Posts

Wedding photos group of friends

Plan Your Wedding Photos

/0 Comments/in /by

Plan Your Wedding Photos

We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again: Your wedding day is one of the only days you will have most of your loved ones in one place. Because of this, you must plan your wedding photos accordingly. While, of course, many of your wedding photos will center around you and your bridal party, you don’t want to miss out on photos with your other loved ones too. To accomplish that, you need to organize your guests by the connection they have to you and to each other in a grand list for your photographer. Here’s how you should start to plan your wedding photos with your special wedding guests.

Immediate Families

The immediate families include the parents and siblings of the newlyweds. These photos are usually not forgotten, but they are important to organize nonetheless. Some details to keep in mind are:

  • Is there an old family photo you’d like to recreate alongside your formal photos?
  • Are there any family dynamics the photographer should be mindful of?
    • I.e. Divorced parents, differently-abled or handicapped family members who may not be able to stand for long, etc.

Extended Families

Extended family includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, & cousins. This group of people requires a lot of photos. This is often the most overlooked group of people for wedding photos. Being that this is one of the only times in your life you’ll have a photographer present, it’s so important to get photos with your aging relatives. That being said, keep in mind any physical difficulties your elderly relatives may have while taking pictures. Many couples also have special relationships with aunts and uncles. Therefore it may be important to get one-on-one photos with special family members too. The easiest way to organize this larger group is to divide them by individuals/one-on-one photos and large group photos. Some important photos for extended families may be:

  • Individual/One-on-One Photos:
    • Grandparents, together and individually. Also with the groom/bride together and individually.
    • Aunts & Uncles, together with the newlyweds, and potentially individually too.
    • If there are specific special cousin relationships you might also want individual photos with them too.
  • Large Group Photos
    • The entire side of the prospective families (just the bride’s side, then just the groom’s side) including grandparents, cousins, parents, and siblings
    • Grandparents group photo (bride’s side and groom’s side separately) with the immediate families
    • Grandparents group photo with the extended family (bride’s side and groom’s side separately)
    • Divided extended family, families the bride and groom may be close to (ex. Uncle John’s family with the bride and groom)
    • Just the bride/groom’s generation of cousins

Specific Friend Groups

Oftentimes newlyweds have friend groups from various stages of their lives. Just because they were not in the bridal party does not mean you cannot get special photos with them. An easy way to accomplish this is to have your wedding photographer coordinate with your wedding DJ. The DJ can call the various groups to the dance floor for group photos during any reception downtime. Here are some potential groups you may want photos with:

  • Elementary School Friends
  • Middle School Friends
  • High School Friends
  • Sports Team Friends
  • College Friends
  • Work Friends
  • Neighbors

All Your Wedding Guests

What is more fun than getting a ginormous group photo of all your loved ones together on your wedding day? This often-overlooked photo will be so fun to look back on. You’ll be able to remember who was at your wedding, even as years go by.

If you have this detailed list to give to your photographer you will surely not miss any cherished photos with your loved ones. You will never regret being organized in advance. Each couple has different family and friend relationships, so organize this photo list in a way that works with your relationships. We can’t wait to see your special wedding photos from your organized list! Tag us in your wedding photos or email them to hello@ChicagoWeddingBlog.com. For more wedding planning inspiration and advice check out more Chicago Wedding Blog posts below.

tips for wedding bouquets

Wedding Flower Tips

/0 Comments/in /by

Wedding Flower Tips

To achieve your ideal wedding flower look, it’s essential to be an informed bride or groom by knowing wedding flower trends and expert tips. One of the most fun parts of planning your wedding is selecting your wedding flowers. We put together all the must-know tips so you can plan your wedding flowers even better than you imagined.

Keep in mind your wedding dress.

Floral appliques are a huge wedding dress trend. If your wedding dress has a specific floral look, such as roses, include that type of rose in your bouquets. This will help your wedding dress and flowers be cohesive, both as you walk down the aisle and in your wedding photos. If you choose a sleek wedding dress instead of a floral one, you can select even more elaborate flowers as a perfect contrast to your sleek bridal look.

Roses, roses, and more roses…don’t get stuck on the title, go by look.

Roses are timeless wedding bouquet flowers. Have you ever seen an unfamiliar flower and are shocked to find out it’s actually a rose? Roses come in so many shapes and sizes. When you meet with your florist, bring your budget and photos of the bouquets you like. If you love an out-of-season flower that tends to be more expensive, say peonies, many Bourbon, Hybrid Perpetual, Alba, Portland, & Damask roses are the perfect look-alike choice that may be less expensive if they’re in season. Don’t get stuck on the title of your ideal flower, two different flowers could look so similar. Your budget will thank your flexibility.

Bigger isn’t always better.

In recent years, the beautiful focus of some bouquets has been the smaller, filler flowers that surround the larger ones. If you are planning a bohemian-style wedding, smaller flowers are the perfect choice either as the focus of the bouquet or even the entire bouquet. Some popular smaller flowers include Cherry Blossom, Baby’s Breath, Queen Anne’s Lace, Craspedia, Quince, or Phlox. The filler flowers are the perfect way to add texture and dimension to your bouquets.

Bring your ideas and budget, but trust your florist!

Florists are truly artists! While you should absolutely bring your plan and budget, be open to their ideas and input. They may have flowers in colors, shapes, & textures you didn’t even know existed. This is why choosing a great florist matters so much. Look on social media, wedding websites, and florists’ own websites to see photos of other bouquets they’ve created. Then you’ll be able to trust them to exceed your expectations of your wedding bouquets. An added bonus is they are experts in knowing how to give you the look you want while staying within your budget.



Choosing your wedding flowers is an important part of designing your wedding day and planning your wedding. Be sure to prepare as you meet with your florist. Bring photos of bouquets and flowers you love to show your florist and don’t forget to be transparent with your budget. A good florist can deliver stunning bridal bouquets at any price point. Happy Planning! For more wedding planning inspiration and tips check out more Chicago Wedding Blog posts below.

bride and groom charcuterie

Charcuterie for your Bridal Shower with Chi-cuterie

/2 Comments/in , /by

Charcuterie for your Bridal Shower with Chi-cuterie

In recent years, charcuterie has gone from delicious appetizers to renowned, artfully displayed meals! As you plan your bridal shower food, charcuterie is the perfect bridal shower fare, whether it’s appetizers or a full meal! Because of its design and customizable options, choosing charcuterie for your bridal shower is sure to be a guest favorite! There is no need to slave over a hot stove all morning in preparation for your bridal shower food. To set you up for success, we were excited to talk with Michelle from Chi-cuterie, a wonderful small business in quaint Geneva, Illinois, that specializes in custom charcuterie boards for events. Not only will you learn all you need to know to plan your bridal shower charcuterie, but you’ll also hear a bit about their event space, perfect for bridal showers! Here is all you need to know to plan the perfect bridal shower charcuterie with Chi-cuterie.

charcuterie bridal shower venue

Venue: Chi-Cuterie, Geneva, Illinois, Photo: Susan Ryan Photography,

Charcuterie is not just for appetizers!

“Bridal showers are the perfect occasion to serve charcuterie as the main course. There is generally something that every guest will enjoy. Because ladies are typically mingling and visiting, nibbling on a variety of foods is just perfect! At Chi-cuterie, we are all about creating special experiences. We source our products from local farmers, artisans, and other local businesses. Guests are always so thrilled to learn the stories behind the items featured, especially about the cows and goats, as well as the passion behind the products! We enhance the experience by building our boards and grazing tables around the featured drinks for the event – be it bubbly, white wine, red wine, or a signature drink. This allows us to thoughtfully pair each item on the board, with great attention given to what cheeses, meats, and accoutrements pair together. For example, the Wisconsin Colby will be placed next to the local summer sausage as well as the strawberries and hand-crafted chocolate potato chips. These kinds of combinations make grazing even more enjoyable and people love trying new things and learning something new. And as we say at Chi-cuterie, we create charcuterie that starts conversations and that is what builds community! People are generally curious and ask a lot of questions. We often have guests come back to our store after attending showers because they enjoyed a particular local cheese, meat, jam, or chocolate for example. Promoting these small, local businesses is everything to us! It is not uncommon to find 30 or more represented on one of our projects.”

Don’t forget the perfect beverage pairing to go with your charcuterie.

“Typically the most popular charcuterie boards for showers are those we pair with bubbly! Nothing says bridal shower like a celebratory glass of Champagne, Prosecco, or Sparkling Wine! And our guests have absolutely loved learning about all the meats, cheeses, and unusual items we pair with bubblies! The element of surprise is part of building our experience here. We love finding new farms, products, and ways to delight the senses. Our latest hit has been our goat cheese boards with a local chèvre from a female-owned farm in Wisconsin that is bringing home award after award this year. We spread the cheese on a board, top it with one of our local jams (pear with ginger is a fave), local honey, fresh pears, thyme, candied walnuts, a beautiful finishing salt with herbs, and finished with our signature edible flowers and fresh herbs. These are served with beautiful crackers with pressed flowers and herbs.”

charcuterie

Photo: Susan Ryan Photography, Charcuterie: Chi-Cuterie

When planning your bridal shower food, it’s not just about the food, it’s about creating an experience.

“Our advice is to plan ahead and then ENJOY the experience. We take care of every detail at our event space so that the host can just arrive and enjoy the day with the bride! No need to bring any flowers, decorations, plates/napkins/cutlery/serving pieces, or even favors for guests. We can take care of all of those things for you! Want desserts? We can do those too! Want balloons? We have you covered Want a Mimosa or Bloody Mary bar? No problem! We also have a full line of wines by the glass or bottle, beer, craft cocktails, and beautiful non-alcoholic beverage options as well. Guests can even shop for wedding gifts in our retail area!”

Beautiful and delicious food for your bridal shower, what’s not to like?!

Bridal showers are all about bringing together a bride’s loved ones to celebrate. What better way to celebrate than eating delicious, one-of-a-kind custom charcuterie boards? Remember, don’t forget the perfect bubbly to go with it, because what celebration is a celebration if there’s no champagne?  Your guests are sure to rave about your unique bridal shower fare for years to come! Thank you so much to Michelle at Chi-cuterie for her advice and expertise on charcuterie for bridal showers. We hope you will not only consider using Chi-cuterie for their gourmet charcuterie but also for the incredible service at their event space. For more wedding planning inspiration and advice check out more Chicago Wedding Blog posts below. Happy Planning!

groomsman suit

A Guy’s Guide to Being a Groomsman

/2 Comments/in /by

A Guy’s Guide to Being a Groomsman

Congratulations on being asked to be a groomsman! It is an honor that shows how much you mean to the engaged couple. Because you mean a lot to them, you’ll want to show up as your best as their groomsman. To help you do that, here is a guy’s guide to being a groomsman.

Mark Down the Wedding Date

Once you know the date of the wedding and have agreed to be in the wedding, mark down the date and make arrangements. Everyone has only so many days off for work, so plan ahead if you have to take any days off for the wedding. If you are not sure how many days off you will have by the wedding date, make a plan. Talk with your boss well in advance if you will need to take any days off. Then, make sure you communicate with work throughout the year so they don’t forget you have a wedding coming up.

Other Wedding-Related Events

Being in the bridal party means there is an expectation you will be at the engagement party, rehearsal dinner, wedding, and the day after brunch. It’s important you ask the engaged couple what events they have planned so you can ideally be there, if not, let them know in advance. (Are you getting the hint that sooner is always better?) Some nationalities’ traditions mean even the wedding is a multi-day affair. If this is the case, be sure to ask which events you should plan on being at.

Getting Your Suit

The day you get the email or text from the bride or groom about the suit rental/purchasing information, make a date to do it. Do not wait for the deadline to go to your nearest tailor to get measured. The week you get that email/text go get measured and take care of your rental/suit purchase. If you’ll allow us to paint with a broad brush, guys tend to wait till the last minute to take care of their wedding attire. Don’t be that guy! Get it done a.s.a.p., way before you have to.

Plan for the Bachelor Party

If there is going to be a bachelor party, be transparent about your ability to participate sooner than later. If you have a particular budget to stay within, communicate that clearly with the rest of the groomsmen. Clarity & honesty is key. If there are days you know you are unavailable around the proposed time of year of the bachelor party, make that clear so there are no hurt feelings or surprises.

Wedding Gifts

When you are a groomsman you’re normally off the hook for purchasing a bridal shower gift, but you will need to bring a wedding gift. Wedding gifts can be anything from home or cooking goods to gift certificates. If you have a plus one coming to the wedding, have them bring the gift. Then, you will not forget the gift at home before the couple leaves for their honeymoon. We all know how adult friendships go, you probably won’t see the couple for a few months. So bring the wedding gift to the wedding so you don’t have to give it to them late.



There you have it, a surefire guide to being a great groomsman! Your friend will be sure to appreciate your promptness and cooperation as they plan their wedding. For more wedding planning tips and inspiration check out more Chicago Wedding Blog posts below. Happy Planning!

kids at a wedding

Keeping Kids Busy at a Wedding

/0 Comments/in /by

Keeping Kids Busy at a Wedding

Kids add so much hilarity to weddings, however, you want to be sure to keep them busy during the right times. It is important to keep in mind the length of your ceremony so the kids do not run out of things to keep them occupied. Although the focus usually goes on keeping the adults happy, open bar, and a good DJ, anyone? your younger guests deserve the same amount of consideration. Whether they are in the bridal party or simply esteemed guests everyone will be happier with these fun ideas for keeping kids busy at a wedding.

The Ceremony

Let’s start with the ceremony. The options you will have available to the kids will differ depending on whether you are having a full-length church ceremony or a quick ceremony at your reception venue.

Full-Length Church Ceremony

If you are having a full-length church ceremony, likely it will last an hour or more. Consequently, kids will need more time-consuming activities. Coloring books and crayons are the perfect quiet time-consuming activity. Luckily you can even buy these at the dollar store, so they are great for your wedding budget! A nice aspect of coloring books & crayons is they are mess-free and easily tailored to the interests of the kids. For example, if you know your niece and nephew are in love with Paw Patrol, coloring pages with those characters will be a hit!

A Quick Reception Venue Ceremony

Obviously with kids, and some adults, a quick ceremony is ideal. In this case, small fidget toys are a great option. Small toys buy you just enough time for the ceremony to be as quiet as possible before the kids’ imaginations get bored. Again, thank you dollar stores. If you are around kids at all, you’ll know fidget toys are all the rage nowadays. Kids will be more than happy getting to keep a fidget toy as a memento from your wedding.

After The Ceremony

You’ve gotten married! Now everyone can let loose a bit. However, don’t forget kids are less patient than adults. There are still plenty of things to keep in mind when trying to keep little ones busy.

Wedding Photos

Once the wedding is over, the next most difficult aspect for kids, specifically kids who are in the bridal party, will be wedding photos. It can be really boring for kids to stand around waiting for it to be their turn. Pro tip: take all photos that will involve the kids first, then let them go run, play, & eat. In the meantime, while they’re waiting for photos to start, have mess-free snacks ready. Think pretzels, goldfish crackers, peanuts, and no snacks that have color, juice, or oil. No one likes being hangry, especially kids who are having to wait. Kids will be much happier, and more cooperative if they’re not hangry during the wedding photos.

During the Reception

Yay! You’ve made it through the wedding ceremony, through photos, & now it’s time to party! The easiest idea to keep kids occupied during dinner is more ness-free (crayons) coloring. Similarly, quiet activities that keep kids still so their parents can eat, or during speeches are important. Quiet, open-ended toys are great for kids when they need to take up some time. Kids love making things out of nothing, so everything from tape, to beads, to pipe cleaners, to pompoms is right up their alley. Odds are you’ll be amazed at the quiet busyness of the kids’ table! If the venue has paper table cloths available, that is the easiest way to incorporate a coloring option as well.

Are you having a photo booth at the wedding reception? If not, you should definitely consider it! Adults and kids alike love taking silly photos with all the props. Similarly, another fun momento would be for the kids to make their own photo booth prop, think mask, or crown. You can easily find cutout templates off google images to tailor this to boys and girls alike.



Did you have kids at your wedding? Are you going to? How did you keep them occupied? We’d love to see it! Submit your kid-friendly wedding to hello@chicagoweddingblog.com. For more wedding planning advice and inspiration, check out more Chicago Wedding Blog posts below. Happy Planning!

Geode Wedding Cake Ideas

2021/2022 Wedding Cake Ideas

/0 Comments/in /by

2021/2022 Wedding Cake Ideas

Cake at a wedding is such a classic. In years past, people were leaning toward cupcakes, candy bars, and even donuts for their wedding dessert of choice. But coming back strong for this wedding planning season is the classic wedding cake! 2021/2022 has plenty of stunning, yummy, & creative wedding cake ideas. Here are some of our favorites sure to inspire your wedding cake selection.

Geode Cake

From the trend of gemstones and crystals comes the geode cake! Geode cakes are easily customizable for your wedding colors. The sparkle, often made from sugar, adds fun and formality to your wedding cake. Below is a geode cake by Erica Koren Cakery. This is just one beautiful option of many options for shapes and colors.

Timeless White Wedding Cake With A Twist

A white wedding cake is a classic option! There are so many variations and textures you could choose from. If you have a lace wedding dress, you can choose a coordinating lace design. If you are having a wedding with lots of vibrant colors, a simple white cake is a great neutral option. For a simple white wedding cake, frosting can be in beautiful patterns without overwhelming your color scheme. The beautiful cake below with sugar pearls is by The Cakery Inc.

Watercolor Cake

A fun, colorful option is watercolor cakes! We love how different shades of the same color, or even different colors, can be blended together in one cake. Often, these cakes pull together multiple different wedding colors making them a beautiful decorative piece for your wedding reception. This artful watercolor cake is by Two Wild Seeds.

Drip Cake

This wedding cake idea is perfect for the chocolate or fruit lovers! Drip cakes can have either a chocolate drip or a fruit flavored drizzle down the cake. This is a great choice if you are indecisive as to what kind of cake you want. If you are in between chocolate and vanilla, you could choose vanilla cake with a chocolate drip to make each of you happy. The delicious drip cake below is by The Sugar Path.

We hope the photos above will make your wedding cake selection easy as cake! If you have already chosen your wedding cake, we’d love to hear which you chose! Comment what kind of cake you chose below! For more wedding planning inspiration & tips, check out the Chicago Wedding Blog posts below! Happy Planning!

Garfield Park Neighborhood Wedding Bakery

Fall Wedding Themes

/0 Comments/in /by

Fall Wedding Themes

As you plan your fall wedding; there are more wedding themes than Halloween. Fall wedding themes can range from elegant neutrals to spooky and quirky. If you are have a fall wedding, then you should think about what sort of fall wedding you want to have. With this in mind, we have plenty of fall wedding themes to make your decisions easier.

First, The Obvious Halloween Wedding

If you see yourselves as a fun, quirky couple, a Halloween wedding would be so fun. You could go as far as having guests dress up in costumes, or as simple as using orange and black as your wedding colors. You could have activities such as bobbing for apples, or simply have themed desserts such as apple, or pumpkin spice flavors. As you can see, there’s quite a range you can choose with the Halloween wedding theme.

Second, The Soft and Elegant Fall Wedding

This theme also gives you the option to be informal or formal. For wedding colors think golds, soft nudes, mauves, and silvers. For flowers think soft colors with added wheat or greenery for texture. Your neutral color palette will make your bridal party pop in outdoor photos because of the vivid colors of fall foliage. Especially if you want your wedding photos and color choices to be timeless, sometimes neutral is best.

Third, The Autumn Foliage Themed Wedding

For this wedding option, think harvest colors. These color options range from eggplant, to orange, and many colors in between. For your flowers we recommend vivid colors and textures, such as sunflowers to compliment your fall foliage theme. When you are planning your bridal party’s décor you can choose to blend in the bright colors with some neutrals, or keep all the attire bright and fun. This is where showing your personality in your wedding theme choices comes in.

Garfield Park Neighborhood Wedding Bakery Fall Foliage Wedding Theme

Bakery: The Quintessential Cake, located in Wheaton, Illinois, Venue: Chicago Botanic Gardens, Photographer: Gavyn Taylor Weddings

Lastly, If you are of the Mexican culture, a Día de Los Muertos Wedding Theme

Traditionally in the Mexican culture, Día de Los Muertos is a day to celebrate loved ones who have passed. This is a beautiful way to incorporate your lost loved ones who couldn’t be there on your wedding day into your day. Typically, traditional dishes are made, which we think are delish! For decoration, you can use your family’s beautiful Mexican sugar skulls both to decorate the tables, and as symbolism. Candlelight is another beautiful symbol of light and hope as well as a pretty aesthetic. If your family has a specific ritual for Día de Los Muertos it would be a beautiful thing to incorporate at the beginning of your wedding reception.

For more wedding planning inspiration and ideas check out the blog post below. Do you want your wedding to be featured? Please e-mail us your proposed wedding with credited photos and vendors to hello@chicagoweddingblog.com. Happy Planning!

Wedding Venues

Chicago Wedding Venues

/0 Comments/in /by

Great Chicago Wedding Venues

Chicago may be called the Second City, but it’s first in our hearts. Our amazing city has a wide variety of wedding venues and styles that work for any wedding vision or budget. If you are beginning your venue search, let us help begin your search by showing you some of our favorite Chicago wedding venues.

1.) The Crystal Gardens Wedding Venue At Navy Pier

With views of the iconic Navy Pier and Lake Michigan this is one of the Chicago wedding venues that is a couple favorite. Whether you’re looking for a wedding of 80 people or 500 people, The Crystal Gardens can accommodate your wedding. This venue is the best of both worlds by bringing the outside in by the gorgeous plants and its full glass sky view. Similarly, the water fountain elements add a touch of whimsical outdoor magic to this wedding venue. Their address is: 700 East Grand Avenue, Mezzanine Level, Chicago Illinois. Their phone number is: 312-595-5436.

2.) The Bridgeport Art Center Wedding Venue

You have so many options in one venue if you choose to get marrried at the Bridgeport Art Center. For cocktail weddings in the Skyline Loft, the capacity is from 100-900 guests.  A sit down wedding in the Skyline Loft, has a capacity  of 100-600 guests. In the Sculpture Garden they can accommodate a 900 person cocktail party or a 550 people sit down wedding. This Chicago wedding venue is known for its wide-open space with beautiful exposed brick walls and rich wooden beams. However you choose to theme your wedding, the Bridgeport Art Center is easy to customize to your vision. Their address is 1200 W. 35th Street, Chicago, Illinois. Contact them by e-mail at events@bridgeportart.com.

3.) Chicago Botanical Gardens Wedding Venues

The Chicago Botanical Gardens has a variety of indoor and outdoor wedding venues on site. Capacity of their many venue options range from 50 for a small sit down ceremony, to 1500 people for a cocktail reception. Additionally, they offer a plan B in case your outdoor wedding is met with inclement weather. If the guessing game of weather makes you nervous, they also have plenty of indoor or tented options with beautiful views of the gardens. You can find the Chicago Botanical Gardens at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Illinois. Their events phone number is 847-835-8370. Contact them by e-mail at events@chicagobotanic.org.

4.) Galleria Marchetti

Speaking of bringing the outside in, Galleria Marchetti has had that down to an art for over 90 years! Galleria Marchetti has beautiful ivy wall backdrops, a tent with chandeliers, garden views, & set as a hidden gem in the city. This beautiful venue has both Italian and European design vibes making it aesthetically stunning. Their La Pergola venue has sweeping windows and a garden vibe; fitting 160 people for a seated reception, or 300 people for a cocktail reception. The Pavilion is their larger space. It is a beautiful, open air tent; fitting 450 people for a seated reception or 900 people for a cocktail reception. Galleria Marchetti’s phone number is 312-563-0495. Their address is 825 West Erie Street, Chicago, Illinois.

5.) Keith House Chicago

Looking for a small wedding venue? We found it! The last few years small weddings have ranged from trendy to mandatory. Regardless of your reason for having a small wedding, you can still have a stunning wedding venue. The Keith House has the options of both an outdoor courtyard and an indoor historic home. They can host up to 75 people for a people for a cocktail style wedding, or 50 people in the same sit down room. The Keith House Chicago, has options for every budget. Couples can choose from having just a ceremony, just a reception, or a ceremony and reception. To contact them by phone number, call 312-907-7909. Their address is 1900 South Prairie Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.

6.) Exchange 312

Are you looking for an urban-chic wedding venue? Exchange 312 is perfect for you! The walls are beautiful exposed brick.  Additionally, they unique furniture making this venue a photographer’s dream! Their setting in the middle of Wicker Park. Exchange 312 accommodates weddings from 100 seated, up to an 150 people reception. Design details from floor to ceiling are custom and curated. Even the bathrooms are beautiful! The Exchange 312’s phone number is 312-956-4080. Their address is 1714 West Division Street, Chicago, Illinois.

7.) The Lakewood Chicago

The Lakewood Chicago is a fun, modern venue in Chicago. This venue, in the West Loop neighborhood, is beautifully bright and white. Their white color scheme makes it easy to tailor to your wedding theme. If you are looking for a seated wedding reception they can accommodate from 120 to 200 people. They also have optional floor plans tailor to your wedding style and decor. The Lakewood has onsite catering from Paramount Events and Truffleberry Market.  They also have a unique greenhouse where they grow their own produce! If you are an Eco-friendly couple, this is a great venue for you. The Lakewood’s address is 1758 West Lake Street in Chicago, Illinois. Their phone number is 312-366-2293.

8.) Greenhouse Loft

Speaking of Eco-Friendly Venues, Greenhouse Loft is perfect for couples looking for a green wedding venue. For example, they reduce waste, use Eco-friendly cleaning supplies, and even have an on-site composting facility. Their modern atmosphere, glass walls, and convenient location make this venue a must see. They also have a beautiful courtyard perfect for photos, ceremonies, or cocktail hours. The Greenhouse Loft has a capacity of under 200 guests for various layouts. The Greenhouse Loft’s address is 2545 West Diversey Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. Their phone number is 312-733-5762.

9.) The Drake

The Drake Hotel Chicago is the epitome of Luxury Chicago Wedding Venue. You have a choice of four different rooms. First, The Gold Coast Room has amazing Lake Michigan views. It has the capacity of 100-900 people depending on the type of wedding format you choose. Secondly, The Grand Ballroom, built in the 1920’s,  reflects a modern take on the 1920’s. The Grand Ballroom overlooks Walton Street and has a capacity of up to 500 people. Third, The French Room has beautiful, silk walls and damask details. The French Room can hold up to 350 people. Lastly, The Carmellia Room overlooks The Mag Mile and the lakefront. It has beautiful white wooden walls and blue and gold accents. The Carmellia Room holds up to 200 people. The address of The Drake is 140 East Walton Street in Chicago, Illinois. Their phone number is 312-787-2200.

10.) Salvatore’s Chicago

Salvatore’s wedding venue is located in the neighborhood of Lincoln Park in Chicago. Its dark wood accents bring back old world charm with modern romance. If you love food, you’ll love having your wedding at Salvatore’s, who specializes in amazing wedding cuisine and events. Salvatore’s can accommodate weddings up to 200 people.  Their address is 525 Arlington Place in Chicago, Illinois. Their phone number is 773-528-1200.

11.) Row 24 Events And Productions

Row 24 is a fun, warehouse chic venue right on Michigan Avenue. They have beautiful exposed brick walls and dangling chandeliers from the ceiling. The venue has a beautiful, private bridal suite just for weddings. Depending on the format of your wedding, Row 24 can accommodate up to 250 people. Row 24 is a historical landmark, built in 1903. Their bar is spectacular and designed with 1920’s vibes. The address is 2411 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. Their phone number is 312-374-3165.



As you can see, Chicago has more than a few amazing wedding venues! We hope this gives you a great list to get your Chicago venue search started! For more wedding planning advice, tips, & inspiration check out the recommended Chicago Wedding Blog posts below. Happy Planning!

Jumping The Broom Ritual

Wedding Ceremony Rituals

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Wedding Ceremony Rituals

Every wedding ceremony is personalized by the engaged couple. One way couples personalize their ceremony is wedding ceremony rituals. A ritual can be religious or spiritual in nature, or simply symbolic. The choice is yours as to which you prefer. Here are some unique wedding ceremony rituals to give you some ideas.

Sand Art

Any child of the 90’s will remember the joy of sand art! Each person can choose their own color they’d like. Then, during this ritual the couples will pour both of their sands into the capsule to blend them together. As with most wedding rituals, their meaning is the union between two people becoming one. Couples can then use this capsule as a decorative keepsake.

Unity Candle

A unity candle is similar in idea to the sand. Each person will hold a lit candle and together they will light a big beautiful candle, called a unity candle. The candle makes a great living room keepsake. Who doesn’t love a good candle? Every year on your anniversary you can make use of it again by relighting it.

Jumping The Broom

Jumping the broom is a wedding ritual from the African culture, specifically Ghana. Traditionally a broom is circled over the engaged couple to cast away evil. Then, at the end of the ceremony, the couple jumps over the broom, as a solidifying of the ceremony. The jump of the broom traditionally symbolized a wife’s promise to clean their house and whoever jumps higher over the broom, typically the man, would get to make the decisions in the home. However; in the 21st century most couples embrace this tradition simply as a cultural tradition they want to pass on, not a symbol of the wife being lesser than. Many couples embrace this ritual by applying their own meaning to it such as their embracing of one another’s culture and commitment to their relationship.

Hand Tying Ritual

A hand tying ritual originated from the Pagan and Celt traditions. Some couples, however, just like the meaning of the ceremony, so it does not need to be a cultural ritual. The tying of the hands, also known as handfasting, symbolizes a couple’s commitment to each other through good times and bad. Historically, some traditions would tie a couple together for a year and if they lasted a year being tied together their marriage would last. While we are not recommending you be tied to your fiance for a year, a hand tying ritual is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to each other through good times and bad times. You can later keep the rope, maybe even braid it to create home decor.

Wine or Communion Ritual

In the Christian traditions, some couples will feed each other wine and bread symbolizing their promise to care for eachother. Some weddings do not have a communion service, but just have the couple give communion, bread and wine, to each other. Some people do not come from a religion who participates in communion. In that case, this ritual can also be a sort of blessing that the couple may never go hungry or want for anything.



Each ritual can mean something different to each couple, and that is the beauty of planning a ceremony. Unless you are getting married in a religious denomination with strict guidelines, there are many ways you can customize your ceremony to embrace symbolism that is meaningful to you as a couple. You could even get creative and create your own ritual specific to you as a couple, such as a beer pouring ritual. It is your wedding day! Structure your ceremony to reflect the love you feel for each other. From there, there are no wrong choices. Happy Planning!

Recycled Wedding Rings

Ways To Recycle Wedding Items

/0 Comments/in /by

Ways to Recycle Wedding Items

It’s no secret that weddings generate a lot of waste not only in leftover or unused food, but also in items people won’t use again like favors, your dress, or wedding décor. We’ve got some great ideas on how to help the environment and recycle those wedding things!

You can re-purpose your dress.

If you’re not terribly sentimental and don’t mind parting with your wedding gown you can sell it. There are a lot of great stores that buy pre-owned wedding dresses. You could be helping someone else out whose on a tight budget. If you’d like to keep your wedding dress but don’t want it sitting in the back of your closet, you can tailor it. We love turning a wedding dress into a cocktail dress, Christening gown, or prom dress! Your daughter could go to her prom with a one of a kind dress or get baptized in something very special to you.

Another way to recycle wedding items is to give them to a secondhand shop.

Some places take gently used wedding décor to re-sell. If you are tight on your budget you can even consider getting your wedding rings from a family heirloom or secondhand shop. Keep in mind if you want to donate wedding decor it may be difficult to find a place for it if it has your initials all over it. Call around and see what stores take wedding décor.

Re-use those flowers!

It’s bittersweet that all the time and effort into decorating with flowers and they’ll just wilt and die within a few days. We love programs that use wedding flowers as donations to hospitals or nursing homes. You’ll be brightening someone else’s day with your pretty floral arrangements. If you and your bridesmaids have the time and desire, you can also take apart the bouquets at the reception. Then you can re-gather them into small favors for your guests to take home. This does require more work and attention when all you probably want to do is celebrate at the reception. So, it’s worth asking if your wedding coordinator or some very helpful family members would be in charge of that so you don’t have to worry about it.

It always feels good to contribute to a green environment. We love the idea of using your joyous wedding items and brightening someone else’s day too. Did you use recycled wedding decor for your wedding? We would love to feature your green wedding. E-Mail credited photos and vendors to hello@chicagoweddingblog.com . Happy Planning!