Feyi + Ayo

August 11, 2016Leave a comment

Feyi and Ayo’s wedding was breathtaking. From the gorgeous stairwell shots Alakija Studios shot at the Parents of the Bride’s Hyde Park home, to the sweeping ceilings and opulence of St. James Cathedral and the Chicago Cultural Center. I had a great time helping this vivacious couple make their marriage celebration unlike any other.

After having finally tied the knot, Feyi and Ayo headed out to take photos outside in the beautiful budding greenery of spring. And then, of course, it was time for the party!

Feyi and Ayo were over the moon on their wedding day, and I’m so glad that I got to be a part of such a wonderful celebration.

Band: SWAY Chicago
Cake: Bittersweet Pastry Shop
Catering: Blue Plate Chicago
Ceremony: St. James Cathedral
Decor: Exquisite Designs
DJ: D.I.S Productions
Make-up: Crystal-Eyez Makeup & Beauty Lounge
Photographer: Alakija Studios
Reception: Chicago Cultural Center
Videographer: 312film
Wedding Coordinator: Honey Bee Weddings

Courtney + Erik: Part 2

March 9, 2012Leave a comment

In my last post, I shared the start of Courtney and Erik’s day, including their beautiful ceremony at Holy Name Cathedral. Now I’m excited to share the wedding party as they take photos around the city and their reception at the Chicago Cultural Center!

All photos by Danielle Aquiline.

The wedding party got some great shots on the steps of the MCA – always a great stop for pictures in the city!

They even popped inside the museum for a few pictures. I love this one of Courtney and Erik!

And, of course, you have to take pictures on one of Chicago’s fabulous bridges!

While the wedding party was out and about, I was at the Chicago Cultural Center making sure every detail was perfect.

Botanicals did a fantastic job with the flowers – this large display on the escort card table made an amazing first impression as guests arrived!

Courtney and Erik made sure their guests had plenty of sweets to choose from! Bittersweet created this large cupcake for the couple to use as their cutting cake.

They also made a life sized hockey stick and puck for the groom’s cake – so much fun!

And, to top everything off, Molly’s Cupcakes provided plenty of delicious cupcakes for guests to sample!

After all of the guests had been seated for dinner, it was time for introductions!

Courtney and Erik opted to do an East Coast style reception, which meant guests were encouraged to dance in between courses. They also enjoyed their first dance and dances with their parents in between courses.

Finally, it was time for the couple to cut their cake! Who wouldn’t want to cut right into a huge cupcake?

The Jeff Stitely Orchestra did an amazing job keeping the guests dancing throughout the night.

Courtney and Erik made sure they were on the dance floor as much as possible, which is also a great way to ensure your guests keep dancing. Guests want to be wherever the bride and groom are!

Courtney and Erik, your day was so much fun – thank you for letting me be a part of it!

Kristi + David, the reception

April 7, 20101 Comment

Yesterday, I posted about Kristi and David’s ceremony. It was a relatively calm day… until the reception. Held at the gorgeous Cultural Center, the reception turned into quite the party. The couple were so perfectly relaxed and happy. It was a wonderful day and I was so happy that I was able to spend their day with them.

All photos by Paul Huynh.

The room, as always, looked absolutely stunning.
The couple brought in gorgeous wooden chivari chairs and green linens that made the room look even more beautiful!

The couple chose Chicago landmarks for their table numbers. The centerpieces included an array of flowers that were very colorful. I’m glad that Kristi didn’t keep with the “typical” neutral October palette!

The couple hired us to bring in a gobo with their monogram, that included highlighting their city, Chicago!
The monogram was discretly positioned throughout the room.

Another view of the table top.
The place cards, table number and menu all had the deep chocolate brown border, creating a cohesive look.

A view of the room during the dinner. I chose the picture because the detail on the walls is esquisite.
If I was to have a 200 person wedding in Chicago, I would have picked the Cultural Center.

What says Chicago more than a popcorn buffet?
The couple offered an array of flavors and cute little take home containers for the guests that opted not to indulge during the reception!

Nothing gets a party going like a band! David Rothstein packed the dance floor.

What else gets your guests out on the dance floor? A bride and groom that are dancing!

The couple says thank you with DIY custom water bottles.

Yum! As you can tell, the night was quite the party. Guests always love a snack right before the end of the night. Keeping with the other Chicago touches, Berghoff Catering brought on mini hot dogs the last hour of the reception.

Kristi and David, Congratulations! I hope that you are enjoying this first year of marriage!

Kristi + David, Before the party…

April 6, 20103 Comments

Kristi was such a fun bride! She had booked her venue almost immediately – the fabulous Chicago Cultural Center – and then enlisted my services to help her with the rest of the planning. We had such fun planning together, when Kristi was in town. She was working in Mexico for weeks at a time, as a consultant. It didn’t prove to be difficult as Kristi is online as much as me. I had a lot of fun planning Kristi’s wedding. She was one of my most laid-back brides! I should have known that the reception was going to be quite the party. But, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see those photos…

Band: David Rothstein
Caterer: Berghoff Catering
Cupcakes: Tipsy Cake
Florist: Kio Kreations
Hair: Livia Caporale
Hotel: Fairmont
Make-up: Sonia Roselli
Ceremony + Reception: Chicago Cultural Center
Photographer: Paul Huynh

All photos by Paul Huynh.

On the morning of her wedding, Kristi radiated energy. She opted to have Livia style her down and full. I love the look especially with her gorgeous gown.