This August wedding with Carli and Matt was such a sweet, special, and fun day! The weather was amazing from start to finish which was great for getting some of the best photos of their gallery! Their ceremony happened at Church of the Holy Family in Chicago and the wedding reception was at The Arbory not too far away. The Arbory has a beautiful elegance that really added to this day and brought everything together perfectly.

The day started off with lots of fun at the hotel for both sides of the wedding party. The details of their day is one of the best details shots I have ever seen and I love every little bit that was captured! I really think their details captured the slightly rustic but completely elegant feel for the day.

Carli had a first look with her dad that was incredibly sweet and a first look with her bridesmaids that was really fun too. Of course, the best one was with Matt! I will always encourage a first look with our couples because it really is one of the only times you have together with just the two of you to soak up the moment. It also makes your day infinitely less stressful to get all of your photos done ahead of time if you can! They did something unique and had each of them with their eyes closed so they can see each other at the same time instead of one person seeing the other first.

The stunning church was a great spot for the traditional, Catholic ceremony they had. I couldn’t get over how lovely the lights were and how beautiful the space was.

Even with a first look, Matt couldn’t stop his emotions from rushing in when Carli started walking down the aisle! Many couples are afraid of a first look to take away from that moment, but it really can add to that moment of excitement and happiness.

One of the best photos you can get is by taking a kiss and a dip when you get halfway down your aisle after your first kiss at the altar. It really is such a sweet moment and it makes for a lovely photo!

Grand exits though will always have a special place in my heart because they truly are some of the best photos of the day. You can see the love not only from the couple but also from their family and friends!

After the ceremony, the couple and the wedding party went and took their photos at multiple locations - Mario’s Italian Lemonade stand was iconic and such a fun piece of Chicago to be added into the wedding day!

Carli and Matt’s wedding party wore light green and khaki colors which really complimented the tans in the florals and exemplified the rustic yet elegant feeling of the day! The bridesmaids wore the same color and material dresses but were able to choose a style that made them feel the most comfortable which is a great way to ensure your family and friends enjoy your wedding day a little extra.

Carli’s dress had beautiful lace throughout that really brought that sweet, soft energy to the day. She didn’t have a veil but it helped highlight her dress and her hair very well!

The reception setup at The Arbory was truly one of the most beautiful venues we have worked. As a plant collector, I loved the plants throughout the venue and the string lights really was so lovely, and the black accent wall really made everything in the room pop so much more! The sweetheart table had all of that extra beauty with the hanging installation and the large plants to tie everything together.

The venue really doesn’t require anything extra since it already can stand alone so beautifully. The table numbers that matched famous places in Chicago also added some personality and really brought together their life together here in Chicago.

Choreographed first dances can be nerve-wracking sometimes, but when they are done well they are huge crowdpleasers for your guests. It also makes for some lovely video and photos when you have some dips or lifts in your first dance and makes it extra special and fun to watch!

You know a crowd is going to have a lit dance floor pretty early on, and this group did not disappoint. The dance floor was packed all night thanks to the amazing DJ and the people who were down to party! The disco ball in the venue also is an amazing way to add a fun-filled energy.

Carli had a reception dress that was a little more comfortable and put her hair in a ponytail to really be able to enjoy the party. The nighttime photos were also a ton of fun with the flash photography and getting outside in the city!

We also made sure to save at least one late night snack for the two of them while they were taking some photos outside so they can enjoy that themselves too! It definitely was a heavy hitter for the guests and they were happy to have them passed through the end of the night.

Overall, this wedding was such a fun-filled day! Everything was so fantastic and you could really see and feel the love during the entire day. The energy was always excited and really happy which really are the best weddings. Making sure you are enjoying yourselves and celebrating with your family and friends while we take care of your wedding day details is the main goal and I think we accomplished that with such a happy couple!

If you’re looking for someone to help you plan a wedding like this, reach out to me here so we can talk about your vision!

Vendor Credits:

Ceremony: Church of the Holy Family - Chicago

Reception: The Arbory @the.arbory

Photo/Video: Fox + Ivory @foxandivory

Coordination: Firmly Rooted Events @firmlyrootedevents

Catering: Maison Cuisine @maisoncuisinechicago

Alcohol: Garfields Beverage @garfieldsbeverage

Rentals: Tablescapes @tablescapeschgo

Hair/Makeup: Blush & Burgundy @blushandburgundy

Florist: Cresco Stems @crescostems

DJ: Okyne Media Lab @okynemedialab