Build Your Own Celebration Ring!

I also wanted to let you know about a fun new trend has started in engagement rings…and it’s easier on the wallet than you might expect. Instead of choosing a traditional engagement ring with one large stone, try an eternity band! For your wedding ring, select another complimentary or matching eternity band for a beautiful set.  Then, when you celebrate life’s big events (first home, new baby, milestone birthday), you have an automatic gift that he can’t mess up! Only kidding, guys!

Adler Planetarium
Architectural Artifacts
Boulder Ridge Country Club, Lake in the Hills
Cafe Brauer
Chicago Botanic Gardens
The Chicago Cultural Center
Chicago History Museum
The Conrad Hotel
The Danada House, Wheaton
The Dank Haus German-American Cultural Center
Fulton’s On The River
Galleria Marchetti
Hawk’s View Golf Club, Lake Geneva, WI
Holiday Inn Mart Plaza
Hotel 71
Hotel Orrington, Evanston
Hyatt Lodge on the McDonald’s Campus, Oak Brook
Ivanhoe Country Club, Mundelein
The Knickerbocker Hotel
Independence Grove, Libertyville
Maggiano’s Little Italy
The Metropolitan Club in the Sears Tower
Museum of Contemporary Art
The Newberry Library
The Palmer House Hilton
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Renaissance Chicago O’Hare
Renaissance North Shore, Northbrook
River East Art Center
Saint Ignatius High School
Salvatore’s Ristorante
The School of the Art Institute
The Signature Room at the John Hancock Building
Silver Lakes Country Club, Orland Park
Sofitel
South Shore Cultural Center
Thunderhawk Golf Club, Beack Park
Union League Club
West Loop Studio
The Wheaton History Museum
The Winnetka Community House, Winnetka
The Woman’s Club of Evanston, Evanston

Now, this isn’t to say that if we haven’t worked at the Chicago Reception Venue you’re considering for your wedding that we can’t or won’t! There are just so many fabulous places to party that we haven’t made our way through them all, yet. Don’t you worry. We’re working on it  with all of the exciting weddings we’ve been booking for next year!

Their smiles say it all…

The couple chose the West Loop Studio as their venue. This site is a wonderful space for a hip, fresh, modern event. Here’s a link so you can see what I mean. http://www.westloopstu dio.com/ 

Their 130 guests arrived at 7:00 pm and were greeted with delicious drinks, fabulous music, and plenty of romantic candlelight (I set up 200 votives in the small space). They mingled for a half hour while the bride and groom hid (and wrote their vows). At 7:25 pm, a friend of the bride who just happened to be a Judge she worked for in DC, took the stage. Guests gathered near the dance floor. They had a wonderful view behind the stage of the Sears Tower and city skyline. 

The Judge said a few welcoming words, and the couple entered the room holding hands. Lisa and Robert made their way to the stage where they had the most wonderfully personalized ceremony I’ve ever been witness to. Their two readings were hilarious! The first was a poem by Taylor Mali comparing love to owning a dog. The second reading was a quote from the movie Frida that started out, “I don’t believe in marriage.” Don’t be fooled, these two are madly in love. They are just not your typical bride and groom!

After their 10-minute ceremony, the party was back on. Without missing a beat, hors d’oeuvres were served and the bar was open again. Everyone laughed and ate for hours. They loved the personalized touches throughout the evening. There was a toast given by the Bride’s father with shots of Rumplemintz (Yes, that mouthwash-tasting stuff you tried in college!) for all of the guests. They had a junk food table full of deliciously sinful treats like Cheetos, Pringles, and Twizlers and a sweets table with French Wedding Cake or Croquembouche, pastries, and their wedding cake. I can’t forget to tell you about the wedding cake! It was a two tiered, square celedon green fondant covered cake with…a handmade monkey bride and monkey groom on top!

Everything went wonderfully smooth for Lisa and Robert’s wedding party. I thoroughly enjoyed working with all of their vendors. I’d go so far to say that I highly recommend their caterer, photographer, florist, bakery, and reception venue! I even loved working with their limo driver who took me to their home mid-reception and happily helped deliver the gifts in the bitter, below zero cold.

It doesn’t get better than that, does it?

Cheers!
Meghann

Their story is cute. Apparently, they met years ago in high school and were very close friends. They never dated, but they set up some of their mututal friends who are now married. They went their separate ways to college until they ran into one another one night at a bar. The rest is history! Ok, I’m not sure if that’s exactly right. Kari’s father told the story much better in his toast to the couple. He was such a warm and outgoing man. I loved listening to him tell the tale of their romance.

Kari and Charlie ’s ceremony was elegant and understated. It was held at St. Chrysostom’s Episcopal Church in the Gold Coast. I actually lived down the street from this church for a little while. I once daydreamed about getting married there, myself! The officiant, Reverend Stanford, was outstanding. She kept everything flowing perfectly from start to finish. She filled the ceremony with special, personal touches. Kari once told me that the Reverend is a breast cancer survivor. Wow! What an incredible woman.

After the ceremony, Kari and Charlie and their wedding party took their gigantic limobus around the city to a number of locations for photos. They went to Soldier Field and an El station, where Kari told me that they “made out” in front of the camera. I can’t wait to see the pictures! I loved their photographer…I’d tell you who it was, but…nah!

The reception was at the Newberry Library. Let me tell you, this is the absolute perfect place for a winter wedding! The room glows with a soft light and the dark wood paneling makes it warm and cozy. It has so much ambiance and sophistication. No wonder they’re booked every weekend! I enjoyed meeting “the Karens,” as the two women who are in charge of Newberry events are called. They do an outstanding job. I almost felt silly being there since they take care of so much! I hope to work there again soon. 

I received a message from Charlie on Sunday evening thanking me for all of my hard work. He told me that they had a great time and that many of their guests said that theirs was one of the best weddings they’d ever been to! He told me that I had a definite hand it that. I was beyond flattered. As the wedding weekend coordinator, I can’t take too much credit for the fabulous outcome, but I will!

cheers!
meg