wedding style: Chicago Weddings

Monday, July 20, 2015

Real Wedding: Farrah Singh and Adam Kauffman

"When I first saw Adam at the start of a winter semester class I knew I had to meet him. One night while my friend and I were on campus, we ran into we ran into one of my friend's classmates. While she was making introductions, guess who happens to walk up! That night, I officially met Adam – and I was a nervous mess. After about six months, we finally made it official. We spent the end of the semester studying and having fun together. After graduating, we found jobs just 15 minutes apart. We moved in together and got two dogs. Five years later, Adam asked me to marry him on the Odyssey cruise ship in Chicago on a perfect - but chilly - July night.

"The wedding day was the best day of our lives! It was a New Years Eve wedding, so as you can imagine the weather was something that we fretted about for many days before, only to have it turn out beautiful! Very cold, but clear skies and sunny! Our ceremony started at 6 pm so no one had to get up extra early for hair and makeup.

"As our Vintage Glam wedding day progressed, things came together wonderfully. We had a reception for 205 guests filled with both rectangle and round tables to add interest. We had different centerpieces so that no table would be the same as the one next to it. Shades of silver, pewter, purple and white filled the room, accented with vintage candelabras and touches of bling. It was so great to see all the details and planning come together.

"The ceremony was officiated by my uncle, and it meant a lot to have someone that saw me grow up marry us. We did not do a first look and theres no explaining the warmth I felt in Adams eyes when we saw each other for the first time. There are so many emotions, mostly nerves, that hit me right before my walk down the aisle, all of which disappeared the moment I saw my him. It just felt right.

"It was nice to have all the events in the same location as the night flowed nicely from ceremony to cocktail hour to reception. It was truly amazing to have so many family members and friends come to celebrate our marriage. We felt so grateful and just tried to take it all in as much as we could. We had a photo booth, his/her signature drinks, a lounge area, and a cigar bar (outside w heaters!). We enjoyed live music for the first two hours of dancing and had a DJ count down the night ending with a balloon drop. Soon after, we finished with pictures in front of hybrid mix of sparklers/fireworks. Our day was perfect!" -- Farrah Kauffman

VENDORS

CEREMONY + RECEPTION SITE: Cliffbreakers Riverside Resort / PHOTOGRAPHY: C. Tyson Photography / VIDEOGRAPHY: NightOwls Media / OFFICIANT: Bride’s Uncle, James Mayers WEDDING CONSULTANT: Simply Azure Events / BRIDE’S GOWN: Volle’s Bridal

HAIR: Flaunt Salon + Style by Bravura / MAKEUP: Boyer Beautiful / BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES: The Crystal Bride / FORMALWEAR: Men’s Warehouse / INVITATIONS: Hitched Invites / FLOWERS: Paragon Flowers / CATERING: GreenFire Restaurant Bar & Bakery / SWEETS: By the Dozen Bakery / ENTERTAINMENT: Magnificent Events (String Trio, Band, and DJ) / PHOTO BOOTH + UPLIGHTING: ProArt Photo-Video / DRAPING + LINENS: Beautiful Day Linens

Friday, July 10, 2015

Real Wedding: Miranda Lyn Archer and Dominic Tassi

"Dominic and I met through my sister. I don’t want to say it was love at first sight, but there was definitely something we both felt the first time we laid eyes on each other. We immediately connected and continued to develop our relationship until finally going on our first date to Seasons 52, where we consequently had our rehearsal dinner.

"We fell in love just a few short weeks later over Mexican food and margaritas in our hometown of Arlington Heights, and I knew he was ‘the one.’ I had surprised Dominic with a long weekend stay at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, and he went and surprised me with a proposal the first night of our trip! I was so overjoyed and excited that I don’t even remember exactly everything he said during his proposal, but I know it was absolutely perfect.

"We opted for a hometown affair. A childhood friend of mine and singer-songwriter, Ashley England, sang three hand picked songs for our precessional and recessional. I was escorted down the aisle by my little sister and my Godfather with my late father’s ring tied to my bouquet as a tribute to him. I was so nervous to walk down the aisle without my dad by my side, but having two of my best friends (Dominic and our best friend who officiated) at the end of the aisle made it easier.

"We exchanged self-penned vows and the entire crowd roared with laughter when I vowed to 'in good times and bad, always root for the Cyclones.' After the service, we walked back down the aisle to Ray LaMontagne’s “You Are The Best Thing” as newlyweds.

"Sequined taupe tablecloths, lamour taupe napkins, silver glittered chargers and ivory hydrangea, rose, tulip and anemone centerpieces created a neutral glam look in the ballroom’s loft space. Guests had the option of choosing between two signature cocktails, named for our Pitbull-Mix rescues, Jace and Penny. When we were introduced into our reception as husband and wife, I could not believe all of the smiling faces standing and applauding our love to each other. It was so amazing to see all of the people who had traveled states and states to come celebrate us and our new life together.

"The second the dance floor opened, it was FILLED and did not empty until the minute the reception ended. Ever since Dom was little he has always played the piano and aspired after Billy Joel and Elton John, so it was especially awesome when everyone at our reception joined in a circle around us dancing to "Piano Man" -- the final song of the evening. It was such an amazing feeling to be dancing there with my husband and be literally surrounded by all of our closest family and friends. It was such an unforgettable feeling and a memory we will cherish forever." -- Miranda Lyn Tassi