As a wedding planner in Chicago, when we are talking with our clients about design, we often start with concrete concepts and themes about colors, tastes and architecture they love, places they’ve traveled, and movies and songs that inspire the mood they are trying to create at their celebration. We prefer this to looking at Instagram photos of other people’s weddings (lets come up with something new together!). We must know who our clients are in their DNA to make their wedding feel uniquely theirs! But what gets their joy receptors firing is only step one. The hard bit is extracting the essence of those themes and weaving them into the tapestry of their wedding in a way that is more abstract but equally as joyful.
This past spring, we celebrated with Beatriz and Felipe who met and fell in love at the University of Chicago. These 2 shared a love of all things Harry Potter and Star Wars that was totally infectious to this Star Wars loving planner! That said, we didn’t want a “movie themed” wedding. Instead, we found the perfect venue in University Club of Chicago and filled it with the most magical candlelight that felt like it was floating above their guest’s tables creating a magical world where witches and sorcerers would feel at home. Then Steracle Press created a gorgeously unique monogram crest inspired by their favorite interstellar order from the Star Wars world (sprinkled liberally with a nod to the Chicago flag where the wedding was taking place) and wove it through a few key elements of the wedding including their bold dance floor focal. These original inspirations became a wink and a nod to the clients’ original joy list without feeling like a child’s party or mitzvah! To signal the change to our after-party, the lighting became more dramatic, and the bride and groom executed a perfectly choreographed light saber battle that signaled “time to wrap the formalities and rock the party right over to the Dark Side” like nothing I’ve ever seen before! Oh… and we may have post marked their save the date on May the 4th (IYKYK).
Our favorite non-movie related elements of the festivities: All stationery elements for the celebration were bilingual as most of the couple’s family and friends were making the trek from Brazil to Chicago for the wedding, and Beatriz’s custom Reem Acra gown that had customized beading with words the bride chose as the perfect representation for her wedding day. May the force always be with you, B&F!
Watch their full wedding weekend film here.
Vendor Team
- LOLA Event Productions: Lavish LOLA Planning Package
- Venue: The University Club of Chicago
- Photo&Video: Euka Weddings
- Décor: Yanni Design Studio
- Stationery & Graphic Design: Steracle Press
- Hair: The George Salon
- Makeup: Rare Bird Beauties
- Reception Entertainment: Arlen Music Productions, Velocity
- Photo Booth: Vista Booth
- Transportation: Windy City Limousine
- Vintage Car: Celeblux Limousine
- Officiant: Bethany Schmall
- Rentals: Halls Rental
- Linen: BBJ LaTavola
- Bridal Gown: Reem Acra
- Bridesmaids: Amsale
- Tuxedos: Emanuel Tuxedo
