Weddings
When you start planning your wedding, you’ll find that there are a seemingly endless number of Chicago venues! So how do you find the one that’s right for you? Any painter will tell you that the first step to a great painting is selecting the right canvas. Every detail you add and every choice you make is aided by having the perfect backdrop. If a wedding day is a work of art (and it is), then your wedding venue is your canvas. This is where you start to create the mood and aesthetic of your day. The venue is usually one of the first decisions made in wedding planning. They provide the solid foundations for all other decision making.
These are some of our favorite wedding venues in Chicago! We recommend them, not only because of their beauty, but because of the professionalism of their teams. Communication and organization are so important when it comes to your wedding day. The staff at these venues could not be better. These fabulous venues have the Gold Grid stamp of approval! Enjoy!
For natural light in a natural setting – COLUMBUS PARK REFECTORY
For a little history in the heart of River North – NEWBERRY LIBRARY
For downtown class and artistic excellence – SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE
For a sleek and modern affair – CHEZ EVENT SPACE
For stained glass enthusiasts – ALICE MILLAR CHAPEL – NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
For bold pops of color and fabulous flair – CARNIVALE
For a classic, timeless ceremony – ASSUMPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH
For a Rogers Park hidden gem – MAYNE STAGE
For a touch of campus class – LOYOLA UNIVERSITY
For breathtaking Chicago architecture – THE ROOKERY
Need more help with wedding plan decisions? Check out Gold Grid Recommends, our exclusive list of our favorite collaborators!
Weddings
Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life…and it starts before the ceremony. There are important hours of emotion and memory that begin long before you walk down the aisle. Whether you’re getting ready at home or in a bridal suite, this getting ready time is an important piece of your story. The start of the day is the perfect time to capture details such as your dress, veil, and jewelry. It is also an opportunity to document some of the most memorable candid moments of your day.
Getting ready for your wedding is a ritual. You are often surrounded by some of the most special people you know. You are preparing for a long day, and emotions can run high. We look forward to seeing the laughter and the happy tears, and to hearing all of the stories and memories shared in the bridal suite.
After the wedding, some of the best surprises come when you two get to see what the other was doing before your first look or ceremony. Those last few moments before becoming newlyweds are some of our favorites. We always recommend making time in your day to capture them. A look at the gorgeous moments below will show you why!
You get to reflect on those helping hands that got you to this day…
Take a look at what your fiancee was up to before the ceremony…
And (maybe) most importantly, you get a few moments all to yourself…
To see more of these beautiful weddings, check out our Featured Couples on the Gold Grid blog!
Weddings
You’re engaged! Congratulations! Now what?
As soon as you get make the announcement, you’ll find that everyone has an opinion! There are unlimited resources about how to organize and prioritize your planning. With all of the blogs and tips out there, we want you to have a bit of insight from the Gold Grid Studios team.
Below are 5 things to do once you are engaged. Before you hit the ground running with planning, these are some basic conversations and decisions that will save you time and effort. Your wedding day is too important for you to have to say “Well, I wish we’d…” afterward. Use these “just engaged” tips to plan smartly!
1) Insure your ring.
When it comes to weddings (and life), anything can happen! You’ve just been given one of the most invaluable gifts you’ll ever receive. Taking the extra step to insure your ring will give you peace of mind!
2) Don’t start planning right away.
Take a moment to breathe and enjoy being engaged! You have a lot of decisions ahead of you, so pop some champagne, relax, and have fun!
3) Talk about it.
You two have a lot of planning to do, so it’s good to go into everything on the same page. Figure out what your priorities are for the day, and don’t be afraid to share your dream ideas. Include all of the decision-makers in this part of the planning. It’s easier to divide and conquer if you know your whole team is in the loop!
4) Don’t pick a date. Pick a season.
Have you always dreamt of fall colors, or is an outdoor summer wedding your style? Starting with the ideal season for your wedding gives you so many more options in terms of venues and other vendors.
5) Get your guest count.
The final exact count will fluctuate, but it’s important to have a good “guess-timate” early in the game. The last thing you want to do is fall in love with a venue that won’t suit your needs. An informed guest count will help you narrow your options, and will have an affect on many of the decisions that follow.
Want to see more From The Experts? Click here!
Weddings
The holidays are a time for family and friends, an opportunity to surround yourself with the people you love. How fitting to be able to have an engagement session during this holiday time! We’re so happy that we were able to capture some time with Jordan & Joel. It was a joy to celebrate their engagement in downtown Chicago.
Jordan & Joel currently live in San Francisco, and will soon be celebrating their nuptials in both cities. They were back in Chicago for the holidays, and wanted to capture their story in the city they called home. A love of architecture and a want for holiday flair made downtown an excellent choice!
By meeting in the morning, we were able to enjoy the quiet of downtown before the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. We started at the Chicago River, enjoying the city backdrop and the timelessness of the bridges. We then headed further downtown to the Christkindlmarket Market, a Chicago holiday staple! The cool winter morning provided the perfect amount of romance, with lighting that allowed the holiday lights to shimmer. These two lovebirds were able to feel like it was just the two of them.
We’ll see these two again this summer as we capture both their San Francisco and Chicago celebrations. We can’t wait!
Take a look at more downtown Chicago moments!
Weddings
Autumn was in the air for Katie & Ryan’s special day at the Mistwood Golf Club. We loved the warm, vibrant tones of the bouquets and the rich marsala of the bridesmaids dresses. This was a wedding wrapped in the season. Add the happy surprise of golden sunlight throughout the affair, and you have wedding day perfection!
Mistwood Golf Club is a part of Katie’s family history. Her parents are members, and she & Ryan go to the golf club at least once a month! It was that mix of familiarity and friendliness that let the couple know that Mistwood was the perfect spot. The stunning architecture of the buildings next to all of the stone bridges made for a beautiful backdrop. As Katie & Ryan’s story unfolded in front of their loved ones, all of the laughter and smiles that surrounded them were…par for the course!
Enjoy!
Meet the Team:
Venue: Mistwood Golf Club // Custom Printing: 221 Creations // Bridal Ensemble: Bridal Boutique of Naperville & TeeDee Designs, Ltd // Men’s Clothing: Men’s Warehouse // Bridesmaid’s Clothing: David’s Bridal // Hair & Make-Up: Glimmer Salon // Floral: Roscoe Blooms // Band : One Night Band
Weddings
As the Chicago Cubs recently showed us, a rain delay can sometimes be a blessing in disguise. Such was the case for Allison & Benjamin’s stunningly vibrant fall engagement session in Lincoln Park. On the date that we were to originally meet, the skies turned gray and it was just too rainy for an outdoor session. Little did we know that the rain (and the bit of cold weather that followed) was the perfect ingredient to get us ready for the perfect fall session! The leaves continued to brighten and change colors, and we met the following week to find a gorgeous array of green, yellow, orange and red! Allison & Benjamin had been excited to have autumn as their back drop, and that little rain delay proved a great way to achieve success!
We can’t wait to see these two on their wedding day next year! Until then, take a look at this romantic stroll through Lincoln Park, where the fall colors and Chicago skyline are the ideal backdrop for Allison & Benjamin’s laughter and smiles!
Take a look at another Lincoln Park photo session!
