LOLA at Cafe Brauer
Congratulations to Jen and Steve – married September 4, 2010. The vision for their wedding came from part of their romantic engagement. After Steve popped the question he surprised Jen with a trip to Paris… Thus making France an obvious source of inspiration for their big day. Just as you would find in a Parisian café, the reception menu was scrawled on an oversized chalkboard as the guests entered Café Brauer. We brought in a piece of the French countryside with whimsical topiaries and lush gardeny floral arrangements, using smilax vine as accents throughout the space. Jen used old family photos as table numbers to give the entire look a vintage and very personal feel – and I am in love with her vintage cake topper! Thanks to Christopher and Allure for these fantastic shots!
LOLA at the University Club of Chicago
As a wedding planner in Chicago, I have seen hundreds of beautiful, touching, romantic and fun wedding ceremonies. One of the most stunning ceremonies for me in the last few years was that of Katrina DeGraff and Dominic Cairo at the University Club of Chicago on September 11. 2010. As a young girl, Katrina participated in a local children’s choir. In order to recreate those very special memories we brought in 40 young adults from the Anema Singers located in Glen Elyn, IL. Serenading the bride with songs from childhood as she walked down the aisle – the happy tears were flowing before the ceremony even started! Cathedral Hall and a beautiful canopy created of branches, ivy, suspended candlelight and lanterns was the perfect majestic backdrop for this timelessly elegant exchage of vows. The bride and groom had a coat of arms designed for their reception details and had it letterpressed into their invitations and menus and designed in chocolate on their gorgeous wedding cake. Other layers of the cake were designed to resemble the intricate designs on the bride’s engagement ring. The overall feel was a sophisticated yet organic “Princess Bride” vision in shades of plums, lavender and green.
LOLA at the Elysian Hotel
New Chicago wedding venues don’t come along every day… When the Elysian Hotel was under construction, LOLA got one of the first hard hat tours, and we’ve been anxiously awaiting the wedding we booked there ever since! Congratulations to Beth and David Golanty that tied the knot on August 15, 2010 in front of 90 of their close friends and family. The Elysian – with it’s Coco Chanel inspired decor was the perfect backdrop for a bride with a background in interior design! Much of the event design was inspired by the hotel design itself – the custom stationery goods and fun cake design… Personal touches like a record album guest book alternative showcased the bride and groom’s shared passion for music. Thanks to Allure for these photos!
Tips for the Best Man (or woman) Toast
Please welcome my guest blogger for the week – Honorary LOLA and my Best Man in life, my husband Bryan… I have witnessed his toasts and they are always SPECTACULAR. I followed his rules myself when toasting him at our own wedding reception pictured here (I think it is easy to see how the photos tie in with his interesting choice of wardrobe – which is another story for another day)…
RULES FOR TOASTING:
I have witnessed dozens of best man speeches. There have been the tear-jerking sentimental, bro-hugging toasts honoring mom and dad and the lovely bride; the boring, mundane and monotone recital from a crumpled bar napkin; as well as the infamous champagne spilling, incoherent jabbering of an unprepared best man. When I was asked twice to be the Best Man, I felt it was my duty to honor my friendship with a toast that made ‘em laugh, made ‘em cry and most importantly, it’s what every Best Man should strive for, the sentimental heart-warming sigh of love that washes over the room at the end.
I am not a great public speaker. I am not a gregarious entertainer. I am simply a buddy who was asked to be a best man and wanted to really step up and give it my all. And as a result, I’ve been told on several occasions that my toasts are the best people have ever witnessed. Below I have highlighted my 3 simple steps to a great best man speech:
Step 1 – Introduction
Briefly introduce yourself and how you know the groom and then thank the hosts and parents for a wonderful evening. Giving some brief background on who you are and how you know the wedding party helps the crowd identify with you. Most likely, the parents have paid for the wedding so it’s certainly flattering to kiss up and thank them for a wonderful evening. This first step needs to be direct, heartfelt, charming and brief. But it’s a great ice breaker leading into
Step 2. – Make ‘Em Laugh
Tell a funny story that revolves around you and the bride and groom, not your relationship with just the groom. It’s the brideand groom’s day, not yours. This story could be how you first met the bride or how your best friend told you about this new girl he is dating. It is vital to not insult anyone. This story must be PG and have romance and humor. If you need to embellish a little to make it wholesome, then do so. If you think a funny drinking story will kill, you are wrong. If you feel its time to unleash some jokes about marriage or insults about the groom, stop. The story needs to be touching and connect with everyone from Grandma Olivia to the teenage nieces and nephews. And if you want to take it to the next level, I recommend involving:
· Props
· Audio / Visual
· Other bridesmaids and groomsmen
Step 3. – Make It Heartfelt
After you have the audience laughing with you, not at you, its time to wrap up the toast and leave them wanting more. The key here is to blend some of the details from the funny story into the importance of love, friendship, and marriage. This is where you want to hear that sentimental, loving sigh wash over the audience as moms dab tears from the corner of their eyes and your buddies give you a head nod that says “well played, sir”. At this point, ask the crowd to raise their glass and make a one sentence poignant, simple and heartfelt final toast.
A final piece of advice – KEEP IT BRIEF – 2-4 Minutes is longer than it sounds. I also strongly recommend memorizing your speech. Spend time rehearsing the words and delivery and if you need some prompting, bring a small, palm size notecard with a general outline of your toast. What other opportunity will you have to entertain a room full of people hanging on your every word? Your best friend deserves the time and effort so be prepared and deliver a toast that will always be remembered.
Good luck!
Bryan a.k.a. Mr “LO”
Prairie Production – 3 Times as Nice with LOLA!
Prairie Production is one of our favorite Chicago wedding venues because of its versatility and value, and we were lucky enough to work there multiple times in the past month! Congratulations to Therese and Dan married 6.11.10, Jamie and Scot married 6.26.10 and Alicia and Bill married 7.10.10! Each bride put her own unique stamp on the gallery-like space with soaring ceilings and abundant natural light. The neutral base palette makes any color pop – and design can range from modern to whimsical. Here are some highlights!
3 different couples…
These and Dan Perdue married 6.11.10 created a vintage inspired event full or charming details including a ping pong table for entertainment painted the bride’s signature color of yellow! For more on this event you can also check out the deets Style Me Pretty! Photo by Dean Thorsen
I’m waiting on a photo for Jamie and Scot – stay tuned! I know you get mad when I dont feature a photo of the happy couple!
Alicia and Bill married 7.10.10 wanted a whimsical event full or color and texture. When the bride found some cool bird cages she wanted worked into the event design – we were up to the challenge!
Bouquets 3 ways…
Multi Cultural Ceremonies
Planning a meaningful wedding ceremony that has relevance to the bride and groom and also honors the beliefs and traditions of both family’s cultures can be difficult at best. At LOLA we do a great many ceremonies that honor different religions, cultures and individuals. A great example of this was the wedding of Jade and Raj on June 21st at Harold Washington Library.
They celebrated with a modified traditional Hindi ceremony followed by a secular ceremony that talked about their personal love story. They exchanged personally written vows, and then finished with a traditional African American “broom jumping” ceremony.
Family and friends were incorporated into the ceremony in many different and personal ways – including a portion of the ceremony where everyone wrote messages on ribbons that were then collected and will later be tied into their “broom.” This also served as a break between ceremonies where the bride and groom changed from their Hindi clothing to their western attire.
As a segue into their reception, drummers from Chicago-based world music band Funkadesi led them into the reception in style. A combination of Indian, African, Reggae, and contemporary funk – this was truly the perfect band for this event! http://www.funkadesi.com/
Erica & John at The South Shore Cultural Center
A beautiful day for a great couple! Erica & John tied the knot at lovely Bond Chapel on the campus of the University of Chicago and followed the ceremony with a reception at the South Shore Cultural Center that was inspired by their favorite images of vintage Chicago. Erica had a puzzle made that served as a creative way for guests to pick up their escort cards while setting the tone for the event’s color palette and for the gorgeous archtecture of both the ceremony and reception venues. Tying in the preferences that the groom had for streamlined and modern – the centerpieces by Botanicals made roses look sculptural while still making the Solarium look elegant and warm. Stefani did a fantastic job serving up live action BBQ on the patio for their 150 guests. Custom designed menus and table numbers added the final touches.
Cute as a Button!
One of the vignettes at our annual open house was inspired by that jar of buttons that your grandma has collected over the years. We love when something so small and simple can be used to create a larger design concept.
We started with grandma’s mason jar of vintage buttons and let grandma take it from there (with a more modern, vintage chic approach). Jesse Deckard, of Botanicals, designed cheerful and romantic garden-y pieces. The dinnerware, from Halls Rentals, featured a rattan charger, perfect for a garden lunch, that was then topped with mismatched Sevre china. BBJ Linen provided the perfect blue shantung linen and white linen napkin with hemstitch details.
Our Favorite Button Details:
- Menu and Invitation with hand sewn buttons, by Anjenu
- Mason jars with votive candles surrounded by buttons
- Two shades of blue thread wrapped around the napkin, adorned with a single button
- Button touched grosgrain ribbon accenting the floral containers
The New Neutrals
Neutrals couldn’t be hotter right now – pretty obvious if you watched any of the Academy Awards this past Sunday evening… The Oscar fashions were a reflection of a trend LOLA featured at their recent open house – so we’ll say they were copying us! Our vignette was titled “Reflections of Love” and spoke to our love for all those “almost” pastels that create such a sophisticated and modern palette, and all the textures and shimmer that crystal and diamonds make when they sparkle. Actresses like Rachel McAdams, Cameron Diaz and Sandra Bullock (photos from Extra TV) were walking versions of this same trend. A million subtle shades of champagne, lavender, pink, white, ivory sparkle and shimmer… just like an engagement ring – the perfect inspiration for you wedding! Mix this formal color palette with fun details like a suspended centerpiece or a ‘crumb catcher’ that puts a fun spin on sharing “fun facts” about the bride and groom with their guests. Whimsy, glamour and sophistication aren’t mutually exclusive, ladies! (Inspiration images from Martha Stewart Weddings, CS Brides, Grace Ormand)
The New Neutrals
Neutrals couldn’t be hotter right now – pretty obvious if you watched any of the Academy Awards this past Sunday evening… The Oscar fashions were a reflection of a trend LOLA featured at their recent open house – so we’ll say they were copying us! Our vignette was titled “Reflections of Love” and spoke to our love for all those “almost” pastels that create such a sophisticated and modern palette, and all the textures and shimmer that crystal and diamonds make when they sparkle. Actresses like Rachel McAdams, Cameron Diaz and Sandra Bullock (photos from Extra TV) were walking versions of this same trend. A million subtle shades of champagne, lavender, pink, white, ivory sparkle and shimmer… just like an engagement ring – the perfect inspiration for you wedding! Mix this formal color palette with fun details like a suspended centerpiece or a ‘crumb catcher’ that puts a fun spin on sharing “fun facts” about the bride and groom with their guests. Whimsy, glamour and sophistication aren’t mutually exclusive, ladies! (Inspiration images from Martha Stewart Weddings, CS Brides, Grace Ormand)
Fete Fabulous!
We featured quite a few trends at the LOLA Open House last Tuesday, but ‘Fete Fabulous’ – The trend inspiration for our Specialty Bar and Sweet Table had to be the most fun!
The Trends:
- Vintage Nostalgia from the 1970′s – All the colors and comforts of (my) childhood wrapped into modern details that can add some whimsy and personality to your cocktail hour or late night sweet table!
- Cotton Candy Martinis & Vintage Soda Pop bottles on a customizable bar by Botanicals - shout out to Jessica of Blue Plate for assisting in the making of the cotton candy with her own little hands.
- MORE Mini cupcakes featured on a fabulously modern acrylic stand – MORE lets brides use this stand free of charge with a custom order of delicious mini’s for their wedding.
- I was obsessed with Ding Dongs and Twinkies as a child – so of course we had to add them to Blue Plate’s more fabulous offerings for the sweet table! After all, shouldn’t your event feature all your favorite things?
- Add some personalized coasters or a signature cocktail menu to your cocktail hour like the ones created by Anjenu just for us – add some fun facts about the bride and groom to the coasters or name a drink for each set of in-law’s!
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