Mar 5, 2018 | Weddings
I’m not tired of last summer’s wedding pictures, are you? This is one that really warms my heart. It was a stand-alone reception. The wedding had been a small ceremony at home earlier in the year. This was the big celebration for friends and family. And it was fun! These two women really know how to throw a fantastic party.
The reception was at the Clubhouse at Dolphin Lake in Homewood, with catering provided by the venue. The Cover Girls from Cagen Music provided both background music and a spectacular floor show. Mr. Otis Mack (yes, that Mr. Otis Mack!) was the evening’s MC. Roses are Red Flower Boutique provided all the flowers. Media in Black did videography. All photos are courtesy of Godzroqk Designs Photography.
Here’s the family/wedding party before the guests arrived.
The brides pose by the lake.
Two bridal bouquets.
The head table, with candles and flowers.
The guests tables were well-dressed, too.
A closer look at the centerpieces.
They had heart-shaped measuring spoons for their favors!
The Cover Girls entertained the guests during dinner with their unique floor show. Highly recommended!
This photo doesn’t do them justice, but it gives you a taste of their dancing (while playing violins).
A beautiful sweet table was prepared for dessert.
The happy couple.
Feb 26, 2018 | Weddings
It looks as if we had planned it this way all along, doesn’t it? (Photo courtesy of Gold Grid Studios.)
From time to time I like to share these Success Stories with you. They are all about how your wedding planner saves the day! (Hey, someone’s got to pat me on the back once in a while, even if it’s myself.) Besides, these are the things I really enjoy about my job: I get to make someone’s wedding day better. Here’s one from last summer.
The bride and groom were a fairly laid-back couple, but they were having an enormous wedding at the Notebaert Nature Museum. The ceremony was to be in the courtyard; cocktails inside the museum; and dinner on the rooftop terrace. Naturally, we had back-up rain plans for both the ceremony and dinner.
Well, the weather was extremely iffy. It was quite hot and humid, and there were definitely thunderclouds on the horizon. I had been watching the weather forecast for several days to see if we could predict which way it would go–and it just would not settle down to be one thing. It even changed a couple of times after I checked in the morning of the wedding day.
The ceremony was early enough in the evening that we were pretty sure that we could get it in before there was any rain. So, we set it up outdoors. And, being optimists, the caterer and I decided we would set up dinner outdoors, too. The weather really did look, then, as if it would hold for the evening.
Well, it was really one of those changeable days we get in Chicago in the summer. Sure enough, it got to within half an hour of the ceremony time, and the clouds started to look rather threatening. We took a chance on it, though, and started the ceremony as planned. The musicians were prepared for rain: The keyboard player had some (not-so-decorative) plastic sheeting to cover his instrument, and the violinist informed me she would take her instrument indoors if there was rain. (As I’m well aware, even a drop of rain on the finish of a fine violin can change the tone permanently. Violinists don’t take any chances with their expensive instruments.)
About halfway through the ceremony, the drizzle started, but everyone (except the violinist) stuck it out, and it was a lovely ceremony. Meanwhile, the caterer, my assistant, and I put our heads together about what to do next. I knew the couple had a strong preference for having dinner outdoors. But we looked at the weather radar and the forecast and decided that it would be prudent to move the festivities indoors.
Obviously, I couldn’t consult with the couple; they were busy getting married right at that moment. So, I had to make the call on their behalf. After all, that’s what I do: Look after the best interests of my clients. I took the responsibility and we decided to move all the tables indoors. Thank goodness for a caterer with enough staff to do all that in a short time!
I found the couple during cocktail hour and explained the decision we had made. They were sad about having to change plans, but they understood that it would make their guests a lot happier. I have to say, the mother of the groom was thrilled that she would be spending the evening in air conditioning!
And it all turned out beautifully. The guests were perfectly happy with an indoor reception. It rained enough that no one would have wanted to eat dinner in it. There were still s’mores on the terrace for dessert, so everyone got to enjoy the view. (The rain had stopped by that time, mostly.) Dinner was a success, the dancing was superb, and it was a wonderful wedding.
Feb 19, 2018 | Weddings
I don’t know about you, but I never get tired of looking at wedding photos. Here are some from last summer. It was at one of my all-time favorite venues, The Grove in Glenview. Refined Dining did the catering, including the cake. Flowers were by Morning Glory. The fabulous Rev. Darrell Jones was their officiant. All photos are by Mike Staff Productions, who also provided the DJ and the videographer.
The beautiful bride, with her bouquet from Morning Glory.
The bride was accompanied down the aisle by her two brothers.
The ceremony was in The Grove’s gazebo, with Rev. Darrell Jones officiating.
The unity candle ceremony.
Cocktail hour was on the terrace of the historic house.
And the reception was in the covered outdoor pavilion.
The gift table.
A better view of those adorable mini-chalkboards used for place cards.
The guest book.
Floral centerpieces from Morning Glory.
The simplest wedding cake I’ve ever seen.
There was plenty of dancing!
The pavilion at night.
Feb 5, 2018 | Weddings
I worked on the loveliest little wedding last summer. The two people who got married are in science, with a lot of friends who are also in that field. They are both also handicrafters. The bride knitted the gorgeous lace shawl that she wore on her wedding day, and the groom crocheted all the flower decorations–including the bride’s bouquet! I’ve never seen anything like it. Take a close look at these beautiful photos from Allison Williams Photography for all the ways that science and hand crafts had a part in their very special day.
The ceremony was at Berger Park in Edgwater. The reception was at Bistro Campagne in Lincoln Square. Guitar music was provided by John Behling. Truffles came from Katherine Anne Confections. And the trolley was from 2nd City Trolley.
Jan 28, 2018 | Weddings
Someone has to keep track of all the little things. Photo by T & S Hughes Photography.
I was at a wedding show a while ago talking to couples who were about 15 months away from their weddings. What I heard from them, over and over, was, “Oh, I don’t think we need a planner.”
What they didn’t know yet is that I get a lot of calls from couples who are about 3 months away from their weddings, saying, “We had no idea we would need a coordinator!”
If you’re in the very beginning stages of wedding planning, let me help you out. Here are a few of the reasons you will likely say, “We need a planner/coordinator!”
Reason #1: Wedding schedules baffle most people. While I find them a breeze, about 95% of my clients need help making up a schedule for their wedding day. It’s nothing to be ashamed of: It’s a specialized skill. If you don’t know how to create a wedding day schedule, your planner or coordinator does.
Reason #2: Someone has to keep track of all the stuff. You’re probably dreaming about all the little things that will help make your wedding day special and unique. There are the place cards, the guest book, the favors, the centerpieces, the card box, the programs, the candles, the flowers, and so many other things. Who is going to make sure that every item is in the right place at the right time? Who will keep track of things and make sure that everything is set beforehand and packed up at the end of the night? There’s one easy answer: Your day-of coordinator!
Reason #3: A planner or coordinator is an insurance policy with your vendors. You’ve hired all these terrific vendors to help you entertain your guests. You have a caterer and a DJ and a florist and a photographer. Chances are, they will do a great job, since most wedding vendors are dedicated professionals. But what if someone is late or forgets what you want? Having a coordinator who works only for you can make all the difference between a good wedding day and a great one.
Reason #4: Your planner or coordinator will solve problems–and often can prevent them in the first place. My primary job, as your wedding coordinator, is preventing and solving problems. I doubt there has ever been a wedding since weddings began where something hasn’t gone wrong. Sometimes it’s something large; sometimes it’s a few small things. But there’s always something. If you don’t want to have to worry about that, you need someone there whose job it is to make things right. Hiring a professional means you have a designated person for exactly that purpose–someone who is focused on the job alone and not also emotionally involved in your wedding day.
There are lots of other good reasons you might consider hiring a planner or a coordinator, but these are a few that you might not have thought of yet. So, in addition to the financial benefits of hiring a coordinator, there are many practical reasons to do so. What are you waiting for?
Jan 22, 2018 | Weddings
I bet you want to see some more photos from last summer’s weddings. Here are the pictures from one I really enjoyed. There were some interesting challenges to this wedding, starting with the fact that it was at the Notebaert Nature Museum the same weekend as the Air and Water Show. (Think about that for a second!) And then the weather was not nearly as cooperative as we would have liked. So, there were some obstacles, but, with the help of a fantastic, dedicated group of vendors, we overcame everything that was thrown in our way and there was a wonderful wedding of an equally wonderful couple.
You’ll notice that there are a lot of photos of dancing in this group. Because the bride is a professional dancer, it was obviously important!
Catering was from the most excellent George Jewell Catering. Flowers and decor were by Anna Held Floral Studio. Stu Hirsh Orchestra provided the music. All photos are courtesy of Gold Grid Studios.
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