Megan & Mike’s Beautiful Arbory Chicago Wedding
Megan and Mike met at The Map Room in Bucktown, fell in love and got engaged in Tuscany (!) two and a half years later. We first connected with Megan and Mike after her cousin Casey’s wedding last summer . . .
Megan and Mike met at The Map Room in Bucktown, fell in love and got engaged in Tuscany (!) two and a half years later. We first connected with Megan and Mike after her cousin Casey’s wedding last summer, we were excited to reconnect with this sweet family this year!
Megan was glowing on her wedding day, she looked stunning – Megan is naturally gorgeous, but the team at Tamara Hair and Makeup did an amazing job (as always!) getting the girls ready for the big day. Once Megan was dressed in her beautiful Calla Blanche gown we made our way to the back alley at Trivoli Tavern for Megan and Mike’s first look. Mike’s reaction to seeing his bride was really sweet, he couldn’t take his eyes off her for the rest of the day!
After their first look we connected with the rest of the wedding party on the trolley and made our way to Olive Park for wedding party photos. It was a beautiful sunny day and we loved spending time with this fun group!! After taking plenty of pretty skyline pics we journeyed to the Wrigley Building for more wedding party photos (and some gorgeous shots of Megan in her veil) before setting in at The Arbory for the ceremony and reception. This was our first time shooting at The Arbory and we were completely blown away, we can’t wait to go back to this beautiful venue! We were blown away by the gorgeous florals by Stems Chicago, the hanging arch that they created for Megan and Mike’s ceremony was something we will never forget. The day-of coordination team at Vrinspirations made sure that every detail was carefully executed, it was the perfect day!
Congratulations, Megan and Mike, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Megan and Mike’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue
VENUE
The Arbory
DAY-OF COORDINATOR
Vrinspirations
WEDDING FLORIST
Stems Chicago
HAIR AND MAKEUP
Tamara Hair and Makeup
WEDDING GOWN
Calla Blanche
BRIDAL GOWN BOUTIQUE
Mira Couture
BRIDAL SHOES
Nina Neya
WEDDING RINGS
Norridge Jewelers
MENSWEAR
Suit Supply
Margret & Kyle’s Salvage One Wedding Anniversary Celebration
In August 2021 Margaret and Kyle hosted an intimate backyard wedding for their immediate families and closest friends. It was such a great night, a highlight for us amongst the small weddings we photographed . . .
In August 2021 Margaret and Kyle hosted an intimate backyard wedding for their immediate families and closest friends. It was such a great night, a highlight for us amongst the small weddings we photographed throughout the pandemic. Margaret and Kyle have a unique connection and an incredible support squad. That beautiful but unassuming summer night showed us that their friends and family mean the world to them.
We were truly excited to reconnect with these two for their anniversary celebration exactly one year later. When Margaret and Kyle came to our Studio to talk through the details for their big day we laughed so much and had the best time talking together (in fact, they helped us hatch a super fun idea for a Something Blue “wedding reunion” party bus tour next year!) Their long-awaited Salvage One wedding was absolutely perfect, we loved every moment spent celebrating this couple. From their sweet "First Look” in the south garden at The Art Institute (she surprised him by wearing a new dress, while his tux changed from green to burgundy) to their late-night twirls in front of Salvage One’s “CHICAGO” sign this was a day we will always remember. Now if only we could do it again to celebrate their second anniversary!!
Congratulations, Margaret and Kyle, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Margaret and Kyle’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue
VENUE
Salvage One
MENSWEAR
Black Tux
WEDDING RINGS
Ethan Lord
Casey & Brett’s Funky & Fun Providence Vineyard Wedding
Casey and Brett met in a nightclub when she saw him using sign language to talk with a friend. She had just started an ASL class and thought it would be fun to go talk to him and get some practice with her new sign language skills . . .
Casey and Brett met in a nightclub when she saw him using sign language to talk with a friend. She had just started an ASL class and thought it would be fun to go talk to him and get some practice with her new sign language skills. Needless to say they hit it off and found their love grew even though they had a long-distance relationship for a year and a half.
Sweets are important to this sweet couple, as is the city of Chicago. Conrad loved getting to know Casey and Brett at their downtown Chicago engagement session at Jojo’s Shake Bar last summer and was so excited to celebrate their wedding this year!
Casey (along with her bestie Leah, our friend from The Old Post Office who helped pull off the gorgeous Love is Essential wedding) put so much thought into planning the perfect wedding. Set against the stunning Providence Vineyard every fun and funky detail was on full display. Casey looked stunning with her hair down and accented by a gorgeous floral crown, while Brett’s fit was truly unforgettable, his floral jacket and beige slacks (and little man-braids!) will forever be one of our favorite groom looks!
From the moment that Casey and Brett shared a beautiful and emotional first look outside in the vineyard this wedding was simply filled with joy. Conrad and Lindsay loved being part of this fun and unique wedding! After taking photos everyone moved inside for the ceremony, everyone was tearing up when Casey and Brett shared their vows in sign language.
When the time came to celebrate at the reception, Casey and Brett’s love of sugary treats was on full display. Casey and Brett came in and kicked off the reception with a celebratory champagne toast, choosing fun over traditional. Our friend Ken of Amp Event Professionals helped to make the experience even more memorable for Brett by adding extra bass and using smoke cannons and dry ice during the reception to amplify the experience for Brett and his deaf friends. It was the most unforgettable and perfect day, we are so thankful to have been a part of it!
Congratulations, Casey and Brett, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Casey and Brett’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue
VENUE
Providence Vineyard
DAY-OF COORDINATION
You Name It Events
FLORALS
Town and Country Gardens
HAIR
Kaedi Leamon
MAKEUP
Joey Claeyssen
VIDEOGRAPHER
Lauren Ashley Studios
Jess & Brad’s Perfect Metropolis Ballroom Wedding
Jess and Brad met over laser tag and arcade games – nothing really came out of that night other than some shared smiles and laughs. Fast forward to a few weeks later, Jess and Brad matched on Tinder! She had never been . . .
Jess and Brad met over laser tag and arcade games – nothing really came out of that night other than some shared smiles and laughs. Fast forward to a few weeks later, Jess and Brad matched on Tinder! She had never been on a Tinder date, but since they had already met, she figured why not give it a shot? They went on our first date at the Arlington Ale House (one of our favorite bars in Arlington Heights) and the rest is history!
After a couple years together Jess and Brad moved in together and welcomed their dog Leeroy to their family. Brad nervously worked up the courage to propose to Jess at the gorgeous LondonHouse in Chicago. While they both say they sort of blacked out, Jess ended up with a ring on her finger so he must have asked and she must have said yes!!
Talking with Jess and Brad leading up to their wedding day was always so relaxing and fun, we truly love this couple. They made our jobs easy by being consistently kind and down-to-earth. Jess looked radiant on her wedding day – her Essense of Australia gown fit her perfectly, it looked like it was made just for her. After some sweet getting ready moments with her girls in the Harmony Suite at the Metropolis, Jess shared an adorable first look with her Dad before heading into the Ballroom to see Brad for the first time on their wedding day. From that moment on the two of them were inseparable – each moment we spent together was filled with joy and laughter, it was truly the perfect wedding.
Congratulations, Jess and Brad, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Jess and Brad’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue
VENUE
Metropolis Ballroom
FLOWERS
Busy B's Floral
CAKE
Lauras Kakes
Laura and Kyle’s Chic Elements at Water Street Wedding
Laura and Kyle have been together since 2018 and have navigated highs and lows throughout their relationship. Kyle proposed to Laura under the Christmas tree outside of Hotel Indigo in downtown Naperville on the Riverwalk, so it was only fitting that we celebrated their wedding there the following fall . . .
Laura and Kyle have been together since 2018 and have navigated highs and lows throughout their relationship. Kyle proposed to Laura under the Christmas tree outside of Hotel Indigo in downtown Naperville on the Riverwalk, so it was only fitting that we celebrated their wedding there the following fall.
When we arrived at the Hotel Indigo we were SO happy to reunite with Laura’s two beautiful sisters-in-law, Liz and Jen. We photographed Liz’s wedding last fall and have had the opportunity to photograph Jen’s family several times over the years. These women are all just so strong and beautiful, it was just like reuniting with old friends to see everyone again at Laura and Kyle’s wedding!
Laura looked absolutely FLAWLESS and Kyle was so sweetly emotional when he saw his bride at their “first look.” It was a blustery November day so we explored the hotel for a while for photos before braving the elements (pun intended!) to take a few outside at the Riverwalk. After we were all blasted with wind, cold and a tiny bit of precipitation we made the short drive to the ceremony.
As soon as we arrived at St. Raphael’s in Naperville Laura put her veil on and had the sweetest moments with her Grandma. Their Catholic wedding ceremony was filled with beautiful traditions, and after their first kiss as husband and wife we all felt such a sense of elation!
We ended up back at the beautiful Elements at Water Street for an epic party to celebrate the newlyweds. The room looked gorgeous and everyone was so happy, it was truly the perfect day!
Congratulations, Laura and Kyle, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Laura and Kyle’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue Photography
Wedding Dress
Maggie Sottero from Here Comes the Bride
Hair & Makeup
Hannah Elizabeth
Bridesmaid Dresses
Sorella Vita
Menswear
Custom by Joseph Abboud
Florist
Floral Events
Wedding Rings
Roth Brothers
Desserts
DeEtta's Bakery
Wedding Coordinator
Jody Langbauer
Eileen & Darryl’s Beautiful Eaglewood Resort Wedding
Eileen and Darryl are so incredibly sweet together. When I met them over the summer for their engagement session at the Lincoln Park Nature Conservatory we had the best time laughing and exploring together . . .
Eileen and Darryl are so incredibly sweet together. When I met them downtown over the summer for their engagement session at the Lincoln Park Nature Conservatory we had the best time laughing and exploring together. But I will never forget how Darryl looked at Eileen that day. He was SO sweetly excited any time I asked him to kiss his fiancée, his face lit up in those photos and it was really just the best thing.
We always meet with our couples about a month before their wedding day to go over their timelines and final details. When Eileen and Darryl came to the studio in September they shared the most amazing news with us – they are expecting a baby this Spring! Darryl was absolutely beaming with pride.
On their wedding day Darryl had THE sweetest reaction to seeing Eileen walk down the aisle. Then for the rest of the day he couldn’t keep his eyes off his beautiful wife. After we took our “goodnight photo” at Eaglewood Resort and hugged them goodbye Darryl thanked us for all the times we made him kiss Eileen that day! :) It was the perfect day, we loved celebrating with this adorable couple and can’t wait to meet Baby Bell!!
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Congratulations, Eileen and Darryl, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Eileen and Darryl’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography & Videography
Something Blue Photography
Wedding Dress
Diana's Bridal - Skokie
Hair
Rhea Policarpio Etherheal Beauty Phone
Bridesmaid Dresses
Revelry
Florist
Karen - The Flower Studio
Wedding Rings
Ray from New Design Jewelry
Desserts
Oat Mill Bakery
Taylor & Alex’s Gorgeous Chevy Chase Wedding Reception
Taylor and Alex originally planned to get married in August of 2020, but Covid had other plans for their lives. Not wanting to wait that long, Taylor and Alex exchanged their vows in an intimate ceremony last summer . . .
We were first introduced to Taylor and Alex by our good friend Ken from Amp Event Professionals. Taylor is Ken’s sister in law and has a heart of gold. Taylor and Alex originally planned to get married in August of 2020, but Covid had other plans for their lives. Not wanting to wait that long, Taylor and Alex exchanged their vows in an intimate ceremony last summer with their closest family and friends in attendance. It was one of my favorite Covid weddings, there was so much emotion and beauty in that courtyard ceremony at Taylor’s home church.
Ashley and I were so excited when it was finally time for Taylor and Alex to properly celebrate their marriage this October at Chevy Chase Country Club. It was unseasonably hot for October 1st and Taylor struggled a bit in the heat, but after we got her cooled down the rest of their day was really perfect. We loved celebrating with Taylor and Alex and their loved ones, and at the end of the night we toasted to their lives together with their adorable and delicious home-brewed beer! It was a perfect night with the perfect couple, we wish we could photograph Taylor and Alex every year!
Congratulations, Taylor and Alex, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Taylor and Alex’s beautiful wedding reception photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue Photography
Wedding Dress
Stella York
Hair
Every Kind of Beautiful in Lake Zurich Dawn McKee
Makeup
Every Kind of Beautiful in Lake Zurich Anna Milanzi
Bridesmaid Dresses
Wedding Shoes
Menswear
Men's Wearhouse
Florist
Blooming Flowers
Wedding Rings
Neil Lane
Desserts
Lovin Oven Cakery
Wedding Coordinator
Kimberly Merwin
Videographer
Tom Munaco
Jenna and AJ’s Happily Ever After
Jenna and AJ’s love story reads like a fairy tale. They are truly perfect together, a princess who found her prince in someone who shares her love of music. Jenna works at The Metropolis and met AJ through his Mom…
Jenna and AJ’s love story reads like a fairy tale. They are truly perfect together, a princess who found her prince in someone who shares her love of music. Jenna works at The Metropolis and met AJ through his Mom, once they connected there were instant sparks between them! They grew to love each other and on their two year anniversary AJ proposed to Jenna in New York City, her favorite place in the world.
As Jenna and AJ planned their wedding they imagined a beautiful storybook celebration. But when Covid descended and life became filled with uncertainty this sweet couple was forced to change their plans. Jenna and AJ chose to get married on their original wedding date and exchanged their vows in an intimate ceremony at Hey Nonny in front of their immediate families and closest friends. It was a perfect day. And this year, Jenna and AJ finally got their “happily ever after” when we all gathered together at Victoria in the Park for the most beautiful celebration. The atmosphere was so charged with love and joy we truly didn’t want it to end, from the first sparkly moments to the packed dance floor with our friend Ken from Amp Event Professionals we had such a wonderful time finally properly celebrating Jenna and AJ!
Congratulations, Jenna and AJ, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Jenna and AJ’s happily ever after photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue Photography
Videographer
Something Blue Photography
Venue
Victoria in the Park
Hair and Makeup
Rania and Silvana from Studiano's.
Bridesmaid Dresses
B2 by Jasmine Bridal
Wedding Shoes
Express
Menswear
Larr Brio
Florist
Budget Bride
Wedding Rings
Brilliant Earth
Jamie & Brent’s Makray Memorial and Top Golf Wedding
Jamie and Brent’s relationship has a steady foundation that withstood the test of Covid as they navigated planning and then replanning their wedding. We loved first getting to know this fun couple (and their adorable dog Stanley!)…
Jamie and Brent’s relationship has a steady foundation that withstood the test of Covid as they navigated planning and then replanning their wedding. We loved first getting to know this fun couple (and their adorable dog Stanley!) at their engagement session way back in 2019. Little did we know then what path their wedding planning would take.
When their wedding day finally arrived, the forecast called for storms ALL. DAY. We weren’t expecting to get any photos outside, but the heavens smiled down on Jamie and Brent and we managed to get lots of beautiful pictures at Makray Memorial Golf Club that day. One of our favorite moments was when Jamie surprised Brent by having their dog Stanley there, he was SO excited to see Mom and Dad and show off his little doggie tux!
Brent recently lost his father, and Jamie’s Dad passed away ten years ago this summer. They chose to honor their fathers in several beautiful ways on their wedding day, but the sweetest and most emotional was the two chairs marked as “reserved” with their Dads’ favorite football team’s logo in the front row at the ceremony.
As they replanned their wedding in light of the pandemic, Jamie and Brent chose to do their reception at Top Golf. We loved the decision to go somewhere FUN for their reception, and their guests had an amazing time! It was a beautiful and unforgettable day.
Congratulations, Jamie and Brent, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Jamie and Brent’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue Photography
Ceremony Venue
Makray Memorial Golf Club
Reception Venue
Top Golf
Wedding Dress
Brides By Young
Hair and Makeup
Beauty by Jaide
Bridesmaids Dresses
Davids Bridal
Menswear
Mens Warehouse
Floral
Town and Country Gardens Contact Name
Wedding Rings
Rogers and Holland
Wedding Cake
Cakes by Diony
Reception Coordinator
Valarie
love is essential
Rooted in radical generosity, this is a movement to gift a wedding to essential workers
ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS UNTIL JULY 31st, 2020
Rooted in RADICAL GENEROSITY,
this is a movement to GIFT AN ENTIRE WEDDING to a deserving couple.
This is a movement is to serve and give back to ESSENTIAL WORKERS. To show LOVE triumphs over trial. To support fellow vendors in the wedding industry. We are working together to GIVE BACK in a time of uncertainty by gifting a deserving couple a completely FREE wedding.
Born from a desire to give radically, even in a time of great uncertainty, we have put together an amazing team of wedding vendors willing to donate their talents. Now, we are looking for the perfect couple. Two essential workers in love willing to share their story as we follow their wedding adventure. A couple madly in love who put their wedding plans on hold because of the pandemic. The Love is Essential wedding will take place in 2022 – between now and then we will follow our couple’s love story as they look forward to their dream wedding.
Love is Essential is happening because of the generosity of the best wedding vendors in Chicago. Our team is dedicated to giving back to essential workers to show our gratitude for their service. This outstanding team is comprised of:
LIZ SCHRENK – SOMETHING BLUE PHOTOGRAPHY
Liz developed the concept of Love is Essential when the shelter in place began. Inspired by the Gratitude Movement, Liz wanted to save her own small business and support friends in the wedding industry. Her heart is to serve others and give back to Essential Workers in this challenging and historic time.
JENNY BARTKUS – JPB DESIGNS WEDDING PLANNING
Jenny runs JPB Designs + Co., a renowned boutique wedding and event planning firm. Jenny specializes in creating unforgettable weddings that showcase each couples’ individuality. Philanthropy is at the heart of JPB Designs and Jenny is thankful to be giving back through Love is Essential.
CONRAD WERES – SOMETHING BLUE VIDEOGRAPHY
Conrad is Liz’s business partner and the backbone of Something Blue. Conrad helped Liz dream about the possibility of being radically generous and gifting an entire wedding to a couple serving on the front lines of the Covid-19 battle. Conrad has a background in marketing from Columbia College.
KEN MURPHY – AMP EVENT PROFESSIONALS
At the heart of every wedding beats the party, the joyful celebration of love. No one throws a party like Ken and his team at Amp Event Professionals. Ken is the hardest working DJ in Chicago; his top priority is to create unforgettable memories for his couples and their guests at every event.
JAMIE AND LEAH – POST 433 EVENTS
When we first envisioned Love is Essential we dreamed of finding the perfect Chicago venue to host this incredible event. The Old Post Office is a monumental Chicago landmark whose history naturally honors essential workers. This grand historic building has been reimagined as a magnificent venue space capable of hosting beautiful and unforgettable events. We were thrilled when Jamie and Leah joined our team; we can’t wait to celebrate our couple’s wedding in this amazing venue!
The couple shown in these pictures are Stephanie and Jeremy, two amazing essential workers who were married in January of 2020. Stephanie is a nurse and Jeremy is a firefighter. To help us with this project, they generously volunteered (on their shared day off) to model for us in the heart of Chicago. We loved documenting their connection and getting a glimpse of what life has been like for them as essential workers as they wade through the rough waters of 2020.
We are searching for two essential workers who have put their wedding plans on hold. Two people madly in love but committed to serving our community. If you would like to nominate yourself or a friend, please complete this form.
We have the most beautiful gift to give – now, we need to find the perfect couple.