The inspiration for Hope and Mike’s summer soiree at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum was “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” – so why not create our own magical forest within the South Gallery of the museum filled with full sized trees, twinkling lights, colorful flowers, stumps, moss butterflies and (of course) plenty of flickering candlelight?!  And the décor wasn’t the only unique detail.  The groom picked out all the beers for their craft beer bar – even brewing his own special “Wedding Ale” for guests, and Hope’s custom made gown sported a train in her signature color of purple.  Hope’s bouquet is still one of our personal favorites!

The Rundown:

Photography: Allure Photo

Indoor Trees & Ceremony Arch: Craig Bergmann Landscape Design

Entertainment: MaryMonica Music

Catering: Food for Thought

Floral and Décor: LOLA Event Productions

Laura and Elliott’s summer wedding at the Chicago History Museum was classic understated elegance.  Ivory and green with the subtlest hints of blush and champagne – this is a design that stands the test of time.

The bride and groom exchanged vows under a chuppah that was designed to look as elegant in front of the Frank Lloyd Wright windows inside the museum as it would have looked on the terrace in better weather (heat – not rain!). The reception tables executed by Kehoe Designs held collections of low feminine arrangements in vintage styled containers and chic cande“lamp”ras hosting small dupioni shades with black piping. Finishing each place setting was a silver beaded charger plate topped with a white hemstitched napkin and custom menu and a black Chiavari chair that anchored the design in the room.

The custom made cake topper was a perfectly replicated wood carving of the bride and groom – the details were perfect down to the blue sash on Laura’s gown and the glasses Elliott’s replica was wearing.

The Rundown:

Gorgeous Photos: Olivia Leigh Photographie

DJ: Toast and Jam

Cakes: Bittersweet Bakery

Hair and Makeup: Sonia Roselli

Catering: Food for Thought

The Star Wars nerd in me couldn’t let another May 4^th go by without doing a little tribute to those super-fans that want to pay homage to the Star Wars franchise on their big day…  either in a BIG way, or as a small touch.

You’re both super fans – So GO BIG or go home…

• Dress it Up: Dressing some or all of your wedding party in Comic Con quality costumes – It requires a big commitment, but you definitely won’t have a wedding that’s boring.  Take it one step further and invite your guests to pay homage as well.
• And the bride wore…  Princess Leia: We prefer the traditional formal whites she wore in the first movie over the sexy gold bikini for the bridal attire J Hair Buns optional.
• Light Saber Salute: Forget the military salute and go for something more “inter-galactic” for your grand exit from the ceremony.
• Romantic Rings: “Solo” yourselves with Star Wars wedding rings (I would love an inscription on the inside of a more traditional ring as a little surprise for the Star Wars loving spouse!)

You may not be a super-fan, but the groom wants to represent.  Throw him a ton-ton bone! A small galactic touch scores big points with the man of the day…

• Let Them Eat Cake: Whether it’s your groom’s cake or just the cake topper – a fun way to be Star Wars sassy with your sweets!
• A Little of the Dark Side: Go with a garter that even Vader would think was a bit naughty!
• Photo Ops: Whether it is just some fun props your photographer can use to get some photos of the bride and groom, or it’s a box of props or a backdrop you customize for your photo booth – This is probably my favorite way to incorporate “The Force” into the big day.

So with that my fellow earthlings…  May the Fourth Be With You all day long! For links to all these photos, links to products and more ideas check out our Pinterest board: http://pinterest.com/lolaeventpros/may-the-4th-be-with-you-some-things-that-fans-do-i/

As a wedding planner in Chicago, we are constantly suggesting ways to make the guest experience at your wedding or event the best possible from beginning to end.  Many times, this includes finding creative ways to keep guests cool on a hot summer day.  In the summer of 2012 we had many weekends with temperatures approaching 100 degrees!  With summer wedding season rapidly approaching – keep these fun and creative ideas in mind as you finalize the details of your outdoor soiree…

• Program Fans – Your guests can keep cool while they peruse the program for the wedding or event
• Flavored water station – set up a self service water station where guests can wet their whistles while awaiting the start of an outdoor wedding ceremony
• Tents – Tents are not only to provide shelter from the rain – but are also perfect for providing a bit of shade on a hot summer day
• Don’t let guests expire in their attire – Invite guests to wear “outdoor appropriate” attire for the event.  Advise in your invitation for men to leave their jackets and ties at home.  Phrase it in a fun way like, “Summer Savvy Attire Invited.”
• Timing is Everything – Consider a wedding or event starting late in the day after the height of the afternoon heat
• Ceremony savvy - Try and face an outdoor ceremony AWAY from the sun, and keep it short!  If a ceremony is 15-20 minutes or less, it’s much more likely that your guests won’t become anxious in the heat. Keep elderly guests indoors until the ceremony is ready to begin.
• Wedding Party Woes – Make sure the members of your wedding party (especially guys in tuxedos and the bride in that full gown!) don’t drink alcohol before the start of your event, and keep water handy near the front of the ceremony site in case someone feels lightheaded. Remember not to lock your knees and if you feel lightheaded – SIT DOWN before you pass out!
• Always have a backup plan – It’s hard to release the thought of your ideal outdoor event – but always have a Plan B and remember to use it.  Those backup plans aren’t only for rain – but can make a world of difference in the heat as well.  Guests will ONLY remember how hot it was and not the beauty of the venue if you force an outdoor event in extreme heat.

As wedding planners in Chicago, we work with lots of couples that are trying to infuse their wedding ceremonies and receptions with elements of multiple cultures and religions.  This is exactly what Shreya and Phil accomplished with their fresh modern wedding ceremony and reception at the Intercontinental O’Hare in July. A Hindu ceremony under a fabulously chic mundap was followed by a reception that incorporated an Indian/American dinner and dessert buffet. The escort cards were sprouting from a bed of wheat grass in front of one of the hotels modern art collection pieces, and the ballroom was decked out in mango and white centerpieces so fresh and inventive that their guests couldn’t stop commenting on the exciting décor. The bride and groom changed from their traditional South Asian attire into western fashion before their first dance.

The Rundown:

Photography: Wedding Creativo Photography

Entertainment: MaryMonica Music

Video: Chicago Video Works

Menus and Lamp Graphics: Visual Views

You’ve got the old, new, borrowed, and blue…so why not add a splash of green?

In honor of Earth Day, KK is checking in on some fun new ways to make your wedding environmentally friendly!

Luscious Landscapes:

If you haven’t chosen a location yet, look into holding your event in an eco-friendly location! Parks, nature reserves, and buildings that meet government ‘green design’ standards are all great options. A Chicago venue we love is The Greenhouse Loft.

Eco-friendly invites:

Start out in the early stages of your event. While choosing invitations, menus, and signage, explore recycled paper. There are hundreds of styles and options to fit many styles and themes.  Ok, so this idea has been around for a while – so take it to the next level… Do on online RSVP and eliminate the maps since everyone has GPS these days anyway!  Free websites like the ones found on theknot.com and mywedding.com make it SO EASY for you to offer up all the info a guest could need online with no paper at all! (Let it be known that this wedding planner absolutely things the invite should still come in the mail the old fashioned way!)

Eliminate Emission:

transportation is an important aspect of many events—getting guests to and from your event and companies making deliveries are both very necessary. Help limit your carbon footprint by using local vendors, hiring a shuttle service, and encouraging guests to carpool to your event. You can even mix things up and opt for a brightly decorated pedicab for the bride and groom!

Give back:

There are businesses out there that help you “pay it forward” by calculating and paying back carbon emissions – skip the trinkets and make that your wedding favor! If you really want to give something away make it a seedling or plant.

Cheers:

Another favor idea is to give everyone a glass to call their own for the night! Chalkboard stickers allow for easy personalization, and this helps eliminate the need for anything disposable, dishwashing energy and water after the event.  Plus it’s super fun and hip!

Taking these small steps to ‘green-up’ your walk down the aisle can help make a big difference for the environment years past your big day. If you’re really feeling gung-ho about giving back, you may even consider turning your honeymoon into an earth friendly service trip J

Happy Earth Day… Today and EVERY DAY!

We LOVE a bride that isn’t afraid of color. Lauren and Michael’s hot summer wedding was full of vibrant oranges and fuchsias that were perfect for the venue and season, and Epic Restaurant was the perfect backdrop for this bride and groom’s modern sense of style.  They wanted the soirée to have a chic feel and Chicago flair – well LOLA delivered on both fronts.

The invitations were clean and elegant, and the REAL CTA map envelope liner added an unexpected Chicago twist.  Following the Chicago theme in the print goods – each table was named after a stop on the CTA Elevated trains.

Fabulously original centerpieces marched down the centers of the long narrow feasting tables – some with orchids soaring overhead to create height without obstructing conversation.

Dancing took place under the monogrammed gobo (or as Michael called it – his “Bat Signal!”) on the rooftop terrace of the restaurant. Completing the late night cupcake and candy display…  yes – those are glow sticks!

The Rundown:

Photography: Paul Morse

Entertainment: Style Matters DJ’s

Décor: Kehoe Designs

Invitations: Magnificent Milestones

As a wedding planner in Chicago, we are ALWAYS flattered when an industry colleague recruits us to help them make their wedding dreams reality. So when Katie Thome of the über-talented quartet known as Dolce Strings called us – we jumped at the chance to help her out!

Katie wanted a garden feel for her wedding to fiancé, Justin – but was also hoping for the convenience of a wedding downtown Chicago.  Well – lucky for all of us, this place actually exists!  The Crystal Garden at Navy Pier offers the ambiance of a garden with no worries about the weather report, city views your guests will die for, the fabulous cuisine of Phil Stefani Catering, and to top it all off – Fireworks!  How can you go wrong?  I would also be remiss if the Sci-fi nerd in me didn’t mention that she used the Game of Thrones theme music for a portion of her ceremony processional – the woman knows a good piece of music for a string arrangement when she hears it (and we spent many a meeting discussing the finer plot twists of the show as well!).

The Rundown:

Floral and Décor: LOLA Event Productions

Entertainment: Final Say

Photography: The fantastic Tricia Koning

Cupcakes: Swirlz

As a wedding planner in Chicago, I get asked a lot if it’s true that you can save money by designing your event around “in season” floral.  The vast majority of special event flowers are grown year-round on farms in South America, Holland and Thailand – and much of the time it’s very cost effective to use these blooms because of the large volume of product that these mammoth farms produce.  BUT… if you don’t have to fly flowers in from the 4 corners of the earth it can be better for the pocket book and most definitely is better for the environment (all that jumbo jet fuel takes its toll on Mother Earth!). There is also the argument that using in-season blooms adds authenticity to your event design.

The main advantage of choosing in-season floral really doesn’t have to do with cost though…  It’s that flowers tend to be bigger, fuller and more spectacular if you can get the blooms locally in season.  Then – there are the elusive flowers that are ONLY available certain times of year…  Here are a few of our favorite reasons to plan a wedding in SPRING!

Flowering Branches:

Nothing says “spring” after a long winter better than the first buds of green on local trees.  My birthday is in late April, and the magnolia tree down the block always seems to be wishing me a “Happy Birthday” right on schedule!  Some of the most coveted looks in event design involve these GORGEOUS blooms!  They are elusive and absolutely ONLY available in spring – most of the time in April in the Midwest.  Cherry blossom, magnolia, forsythia and lilac are all exclusively the domain of the spring bride.  But beware!  Changing weather patterns and seasonal warm and cold snaps make these tough to predict.  Getting your heart set on flowering branches can be a major bummer.  In the spring of 2012 the early seasonal warmth meant that most flowering branches were completely done by the end of March.

Bulb Flowers:

Tulips, hyacinth, daffodil – Oh my!  Does anything make you more hopeful than a daffodil poking through the last mounds of dirty snow in your front yard?  And the smell of hyacinth incorporated into a centerpiece is a feast for the nose as well as the eyes!  Tulips come over from Holland year round, but they are especially cost effective in the spring when most wholesalers are offering specials on them.  Fun fact – did you know that tulips continue to grow even after they are cut?  Beware the centerpiece that looks balanced in the morning and has grown toward the afternoon sun looking happily lopsided by the afternoon! Incorporating these flowers still potted is a great opportunity to let your guests take home a lasting piece of your wedding décor.

Peonies:

Ahhhhh, the peony.  Arguably the queen of all wedding flowers, is there a bride that doesn’t love a peony whether in crisp fluffy white or rich deep raspberry?  One of my personal favorites is the coral charm peony – it’s delicate peach petals and cheerful yellow center are gorgeous in almost any type of arrangement.  Peonies start coming in from Europe as early as December, but I have many a bride that plans her May wedding specifically to incorporate this favorite flower.    Although they can be very expensive – they are also really big and beautiful so you don’t need a lot of them in a centerpiece to make a statement.

Check out all our spring flower favorites on our Pinterest Board!

This week we turn to fabulous guest blogger, Gregory Perrine, the Creative Director at Jewell Events Catering…

Chicago is one of the biggest foodie cities in the nation. With restaurants like Girl & the Goat, Blackbird, Alinea, and Everest, world-class cuisine is available every night of the week. These restaurants are using the freshest ingredients and setting the newest food trends in the nation.

But doesn’t wedding food consist of grey-ish pieces of overcooked flank steak, poorly seasoned rubbery chicken, and potatoes that claim to be twice baked, but in reality have probably seen the oven upwards of 5 times? The answer is no!

Custom caterers, like George Jewel Events Catering, have the same resources, menu knowledge, and talent to execute restaurant quality food for the masses. Taking it a step further, we are growing and harvesting our own delicious, and unique heirloom produce right here in Chicago.

Here’s what we will be seeing on menus all over the city this year and how these trends can translate to your day:

From cocktails, to meats, dining styles, and local farmers, 2013 looks to be shaping up to be a delicious year! For more information about Jewell Events Catering, visit www.georgejewell.com or call 312.829.3663 to discuss how you can incorporate the latest trends and receive a customized proposal for your day.