Glamorous, polished and completely classic…Rachel + Tyler’s black-tie wedding in downtown Chicago was seamless. After tying the knot in a 100 year old church (vaulted ceilings and all) guests continued the celebration just a few blocks away with a ballroom reception decked out in some of the most gorgeous table settings I have ever seen. Glistening crystal wear, crisp white florals and elegant white menu cards with a simple black border. Such an exquisite event paired with beautifully refined outfits for the bridal party…flattering floor length black satin bridesmaids dresses and a strapless crystal flecked Lian Carlo bridal gown. Perfect!
Rachel + Tyler | June 15, 2013 | Chicago, Illinois | Dress Listing: Lian Carlo, 5806
The Ceremony
Our ceremony was held at Fourth Presbyterian Church. It is a beautiful old church right in the middle of downtown Chicago on the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue. I wanted our guests to have a very seamless experience attending our wedding. Our ceremony started at 5:30 pm and our reception was immediately following the ceremony. Our reception venue was just blocks away so our guest could walk from the ceremony to cocktail hour/reception.
The Reception
Our cocktail hour was held on The Terrace and the reception was held in the grand ballroom both at The Peninsula Hotel Chicago. The day of our wedding was a rainy cloudy morning but by the time we left for pictures the sun and come out allowing us to take pictures outside at the south gardens of the museum of contemporary art. Our cocktail hour was one of the highlights as it was held outside on The Terrace at the Peninsula. Its a beautiful outdoor space with amazing views of the city high in the sky! Our reception was held in the grand ballroom with huge windows looking out to the city. I wanted our decor to be clean, and modern but warm at the same time. Kehoe created custom mirrored tables with all white flowers and touches of boxwood through out. My favorite part of our decor was 9 custom chandeliers Kehoe created for us using a lattice print my planner Jennifer Anderson used throughout our wedding.
Rachel’s Dress Search
I visited 3 bridal boutiques in Chicago and tried on a handful of dresses at each. I settled on one of the first dresses I tried at the first appointment I had. I chose my dress of course because I thought it was beautiful and actually was very different than anything I ever thought I would choose. It was the most comfortable and effortless dress I tried. I didn’t want to have a dress that was fussy or heavy I wanted to look and feel effortless.
How Rachel Felt in Her Wedding Dress
I felt beautiful, light and bridal!
Why Rachel Decided to Sell Her Wedding Dress
I decided to sell my dress for a couple reasons. First I didn’t want it sitting in a box in my basement the rest of my life. My mom bought my dress and it was a lot of money for her to spend and I would like to put that money toward making memories with my husband/ family or something that I can enjoy everyday for years to come. Lastly, I’m sure there are brides out there that cannot afford a designer gown and this gives them the opportunity to wear a dress of this quality on their wedding day.
Wedding Dress: Lian Carlo, 5806 | Photography: Bob and Dawn Davis Photography | Ceremony Venue: Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago | Reception Venue: The Peninsula | Event Planning: Jennifer Anderson Events | Floral Design: Kehoe Designs | Cake: Cake Sweet Food Chicago | Band: Ken Arlen Orchestra
