg Garnish

Combine first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with nutmeg.

The Pittsfield Building is a brand new venue in the heart of Chicago. The building was built in 1927 and has since been recognized as an architectural marvel.

To showcase the venue in all it’s beauty, we were asked to join a team of Chicago vendors for a full day photo shoot. From vintage hair accessories from The Left Bank to handwritten wedding paperie from Courtney Callahan. Every detail came together beautifully for this Roaring 20s themed affair with the planning and coordination efforts of Chicago Vintage Weddings.

Our team at Art of Imagination brought together a special sweetheart lounge for the bride and groom to enjoy throughout their reception. The area was draped with luxurious ivory fabrics and included vintage furniture and accents.  To complete the look, soft amber lighting enhanced the romance in the air. Hope you enjoy the photos and the montage video too!

Vendors include: The Pittsfield Building // Art of Imagination // DwJohnson Studio // Chicago Vintage Weddings // The Left Bank Bridal Beauty and Accessories // Elysia Root Cakes // BHLDN // Fab Flora // Karen Marie Salon // Private Label Linens // Factor Women Models (Rachel W, Evie,and Adem) // Courtney Callahan // Hall’s Rental // Formally Modern Tuxedo

Pittsfield Wedding Film from 25 West Weddings on Vimeo.

So many of our brides at Art of Imagination have a whimsical yet earthy wishlist for their wedding day. The ideal style for them would be a Rustic Elegance, the perfect combination of strong neutrals, worn metals, and flowing florals.

Everything starts with the dress! Jenny Yoo’s 2014 bridal collection includes many dresses that we absolutely love, yet the Vionnet dress couldn’t be more perfect for our Rustic Elegance theme. With lace cap sleeves, the dress features a V-neckline and a V-back in a unique Ivory lace with gold threading for a romantic and vintage look. A gold ribbon and detachable brooch pin sits at the natural waist adding detail to the dress. The skirt is fitted though the hips and then leads to a full skirt made of Tulle and Organza adding volume.

Adding to the ethereal theme, a crown of sweet flowers with an abundant bouquet of greens and ivories were provided by Juliet Tan Florals. Our bride is standing in front of a unique wedding structure designed by Deborah and her team. The woodsy arch features mini white lights and a small window pane hanging just behind. The picture perfect setting transforms from ceremony to reception as a place for photo ops (including a rustic bench from Tablescapes Party Rental) or a background setting for an intimate sweetheart table.

As we mentioned earlier, rustic and worn metals compliment the theme and our designers created these beautiful moss-filled votives as accent pieces than could be placed throughout your event. Floral linen is another big trend for 2014. If a full table linen is too much for you, accent a place card table or gift table with a table runner in a muted tone-on-tone pattern.

Bling, glitter, and poofy dresses do not make a princess. Today’s princess bride is fashioned in a more regal way, as opposed to diva. The look of royalty starts with the dress! Our friends at Jenny Yoo recently debuted their 2014 line and this Magnolia dress immediately caught our attention. The winter white color and crystal embroidered tulle flowing over the chiffon was breathtaking. It was as if our fairy Godmother herself picked it out.

For our recent segment on WGN Midday News where we showcased our 2014 Wedding Trends, we used fishline to display the magical dress as if butterflies were brining it to the beautiful bride on her wedding day. Next to the dress, we displayed our princess’ beautiful bouquet. Juliet Tan Florals created the floral spectacle with a touch of crystal and pearls amongst beautiful ivory flowers. Juliet even created an embellishment on the bouquet’s handle, which could easily be swapped out for personal family heirloom.

Deborah, and her Art of Imagination designers teamed up with Tablescapes Party Rental to create a sparkling table setting, ideal for a royal event. The golden chairs with the ivory and metallic linen add a warm romance to a room due to the soft color palette. The team also added height by placing enchanted candelabras to anchor the tabletop, and a delicate yet bountiful centerpiece by Juliet Tan Florals.

The regal setting and fairytale gown is a perfect fit for our princess bride and her guests.  Chicago has many event venues to accent this look, including The Stan Mansion located in the The Historical Logan Square. If this bridal style is just what you are looking for, reach out to our designers and venue specialists today to begin planning your own royal wedding.

While the Super Bowl has ended, we have a new reason to celebrate and host a party… the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics begin Thursday!!! Andrea Metcalf from WomensForum.com stopped by Loft on Lake and chatted with Deborah about hosting an Olympics watch party. To watch the full segment, visit WomensForum.com/Olympic-Parties.

Here’s a few photos that our friends at Lofty Weddings took of the Team USA table. Our designers included a mixture of icy bling with a few Russian figurines in celebration of the host city.

Some of our treats included caviar with vodka served over crushed ice. Strawberry Romanoff and Beef Stroganoff completed our Russian spread, including cured meats with condiments. For cocktails, you can celebrate Team USA by using a denser corn syrup base with pomegranate liquor and a top layer of blue curaçao.

Here’s a few ‘behind the scenes’ photos from our news segment with WGN News this morning.

We’ve also included the link to watch the broadcast here. Stay tuned on our blog for more about each vignette that we showcased.

Celebrating a New Year came with the celebration of a new life together for Nicole & Matt. Their NYE wedding surrounded them with great friends and dearest family as they counted down to 2014. The Rookery was the perfect wedding venue for this couple. They admired the architectural class that the space inherently had. The soft ivory tones of our custom fabric draped all around the ballroom made the wedding luxurious, while soft accents of metallic silver added to the personality and fun of the evening.

Our friend, Jason Kaczorowski magnificently captured the energy and love of the evening. These photos are just spectacular. Thanks Jason!!

Event Coordination – THE SMITTEN BRIDE | Jennifer
Photographer – JASON KACZOROWSKI
Preparation – W HOTEL CHICAGO
Dress – DIMITRAS BRIDAL
Hair – INDIRA SALON
Makeup – INDIRA SALON
Florist – JULIET TAN
Transportation – ALL AMERICAN LIMOUSINE
Musicians- STRING THEORY
DJ – STYLE MATTERS
Cake – AMY BECK CAKE DESIGN
Luxury Fabric/ Lighting – ART OF IMAGINATION | Deborah

Our team of designers absolutely love styling photo shoots. The creativity and opportunity to stretch our imaginations is at it’s highest when we get to work with so many of our friends. We were honored to be asked to contribute to the photo shoot at Stan Mansion for Wedding Guide Chicago.

It was such a beautiful day with a beautiful team of vendors. Each vendor brought their A’game and surpassed expectations to make the entire photo shoot breathtaking. The vision was Reflections in Black:

Designed with the formality and timelessness of ‘black tie’ in mind. We created a classic but contemporary ambiance that will work or any venue, any season and any color palette by changing the florals.

The vendor team included: DBY invitations & events, Elysia Root Cakes, Stan Mansion, Wedding Connections, M&M Special Events, Windy City Linens, Phillip’s Flowers, and, of course, these beautiful images were taken by Lemon Twist Images.

For more images and the full coverage, check out Wedding Guide Chicago’s Winter/Spring 2014 issue, on shelves now. Or simply click here to see their online coverage!

The beautiful partyscape included more than just a table set-up, we also set up a beautiful VIP lounge area in one of the wings of Stan Mansion. Our designer team added ambient uplighting with glimmers and sparkles to add a touch of bling to the black decadence.

Here’s a sneak peek of Michelle & Todd’s wedding at the Rookery in downtown Chicago. The beautiful wedding had a vibrant yet romantic palette of a deep purple with bright white. Here’s a beautiful photo of the ceremony that our designers had so much fun creating with the bride’s vision in mind.