My first wedding of the new season was on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The ceremony was at the unparalleled Rockefeller Chapel in Hyde Park, with the ceremony at Osteria Via Stato in River North. You’ll see flowers from Flowers by Stem and a few photos of the Lisa Rene Band. These are a few shots taken by my assistant and by me.
We do love our dogs! Photo by Allison Williams Photography.
I’ve written a little about children in weddings before, but there is also the question of animals. Should you have a dog be your ring bearer?
I have to say that my reflexive answer to that question is, “No.” But I will say that there are some exceptions to that categorical negative. There are certain circumstances where it might not be a bad idea.
If you are having a very formal wedding and/or you are worried about things happening outside of your control, a dog in the ceremony is very likely going to do something you don’t want to have happen. But if your wedding is casual and you are extremely easy-going about what happens, you might not mind the unexpected things that dogs can do.
I would still only recommend doing this if: 1) the dog is yours or is one who knows you very well; 2) the dog is very well behaved in crowds and under superb voice control; 3) the dog is happy to carry or wear something; 4) the dog’s person can spend some time working with the dog to be sure he or she knows what is requested; and 5) you can assign someone to be full-time dog handler. If any of the above is not true, I would think twice about it.
There are other things you also might want to consider. For example, where will the dog go after the processional and during the ceremony? It’s very cute to have a dog walk down the aisle, but will it then go and put dog hair on everyone in the front row? And, as with children, let your officiant or best man carry the actual rings!
Perhaps the most important thing to decide is whether you want to allow a dog to be the star of your wedding. As actors always say, never work with dogs or children, because they always steal the show.
It’s time for the 2016 edition of the Great Wedding Recyclery, sponsored by the Green Wedding Alliance. On Sunday, April 17, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Loft on Lake (1366 W. Lake St.) will be transformed into Chicago’s largest wedding garage sale. There are two different ways you can participate.
If you are planning your wedding and would like to find previously-used wedding items, this is your chance to shop for decor items and other things that might otherwise cost you a lot of money. If you recently got married, you can rent a table and sell items you think other couples would be interested in.
The Recyclery happens every year right around Earth Day. Here is your chance to get some fabulous stuff for your wedding or sell things you no longer need, and to keep things out of the landfill.
Because we work closely together on your wedding, I want you to get what you need. Photo by Peter Coombs.
I find that sometimes potential clients are hesitant to negotiate the draft contract I send them. If you are one of those people, I’d like to give you a couple of good reasons to jump in and negotiate.
Reason Number One: If you do ask for changes in the contract, then there is a good chance that you will get something you want, instead of feeling stuck with something you don’t want. I don’t always accept every change exactly as it is proposed, but I will go out of my way to make sure you are happy with what you are getting. I don’t want to start our relationship on the wrong foot. I want you to be happy you hired me. I don’t want you to feel as if I have bullied you into accepting my terms.
Reason Number Two: When you and I have discussed changes and come to an agreement we can both live with, especially if you have special circumstances that you want included, it increases the trust level between us. We understand each other, so we can trust each other. And it is very important to me that that trust is there, as we will be working closely together and I will have the responsibility to do some very important things for you.
So, will you always get what you want when you negotiate my contract? No, but if you don’t, it’s because there is a very good reason for it (and I will explain the reasoning to you). Should you always ask? Yes. Because if you don’t ask, you will definitely not get what you are looking for, and I might not, either.
I’ve noticed a trend in the weddings I have worked on in the last year or so. It’s not at all universal, but I am seeing a certain number of wedding receptions where there are no floral centerpieces on the tables. All of these couples say they want to keep things simple, and that is definitely one way to do so. They generally compensate for the lack of flowers by using a lot of candles, instead.
If you search for “wedding centerpiece no flowers,” you’ll get lots and lots of photos of elaborate tablescapes. That’s one way to do the job. But if you are trying to keep expenses down or if you just don’t want a lot of visual fuss at your wedding reception, you can keep it simple.
Here are two images from recent weddings with only candles for centerpieces. The first one is as simple as possible, while remaining elegant. The second one is more colorful and whimsical, proving you can express your taste and stay simple at the same time.
Photo by Becca Heuer Photography.
One of the best things about this business is the sheer quantity of fabulous and talented people I get to work with. One of my new favorites is Ipomea Floral Design. There are a lot of good florists in this city, and Sheila Jung of Ipomea is definitely one to consider. She does beautiful work and is, in my experience, most helpful, friendly, and accommodating. What more could you want? Take a look at some romantic arrangements from a wedding last year. (All photos by T & S Hughes Photography.)
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