Belinda & Phyllis’ civil union at Centered Chef was unique in so many ways. The Buddhist ceremony included florals from Fab Floral that were all living, never cut.  To celebrate life, each guest took home the centerpieces with notecards describing how to care for their succulent and how to nurture the life to bloom. The couple invited their guests to be an integral part of the day. Multiple friends and family members were invited to speak during their ceremony. Guests also participated in interactive cooking demonstrations, from mocktails to crepes.

The simple and elegant design of the space added to the couple’s simplicity. Our designers used soft ivory fabric with amber lighting to create a focal area for the ceremony. The light emoting from the structure created the spiritual energy that the ladies were looking for. These fabulous photos were taken and provided by Liesl Diesel Photo.

Recently, I designed an Indian Wedding ceremony and reception for a wonderful couple, Payal & Justin. The beautiful bride, Payal, had very definite ideas on the type of look that she wanted to create at The Harold Washington Library. For her, it was very important to see and feel all of elements put together before making her final decision. So we started with the basics. I created a sketch of the stage and fabric backdrop at our creative office, in order to figure out the look and feel that she envisioned based on the color palette that she had chosen. After her approval of the sketch, we made a trip together to a specialty fabric shop that carries a unique line of luxury fabrics. We went through aisles and rolls of luxe fabrics, laying them out on the large cutting tables to view what would be the best color palette and texture to create the envisioned backdrop. It was quite overwhelming for her as she would fall in love with a certain fabric and then find one that she loved even more. This is where the all important trust factor comes into play. I knew exactly what luxury fabrics would work for the wedding and guided her to the perfect selections. We found a gorgeous sheer white voile fabric with crystal beading, a stunning platinum crepe back satin fabric, and a vibrant and elegant purple wave fabric that we accented with crystal strands.

Ultimately, with design, it’s about choosing that perfect cohesive look, that when put together creates that “Wow” factor. In order to create this “Wow” factor, we brought all of these samples back to our creative office and put together a mock up of what the fabric backdrop would look like. It came out exactly as the sketch portrayed and it was truly perfect. The three fabrics worked together beautifully and added beauty and elegance to the ceremony. Also, the crystal beads and strands that we picked created not only texture but also a shimmer effect to the room as we enhanced with lighting. It is always a pleasure to create these one of a kind events and I feel truly blessed to be able to help make my clients’ event design a memory that will stay with them forever.

~Deborah Weisenhaus, President and Lead Designer at Art of Imagination

No we aren’t talking about brides that have affection for Julia Roberts… we’re talking Runway Brides. Brides that are taking inspiration from the fashion runways and incorporating fabulous designer dresses into their special day.

When meeting with a bride, my first question is “Do you have a photo of your dress?” This curiosity is two-fold. One, I have the pleasure of seeing my bride’s face light up with excitement, enthusiasm, and pride as she leans over for her phone to find that picture of the “one.” And secondly, I garner a sense of who this beautiful bride before me is and what inspires her style.

Here are two of our most recent brides and their runway-to-aisle fashion styles.

DENA – JENNY YOO

July 2013 at  The Rookery – Dena chose this beautiful strapless gown from Nabi by Jenny Yoo. Her Monarch gown is actually a convertible dress that offers fifteen different ways for a bride to style the dress. Our bride, Dena, added a bit more glam to the look with a beaded sash from Jenny Yoo.

The Monarch features a twisted strapless bodice that scoops softly at the center of the bust for a universally flattering look. The waistline hits just above the natural waist with soft gathers. The floor length skirt features an “A” line shape with full sweep. Skirt has two convertible panels in the front and four panels in the back that can create alternate necklines and skirt details. The dress is fully lined, with center back zipper. Available in Winter White

*Photos of Dena provided by Rebecca Marie Photography

ROSE – VERA WANG

June 2013 ~The Stan Mansion – Rose chose the Josephine gown from Vera Wang’s Fall 2012 collection. The collection offered many dresses in a unique color palette of soft bare nudes and rich textural blacks. The line’s alternative name was, in fact, Witchcraft.

Witchcraft
Light, airy, concoctions of froth…. inspired by black and nude undergarments, both mysterious and sexy, frivolous and fun, with transparent wisps of carefully organized tulle.

Photos of Rose provided by Roma Pictures.

We are so grateful to have another beautiful bride featured on Style Me Pretty this week. The lovely images of the wedding were submitted by Robyn Rachel Photography and took place at The Ivy Room in Chicago, IL. Here’s a snippet from Style Me Pretty‘s post, these words come from the bride herself:

Whenever my husband and I get asked how we met we always laugh and respond “it’s a long story.” The story is we met 8 years ago on a college spring break trip with our friends and knew right away our spring break fling was something more and that we had found the one. Our friends to this day do not let us live the story down that “what happened on spring break didn’t stay on spring break” which made for fun reminiscent rehearsal dinner toasts! I was lucky that 8 years after we met on a beach in Florida, my husband proposed to me in Chicago using my grandmother’s diamond which made it all the more special.

The feeling of our wedding that our family and friends kept describing to us was “understated elegance” and that is exactly what we were going for! We wanted a wedding that would best reflect our relationship of being timeless and traditional, but also fun loving, romantic, and something fresh. We chose to get married at the Ivy Room Chicago as it was important to both of us to have the ceremony outside, but also be located in the heart of our favorite city and home near all of the action. Our officiant was from my church in the suburbs where I have gone my whole life so even though we were not in that particular space it was nice to have a piece of it there with us that day. We absolutely loved all that the Ivy Room had to offer and tried to compliment it with soft pinks (using peonies my favorite flower) and champagne colors and focus on candles and lighting. We wanted to make sure every detail was perfect, yet at the same time did not want to get carried away with too many little things and lose sight of what we were there for. This was especially evident in our guestbook which was done by our photographer to be a book of all of our engagement photos as the pages and our guests could write messages on top of the photos. We really loved how she wanted to capture and show our personality as a couple in both our engagement and wedding photos for our love for each other, Chicago, and our friends and family.

One thing that brought my husband and I together is the importance of the people in our life. We are close with our families, but also consider our friends to be family, as you can see by our large bridal party! We didn’t want to leave out anyone out in sharing in our day, even my niece as the flower girl who had to be carried down the aisle at just 9 months old!

We were so happy when the Chicago weather cooperated and allowed us to have the perfect day! It was really meaningful to us to have so many family and friends who had come to know our relationship so well over the past 8 years be there to support and celebrate and not leave our side on the dance floor for the entire evening! Everything was absolutely perfect and we wish we could relive the weekend all over again.

She was so amazing to work with and the leaf pattern on the wall added such texture and elegance to the entire reception. Here’s just a sneak peek of these great images.

You can find the entire article from Style Me Pretty here!
You can find out more about the Ivy Room here!
You can also view our Pinterest Board from The Ivy Room here for inspirations!

Photography: Robyn Rachel Photography | Venue: The Ivy Room Chicago | Floral Design: Kathie’s Flowers | Catering: George Jewell Catering | Lighting: Art of Imagination | Band: Nick Kitsos Band | Cake:Amy Beck Cake Design | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier

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.

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.

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.

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.

Although we’ve been designing weddings and private events since 1996 and have been part of many Indian and other ceremonies from various world cultures, this was the first Indian wedding of this scope at the historic Stan Mansion (where we are the exclusive light & fabric vendor since it’s inception several years ago). And although we’ve worked on some large events, this Indian wedding we were a part of earlier this month set a lot of new highs for us. It took three full days of setting up transform the already beautiful Stan Mansion into a stunning palace fit for a king and queen! Everywhere one looked, we placed light and decor that went well and above any requests we’ve received in some time. There were lots of projected leaves and branches, VIP sections built from branches, lit with romantic large bulbs but the centerpiece of it all was the stage, which we transformed into a lush and colorful mandap, with the help of Cattleya Bridal, whose colorful hot pink orchids and orange roses really pulled it all together.

The event started in royal fashion with the groom riding down Logan Boulevard on a white horse, followed by a tour bus filled with the bridal party. And although the event at the Stan accommodated close to 300 guests, the festivities were broadcast live to a captive audience back in India.

We truly enjoyed working with the lovely ladies of  The Smitten Bride– the event flowed smoothly and not a detail was out of place thanks to their careful planning. Cattleya Bridal created the amazing stage decor, and again went above and beyond in their floral decor.

A huge thank you to Adrian Nastase for providing the images. Be sure to “like” this below and share with your friends.