Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago | Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel | Christine & Matt

• Words can’t describe how wonderful it was to be surrounded by our closest family and friends.  Walking down that aisle and seeing so many smiling faces- it was unreal.
• Alllyson, my maid of honor, living up to her title as she literally sewed up my dress before the ceremony.  (We had a little ripping mishap on an interior seam when I was trying to climb a big step near the beach!)
• Four words: Cutest flower girls ever!  All Matt’s nieces- they are cousins, but look like they could be sisters!
• Hilda sharing some of her mini Snickers with me right after we finished photos in the sanctuary- seriously I don’t think I could have made it through the ceremony without that!
• Getting scolded for eating in the sanctuary. 🙂
• Grooms Cake Unveil- Matt has been known to surprise me with cakes- so I was so excited that the Renaissance pastry chef worked with us to put together an awesome Lego Cake. Matt’s reaction when they rolled the cake out was priceless for me.
• Spinning around the dance floor- I’m not normally a huge dancer, but had a blast on the dance floor all night!
• Surprise Rain- despite the blue sky- surprise rain happened twice!  Once while we were at the beach- we rushed back to the bus to find it was still locked.  We were trying to stay out of the rain the best we could (A few friendly college-age guys that were parked near our bus let me jump in the back seat of their Jeep for cover- then we took a selfie!).  The bus driver strolled back to the bus a few minutes later (still raining) carrying his lunch- a plate of fried chicken!

• Laughing with Hilda and Carol- I never fully understood the impact that the photographers have on the wedding day until after ours. Hilda and Carol were with us throughout the day and they were literally invaluable in making sure the day went smoothly from venue to venue.  They kept all the kids in the wedding party smiling for the pictures.  They did whatever it took to get the pictures- even on a hot, humid, partially rainy day.  Hilda and Carol took everything in stride- working with large family and lots of kids, respectfully navigating other bridal parties while getting great shots around the city (hey- it happens!), and changing plans on a dime because of the weather.  Not to mention they were smiling, laughing and just upbeat the whole day- it was so wonderful to have their contagious, positive energy with us!

Vendors:

• Planner: Kelly Cavanaugh with Clementine.  Her job title is Wedding & Event Planner, but she was so much more.  As an out-of-town bride, I relied heavily on Kelly’s feedback, direction and vendor recommendations, and she always steered me in the right direction. Kelly also frequently helped as a tie-breaker when my family, Matt and I all had different opinions on what to do.  She answered any and every question, small or large.  And she has amazing timelines.
• Photographer- see above! Angel Eyes Photography, Chicago
• Reception Venue: Renaissance Chicago Downtown.  We were SO excited we found this venue.  The room was so unique and beautiful, the staff was extremely helpful, and the chefs were amazing and very accommodating to our numerous requests.  The food was so delicious- completely exceeded my expectations.
• Ceremony Venue: Fourth Presbyterian Chicago.  Working with Fourth Pres was wonderful.  The staff somehow keeps the chaos of bridal party, families, vendors, and guests manageable without breaking a sweat. Literally, every time I turned around, there was someone there to help, offer a hand, or guide us to the right place.
• Floral- Fleur Chicago– I was completely obsessed with my flowers. I went in knowing nothing about floral, but somehow Kelly Marie knew exactly what I was thinking and put together stunning floral combinations.
• Band- Sway Chicago kept the dance floor rocking- everyone had a great time and numerous guests commented to me during (and after) the wedding how much they enjoyed the band!  They were also super easy and fun to work with.
• Dress- Hayley Paige from Nordstrom Bridal Suite– I worked with Sarah from the Chicago Nordstrom Bridal and she was truly exceptional.  The seamstresses there work wonders. They are truly experts at what they do and my dress fit like the most perfect glove.
• Makeup & Hair- Sonia Roselli.  It was great working with Taylor Maris (hair) and Melissa Guss (makeup).  I ended up changing my mind and going with very different styles from my initial trial for both hair and makeup- and they both expertly worked with my requests and the requests of my bridal party.  We had a great time getting ready!
• Tux- Men’s Wearhouse– Convenient and we found a very helpful associate at the Downtown Chicago location.’

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