Elegant wedding venue in Chicago perfect for any season, where floral design shines against elegant classic venue
Best 1st look locations in Chicago
Chicago is known for its striking architecture and has no shortage of locations that can make the perfect backdrop for your 1st look. BUT it’s also known for large events that affect traffic, large crowds and tourist-heavy areas. And spoiler alert, yours is not the only wedding that weekend, if picking a spot that’s in high demand you’ll likely have to compete with other couples waiting for the same spot adding unnecessary frustration and likely messing with your timeline, not to mention your photos will look like everyone else’s.
A great first look location (or portrait location), is a unique location: you want a spot that’s quiet, calm, private, less known, and photographs well and maybe one that is special to you as a couple. We have compiled a list of spots that strike a perfect balance, they take you away from the crowds without sacrificing the quintessential Chicago settings.
1. Maggie Daley Park Gazebo and Cancer Survivors’ Garden
We love this spot because it is a striking structure in the middle of the city that’s less known than the typical photo spots ( looking at you Wrigley Building & Riverwalk), it makes a perfect setting visually, and it is easily accessible from the street where you don’t have to walk a long way from your drop off point. Another big plus is its proximity to some of the best hotels in the city.
Photos by The Bold Americana
2. Lincoln Park Lilly Pond
You’ll love Lincoln Park as a setting but specifically the Lilly Pond because it’s an area mostly known to locals and one that isn’t swarming with tourists. This is a serene beautiful backdrop that can even be used for intimate ceremonies. One of the main reasons this area is not overpacked with wedding parties waiting for their photo moments, is that it requires a permit, which is easily obtained making the spot exclusively yours for the time you reserve, your timeline thanks you. Check out the park’s info page for all the details and availability.
Photos by: Shanti Knight Photography
3. Chciago Bridges
Yes, you read that right, Chicago is known for it’s iconic bridges that arch over the river, and if your timeline allows you to venture away from the downtown area, you’ll find other unique spots that give you the skyline in the background — ask your photographer to scope out some unique bridge spots (like the Division ave or Chicago Ave bridges) for a more unique vibe
Speaking of bridges, the bridge leading to the Honey Comb/ People’s Gas Pavilion at Lincoln Park Zoo, has one of the best skyline views away from the lakefront. And even though it may be a busy spot for wedding parties, it’s a large area that can accommodate a few parties at a time; if you are getting married on Zoo grounds this is even more of a must! Convenient AND stunning is our fave combo.
Photos by Ed & Aileen Photography and Layla Eloa Photography
4. striking Architectural Elements
Find yourself a beautiful doorway or building front in the city — ideally in the business district where it’s less busy during the weekend. Walking around the city and finding gilded doors, grand staircases and arched entryways that can make a beautiful backdrop can be a fun activity you do as a couple and you can enlist friends or your photographer to help discover unique hidden gems.
photos by Studio Finch Photography
6. Hotel private/ semi private spaces
Chicago hotels are full of hidden gems perfect for a 1st look. Ask your hotel contact if they have any areas that are used for photos and ask if they’re private or semi- private or can be blocked off, and even if they aren’t, usually guests are accommodating and respectful as long as you stay away from busy lobby areas or tight spaces. We love a beautiful elevator door, a rooftop bar during off peak times, or a striking staircase. A pro tip: don’t assume you’re ok to take photos in a specific space in a hotel just because you have a room block there, often hotels reserve certain times for guests and those hosting their wedding reception there have priority even in common areas, so always ask. When making your hotel selection we can advise on the ones that are accommodating and have great spots to offer.
Photos by: Once Like a Spark// Nakai Photography // The Bold Americana // Studio This Is
Photo by Jill Tiongco Photography
Speaking of pro tips, here are a few that we see more as GOLDEN RULES, they will save you time and anxiety, and if you’re one of our clients we will take care of all of the legwork and work closely with your photographer to make sure you have the perfect experience, this is a moment' that’s charged with emotions on it’s own, location drama should not add any stress.
The perfect 1st look location is one that is perfect for YOU and your specific scenario, but here are a few things to consider when making your decision:
Your timeline is the Bible, so make sure you choose a location that makes sense in order to maximize your time. You want to spend the bulk of time actually enjoying each other, taking photos not driving around the city in high traffic and likely contending with street closures.
Run your ideas by your photographer, they’ll likely be able to give you feedback on lighting at that time of day and season, ideal setting for your vibe and timing.
No matter how much you love an outdoor location, always make sure you have an indoor backup in mind ( even if it’s as simple as your hotel suite) — scrambling to find a backup and communicating all the details to everyone involved last minute is never a good idea !
Check city events during your wedding weekend, besides the obvious large scale events there might be others that you’re not aware of, and avoiding those spots will save you time and frustration.
Elegant Fall Wedding at Cafe Brauer
Chicago Fall wedding at Cafe Brauer and ceremony at Honeycomb
Looking for a quintessential Chicago wedding venue? Look no further! Cafe Brauer is iconic and historic without being overly ornate or stuffy, and has unique features that attract locals to its charm.
Its perfect location in the heart of Lincoln Park, adjacent to The Lincoln Park Zoo and minutes from the Downtown and the lake makes this venue highly desirable every season but in the fall the magic of the turning leaves and golden hour magic in the brisk air are hard to compete with . The photo opportunities within minutes from the venue are endless and some of the best views of the skyline are seen from the balconies flanking the venue, a perfect location for outdoor cocktail hour.
Wedding clients have the option to rent out the Honeycomb structure which provides a stunning Chicago backdrop to ceremonies. We love that it is fully covered in case Chicago weather makes its typical good luck appearance.
Beyond the location, Cafe Brauer has one of the most beautiful architectural elements that are iconic, yet warm and inviting and that work in perfect synergy with floral decor. The Great Hall at cafe Brauer features artistic representations of the park surrounding it and we love bringing in floral elements that complement these beautiful subtle design elements.
The Tigerlily team that manages the venue and offers catering services will wow you with their knowledge of the space and expertise on event production, and they are one of our favorite teams to work with in the city!
The large skylight is a favorite element that we love featuring in our design. Whether adding dangling glass orbs with twinkling lights or large installations to feature this wow moment, the options are endless and we love coming up with unique ideas that enhance the space.
venue: Cafe Brauer at Lincoln Park Zoo // photo & video: Ed and Aileen Photography catering: Tigelily Events // Entertainment: The DJ Firm // hair and makeup: Beauty by Tassi // Cake: Vanille // Lighting, Floral Design and Planning : Elena’s Garden Events
Chicago wedding planner tips: defining your wedding style and making it your own
Wedding trends, they can sweep you up and take you down the deepest Pinterest and Instagram rabbit hole. And while we love a theme or a vibe an event can be inspired by or centered around, there’s a danger that wrapping your entire design around a trend too tightly can date your wedding and create regrets later down the line. After all, weddings are not just another party ( Monica in Friends reminded us of that) and the payout for all your energy and resources spent should be fresh, beautiful, and uniquely you.
Embracing certain trends (we see you bows) and sprinkling them around is perfectly fine, but trying to force a theme for the sake of a theme can come off awkward, messy and dare we say it? basic. Instead, we suggest leaning on classic inspiration and blending it with current trends or unique style elements to create mashups that are unique and purposefully woven into your day.
Are you an anti-wedding cool girl who would never opt for a classic gown or a green and white “timeless” design trend!? Challenge accepted! We’re here for creating a design plan that embraces fresh, cool elements to bring to life a celebration so YOU that others will want to copy it!
Your wedding might be one of the few times you’ll be willing to spend tons of cash and time in planning an elaborate event (we hope not but odds are you’re doing it this big only once), why not create something new and truly special that you’ll love reliving later? Our Advice? Give your designer latitude to get to know you, what you like, where you met, where you love to travel, what your event priorities are, what your comfort level for “fun” is and the result will probably shock you in the best way possible.
yellow floral installation photo wow moment at Wildman BT // Photo by Serena Bonphotage
Chicago Venue Selection -- the second most important "I DO"
There’s no such thing as a perfect venue, but there’s a perfect venue for you!
Much like being in that drunk with love euphoria phase of new love, being newly engaged and on cloud nine means you will see what you want to see in a venue often ignoring important questions and logistics that will surface later and prove to be a challenge, often an expensive one. Our approach and advice when diving into venue selection is simple but important: Know your numbers, know your priorities and non-negotiables, be as flexible as possible, have a wedding planner along for the ride.
Compare this process to buying a house, when choosing a venue, having a guide in your corner to navigate the process is priceless. Though your rose-colored glasses might be on as you hop around venues, your planner will be able to stay objective and negotiate on your behalf; We vet options that are not a good fit even before you even step foot in a place based on expertise and your needs, thus saving you time, money, avoiding falling in love with a space that is not a good fit for you and your celebration. Today’s “market” is very competitive so a little flexibility (we advise clients to be flexible on dates and even days of the week in order to get their dream venue) creativity (let us paint a picture of what your venue will look like when it’s show time), clear expectations (having those hard conversations about budget and priorities in the beginning rather than along the way when emotions run high) are just some of the tools we bring to the table to make the process as stress free and swift as possible. So grab a glass of wine, or several, and let’s dive in and find the perfect venue for you.
Intimate weddings, what we love about them, and you will too
Don’t get us wrong, we love a large celebration, a lush, elegant, elaborate wedding, the longer the to do list the more satisfying it is when we help pull it all together. But one of our MOST FAVORITE weddings of 2019 was an intimate destination I Do at Emerald Lake Lodge near Banff Canada. And yes, the bucket list setting is of course a big reason why Kristine and Bo chose to have their wedding there, and why it makes our own event bucket list, but beyond the breathtaking backdrop, this intimate wedding checks all the boxes for a unforgettable event.
If you’re in the beginning stages of wedding planning, and you’ve ever considered a small scale wedding, current circumstances are perhaps guiding you in that direction, since small gatherings and mini celebrations are our only option for the foreseeable future. Though you might have to compromise on your guest list, the rest of the choices will be made easier than if you were contending with a larger guest count. Below are just a few of the reasons why a smaller affair may mean a higher quality, more intentional and beautiful event.
Venues — often times the size of a guest list dictates your choice of venue, but without that daunting max capacity in mind, there are almost no limits to the creativity and venue options for your big day. Maybe an off the beaten path B&B where guests can stay overnight was never an option because of guest count, maybe your favorite neighborhood restaurant that can only fit a cozy 50 in it’s private room was a far fetched hope, or an intimate hotel outdoor terrace with the city as your backdrop. With a smaller guest count, there are a lot of options to choose from.
Emerald Lake Banff Canada wedding photos by Orange Girl Photography
Quality time with guests — for Kristine and Bo, spending a weekend with their closest friends and immediate family was key. Their attention was not divided in too many directions, and the intimacy of their event allowed them to be present, to customize activities and elements of their day that would have been impossible to do with a larger group. An 8am post wedding hike with your entire wedding posey is not for the faint of heart, but the memories created could be priceless! If a choose-your-own-adventure event or brunch is more your speed, creating multiple options that all your guests will enjoy is a fun option and doable with a smaller group.
Enhanced guest experience — when asked what the number one priority when putting together plans for their big day, by far most of our clients state that the guest experience is the most important for them. Now more than ever, wowing your guests and ensuring that they are safe, taken care of, and are having an amazing time ranks high on the priority list. With much of your budget freed up because of a reduced guest count, you will be able to splurge on higher end photography, decor, rentals, and menu options, not to mention entertainment! For Kristine and Bo, exquisite details like handwritten handmade paper menus, elegant lush floral decor and a room bathed in candle light, in addition to a decadent menu, personalize guest gifts were the perfect complement to their amazing location. Putting together personalized notes and gifts for their guests, was a task that was not just “doable” but fun and intimate because every person on their guest list was someone they knew closely.
We’d love to help you take the lemons handed out by the current restrictions and turn them into some amazingly delicious lemonade. We’ve curated a list of venue that are perfect for intimate events and would love to help put together a compromise-free intimate event.
Chicago venues perfect for intimate events, many of them featuring outdoor spaces:
Chicago’s First Lady River Cruise
Planning & Floral Decor Elena's Garden Events //Ceremony & Reception Venue: Cilantro on the Lake- Emerald Lake // Photo Orange Girl Photos // DJ: Class Act DJ/Jeremy Pettet // Hotel: Emerald Lake Lodge// Hair Glamaway Beauty // Makeup Glamaway Beauty // Linen BBJ Linens // Tuxedos Indochino // Bride's Dress: Anomelie
Personalized wedding details
Personalizing your wedding vs. DIYing your way through it
YOUR day, your way is something we are big proponents of, BUT the road to a DYI overwhelming Pinterest-full bonanza is a slippery one. When initially talking to our planning clients ( or even our decor only clients) we make sure we find every little way we can to incorporate their style and unique elements that represent their story while melding that within the overall design direction. We also make sure the projects the clients want to execute themselves are doable and won't be an extra burden that will overwhelm them during an already stressful time … some things should just be left to the pros. As always, it’s all about communication and setting expectations and ( just ask our brides) we do build a mean planning timeline, and also do not hold back from telling our clients when their plate is a little too full.
Mollie and Alex’s beautiful fall wedding is a perfect example where the synergy between personalizing their wedding and the design direction we created was perfectly balanced. It was very important for Mollie and Alex that their families played a big role in their day, and also wanted to contribute with personal elements that represented their personality and relationship as well. Because we were part of the planning process we were able to help them navigate the logistics and aesthetic so that the end result was beautiful, fun and personal.
When mom makes your and your bridesmaids attire, dad performs the ceremony, your sister makes an epic 5 tear cake, your puppy is your ring bearer, and you design your stationery …. the stakes are high, and things can get overwhelming fast, but a well constructed timeline and a supportive team of vendors leads to a beautifully personalized day, that is anything but DIY.
In addition, Mollie & Alex also peppered some of their favorite places and vendors into their celebration, they took their bridal party to some of their favorite date spots for photos and ordered cookies and beer from their favorite neighborhood local Chicago vendors and also made sure the rehearsal dinner and day after family brunch sports had special meaning to them as well.
Venue: The Joinery // Photo: Kina Wicks Photography // DJ: Toast & Jam // Getting ready Spot: The Robey // Catering: Food For Thought // Cake: sister of bride // Hair and Makeup: Nika Vaughan Bridal Artists // Bar: Binnies & Pipeworks // Cookies: Bake // Groom’s Attire: Black Tux // Bride’s Dress & BMDs skirt: Mother of the Bride // Planning & Decor: Elena’s Garden Events
garden wedding inspiration in peach and coral
CHICAGO GARDEN WEDDING INSPIRATION IN PEACH AND CORAL
SET at Loyola Cuneo Mansion and Gardens, the inspiration behind this lush summer wedding design was a modern day romantic garden love story merging together traditional elements and modern touches, channeling a current Romeo and Juliet. And what better setting than a historic Italianate mansion on a 100-acre estate? Blending a pallet of bold warm colors centered around citrus hues and living coral, stunning timeless architectural elements and decor, and dramatic elegant fashion, hair and makeup, resulting in an elegant summer dream wedding featuring a lineup of stellar Chicago vendors. All the details were also a nod to the elegant garden ambiance we were creating: the iron gate draped in garden roses, the brie stacked ‘cake adorned with fruit, the lush floral custom paper details, the apricot place cards, the colorful light and airy glassware, rich textured linens, and romantic lighting.
VENUE: LOYOLA AT CUNEO MANSION AND GARDENS // PHOTOGRAPHY: COLIN PIERSON PHOTOGRAPHY// PLANNING & FLORAL DESIGN: ELENA’S GARDEN EVENTS// RENTALS: THE FESTIVE FROG; BBJ LINENS// HAIR: KORENA ROBINSON// MAKEUP: ASHLEY BARBER OF MANIFEST MAKEUP// BRIDAL BOUTIQUE AND GOWNS: ULTIMATE BRIDE CHICAGO; MIRA ZWILLINGER; LEE PETRA GREBENAU; // GROOM ATTIRE: THE GROOMSMAN SUIT; STATIONERY SUITE: EMILY ROSE INK ; MODEL: JAMAICA CACYRIS
5 Reasons Why Hiring a Wedding Planner Is a Need, Not a Want
Let’s start with the premise that you want to enjoy your wedding day and aren’t looking to worry and stress over all the things that need to go smoothly and happen on time. If that’s the case, here are just a few of the zillion things a planner or coordinator can and will do for you on your wedding day so that you, your family, that friend that’s really good at planing DIY parties for her office, and your fiancé can do your job : look amazing and enjoy the most elaborate party you’ve ever thrown.
Timeless Romantic Chicago Wedding at The Joinery Chicago
On your wedding day, having a plan B in case the weather is not ideal, is as important as having a great plan A, especially in a city like Chicago where we can experience four seasons in the span of one week. For this chilly fall day, we brought the outside in to recreate an oasis of green and twinkling lights in the middle of the city!
Krysta and Garrett's Effortless, Romantic Wedding at Artifact Events
Classic Spring Wedding at W Chicago City Center
Classic Spring Wedding at W Chicago City Center with Chicago as it's backdrop celebrating, love, family and traditions new and old
Andreea and Benjamin's Romantic Summer Wedding at Chevy Chase Country Club
On a perfect breezy June day, Andreea and Benjamin tied the knot in Northbrook and celebrated with lots of friends and family at the beautiful Chevy Chase Country Club.
The Case for Color
You don't have to sacrifice elegance, romance or sophistication in order to add color to your event, more than ever, event vendors are incorporating rich patterns and colors into everything from floral, attire, cake, linens, and pretty much every element you can think of. Go beyond the blush box that is often Pinterest and elevate your event with bold vibrant yet elegant vibes that will make your big day stand out.
Love Is in the Air
“If I had a flower for every time I thought of you…I could walk through my garden forever.” ― Alfred Tennyson This week we share some beautiful blooms we worked on for Valentine’s day. It’s no wonder flowers are the most common gift one gives to show affection, sympathy, and love. A bouquet of flowers
Kristen & Jeff's Winter Wonderland Wedding
What better way to close out the year than with a beautiful wedding at Pazzo’s 311? Kristen and Jeff lit up this beautiful atrium space with their constant smiles and the vibrant energy of their bridal party. We hoped to further brighten the space with tons of candles, flowers and gold branches for the reception.
Christa and Dave's Fun Family Affair at Carnivale Chicago
We had the pleasure of doing the decor for Christa and Dave’s big day this past September. The weather was gloomy but that didn’t put a damper on this fun intimate event. The bride is one of the most chill people you’ll ever meet and wanted a ceremony and reception to match her laid