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!
Jul 30, 2018 | vendors
I was toodling around my home town of Evanston recently and suddenly realized (and I’m giving away my age here) that I’ve been associated with this pleasant burg for 50 years as of this summer. I grew up here, and now I live–and often work–in the one and only Evanston, Illinois.
And I love working on weddings in Evanston. I’ve had the privilege to work on many, and I hope there will be many more. (I know I have one coming up in a few weeks, and I’m very excited!)
Because I’ve been around for a while, I know my way around this town pretty well, and I know a lot of the wedding (and party) resources available. So, I’m going to showcase some of the many people and organizations and places that can help to make any wedding special right here in my home town.
Today, I’ll talk about venues. In the weeks to come, I’ll focus on other vendors you may or may not have heard of. And, I assure you, there are many more places and people in this town that I don’t have room to showcase!
Let’s start with hotels. The grande dame of Evanston hotels is surely the Hilton Orrington. This hotel was built in the 1920s and has been updated many times. But it has never lost its vintage charm. A much more modern hotel is the Hilton Garden Inn, around the corner from the Orrington. I have not worked at the Garden Inn, but I’ve been in it, and it seems to have all the amenities you would expect from a hotel.
There are also a couple of venues that fall into the category of “vintage home or club.” The first is the venerable Woman’s Club of Evanston. Their vintage clubhouse is located very conveniently downtown and has both an impressive second-floor ballroom and some smaller rooms (equally charming) on the first floor. A little south of downtown Evanston is the Charles Gates Dawes House/Evanston History Center. While this is mainly a history museum, it is suitable for small gatherings, especially if you love well-maintained historic houses.
A view of the lovely Shakespeare Garden.
I know of two lovely gardens where wedding ceremonies are permitted. Both have the drawback of not permitting the use of either chairs or tents, but are certainly worth looking at. My personal favorite is the Shakespeare Garden on the Northwestern Campus. Another option is the Merrick Rose Garden, owned by the city.
The interior of charming Howe’s Chapel. (Photo by Peter Coombs Photography.)
Some less well known spaces include the Halim Time and Glass Museum, one of the newest venues in the city; the Evanston Art Center in north Evanston; and the Crystal Ballroom. Howe’s Chapel (very near the Shakespeare Garden and often used as a back-up location in case of inclement weather) is another little-known space.
Finally, if you’re looking for less expensive or less formal locations, the City of Evanston and its park district own and operate a number of buildings that are available for event rentals.
Historic St. Mary’s church is only one of many in downtown Evanston. (Photo by Peter Coombs Photography.)
And really, I’m just scratching the surface here. Northwestern University has some venues, although mainly they only rent to people who have an affiliation with the university. Garrett Theological Seminary has a second chapel, in addition to Howe’s Chapel, mentioned above. And there are many, many smaller spaces and public parks that are suitable for various functions. We have historic buildings and modern construction. That’s not even mentioning the plethora of churches and synagogues in town. In short, there is something for everyone. And that’s just one of the reasons why I love Evanston!
Apr 24, 2017 | vendors
Custom Silk Jersey White and Purple Color Blocked Wedding Gown. Photo © Brave Lux Photography.
Remember a few weeks ago when I said I was moving into an office space with Crafty Broads? Well, the lease is signed, and it’s official. So who are these Broads and what makes them so Crafty?
Crafty Broads was founded originally as a wedding planning and custom garments/alteration business. The wedding planning half of the business has moved to St. Louis, where the business has expanded. But you’re probably more interested in what’s in Chicago if you’re reading this.
Crafty Broads in Chicago makes custom garments, including wedding dresses, suits, corsets, and probably just about anything else you can imagine. You can have a custom veil or fascinator made for you. You can have garments altered to fit you. Pretty much, if you want something done with clothing–especially fancy clothing–you can get it done at Crafty Broads. If you want to get an idea of the breadth of their work, check out the gallery on the website.
And don’t forget the alterations. If you have a garment that isn’t quite right or needs repair or just doesn’t fit, Crafty Broads is the place to go to make it right.
I’m lucky to be sharing a space with so much creativity. It has inspired me to start making lace again, which you’ll be able to see when you’re at the shop. There’s a lot of goodness all in one place!
Apr 24, 2017 | vendors, wedding planning
Remember a few weeks ago when I said I was moving into an office space with Crafty Broads? Well, the lease is signed, and it’s official. So who are these Broads and what makes them so Crafty?
Crafty Broads was founded originally as a wedding planning and custom garments/alteration business. The wedding planning half of the business has moved to St. Louis, where the business has expanded. But you’re probably more interested in what’s in Chicago if you’re reading this.
Crafty Broads in Chicago makes custom garments, including wedding dresses, suits, corsets, and probably just about anything else you can imagine. You can have a custom veil or fascinator made for you. You can have garments altered to fit you. Pretty much, if you want something done with clothing–especially fancy clothing–you can get it done at Crafty Broads. If you want to get an idea of the breadth of their work, check out the gallery on the website.
And don’t forget the alterations. If you have a garment that isn’t quite right or needs repair or just doesn’t fit, Crafty Broads is the place to go to make it right.
I’m lucky to be sharing a space with so much creativity. It has inspired me to start making lace again, which you’ll be able to see when you’re at the shop. There’s a lot of goodness all in one place!
Apr 3, 2017 | vendors
Photo by Ryan Timm Photography.
Sometimes I run across a vendor that I never knew about and whose work I like a lot. Photographer Ryan Timm is in that category. I worked with him on a wedding last fall and was completely stunned by the photos he shared with me. I’m pretty jaded about event photography, too, so it’s hard to get my attention. But Ryan managed it with beautiful photos, each one a little narrative in itself.
I was also impressed that he caught so many wonderful photos working entirely by himself. Most wedding photographers work in teams, so I was very surprised that he did all the work himself. I was doubly impressed that working solo did not compromise the quality of his photos at all.
There are a lot of excellent wedding photographers in the Chicago area. There are plenty that I’d be more than happy to recommend. I’m glad to expand the list by one more, now that I know Ryan.
Aug 8, 2016 | vendors
Too bad you can’t see the Van Galder bus fighting through traffic in this skyline view! Courtesy of sprungphoto.com.
One of the types of vendors I help clients with the most is transportation vendors. I’ve spent a lot of time researching various options for buses, limos, trolleys, and other ways to travel. One of my favorites is the otherwise unexciting bus company called Van Galder.
This is the company I recommend and hire when clients need to move a lot of people and need reliable transportation. While the company is based in Janesville, WI, they do a lot of business in Chicago.
One of my favorite things about Van Galder is that they don’t mark up their prices for weddings. It’s the same price whether it’s a convention or a wedding. (See my recent post about which vendors are more likely to mark up their services.) You get clean, reliable buses either way.
They also tend to have nice, friendly bus drivers, which is a bonus!
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