Real Wedding! Jordan & Lee

A favorite client couple, Jordan and Lee, got married this September at the Chicago Botanic Garden…my absolute 100% favorite venue.  Family and friends were the focus of this simple and elegant affair.  Here are some of the beautiful photos that Brett and Kiri of Pen Carlson captured.

The bride and her girls got ready at the Ritz Carlton, where their every need was seamlessly attended to.  
The ceremony took place at St. Mikes in Old Town, where the couple are longtime members.
After a run one early morning over a month prior to their wedding, I stumbled upon St. Mikes – and the shield of scaffolding that enveloped the building.  I was so nervous to share the ugly news with the couple, who had been planning their wedding for nearly 2 years…but to my relief they were more than OK with the rough look of the buildings’ exterior…The groom is on the board that approved the project!
The only flowers used throughout the wedding were a combination of cream and ivory roses:  vendela, sahara and ivory majolika.  Touches of autumnal foliage added the slightest hint of contrast.

After the ceremony, we shuttled all guests up to Glencoe, the home of the Botanic Gardens.  While guests arrived about 30 minutes prior to the cocktail hour, we had our stationer do a rendering of the garden with the couples favorite spots highlighted on the custom map.  Guests were welcomed to wander the grounds as formal photos were taken.

Guests were invited to the cocktail hour by the unique sounds of a traditional Greek trio, a nod to the grooms’ heritage.
Guests entered the English Walled Garden (one of my favorite spots at the Gardens) through the dramatic oversized blue gates.  Love!

The innovative hors d’oeuvres that Culinary Landscapes created could barely circulate the setting, guests were swarming servers for more delectable treats.  Here, individual bites of caprese salad were finished with powdered flavored olive oil (Chef is a major molecular gastronomy nut), tomato soup was paired with grilled cheese and foie gras bites clad in cotton candy.  Seriously!?  So fun.  So yummy.
Guests found their seating assignments pinned to free-standing boards covered in moss.
Dinner and dancing took place in the tented setting of McGinley Pavilion, overlooking the serene pond.
Gold candelabras were simply and naturally adorned with curly willow branches and bundles of roses, finished with heaps of flickering candles.

Worn gold cups also detailed the tables, filled with vendela roses, liquidambar foliage and seeded eucalyptus.  
The bride and her father had the most special and heartwarming relationship.  He was in heaven as they danced to My Way.
In addition to a delish cake, a massive family cookie table was assembled with dozens of family members contributing their favorite homemade Italian and Greek cookies.

The party was fantastic, never anything but a packed dance floor – thanks to a fun crowd and the Larry King Orchestra!

J&L are madly in love and were such a fixture in my life (after such a long engagement) that I miss them terribly!  
The day was simply perfect…precisely what they deserved.  
Vendor Credits:  Photography: Pen Carlson.  Setting: Chicago Botanic Gardens.  Catering:  Culinary Landscapes.  Decor:  Botanicals.  Entertainment:  Larry King Orchestra.  Printables:  Clementine Ink + Paper.