Aug 27, 2018 | vendors
A sample of Evanstonian BLURfoto’s work. (I didn’t get to work with this lovely couple, though.)
I’ve covered venues, food, florists, and music so far in my survey of Evanston wedding and party vendors. Another big category is photographers. And, once more, Evanston delivers the goods. I found a generous handful of event and wedding photographers here. I have not yet had the pleasure of working with most of them, but maybe one day I will.
I did get to work with Aubrey Navarro of BlurFoto just a couple of weeks ago on a wedding. I haven’t seen the photos yet, but Aubrey was great to work with and really helped me to work out the photography schedule with the couple when they asked for a lot of photos in a very short amount of time. I can’t wait to see the photos! I’m betting that they will be great, based on the website galleries.
Another photographer whose name has come up in discussions of Evanston vendors is Jeremy Lawson. He appears to be based both on the West Coast and in the Chicago area, but I still think he counts as local–at least part of the time. While I haven’t worked with him, the thing that catches my eye about his work is that he has not only an eye for setting and character, but his photos are full of humor. I chuckled as I went through his galleries. To me, that’s a huge recommendation.
I go by Jill Norton Photography‘s studio frequently, as she is in my neighborhood. It looks as if she does mainly portrait work and social event photography, but she does showcase wedding work on her website.
And this is just a sample of the photographers in Evanston. If you know of others, or if you are a wedding photographer in Evanston, please comment so I can find the rest. I’m always interested in working with local people!
Aug 20, 2018 | vendors
Photo by Studio Finch.
We are so lucky, here in Evanston, IL, to have not one, not two, not even just three, but a minimum of four wedding bands in our little city. And those are just the large, splashy companies that have a variety of ensembles, large and small, and even DJs. There is a wide variety of musical talent here.
First, the big outfits. I have to give pride of place to Stitely Entertainment, because I’ve worked with them the most often, although mainly their top-notch DJs. But I know the quality of their music from having heard owner Jeff Stitely, a drummer, play in various venues. He’s a serious musician and he hires other musicians of the same caliber.
But if Stitely is booked on your event day, try Arlen Music. I used to work with them when I worked at Navy Pier and they played there, and they were always fun to have play.
Also in Evanston is Bill Pollack Music. I don’t think I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with them, but I know that you don’t stick around for 20 years in this business without getting good reviews. Another band I have not yet worked with is Rendezvous Music.
If you are looking for something completely different, you might want to have Jutta and the Hi-Dukes play at your celebration. They are right here in Evanston, and they play a huge variety of ethnic music (and teach the dances that go with the music, too). They are the only band I’ve ever heard play klezmer music and Danish folk music–on the same program.
I have to wonder if the quantity and quality of musicians in Evanston has anything to do with the fact that Northwestern University’s music school is turning out amazing musicians every year. In fact, if you’re looking for a small ensemble, you can hire NU musicians to play. I have not had a chance to do this yet, but it looks like it would be a good deal for everyone.
Whatever the reason, Evanston musicians are worth a look and a listen. I have the feeling you can’t go wrong.
Aug 13, 2018 | vendors
Yum! (Photo by Christy Tyler Photography.)
I was very surprised to learn, as I researched this subject, that there are only a few caterers doing business in the city of Evanston. That’s not to say that you can’t find a caterer here, because any of them will come to Evanston, but, for some reason, almost no one has set up shop in town to do catering. I do know of a few, but the funny thing, for me, is that I’ve never worked with any of them. I think I’ll have to work on that! Here are the ones I know about.
The first one I heard of is Feast & Imbibe. They have a space in northwest Evanston, and it looks as if they are on the verge of opening up a venue there, too. I like the vibe they give off. It feels very Evanstonian.
There is also The Caterist, which I’ve also heard good things about. It’s kind of amazing that I’ve never crossed paths with them, since they work at a lot of venues where I’ve worked regularly.
And then there is a catering company that is entirely new to me. I knew that Foodstuffs has a store selling gourmet groceries on Central St. in Evanston. It has been there a long time (30 years, according to their website), and I’ve been by there many times. What I didn’t know is that they also have a catering division, Foodstuffs Events & Catering, that offers full-service catering. Who knew? Now we all do.
In addition, we have a plethora of good bakeries in Evanston. My neighbor, Tracy Sampson, runs Yum Squared Bakery. From everything I’ve heard about her, this is a bakery worth considering. I love the fact that she uses organic ingredients when possible and offers both vegan and dairy-free options. And her Instagram is slathered in photos of beautiful cookies, cakes, and cupcakes.
Another option for lovely-looking cookies is Primadonna Custom Cookies, a small-batch baker in town. (Link is to Instagram. I couldn’t find a website.)
And, of course, I can’t overlook the old stalwarts of the Evanston bakery scene. Bennison’s Bakery has been on Davis St. in downtown Evanston since 1938! They are a solid, old-fashioned bakery of the best kind. The lines are always out the door on Saturday mornings. And Tag’s Bakery has been on Central St. since 1937. (This one was my hangout after school when I was in middle school.)
Again, I am only scratching the surface of bakeries. There are small and specialty bakeries all over town. Everyone has their favorite. We’re lucky to live in a city that has so many resources and so many talented people who have decided to set up shop here. One things is for sure: Evanston eats well!
Aug 6, 2018 | vendors
Here is some more Evanston love for you this week. I’m talking about all the terrific florists who have chosen to operate their businesses here. We’re lucky to have so many–and these are only the ones I’m personally familiar with! I know there are even more.
It’s hard to choose a favorite out of this bunch, so I’ll start with the two I’ve worked with the most. I always like to recommend Mille Fiori on Central St. because they do excellent work and somehow always manage to say “Yes” to a project, even in the middle of the summer at the last minute. Hardly a wedding season goes by that I don’t do at least one wedding with them.
Centerpieces and mantlepiece arrangement by Mille Fiori Flowers. (Photo by Agnes Malorny Photography.)
I don’t get to work with Sarah at Four Finches as often, but that is because she has a very different business model. She concentrates on one wedding at a time (I think one per weekend) so that she can work her magic. She is very hands-on on the day of the wedding, as well–something any planner will appreciate! And did I mention that her flowers are always stunning? That’s the important thing to know.
A gorgeous floral arrangement by Four Finches. (Photo by Studio Finch. Cheese display by Catered by Design.)
I’ve only worked with Ixia Flowers once, a number of years ago, but I was impressed enough to make sure to keep them on my list. I wish I had a nice photo to show you, but that wedding was the one without a professional photographer (and my photos don’t at all do justice to the work).
I also had the good fortune to work with May Floral last year. While the business is located in Chicago, Lovely Bastian, the owner, lives in Evanston. I think that counts! She was a treat to work with, and I loved her flowers! They were just right for the occasion. She also found just the right blossoms for our mutual clients’ one-of-a-kind flower lantern.
Just the right bouquet for this bride. (Photo by Cage+Aquarium.)
And, in a couple of weeks, I’ll be working with Joanne of FlowersFlowers in downtown Evanston. I can’t show you photos of her work yet (but stay tuned later in the year when I start posting wedding photos!), but here is what she says about why she is in Evanston, “Evanston chose me! FlowersFlowers had been in existence for over 5 years when I bought it, and I decided that Evanston was the perfect city for my shop, with its lively downtown, diverse demographics, and a general appreciation for the beautiful and unique flowers in my shop.”
That sums up what a lot of us love about this town. And if that weren’t enough, here are a few more florists that I don’t know personally: Preston’s Flowers and Gifts on Central St.; Saville Flowers downtown (which has been there since long before I was a kid); West End Florist & Garden Center (so far in northwest Evanston that you might mistake it for Glenview); and Bloom 3 on Chicago Ave. I think we have almost enough florists here!
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