For all you naysayers who are still not convinced about first looks, I present to you, proof that they are a fabulous idea. This couples rooftop ceremony had to be moved indoors because of heavy rain. Since they did a first look, we had plenty of time to do photos while the sun was shining. Keep scrolling to see the fun photos. But first let’s talk about this dress! I’ve never seen a Bride in a blush pink dress, it was truly breathtaking. Martina Liana Style 510 in Blush
Not only is she beautiful, but so much fun!
How fun is it to choose your own bridesmaids dress? And you really can wear them again! All photos below taken at Lacuna Artist Loft, also where the ceremony and the wedding took place.
Can you hear me now? 😉
Reverend Anne Styx did a great job with the ceremony.
This fun (and popular) beer bar was made by the bride’s Dad.
Mini Limoncello bottles for guest favors, yes please!
From the Bride…
‘VENUE: Lacuna Artist Loft– Anthony and I were on the hunt for a venue which spoke to our Chicago roots. We wanted something with the downtown skyline experience that would fit our budget. We were paying for the wedding ourselves so we knew we needed a place that would be able to work with our byob and byo(food) dreams. Lacuna definitely delivered. On our very first visit, we knew immediately that we would be able to check off our long list of wants here at Lacuna…loft-style space, rooftop with skyline, parking lot, etc. Our families are very creative so we were able to really make the space ours. (http://lacuna2150.com/)
CATERING: Catered Productions– Aside from you and Carol, the catered productions staff were clutch in handling the chaos of a mid-wedding roof-top rain out. They went above and beyond simply a food vendor when their wonderful staff managed to grab the 115 chairs and individually wipe them off and re-set them three floors down in. As if their superhero spring into action powers weren’t enough, their food sure was! Their chicken marsala was to-die for…family members are still singing their praises. (http://www.cateredproductions.com/)
DJ: Style Matters: Spencer killed it on the dance floor. He managed to get everyone, young and old up and dancing into the wee hours of the night. He was able to find some of our obscure requests for entrance/processional music. We loved working with him and would choose them again for any event in the (http://www.stylemattersdjs.com)
REVEREND: Reverend Anne Styx. We first met Reverend Anne when she married my twin sister a year prior. Our family fell in love with her and we knew we had to ask her to marry us as well. Working with her was a dream. I was able to customize our ceremony and could email her on a whim about an idea I had (like having a special shout out to our dog, Moose) and she would have 50 suggestions for what we could do in a matter of minutes. She is sweet and know how to give everyone direction. (http://www.revforwhatev.com/)
Flowers: Since we were on a tight budget, we ordered all of our flowers online. My sisters, mom and friends put together our bouquets and did the centerpieces. It was a lot of hands on work but everything was hand crafted and breathtaking.
Dress: I wore a Martina Liana Style 510 in Blush. My mom actually picked it out off the rack and I knew it was the right one when I cried taking it off. Well, those tears could have also been attributed to the fact that it was out of my original price budget…I actually bought my second favorite dress that day. After I got home I told Anthony all about the pink dress (since I didn’t get it) and evidently my gushing was so sincere he insisted I go back and buy it instead. Even though I told my soon-to-be husband all about what the dress looked like, I wouldn’t change a thing. My guy still cried like a baby when he saw me for the first time.
Jewelry: I wore my grandmother’s high school ring on my neck. It was a tribute to those who couldn’t be there with us and the special bond that I have with my departed grandparents. The birdcage was the a hand-me-down from my older sister Kiersten and the headband I put on during our reception was from rent-the-runway’s bridal collection.
Cake: Sweet Mandy B’s. Since we decided to shoot for the moon on my dress we needed to cut corners here and there. We decided to have a small cake to cut from our favorite place and then have some sheet Costco cakes pre-cut to serve. Trust me when I say, although our small cake was delicious (red velvet dreams are made of that cake) the Costco cake did just fine and my pregnant twin sister and I thoroughly enjoyed some of the leftovers at midnight after the party was over.
My favorite wedding related purchase: The Beer Bar. Although we may not exactly have purchased this, my handy carpenter father built us a custom serve yourself beer bar. Anthony and I both agree this was the best feature at our wedding. Guests were able to head on up to the tapper and enjoy the alcoholic root beer, cider, and IPA beer at their leisure. Thanks Dad! (Essenpreis Builders, Inc.)
Favorite wedding memory: Although mother-nature may have thrown one heck of a party on our rooftop wedding and we had to move everything to the reception space, I think having our family and friends all crowd in around us is the memory I will cherish the most. It was intimate and there really wasn’t a better way to say I do than under the lighting fixture that my brother-in-law and dad crafted with everyone we love encircling us.
