When I met Tiana, I knew instantly that this was going to be a bad-ass project. Tiana is a writer and filmmaker with an aesthetic that can only be described as ‘sexy goth’ and well… I was all in on it! She described her ideal vision as “the wedding version of Phantom of the Opera meets Beauty and the Beast” and Theater on the Lake in October was the PERFECT vibe for so many reasons! A blank canvas for which we could create her vision, and the theater tie-in with a “haunted” history just added to the spirit of the celebration!
When we started talking about translating her vision to an event aesthetic, I leaned heavily on the directional light and richness of the Dutch Masters. The still-life paintings this genre is known for lean heavily on dark rich backgrounds and deep floral tones mixed with fruits, greenery and elements like old books and rich gold vases. This became the basis for our stationery design and centerpieces. The elaborate gold monogram we used for the save-the-date segued perfectly into the rich black velvet folio with an interior still-life floral pattern in the formal invitation suite by Steracle Press, and the mixed metal candelabras and accents of greenery, fruits, berries and eclectic containers in the centerpieces by HMR Designs sat on a rich mix of textured linen and wood. The effect in the room after the sun went down was nothing short of spectacular.
Tiana wore a lace-look gown that had an overskirt that created amazing drama for the ceremony, and Brandon’s head-to-toe black is what I like to call “Johnny Cash Chic.” I’d like to give Tiana’s hair bow a special shout-out because BOY ARE WE ON THE FRONT OF THAT TREND! The giant lemon tart Entertaining Company created that the couple cut instead of a wedding cake and the ultra-romantic first dance moments were some of my very favorite details of the evening.
Vendor Team
- LOLA Event Productions: Lavish LOLA Planning Package
- Photography: Cristina G Photography
- Video: Highway 61 Films
- Venue: Theater on the Lake
- Décor: HMR Designs
- Catering: Entertaining Company
- Stationery: Steracle Press
- Hair: Erin Graham Hair
- Makeup: Shannon O’Brien Weddings, Jose
- Entertainment: Elegant Sound & Lighting
- Linen: Nuage Designs
- Rentals: Halls Rental
- Transportation: Windy City Limousine
- Photo Booth: Vista Booth
- Valet: VIP Valet
- Wedding Prep: Langham Chicago
- Gown: Esmee Blanche Bridal, Genevieve’s Bridal Couture
- Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse
