BLOG

When Kiersten and Jake reached out, they wanted to have a chill, outdoor wedding at a personal residence. During our consultation they shared how much they love playing games, D&D, and Lord of the Rings. They even got engaged when they finished reading the books together. We played around with ideas, and decided to incorporate Lord of the Rings ‘flavor’. Kiersten had gorgeous ear pieces that represented elf ears, the colors were earthy greens and regal purples, the guest box was carved wood with elvish text, and Leelee's Garden made a gorgeous arch incorporating many gorgeous twigs, and deep greens to give off forest vibes. There was even moss used down the aisle.

Nyla and Jay got married at the gorgeous Arts Club of Chicago. As a couple, they loved dramatic and unique architecture, and the Arts Club was the perfect venue for them. A grand staircase to help make an entrance, a half museum and dramatic event space—an architect’s dream! Not to mention they were able to hold the ceremony on a stage, with golden curtains in the background. It was a beautiful and grand moment. Cornell Florist also did an amazing job with the floral bouquets. The deep dark red, added a dramatic yet romantic flair to their design.

Chicago may have been dark and gloomy on this wedding day, but inside Celeste, there was nothing to be gloomy about! With wonderful ideas from us, the venue, and Mother of the Bride/Vendor/Designer Amy Crum, we were able to convert the rooftop restaurant into a colorful, and wild flower filled celebration. With a limited number of guests, this wedding became an intimate gathering to celebrate the couple. Everyone sat on cushioned benches instead of chairs during the ceremony, there were plenty of lounge areas for guests to relax and drink cocktails, and the reception table was a long dining table for everyone to dine, and mingle together.

Kathryn and Fred have been dear friends of mine since college, so when they asked me to plan their wedding I couldn’t say no!! Their wedding was at The BRIX on the Fox , where they were able to transform the space for their needs. There were many beautiful, and playful moments during this wedding. They had some of their friends sing during pre ceremony, and even during the ceremony as accompaniment to the officiant. They sang many of the couple’s favorite tunes that ranged from Beyonce, to Hamilton, to Disney. As huge fans of Harry Potter, there was a dazzling moment when the officiant pulled out a Harry Potter wand to make the “unbreakable vow” during the final exchanges. When it came to the reception, there were personalized wooden centerpieces, each with carved out memories, locations, and interests of the client; a subtle way to tell the couple’s story.

Clara and Addison originally signed on with us to have a “Shakespeare in the Park” Wedding. They were going to perform Much Ado About Nothing, and when the characters got married it would become the actual wedding ceremony! Unfortunately, due to Covid we had to “downsize” a bit, but we were able to adapt the vision and keep many of the original elements. They were able to have a wonderful gathering at Cheney Mansion with picnic blankets, and a lounge for everyone to sit at. Each blanket had a picnic basket with snacks and treats from Hearty Boys, and each blanket was titled after a Shakespearean Play (to also help assign seats for guests). The couple even performed a song for their guests, and had everyone sing When I’m Sixty-Four by the Beatles with a live String Trio. It was a glorious day for everyone to celebrate love, the couple, and enjoy some afternoon tea!

So you’ve got that newly blinged finger and your wedding glow still hasn’t left you. What’s next? Your honeymoon, of course! Getting married is memorable enough as it is for you and your partner, but a honeymoon just takes it up to a whole new level.

3 years in the making, Michele and Brad finally got married. Brad and Michele are huge Star Wars fan, and wanted to incorporate as many Star Wars ideas as possible. They added Star Wars figurines into the boutonnieres, had Star Wars donuts, and they even had Storm Troopers at the wedding!!

This shoot was all about connecting back to my family’s culture. I grew up in Miami, and I am Cuban American. The culture, the flavors, the colors, and my abuela have all influenced the kind of design that I love, and execute at Fierce Productions

Kelly and Blue had a tropical wedding with darker color tones. The florals the wedding party had were filled with dark red flowers that popped amongst the dark green palm leaves. The couple even had their first look in the Garfield Park Conservatory to pose amongst the tropical plants, and ended up greeting some chickens along the way. The couple gorgeously exchanged vows at Morgans on Fulton under lightbulb fairy lights, making it a magical moment for guests. During the reception, the tables were decorated with various palm tree leaves, and red menus from RSP Printing.

Jill and Kate had an intimate wedding at the Lytle House. They wanted to celebrate their love as an LGBTQ+ couple with their closest friends and family. Guests were greeted with various beers, ciders, sodas, and a koozie with a drawing of the couple. The vibe of the celebration was a relaxing “hang out” with family and friends, while the reception was a great party with dancing, food trucks, drag queens, and even a live artist.

Derek and Ginny had a glorious moody, vintage wedding in Maine. Though both based in Chicago, Ginny grew up in Maine, and it was also the location where Derek proposed, making it a memorable location for their wedding.

Chris and Anders had a blue-tiful wedding in a historic mansion! A Tiffany blue one to be exact. As a big fan of Tiffanys, they made sure to incorporate the iconic blue in their design, attire, and even desserts. They wanted to pay homage to Anders’ parents and heritage, by incorporating Brazilian traditions. They served Brazilian food during the reception, and shared a Brazilian treat as a take-away treat. They also made sure paid respect to Ander’s parents by placing a photo of them on the guest table.

This wedding was part of a giveaway we hosted. The pandemic was a negative, and stressful time for a lot of people, and we wanted to say thanks to any “heroes” during the pandemic. The giveaway was hosted on Instagram, and people nominated heroic, engaged friends to win a free wedding! Everyone voted and Salena’s story won. Salena is a frontline worker that works with autistic kids, and had a very special connection with a family’s son in particular. Jess and Salena were never able to have the proper wedding they wanted due to schedules, and then the pandemic. It was such an amazing experience to give this lovely couple something positive to remember in 2020. You can read more about the story on The Daily Herald.

As a wedding planner based in Chicago and plans weddings all over the country, we have worked with all kinds of couples and have heard the experiences of LGBTQ+, multiracial, and multicultural couples. The wedding industry still has a long way to go. Many publications, blogs, vendors, and documents have binary language. Many vendors are not educated about gender pronouns. Marketing for weddings is still often photos of white, straight, cis-gendered couples. When couples don’t see themselves represented it can make wedding planning very challenging and lessen the excitement of the big day.

Jon and Rajitha wanted to celebrate their love, while also celebrating their cultural and religious differences. They decided to create their own rules and host a ceremony that incorporated elements of Jon’s Jewish heritage, and Rajitha’s Hindu culture.

Rin (they/she) and Lindsay (she/they) were supposed to get married during the pandemic, but instead of cancelling, they postponed their big celebration to 2021 and had a smaller elopement at Big Delicious Planet!