An Ode to the Octopus

I know, the octopus was very trendy for awhile. But, it seems that the fickle fashionistas have moved on to the cute little owl. I, however, remain loyal to my tentacled friend.

Who can - in an instant - change shape AND color? Who can squeeze into unbelievably tiny spaces? Who can brilliantly mimic other sea creatures? Yes, that's right - the octopus, my friends.

So, in honor of my love (some might say obsession) with all things cephalopod, I present to you, octopus-themed wedding ideas..... Enjoy!

Wedding invites by RSVP Invites

Ties by RokGear

Ocean cake by Cake Lava

Cufflinks by Southern Belle OOAK

Fascinator/Hair clip by Hair for the Dramatic

Cake topper by My Custom Cake Topper

Favor bags By Richner

Raquel & Jim's Perfectly Purple Wedding!

It's long overdue, but I wanted to share some tidbits from Raquel & Jim's fantastic wedding held at Chateau Bu-Sche' last November.

Jim and Raquel were two of the nicest (and most fun!) couples you could ever hope to meet. I had a blast working with them on their ceremony and knew their wedding would be pretty cool.

On the big day, I was literally ooh-ing and ahh-ing over all the amazing details. Raquel poured her heart - and talent- into the wedding and it showed. Everything from the place cards to the table decor was amazing.

I clearly remember standing at the sweet table with photographer Dawn Roscoe, both of us swooning over the purple and silver sweet table. And who was responsible for that amazingness? None other than Luscious Layers Bakery.

I can speak from experience when I say that their macarons are unbelievably delicious. But,

I still kick myself for not tasting those chai marshmallows when I had the chance! Sigh....

I think my favorite detail had to be the the wedding cake topper - Iron Giant and Hello Kitty, hand in hand. Oh so fabulous.

Raquel & Jim's wedding was featured on WedLoft, with lots of great photos by the always wonderful Dawn Roscoe. Check it out here.

Happy 1st anniversary, Raquel & Jim! May every year bring you more love & joy!

And thanks to Dawn Roscoe for graciously sharing her work!

Indie Wed is Coming!

As you probably know from past posts, I'm a big fan of Indie Wed.

Well, I'm thrilled to tell you that I will be an exhibitor at the upcoming Indie Wed!! (squee!!)

I can't wait to join some of my favorite wedding vendors in this fantastic event! (Can you tell I'm excited?)

Indie Wed will take place on Saturday, January 28th at Ravenswood Event Center.

It will feature:

• Two floors of exhibitors with over 100 exhibitors
• Food & drink tastings
• Musical & dance performances
• Models featuring bridal fashions
• Free wedding workshops

Get your tickets now. Early bird tickets are currently on sale for $12 each or two for $20.

If you're interested in checking it out, you can purchase your tickets HERE.

Be sure to stop by the AnitaWeds table to say hello!

Cori & Steve's Wedding!

Cori and Steve's wedding at the Metropolis Ballroom was just featured on the Angel Eyes Photography blog. Since Hilda is not just a fantastic photographer, but also a brilliant blogger, she did an excellent job of highlighting all the fun. Check out her post.

But, of course, I couldn't resist sharing my favorite shot of the day....

Thanks, Hilda, for the great blog post - and for being so much fun!

And a million thanks to Cori and Steve for letting me be a part of your wonderful wedding day.

Now that we've discovered our shared love of Chipotle burrito bowls, you will never be rid of me.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Wish Upon a Wedding will be granting a wedding wish to Deshawn & Monica next month, a couple who met in high school and re-connected last year, via Facebook.

After 25 years, and many health-related struggles for Deshawn, they will have their dream wedding on 11-11-11.

Congratulations, Monica & Deshawn!

And, as always, thank you to all the wonderful people who volunteer their time and services to make couples' wedding wishes come true!

Fall Wedding Ideas

My close, personal friend Martha has some great ideas for fall weddings. Everything from marzipan acorn garnishes to autumn boutonnieres.

But my favorite has to be a basket of leaves for the flower girl. Simple, yet so perfect.

Instead of dropping rose petals, your little cutie can toss colorful fall leaves on her way down the aisle. Not only is it completely adorable (and environmentally friendly!), the lucky bride will get to walk down a path of leaves.

And..... if you collect your own leaves - it's completely free. Better yet, let the flower girl do it for you.

Love it!

Being YOU on Your Big Day

I have an acquaintance who opted not to wear make-up on her wedding day. She never wore make-up in her daily life and didn't see the point of putting it on for the wedding. She mentioned this to a co-worker and was asked, "But don't you want to look good for your wedding?" She responded with, "Don't I look good now?" That ended that debate.

I just came across the post, Beautiful Without Makeup, on 2000 Dollar Wedding. It was about this very same thing!

The story made me remember my own wedding day. A friend, who was a professional cosmetologist, offered to do my make-up before the wedding. I went to her home studio, where gave me my "new look," insisting I needed to be "more dramatic" for the photos.

When I got to my car to go home, I checked my face in the mirror. I looked ridiculous! I burst out laughing and wound up wiping most of it off.

So, why do brides feel compelled to be someone different on their wedding day? There is so much pressure put on women to conform to a fairy-tale version of beauty on the Big Day. It's compounded by magazines, t.v. shows - and even friends and family,

But if you're not inclined to go that route, is it really such a big deal? So what if you don't want to put on make-up? Who cares if you wear your hair down, just like you always do? It's YOUR wedding!

I am happy to say I've met many wonderful brides who've chosen to do their own thing - without worrying about other people.

My favorite was a recent bride who wore a gorgeous, traditional, long, white wedding gown - with sneakers. I overheard two older family members talking about it. One lady said incredulously, "Wow - she just does whatever she wants." And the other replied, "And it works." Love it!

I'm all for doing what ever the heck you want on your big day. If you want to wear crazy-high stilettos, go for it. But if you want to wear flip-flops instead, you have my blessing. Just be YOU.

Festive Flower Food

Written by guest blogger Maya Furukawa.

Flowers. Every human being grows up surrounded by flowers and their pure, innocent beauty. Like love, flowers start as small, insignificant seeds, soon blossoming into gorgeous symbols of beauty. Likewise, love starts small but soon spreads, infecting the entirety of its person. Like flowers, love is beautiful. Like flowers, love brings joy.

On the left is an amazing example of a flower wedding cake - indeed, it is not a cake at all, but potted flowers in the shape of a cake. I love this unique "cake" which blends the wedding guest "goodie bags" with the notion of cake. And look - all the cake, with more beauty and zero calories! This lovely example comes from the blog Little Cakes.


Here are some more standard-looking flower cakes. This one appears to be decorated with orchids. The artistry used to make the flowers on these cakes appear realistic is incredible. The one on the right is from Wedding Cake Pictures.







Here's a more traditional flower wedding cake. However, it has a less-natural and more Asian feel to it. The design is beautiful, from the carefully crafted flowers to the gold-plated wrap around the base of each layer.










On the right is one final flower-coated cake. The little flowers are sakura, or cherry blossoms. In place of the traditional bride and groom are two hearts. This photo comes from Deviant Art. What a beautiful flower-coated cake!

A Proposal that was "Too Good to Be True"

Just had to share this..... I was in tears by the end. But they were happy tears.

Thanks to the website Good for posting this!

Carrie and Jamil's Ceremony with Bengali Traditions

This past spring, I had the honor of officiating the wedding ceremony of a terrific couple, Carrie and Jamil. Not only were they two of the nicest people you could ever meet, they were super fun to work with! Funny and thoughtful, they made my work such a joy.

They hosted their wedding celebration at the amazing Zed 451. The ceremony took place in a lovely, open room with a fireplace as the backdrop, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere.

Jamil's family hails from Bangladesh, so we incorporated traditions to honor his culture. The first Bengali ritual was Shuvho Drishti, in which a mirror is placed in front of the couple, symbolizing them looking into the future.

They are asked what they see in the mirror, to which they respond, “I see the rest of my life.” This was followed by the tradition of sharing sweets, representing the sweet life they will share together. So beautiful!

I love when couples choose to incorporate rituals from their cultural backgrounds. It's such a meaningful way to create a personal, unique ceremony.

Carrie and Jamil, thank you so much for letting me share in your beautiful wedding. It was wonderful!

And a huge thank you to their amazing photographer, Liesl Diesel Photography, for sharing these gorgeous photos. You can see more incredible shots from Carrie & Jamil's wedding on the Liesel Diesel Facebook Page.

Highlights from Weddings - Eye Candy!

I've been going through photos on my computer and saw that there have been so many wonderful little details from weddings I've officiated. So, I thought I'd share some with you today.

We have Lisa & Ben's cupcake tower, Kate's Converse, Jenny & Evan's bird nest place cards, Jessica's heels, Susan & Tawni's blessing stones.... and their sweet canine ring bearer.

Enjoy!

Something for Your Sweet Tooth

My BFF Martha, recently featured candy-inspired cakes on her website. They are, of course, fabulous!

Just take a look at this beauty in the photo. Imagine this cake along side a colorful candy buffet. Willie Wonka would be proud!

If you are considering candy for your wedding, I would suggest a stop at Sweetness in La Grange.

My husband discovered the shop with our son one afternoon while strolling around La Grange Road. When I saw the treasures they came home with, I had to check it out myself.

Not only does this place have an amazing selection of vintage candies, there are plenty of new delights to discover, too! There's a whole counter devoted to a variety of sweets sold by the pound - and displayed in big glass jars. So cool! I'm talking Swedish fish, licorice, flying saucer candy.... you name it!

To make the experience even better, owner Julie Magno-Procich is very welcoming and friendly . To my detriment, she was so friendly during my visit that she offered me a candy sample. She innocently asked, "Do you like grapefruit?"

It's not my favorite, but I like it just fine. So I said, "Sure!"

Well, then she told me I had to try the grapefruit gummi candy. I tasted the sample and a new addiction was born. They're incredible! Of course, I purchased a bag full and have created a slew of new addicts in the last few weeks.

In any case, stop by Sweetness and say hi to Julie. She creates fantastic candy displays and buffets for weddings, so be sure to ask her about that. Just be careful, she may offer you a sample and then you're in trouble!

DIY Pumpkins!

Now that the weather has cooled down a bit (for now, anyways), my mind has been wandering to thoughts of fall....

Halloween costumes. Baking bread. Picking apples. Carving pumpkins. Making applesauce. Oooh, I can't wait for all that fun stuff!

In the meantime, I offer you this sweet, simple project for making your own little fabric pumpkins.

These darlings would be the perfect table decorations for a fall wedding! They can also double as wedding favors.

The pumpkins are super easy to make - you just have to be able to cut a circle (or an approximation of one), sew a few stitches (they don't have to be even), and glue on a stem. Easy!! Click here to see the step-by-step directions on Craftster.

Have fun! Just don't get made at me when you can't stop making them!

A Piece of Cake That's a Piece of Art

I admit that I love to visit CakeWrecks to enjoy the cake disasters. I will even page through my Cake Wrecks book and laugh until I'm in tears.

But - Cake Wrecks also regularly posts some of the most incredibly unique and beautiful cakes ever seen.

For example, isn't this stained glass design incredible?

To see all the amazing creations posted today, go to Sunday Sweets: Getting Crafty.

Enjoy!

Place Card Ideas

I have officially decided to drop the facade and admit that, deep down inside, I love Martha Stewart. There. I said it.

And now that I have that off my chest, I can share this bit of loveliness with you:
Fabulous place card ideas!! Featured on Martha Stewart Weddings. these suggestions are unique, crafty, and practical. I love it!

And..... most of these ideas are project you can do yourself. It's a great way to add a personal touch - and helps spare the wedding budget!

I especially like the cheese and cracker starter - it's an appetizer and a place card!

It's also possible that I like it because I love cheese almost as much as I love cupcakes.

My other favorite is the fabric flowers, which double as boutonnieres for the guests. You can even have your tables color-coordinated!

Angie & Ben's Summer Soiree at W Hotel

A video treat to start the weekend!

Angie and Ben were married in June at W Hotel City Center. I love this place - it's loud and colorful and funky when you walk in, but when you go up a flight of stairs you're transported to another world! There's an intimate feel to the space and you're swept away by the amazing architecture and decor. A wonderful wedding venue!

Another special treat was getting to work with the fabulous Heather Vickery and the terrific staff from Greatest Expectations Special Events and Weddings. Heather makes sure every detail is just perfect - and smiles through it all!

If you're planning a wedding and need someone to handle the details, Heather is definitely the person to call. The stress will melt away as soon as you hear her voice!

And now, enough of my chatter and on to the good stuff - Angie and Ben's wedding, as presented by the talented folks at Poetic Productions.

And congratulations, Angie and Ben - it was great working with you to create your ceremony!

My Fantasy Wedding Dance Party

I have been planning a wedding for the last few years - in my head. Even though I've been married eighteen years, I sometimes fantasize about having another wedding.

I have many of the details of my fantasy wedding already set. It would be held at Catalyst Ranch, of course. Luscious Layers Bakery will make my cake - and the sweet table. (Hey, it's my fantasy - I can have both.)

Since those two important details are done, I spend most of my time considering the music playlist. This is a constantly-evolving creation. The problem is that it keeps getting longer.

I can't imagine a party that doesn't include dance songs from the 80's and 90's (my era!). The obvious choices are New Order and Depeche Mode. And I can't forget It's My Life by Talk Talk (not that Gwen Stefani cover - ick!). Then there's Been Caught Stealing by Jane's Addiction. Ans then I'd have to get at least one INXS song in the mix. Where will it end??

Then, I keep finding more songs that I love - from this decade. Like, Michael Franti's Say Hey (I Love You) and Closer by Ne-Yo. It's getting ridiculous. I'd have to have a whole weekend to play everything I want.

But I guess that, since it's only a pretend wedding that I'm planning, I can add all the songs I want. You folks who are planning an actual wedding have the difficult task ahead of you - finding songs you both like, your guests will dance to, and fitting them all into a few hours of reception time. And then there's the No Play list to consider..... you definitely don't want to waste time hearing songs you hate. Chicken Dance, anyone?

Today's Chicago Tribune featured an article with practical advice about wedding music and the No Play list. Check it out here.

Ooh, that reminds me, I have to add I Gotta Feeling to my playlist!

Mary and Trina's Wedding at a Lake (that used to be a pond)

After 15 years together, Mary and Trina celebrated their love with a civil union ceremony on July 23rd. They shared the moment with family and friends at a lovely lake-side party room in Arlington Heights. Except, there wasn't supposed to be a lake there. Just the day before, the room overlooked a pond with a fountain. (Notice the picnic table submerged in water?) The heavy rains from the night before turned the surrounding area into a wet mess.

Luckily, the rain didn't dampen anyone's spirits. Guests trudged through flooded roads and around blocked streets and came out ready to have a great time!

For the ceremony, Mary and Trina chose to participate in a sand ritual. One of my favorite details was that each guest received a little bottle of rainbow-colored sand as a keepsake.

My other favorite detail was that they served tropical drinks - in slushie form! They had two slushie machines, serving Margaritas and Pina Coladas. These two know how to throw a party!

Thank you, Mary and Trina, for letting me be a part of your wonderful day!

And thank you to photographer K.C.Hatfield for graciously allowing me to use these pictures!

Superdawg Wedding!

After writing a blog post about hot dogs, I was compelled to have one for dinner last night. We were out running an errand and, lo and behold, hound ourselves on Milwaukee Ave. As soon as my kids realized where we were, a shout went up for "Superdawg!"

While we sat at a table and watched the sun set behind Maurie and Flaurie, I realized that I completely forgot to mention Superdawg in my post about hot dogs at weddings.

This is an institution from my Chicago childhood - I can't believe the omission! I'm hanging my head in shame right now.

So, I offer my sincerest apologies to Superdawg. And Maurie and Flaurie, those adorable giant mascots.

Naturally, I mentioned that it would be pretty cool to have a wedding at Superdawg. My husband joked that I could do the ceremony over the drive-in intercoms. (I don't think so.)

When I got home, curiosity got the best of me and I researched the Superdawg wedding idea. And guess what! A couple just got married at the newest Superdawg location in Wheeling!

According to an article in the Daily Herald, just two weeks ago, Brittany and Eddie McKee became the first couple married at Superdawg.

Way to go, Brittany and Eddie!

Now, if there's anyone interested in being the first couple to be married at the Superdawg in Chicago, call me! I know a Celebrant who would love to create a cool ceremony for you.

(Um.... I mean me, just FYI)

Hot Dog! It's a Wedding!

July is Hot Dog month. As it well should be. Being a born and bred Chicago gal, I love a good hot dog.

But, I will tell you right now that I am a ketchup lover. And (prepare to gasp) I positively HATE mustard.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, we can move on.

So, when I heard that this is Hot Dog Month, I immediately thought, "Hot dogs at a wedding!" because that's just how my brain works. But really, wouldn't that be fun?

This doesn't have to be limited to an outdoor wedding, either. There are companies that will bring the dogs to you!

Have you ever had a hot dog from a cart on a hot summer day? Mmmm... there's nothing better. Unless maybe it's a hot dog cart at your wedding! Check out Carts of Chicago for one of their nifty mobile hot dog carts. Just make sure they have extra ketchup.

Here's another idea - the folks at Portillo's can cater your event. They even have an amazing chocolate cake. In fact, one of my grooms last year insisted on chocolate cake from Portillo's for the wedding. It's that good. Heck, I'm starting to think you should have your wedding AT Portillo's!

If you really like hot dogs, they can even be your wedding theme. I found cute hot dog wedding products offered by Wedding Pop, including invitations.

Now that I've told you about this, I think I'm going to go have a hot dog for lunch. You should, too.

Elise and Ed's Wedding - Featuring a Mixed Drink

A few months ago I had the honor of marrying Elise and Ed, one of the nicest couples around.

They had a lovely ceremony, held at Hotel Baker in St. Charles, also the site of the reception. Hotel Baker is a fantastic spot for a wedding - and just about any celebration! Built in 1928, this historic hotel is in downtown St. Charles and sits right on the Fox River.

The original plan was to have the ceremony in the rose garden, on the patio overlooking the river. But, rainy weather forced us indoors. The good news is that the Rainbow Room ballroom is gorgeous - and boasts a light-up floor. It was a lovely place for the ceremony!

One thing I loved about Elise and Ed's ceremony was that they opted for a unique unity ritual. Rather than a sand ceremony or a unity candle, they chose to share a drink. Now, sharing a cup of wine is pretty common, but they did something that was a little more "them." They took their two favorite beverage, iced tea and lemonade, and poured them together to make an Arnold Palmer. They then shared the concoction - a perfect unity ritual!

And one more great detail - they had personalized bottles of Jones Soda as party favors for their guests. Love it!!

Highlights from Under a New Moon

Over a month has gone by since Under a New Moon took place. The June 1st civil union wedding was so wonderful! I've been wanting to write about and share all the details but it seems that I can never find the right words to convey all the emotion. I literally start tearing up every time I talk about it in detail!

So, I've decided to let a video clip show you what an amazing night it was, and I'll just share a few random impressions.

I'm still completely blown away by how generous all the sponsors were. Not only did people jump at the chance to donate their services, what they provided went way beyond anything I expected. The flowers by Pollen were exquisite. The sweet table provided by Luscious Layers was gorgeous and delicious (I still daydream about those coffee-flavored whoopie pies). The food served by Entertaining Company was wonderful. Bleeding Heart Bakery's cake was spectacular. Toast and Jam DJs made sure everyone was out on the dance floor (especially me). And I Do Films made sure to capture all the special moments (hopefully not the ones where I was on the dance floor!)

And Jeremy Lawson, our fantastic photographer, was so vital to this event turning out as it did. From the beginning, he was instrumental in getting other folks on board and was the most enthusiastic supporter and advocate. And the pictures..... wow! The ones I've seen so far are incredible! Well, except for the one of me dancing. We won't talk about that one.

The amazing thing is that no one asked for anything in return. A guest at the wedding asked me why there weren't business cards on the tables to advertise the various sponsors. And I realized that no one had even asked to do so. It just wasn't about that. The whole night was about celebrating civil unions and, most importantly, our great couples.

And speaking of the couples...... I can't believe that we found twelve wonderful, nice, deserving people! Seriously, each of them was a delight - and so gracious. They were such a pleasure to work with and made everything so much more fun. And what's really cool is that they all bonded right away. These were twelve strangers - they all had different stories and came from different backgrounds, but they hit it off. It was incredible to see them become the "Under a New Moon Family."

And finally there are the three people I will be forever grateful to:

Lauren, from Catalyst Ranch - my tireless partner and voice of reason throughout all the planning. Without Lauren, none of it would have been possible.

Beth from SQN Events and Heather from Greatest Expectations - they took the reins and never looked back! There is no way the night could have been so wonderful without them. I can't even list the many ways they helped, but they truly kept things moving (and kept me sane). Wedding Planners are amazing - and Beth and Heather are wedding planning goddesses.

This whole experience has been wonderful. It was more work than I had imagined, turned out bigger and better than I could have ever dreamed, and was worth every second of effort.

As corny as it sounds, this was truly a labor of love. Everyone participated out of love and gave their very best. Everyone involved, from the couples to the sponsors, have given me so much joy..... and now I'm gonna cry again.

So I'll stop writing and you can watch the video.....

You Shoulda Put a Ring On It...

Candy ring, that is. Check out these incredible candy rings featured on Martha Stewart Weddings!

And there's even a how-to. For you crafty folks out there, it looks like these might not be too tricky to make. (For you, that is. For me it would likely be a crazy, sticky mess.)

How fun would it be to have these as party favors at a shower or bachelorette party?

And if you have extras...... I WANT ONE!! Please. And thank you.

Gift-Giving Rules and Other Wedding Myths

So, it's been awhile, folks! Sorry for the lag in blogging, but I've been trying to get caught up with writing ceremonies and all the paperwork that regularly invades my desk. I'm now all caught up, but not by my own accord. I had the good fortune of having a wonderful young woman offer her services as an intern. The fabulous - and organized! - Maya has been a life saver. So, thanks to Maya I'm back. Yay!

And here's what I wanted to share.....

An article in the Chicago Tribune yesterday morning caught my eye. The article, Don't Invite These Myths to Your wedding Festivities had some great points that I feel compelled to note. So, click on the article and check it out.

But, one that I feel worth mentioning is the topic of gift-giving. I'm a 1st generation American and my family's roots in the Old Country compel them to follow certain rules in social situations. One of those rules is related to gift giving. Not only do they feel that you should at least cover the cost of your dinner, the older folks also believe that your gift should not be out-done by someone else. Not that you should go overboard and be to show-offy, but you shouldn't give less than others and thus become the talk of the town. People talk, ya know.

It's hard to navigate this subtle balance, which is why a certain family member called me a few months after my wedding to see what a certain guest had given us as a gift.

It went something like this (except in German):

Her: So, what did you get from Mrs. X as a wedding gift?

Me: Why?

Her: Because we're going to her son's wedding on Saturday.

Me: So?

Her: And I want to know what they gave you.... so I have an idea.

Me: Um, I don't remember. (I really didn't remember, but wouldn't have told even if I did)

Her: I thought you wrote it on the back of the cards for when you sent thank you notes.

Me: Oh, I threw those away already. (I said this as I was looking for the cards, so I could throw them away)

Her: Really? (She suspected I was lying - imagine that)

Me: Yes, really. And I wouldn't tell you anyway, Mom.

Okay, so now you know the culprit (I assure you, she means well). But, as you can see, this topic bugs me.

My advice? Give what you can give. Give what you feel inclined to give. Give from the heart.

One of the best wedding gifts I received was a glass sculpture made by my sister-in-law. The other was a painting - a portrait of me and my husband - done by my then 6 year-old niece.

If you are a bride or groom, do not expect your wedding to be a money-making venture. The reception is a party you're throwing. Your friends and family are coming to celebrate with you.

If they bring a gift, that's the icing on the cake!

News About Under a New Moon!

WOW! What an incredible night!

I'll write all about it very soon, but in the meantime, here's a news clip that actually shows a bit of the ceremony.

Yay!

Jenny & Jeff's Wedding - or - Was May 7th Really All That Special?

It's been a long time, folks! I've been busy working on the details of Under a New Moon. But now that it's all set and all the entries have been submitted, it's time to get back to blogging!

So, now that we're already in May, I thought I would make you aware of a very significant day in history -

May 7th.

On May 7, 1660 Isaack B. Fubine patented macaroni.

May 7th, 1983 - A man named August Hoffman broke a record (and proved he had abs of steel) by performing 29,051 consecutive sit-ups!

In 1941 - on May 7th - Glen Miller recorded the "Chattanooga Choo Choo."

But even more importantly, on May 7^th of 2008, Jenny and Jeff met for the first time. Then, on May 7, 2010, Jeff proposed.

And yesterday, May 7, 2011 - they were married!

Yes, May 7th really is that special!

The wedding took place at the beautiful Patrick C. Haley Mansion in Joliet! A rainy morning made way for a bright, beautiful (but windy) evening, allowing the ceremony to take place in the lovely garden.

I especially enjoyed seeing the flower girl and her handsome young escort (the adorable Aaron, pictured here) make a dramatic entrance, which was appreciated by the chuckling guests.

Congratulations, Jenny & Jeff! May every May 7th be as happy as this one! It was a joy to be a part of your day.

PS - Mario and Princess Peach on the cake were the perfect touch!