landlocked bride® | midwest + mountain west wedding inspiration

I was sold on this wedding after I saw the stunning lace bridal gown, and the hints of baby’s breath (two personal favorites). I absolutely love the bridal party photos around the city of Chicago, and the photos of the bride and groom within the conservatory are breathtaking. Every detail looked flawless, and was documented beautifully. I love how the details of the venue were reflected in their unique, creative wedding cake, and how they incorporated travel details – a big part of their relationship – into the reception decor as well.

From the Bride

Keith and I met in our first week at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2003 (almost ten years ago!) through mutual friends on our way to a football rally. We ourselves were friends until we started dating during our senior year. We had a lot of common interests–such as the same music tastes, listening to and collecting records, hanging out at coffee shops, being outdoors, and our love of reading–but I think our relationship was firmly cemented in our love to travel. Our relationship started with a road trip to go camping in Missouri and in 2007 Keith and I took our first international trip together to Rome, Italy. It’s safe to say that we fell in love not only with the city, but we also fell in love with each other there. That’s why in 2010 on our third trip to Rome, Keith proposed on my favorite bridge, Ponte Sant’Angelo, while we were putting a lock on the bridge. We celebrated the occasion with an established tradition of Limoncello and Guinness in an “Irish Pub.” [He almost proposed in Munich on New Year's Eve, but he held off in better judgement]. It was a great reflection of our relationship (and why our wedding had hints of our travels and Italy throughout) and it gave us a few days to enjoy being engaged before we told the masses!

Though the weather can’t seem to make up its mind about what season it is, this wedding definitely puts me in a spring-y mood! The slate blue bridesmaids dresses, the lush pastel florals, and the delicate DIY lace details in the votives and escort cards are making me swoon. Then the party really gets going with a mariachi band, mini cupcakes, and colorful cocktails! Happy almost 1 year anniversary, Nathalie and Saul!

We met at a friend’s gathering for a Manny Pacquiao fight. Our mutual friend mentioned to Saul that they had already talked to me about him and it was up to Saul to make his move. So he sat by me and the only thing that I saw where these “ugly” converse shoes (not chucks, but skater shoes) he was wearing. All he was talking about was his trip to Paris that was coming up in a week. Long story short, I said there was no way you should be taking those shoes to Paris, and the entire crowd at the gathering was laughing. To say the least, it broke the ice and Saul finally introduced himself to me. Food, drinks, dancing followed and Saul asked me on a date via Facebook! I accepted anyway, and the rest was history!!! Hence the Converse Chucks at the wedding reception.
Saul picked a fantastic place to get ready- Simone’s in Pilsen. It was an excellent touch of color to the guy’s afternoon, and a good start to the Mariachi festivities. Our ceremony was at my early childhood church St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Chicago, IL. My sister and I were baptized there. My sister also got married there so we have a lot of wonderful memories. Meson Sabika in Naperville IL for our reception was selected for the well known Spanish Tapas and intimate setting at their Pavilion. For our music, we had a DJ and the traditional music Mariachi group. The lively feel came into play once our guests and groom joined our Mariachi band in singing along.
I love soft pink so I wanted to keep it simple and clean with an accent of light grey. We accented the tables with pink appliquéd lace votives which I made, in addition to coordinating the table numbers with the color scheme. I incorporated the lace theme with lace stamped escort cards.  Saul vigorously worked hard to cut the wine cork escort card holders. I purchased some handmade felt flowers on Esty for our ring bearers to carry. The theme was Happily Ever After Starts Here! We thought it would be a nice touch to give our guests a look at the past by sharing  our parents’ wedding pictures and our baby pictures. Saul and I have both been to Paris and loved it so we found a box that had a Parisian theme which we made into our wedding card box.

This wedding we’re sharing today strikes a really delicate balance between elegant and quirky. The black and red color palette, the bride’s dress and shoes, the beautiful ceremony and reception decor are all traditionally gorgeous. But then the transportation, the wedding “cake” and topper, the flower girl and ring bearer, and other DIY details really bring out Brianne and Jeffrey’s personal touches and life together. And I am seriously loving their escort cards votives – practical and innovative!

From the Photographer:

Brianne was a timeless vision in her Lazaro for Tara Keely dress, and she wore her grandmother’s vintage jewelry. Jeffery was fetching in his Hugo Boss suit with custom bow tie by Shrine on Oak. The guys wore their own black suits, and the ladies did the same in their own black cocktail dresses. The Bride’s bouquet as well boutonnieres and corsages were created by Sprout Home, and featured deep red roses, rosemary, and organic mosses which accented the black and white attire classically. Red was the visual pop of the day, and it played beautifully against the black furnishings and stark white interior of Prairie Production where the ceremony and reception was held.

Brianne and Jeffrey’s dogs Raspberry Beret and Mike Jones were the flower girl and ring bearer; Mike Jones donned a bone shaped pillow found on Etsy, and Raspberry wore a lovely corsage by Sprout Home. Many DIY touches were laced into the day. Brianne, an Interior Designer, and inspired by her creative background, created cones made from her favorite black wall paper and filled them with white rose petals that hung from the chair backs along the aisle. After Raspberry Beret was escorted down the aisle, guests were prompted to help throw the petals to the floor as Raspberry passed by. In lieu of a traditional cake, the bride and groom opted for a tower of Oreo cookies, and they dipped them in milk while the Cookie Monster’s song played. The “cake” was topped with watch over voodoo dolls purchased by the bride in Palm Springs.

Vintage touches added to the decor by way of a Vietnam relic bell rung during the ceremony to honor those no longer present, candle holders and vases that were collected by Brianne, vintage door knobs held the birch table numbers. Birch bark was gathered by a bridesmaid from her yard and used for the menus and table numbers. Votives acted as escort cards, and glowed throughout the evening which added to the already dramatic lighting of the room.

This rustic, fall wedding incorporates everything I love about about this type of seasonal celebration; wood details, burlap, and chalkboards. This couple also incorporated unique details such as wine cork place card holders and custom twig napkin holders. Not to mention they used rustic elements with a Chicago flare; a perfect combination. The neutral color scheme among an elegant lace bridal gown makes this wedding simply stunning… take a look for yourself!

From the Bride:

From our initial conversations about our fall wedding, Mike and I knew we wanted it to have a rustic look and a laid-back, yet super fun atmosphere.  We live in Chicago, but we planned to get married in Southern Illinois near where I grew up – particularly so that my grandparents could be part of our celebration. The one and only reception venue we considered was a giant warehouse on the river called The Loading Dock.  What we loved most about the space is that we could truly make it our own; from food and drinks to décor and layout, we could customize the menu and transform the space exactly how we wanted to.

Our first topic of discussion was food.  Mike threw out the idea of barbecue and I was instantly sold – we knew we could serve a delicious meal that everyone would love, and it tied in perfectly with the rustic, laid-back theme we had envisioned.  We opted for family-style serving, with a brisket on each table, pulled pork sliders on pretzel rolls, mac and cheese, veggie kabobs, cornbread and salad.  For dessert, we had a choice of red velvet and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.

The décor was a mix of fall colors and neutral, natural materials.  We chose to hang burlap and rust-colored drapes from the rafters to create a more intimate space in the large warehouse, along with white lights strung throughout and a vintage chandelier over the dance floor. We also rented wine barrels to use as cocktail tables near the bar area.

The escort cards had textured paper anchored by wine cork bases. These tied into the look and feel of the programs and invitations, which featured the same textured paper with a wood grain backing that we absolutely loved. 

The table décor included burlap runners, wood slice table numbers and gorgeous centerpieces that my mom made. Each arrangement was comprised of four various-sized vases with a mix of dried and fresh flowers and decorative twigs – all grown in my parents’ backyard. The napkin rings were made out of twigs as well, tying into the simplistic, natural look of each table.

To add a Chicago flavor to the mix, our favors were customized, individual bags of Garret popcorn.  And to honor both of our families and the amazing examples they’ve set for us in marriage, we placed framed photos of our parents’ and grandparents’ weddings around the cake.

In terms of attire, I wore a fitted lace strapless gown with a belt that I had added to the dress.  My bouquet was a mix of fall-colored fresh flowers tied with burlap.  My bridesmaids wore taupe colored dresses in a range of different styles, and they carried orange calla lilies.  Mike and the guys wore gray tuxes with gray and taupe ties; their boutonnieres were made of mini orange calla lilies and burlap.

The entire day and night was exactly how we dreamed it would be – we had perfect weather and everyone was dancing up a storm, taking fun group pictures in the photobooth area and enjoying the celebration.  We couldn’t have been happier with the way everything turned out.

Photograper: Hawes Photography | Reception Venue: The Loading Dock| Church: St. Patrick’s | Invitations, Programs, Escort Cards: The Bronze Frog | Bridal Gown: Blue by Enzoani | Bridesmaid Dresses: Aria Dresses |

All weddings have very personal elements. After all, a wedding is a celebration of two individuals joining their lives together, so it’s about as personal as you can get. But what I love best is when those moments, not just the details, but the moments are captured in the photos. This is definitely the case with Jessica and Justin’s nuptials, as I’m sure you’ll see!

From the Photographer:

Justin and Jessica have a beautiful balance of romance and goofiness. I think this is a perfect combination. They were SO fun to work with, and where up for anything. They trusted me when I led them under some el tracks, going along with my vision of bringing out the water stains on the wall for a background texture:)

We started out the day with both the Bride and Groom’s preparations at the Crowne Plaza in West Town. The hotel has a really pretty corridor where we had their ‘First Look’. We hopped in the limo, and it was off to some nearby locations to take some fun, creative portraits. On the way back to Loft on the Lake, we picked up Palmer, the Couple’s ADORABLE Pomeranian dog.

It was time for the Ceremony, and guests were treated to a warm, romantic atmosphere at Loft on the Lake. Jessica did a lot of the decor herself, and she knocked it out of the park. Their Ceremony was officiated by a friend, and was full of funny stories, heartfelt vows, and all smiles. I just gotta put this out there: I love doggie ringbearers! Though I don’t know if you could find a better behaved little guy than Palmer. He was pretty much sleeping in one of the Groomsmen’s arms, just being his adorable little self.

Cocktail hour went underway, and I was able to capture some candid moments of their guests, as well as documenting all the gorgeous details and decor in the reception room. In between courses, we heard amazing speeches…including an extremely memorable one from the Bride’s Sister. As a surprise, she had written a song about Jessica and Justin to the tune of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story”. I think you can see by the photos how much of a hit it was!

This wedding is just full of precious details. From the looks exchanged by the bride and groom to the little ones of the bridal party, from the gorgeous bouquets to all the handmade reception details, this wedding is just infused with sweetness. I have a personal fondness for their cake toppers as a huge baseball fan, and their last photo of the night looks straight up like it was taken from the end of a fairy tale book. It all came together to form a beautiful, memorable day for Bret and Lindsay.

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From the Photographer:

Lindsay & Bret are a very special couple. I know we say that a lot, but what I can I say? We get to work with some AMAZING people! I’d say we really got to know Bret and Lindsay more during their engagement session with the adorable Savanah, which is why we love engagement sessions! After that we talked more and just became friends. Bret even helped Joel fix our t-shirt dryer for our shop! So needless to say we were super excited about their wedding – plus the reception was taking place outside under a tent at one of our favorite venues, The Weingarten.

Their day was truly magical, and the photos look like like something out of a fairy tale (at least I think they do) Lindsay’s dress was incredible, and one thing that I loved was that she wore TOMS shoes! (Although I love high fashion; I love TOMS and what they do.) Plus all the details she and Bret put together for the reception were spectacular. Talk about taking DIY to the next level! The day was filled with such beautiful emotion and heartfelt moments. One of the most memorable was during the toast by Bret’s brother, the best man. I would wager to say there was not a dry eye in the room. If you want to hear a beautiful story, check out the YouTube video. We’ve had such a fun time getting to know Bret, Lindsay and Savanah and we are so glad Bret was ok with hiring us even if we weren’t totally Mac!

When I first saw this wedding, I couldn’t believe that it took place right here in the Midwest. The beautiful outdoor setting, the pops of green both in the decor and within the surrounding natural backdrop, the classic elements of black and white to the polka dots – everything looks as if it was taken straight from a magazine. Most people only hope to have a reception as beautiful as this, and lucky for this bride and groom, this was their second celebration as they had gotten married a month earlier in Honolulu, Hawaii (swoon). However, what I love most is that the couple incorporated photos form their wedding in Hawaii into the decor for their at-home reception.

 Jennifer Jackson Photography

Vendors:

Caterer: Moveable Feast | Floral Designer: Kennicott Brothers | Linens & Coverings: BBJ Linens & Elegant Presentations | Equipment Rentals: Blue Peaks Tents

There is something about a newlywed session that makes my heart soar. Like an engagement session, it’s just the bride and groom, but it’s AFTER the stress of wedding planning and the wedding itself, so the couple is just so much more relaxed. Not only that, but being just married means they have that giddy, “oh my gosh you’re my husband/wife” thing still going on, and that shines through sometimes a little better than it might on the wedding day when photos are just a part of the whirlwind of the day. Stephanie and Dan are no exception in this gorgeous shoot at their wedding venue.

From the Photographer:

This New Mr & Mrs session of the beautiful Stephanie & Dan ,who just tied the knot this summer, took place at the beautiful Cuneo Mansion and Gardens in Vernon Hills, IL. They chose to revisit where they got married to get some extra beautiful images of just the two of them around the estate. Talk about GORGEOUS! The fall colors were spectacular and we had the entire estate to ourselves. From the vintage antique decor inside, to the vibrant fall colors outdoors, and the love and laughter shared between the two of them, this is a total gem!

Note: Apologies if you saw this post earlier this morning! For some reason it published as a draft and not the finished product.

I love a good city wedding, and obviously Shanna and Brian did too, as they integrated the Chicago skyline and important buildings into several aspects of their wedding. They also held their reception in a place that would allow their guests to experience the city all around them. The playfulness of the bride and groom is evident in the touch of feathers in the bride’s bouquet, the pre-ceremony text from the groom, and the fun popcorn favors.

From the Event Planner:

The groom hails from New York and the bride’s family is from the East coast as well, so they knew from the beginning that they wanted the wedding to introduce their guests to the Windy City. Working with a strict budget, we turned to Hotel 71’s beautiful skyline view for inspiration. The lights of the Chicago skyline would be the inspiration for everything from the invitations to the yellow and blue color scheme for the fabulous flowers created by Kasha at Flowers by KH. To keep the cost down we focused on unique details instead of expensive details. The cocktail tables were littered with framed pictures of various Chicago buildings and pictures from the couple’s engagement session. The menus with the setting skyline coordinated with the invitations. The table names were various Chicago Landmarks. When guests picked up their escort cards, they found trivia questions for their specific Chicago landmark on the back. Even the wedding cake was a tribute to famous Chicago architecture!

What I really love about this wedding is how cohesive it is. The colors are carried through throughout the whole thing. The tandem bicycle is used in photos, the cake topper, the guest book, and other paper products. The pinwheels/rosettes are showcased on the cake backdrop, the cake itself, and the card box. Not to mention how much fun the Zach and Sarah and their wedding party look like they’re having (check out those BMX moves)!

From the Photographer:

Sarah & Zach were married during the Midwest’ heatwave in June. Sarah worked very hard on all of the DIY details; painted wine bottles, flowered centerpieces, paper flowers behind the cake wall, programs, etc. The main inspiration behind their wedding was a tandem bicycle they used for their engagement session. Zach used to race BMX bikes & fixed up this old tandem bicycle for their e-session. Their favorite photo was of them kissing underneath a huge oak tree with the tandem bike next to them. They used that image as their canvas “guest book” where each guest left their thumb print as a leaf on the tree of the canvas guestbook. The cake topper was a wire tandem bike with a bride and groom riding it! The tandem bicycle was brought along to use with the bride & groom and the wedding party photos after the ceremony!