Emily & Matt’s Perfect Chevy Chase Country Club Wedding
Emily and Matt were introduced through a mutual friend – she was his first friend in Kindergarten and went to college with Emily. Every time Matt would come by Emily’s apartment in Wrigleyville they would talk for hours on end . . .
Emily and Matt were introduced through a mutual friend – she was his first friend in Kindergarten and went to college with Emily. While Emily and that friend were living together in Wrigleyville, Matt came over to their apartment and was always the last one to leave – they haven't stopped talking since then! Once Emily and Matt started dating, they quickly became a part of each other's families and friend groups. Emily says that she quickly knew he was the one and he made her feel completely herself.
Matt and Emily got engaged at Geneva National in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (one of our favorite wedding venues!!) When their wedding day arrived Conrad, Christy and I were so excited to be a part of their celebration. Conrad first got to know Emily and Matt at their beautiful engagement session at Cantigny last Fall. I remember Conrad telling me after their session that Emily and Matt are just perfect together. They quietly and joyfully complement one another. Emily is a planner and had thought of every detail for their wedding, of all the details pictures I have shot this year I think that Emily’s may be my favorite! I mean, how cute are her custom Vans??! And I was completely obsessed with the gorgeous florals that Flowers by KH created for Emily and Matt’s wedding, the bouquets and centerpieces were absolutely gorgeous. From their emotional first look to romantic first dance this was truly a perfect day filled with tears, giggles and radiant love; it was an honor to be a part of this day.
Congratulations, Emily and Matt, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Emily and Matt’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue
VENUE
Chevy Chase Country Club
WEDDING COORDINATOR
Exquisitely Designed Events
FLORIST
Flowers by KH
HAIR & MAKEUP
The Hitching Post
WEDDING DRESS BOUTIQUE
Bella Bianca
WEDDING BAND
Bluewater Kings Band
WEDDING RINGS
Norridge Jewelers
WEDDING CAKE
Emily’s Home Kitchen
Liz and Mike’s Classic Chicago Celebration
Liz and Mike, like so many of our 2020 Something Blue couples, had to dramatically reconsider their wedding plans in the wake of the coronavirus. They changed venues and landed on the truly gorgeous Kimpton Gray Chicago and Boleo. Their intimate micro wedding was as beautiful as we could have imagined, it was truly a gorgeous and unforgettable day!
We have always loved photographing weddings at the Kimpton Gray, the symmetrical marble staircase is a photographer’s dream for beautiful photo opportunities. As Liz got ready with her bridesmaids and mom, Mike hung out with his guys in the billiards room downstairs. Then the time arrived for Liz and Mike’s first look, and it was so joyful when they connected, from that moment the two of them didn’t take their eyes off one another for the rest of the day.
After some wedding party photos in the Kimpton Gray’s gorgeous lobby, we walked to the Chicago Board of Trade for some classic Chicago portraits. From there Conrad and I ventured with Liz and Mike to the Chicago Theatre and the riverfront together. One of our favorite parts of every wedding day is when we have time with the couple alone; in those quiet moments focused on the love shared between two people we find we make our most beautiful photographs.
When we returned Liz shared THE sweetest moment with her grandmother in her hotel room before walking down the aisle to marry her best friend. Liz and Mike’s emotional ceremony was officiated by our friend Brad Hughes of Love Story Weddings, and as always he created the perfect wedding ceremony for this couple. Once things were official, Liz and Mike relaxed and enjoyed cocktails and appetizers with their closest family and friends at Boleo, the stunning rooftop bar nestled inside the Kimpton Gray. Then they moved onto dinner and toasts with a stop at their gorgeous cake adorned with hand-made sugar flowers from Alliance Bakery. The room looked amazing thanks in part to the florals and day-of coordination by Anthony Gowder Designs. And after the meal we returned to Boleo for an evening of (socially-distant) dancing and drinks, it was truly the most perfect and unforgettable day.
Congratulations, Liz and Mike, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Liz and Mike’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
Love is Essential - Announcing Our Winning Couple!
In the heaviest days of 2020 I longed for something positive to lift my spirits. I sought ways to give back to the amazing essential workers who sacrificed so much for our community. I needed something that would give me hope for my professional future in the wedding industry. Together with my steadfast partner Conrad we dreamed up LOVE IS ESSENTIAL, the gift of a FREE wedding for a deserving couple. A radical gift to encourage, give back, and honor essential workers. A spark of generosity that we hoped would catch fire amongst our peers in the wedding industry.
I called my dear friends Ken of Amp Event Professionals and Jenny of JPB Designs and asked them to come on board. To donate their services and help plan a gorgeous wedding in the heart of downtown Chicago. Over the last 5 months we have met on Zoom every week to plan this amazing wedding. We have welcomed so many amazing vendors already on our journey. We searched the Chicago area for the PERFECT couple to receive this gift. A couple whose love story was greatly impacted by the pandemic. A couple who serves their community in love and put their own love on hold in this time of ongoing crisis.
Susan and Zach applied for Love is Essential after hearing about it from a family friend. They didn’t think it was legit at first, and I suppose that makes sense. In what has been a negative and heavy year it does seem unlikely that something like this could be possible. But we fell in love with Susan and Zach from their application video and Zoom interview and we knew they were our perfect Love is Essential couple. Susan and Zach both serve our community, veterans and the homeless population at James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago. We surprised them with the big news at their sweet new home and then continued the surprise at her sister’s with their closest family for the “engagement party they couldn’t have.” We love this couple and are so excited to share their story with you as we plan their dream wedding!
Congratulations, Susan and Zach, we can’t wait to get to know you better in the coming months! We are so excited to celebrate your dream wedding in 2022!!
Courtney + Elliott's Whirlwind Chicago Wedding Weekend
Courtney and Elliott originally planned to marry in May, but of course the pandemic forced them to change their plans. They moved their celebration to December, and snuck away to Valparaiso and became husband and wife with only a government official with a polaroid camera to snap a quick and unflattering shot of the newlyweds. After they were legally married their thinking shifted to planning a winter wedding at Rockwell on the River, but Courtney’s mom felt uneasy in early August about the likelihood of a large celebration being possible this winter as Covid-19 continued to grind the events industry to a halt. With only a week to plan, Courtney’s mom Wendy put together a whirlwind wedding weekend for her daughter that was truly amazing.
We met downtown that Friday morning for a day of bridal portraits at some of Courtney and Elliott’s favorite Chicago landmarks - Millennium Park, The Art Institute of Chicago, River North and Wrigley Field. We had so much fun exploring together - at one point Courtney boldly hiked up her wedding dress to scale a fence at Millennium Park for the perfect shot! It was such a perfect way to get lots of gorgeous photos of the two of them in their wedding clothes!
On Saturday we convened at Rockwell on the River for their micro wedding. I was expecting the venue to feel empty only set for 20 guests, but I was truly amazed at how beautiful it was inside. The chuppah was the center of attention and looked so elegant, while off to the right tables were set for their ketubah signing, cocktail hour and dinner. It was truly the perfect backdrop for their traditional wedding ceremonies. While Courtney and Elliott’s marriage story was anything but traditional, their love shone through the celebrations. The star of the show was their adorable rescue puppy MJ, she made the most adorable ring bearer!! It was truly a beautiful weekend and I am so thankful I had the opportunity to be a part of it.
Congratulations, Courtney and Elliot, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Courtney and Elliot’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
Love is Essential - The Old Post Office
When we first assembled our core vendor team for Love is Essential, we started talking about finding the right VENUE. One of the most exciting things about planning a wedding is talking about WHERE your dream day will take place. As a team, we wanted to find the PERFECT location to host this amazing wedding - a wedding to celebrate essential workers gifted entirely by the best wedding vendors in Chicago.
As our conversations about the perfect venue evolved we talked more and more about The Old Post Office. The Chicago main post office was once the busiest in the United States thanks to Chicago’s massive volume of mail from retailers driven by the Montgomery Ward and Sears catalogs. The impressive Art Deco building spans across the Eisenhower Expressway and welcomes travelers to the city as you drive directly underneath the building. After sitting vacant for years, the Old Post Office has undergone a major transformation over the last few years and is now home to several corporate offices and an absolutely breathtaking wedding venue known as Post 433 Events.
We knew that the Old Post Office would be the perfect location for Love is Essential, and were beyond excited when they quickly said YES to generously hosting this amazing event. And when we met Jamie and Leah of The Old Post Office in person and toured this breathtaking building, we were covered in goosebumps imagining the possibilities for Love is Essential.
Post 433 Events has THE most breathtaking spaces for your wedding. From the gilded Art Deco historic lobby to the cool and comfortable Telegram Lounge to the peaceful Library and Vault spaces there is a little something for everyone inside this stunning venue. When Conrad and I first walked in we gasped at the impressive and sparkling lobby. I could completely envision the most beautiful ceremony in that unforgettable space. And as we toured the Telegram Lounge I pictured playing bocce ball there while enjoying a cocktail and views across the Chicago River. Friends, I just cannot say enough about The Old Post Office. Considering everything that is happening now with the Post Office, we feel especially grateful that we will be hosting Love is Essential at this historic venue that celebrates both essential workers and their rich history of service to Chicago. I wish I could photograph every wedding there, and I am incredibly thankful that we will be able to use this space for Love is Essential.
To see more photos from The Old Post office, click here
To learn more about Love is Essential, click here
LOVE IS ESSENTIAL VENDOR DREAM TEAM