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city wedding at intercontinental o’hare

My new favorite pictures are these amazing bridal portraits I keep seeing.  First this one, and now the gorgeous Christine. Brett married this lovely lady in July at Holy Family Parish in Chicago.  Their wedding fell on the last day of a historic heat wave that hit Chicago with temperatures soaring above 100 degrees for days in a row.  You’ll see in the pictures below how absolutely stunning Holy Family is, however, one thing gorgeous, old churches tend not to have is air-conditioning.  After fighting rush hour traffic on Friday and the serious risk of melting in church, I made sure we did the worlds fastest rehearsal (seriously, blink and you missed it) and got them out into the (basically non-existent breeze) ASAP.  Saturday we caught a break and hit a high of only 98 degrees but what a difference it made.  In the end, the heat didn’t matter: these two art teachers put so much work and love into their day, they were all smiles all day long and most definitely ready to party by the time the reception rolled around.  Not to mention we found out the American Idols were touring in Chicago and staying at the hotel.

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Let’s get to the incredible details shall we?  I mentioned they are both art teachers right?  Holy moly did they kill it in that department.  I’ve included some shots instagrammed by yours truly because I was loving it.  So many colors and so much personality in all of their details.  They handmade all of the table cards and holders that went with them, had a candy bar, a chocolate fountain AND a cotton candy machine.  Amazing.  In the cocktail area they put up a bunch of their engagement pictures in which a chalk fight was captured on film. (Why wasn’t I invited? So fun…) In addition, some original artwork they created was displayed and of course a fabulously colorful twist on announcing the bridal party: light sabers, which caused epileptic shock in the absolute best way possible.

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Congrats love birds.  I have no doubt the amazing amount of color that will be brought into the world  because of the two of you.  Thanks for letting Phillip Phillips and I both be a part of your big day.

*all photos by the lovely Luis + Clarissa of I Luv Photo

Christine + Brett’s Vendors
Ceremony: Holy Family Parish
Reception + Catering: Intercontinental O’Hare
Day-of Coordination: Anticipation Events
DJ: Annalise (DJ Lion Tamer) of Fig Media
Photography: I Luv Photo
Florist + Rentals: M & M Special Events
Videography: Delack Media Group
Make-up: Stephanie Negrete
Photobooth: Shutterbooth Photo Booth
Cake: Take the Cake
Transportation: The Trolley Car & Bus Co.
Lighting: PSAV Lighting

DIY bachelorette party

There are times in life when things line up.  When what’s meant to be is.  When magic happens.  My sisters’ bachelorette party was one of these times.  There were times during her planning where I had to put a lot of thought into things: writing a toast for the reception, how was I going to be a maid-of-honor AND wedding coordinator, if I should get chicken or fish, but choosing a theme for her bachelorette party was not one of those times.  Hence, Saradashian’s Last Stand was born.DIY bachelorette party

I designed and printed the invites (front to back) complete with photshopping my sister in with the Kardashians, tied them up with ribbon and stuffed each envelope with feathers and sequins.  The liners were custom made because really, when other time am I going to get to do something like this?  When you’re talking about the Kardashian’s, it’s got to be over the top.  Bible.

I didn’t tell her anything about the party other than what the invitation gave away which was to meet at a hotel downtown at 5:30.  At 4:30 I had an SUV (just like Kim Kardashian gets driven around in) pick Sarah and her bridesmaid Shannon up at her house and when they got in the car Shannon gave her a card I had had my parents write her (likely ending with, “be safe!”)  Then they stopped to pick up two more bridesmaids and she got a card that I had my brother write (surprisingly sentimental).  One final stop to pick up the last bridesmaid Molly, and Molly gave her a card I had written her (recounting some of our drunken escapades together to ger her in the mood to party!)  I was so happy Shannon send me these pictures as a play-by-play!DIY bachelorette party

So in this case, I had the party in a hotel room.  This makes things difficult for a myriad of reasons: no access to your dishes, kitchen utensils or dishwasher, having just a tiny fridge and a microwave etc.  Even though we used a lot of things that could be thrown away at the end of the party, I still wanted to make it special.  Everyone got two glasses, one for champagne and one for kahlua and creams (my sister’s favorite) adorned with the Kardashian of their choice.

DIY bachelorette partyDIY bachelorette party

I made the kahlua and creams by freezing the cream in ice cube trays and pouring kahlua over them.  A bathtub full of beer, and the party was on!  As for food, choose lots of things that are easy to eat on your lap and don’t take a lot of prep.  I did sushi, chips and dips, fruit and dip in individual cups and individual popcorn boxes.  Mini cheesecakes and cupcakes for desserts, topped with engagement rings, perfect for taking to the bar afterwards to fend off any unwanted advances.  Oh and candy.  I just filled a bunch of patterened cupcake liners with all of Sarah’s favorite candy.  She is ridiculous and eats it for nearly every meal yet still somehow manages to be as thin as a rail and never has any cavities.

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You know I splurged and bought a life-size cardboard cutout of Kim, Kourtney and Khloe to greet guests.  Much to her fiance’s chagrin, the girls are living in their basement, watching over the laundry pile, naturally.

DIY bachelorette party

Goody bags for the girls were in little felt buckets I found at Target and I created tags for each using a heart-shaped punch and ribbon.  Easy-peasy.  Included in each was a mini can of Sophia champagne (mini, pink straw included!), a mini-bottle of Kim Kardashian’s perfume, individual packs of Advil, a couple of blow-pops and a ring pop, a pack of Starburst and a pack of Skittles (see: candy obsession above) and then a few things to take to the bar: a stick on mustache, glow-stick jewelry, pixie sticks and mardi-gras beads.  Sarah got a homemade veil and light up diamond to ensure everyone knew who the star of the party was.  Classy, simple and accentuated her outfit.  Seriously, how long did your sister/best friend/future-in-law spend picking out an outfit for her bachelorette party?  Don’t ruin it!

DIY bachelorette party

Timeline wise, for a shower or bachelorette party I like to welcome guests with a drink as they are arriving, let them eat and chat for a bit, play a game, open gifts and call it a day.  At a shower, people can stay and mingle, at the bachelorette party we keep drinking and told some hilarious Sarah stories.  I really hate forced bachelorette party games, but think they can be a good ice-breaker when people don’t know each other well.  I created a “Kardashian Kuiz” full of questions about the infamous family (which my sister promptly won) and then took a bag full of props out to the bar with us. And obviously the penis straws and Scott Disick.  Did you think he was going to let us go without him?  Not a chance, doll.

boho salvage one wedding

I thought I blew it with Anni + Ross the first time we met.  I was definitely a creepy wedding planner.  We were chatting about their Salvage One wedding of course and I was gushing over their vendors and venue because they were all amazing.  I’m probably the only wedding planner on the face of the earth that won’t throw a complete and total fit about a bride telling me she’s going to do her own flowers, I could just tell Anni could handle it.  They were just. so. chill.  So as we were wrapping up I asked if they were taking a honeymoon after the wedding and they said yes, they were going to Palm Springs. Without thinking I asked, “oh, are you staying at the Ace Hotel?”  The answer was yes, which I am sure creeped them both out a little bit, but I just knew.  They are exactly cool enough to stay there and fit right in. Luckily, they saw past my bizarreness and hired Anticipation Events anyway!

hipster wedding ideas

Aimee, our super-duper wedding coordinator actually coordinated their wedding and I can’t tell you how jealous I was.  I kept trying to find ways to sneak in to see it.  But alas, Aimee killed it and didn’t need me at all.hipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideashipster wedding ideas

The best news is that Anni was in the process of starting her own photography company and she is currently rocking it all over the city.  I can’t wait until we get to do our first wedding together as vendors!

*all photos by the mayo-hating, photo-taking queen: Olivia Leigh Photographie

Anni + Ross’s Vendors
Ceremony + Reception: Salvage One
Day-of Coordination: Anticipation Events
DJ: Style Matters
Catering: Food for Thought
Photography: Olivia Leigh Photographie
Cake: Sweet Mandy B’s
Florist: bride & bridesmaids via the farmer’s market
Officiant: Bruce Falk
Bride’s hair + make-up: Salon Soca
Anni’s dress: Sarah Seven
My shoes: Jimmy Choo
Bridesmaids’ dresses: their choice, mostly Zara and Nordstrom
Ross and the guys’ suits: Formally Modern
Ross’s tie: J. Crew

anticipation events destination weddings

Hello, hello.  Remember when I used to blog here?  So do I.  It’s been an amazing, whirlwind of a crazy year for Anticipation Events.  So much travel, so many beautiful destination weddings and so much fantastic news to share.  As wedding season 3.0 winds down, I promise I’m back and ready to catch you up on all of the beautiful things I have to share.

    • Weddings galore: from a lakeside in Wisconsin, a cotton field in Arkansas, an art museum in Omaha and a chic boutique hotel in Chicago, we’ve been trucking around the country bringing a little love to brides and grooms anywhere we can find them.
    • My little sister gets married. Holy crap.  I pull double duty as coordinator and maid-of-honor.
    • We hire another fantastic coordinator to join the team.  I know you can’t wait to meet her…
    • We’re currently working on a complete website makeover.  In the meantime, you’ll notice our little blog has had a little makeover herself.  We hope you like.
    • And this just in, we’ll be spending the winter prepping for Indie Wed 2013.  We’re so thrilled to be accepted as a vendor for this fantastic show and hope to see all of your smiling faces there!

 

Let’s get ready to rumble….

destination barn wedding at three sisters park

So I’ve been anxiously awaiting the arrival of these photos in my inbox.  Ryanne + Kevin were married in May at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, Illinois.  It was a party of epic proportions that was preceded by a bit of chaos.  The park was exactly their vision: a totally rustic barn surrounded with wide open space.  Kevin + Ryanne did so much themselves: sweeping out the barn, hanging lights and they really rolled with the punches when it rained all week and we had to move the ceremony inside at the last minute.  Also, they were totally cool when the sheep crashed the party and ordered gin and tonics.  And then there’s this picture with this horse, which I think tends to make up for most of the pre-wedding chaos.  I’m pretty sure the only thing that could have made this photo better is if that horse were a magic wedding unicorn. I almost wouldn’t have been surprised.

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Not bad for a makeshift ceremony site 30 minutes before the wedding?  Thank God for amazing vendors like Heather at Events By Bloom and the indelible Ronald Roberts for jumping in and putting this together with me so that we could wait until the very last second in hopes that the rain would clear.

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Truly an unforgettable wedding day and a fabulous story for the Anticipation Events archives.  I could not have more fun with you two and I hope your happily ever after is filled with as many outrageously funny stories and adventures as your wedding day was.

*all eye-candy courtesy of Deidre Lynn Photography

Ryanne + Kevin’s Vendors
Ceremony + Reception: Three Sisters Park
Day-of Coordination: Anticipation Events
DJ: Ronald Roberts
Catering + Cake: Cracked Pepper
Photography: Deidre Lynn Photography
Videography: ZNeff Weddings
Florist: Events By Bloom
Make-up: B. Loved Stylists
Hair: Melissa Bakel
Photo Booth: PeekABooth
Guest Hotel: Windgate by Wyndham

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a big birthday throw down. any celebration is a ye a big birthday throw down. any celebration is a yes from us. 🎈
how have we not shared these clips with you yet? a how have we not shared these clips with you yet? a delightful day for delightful humans one year ago! 🌅
☎️🫶☎️🫶☎️🫶☎️🫶 ☎️🫶☎️🫶☎️🫶☎️🫶
Twinkly nights and all the details just right. 🌺

📸: @frankieisabelphotography
Mel + Ted are in the blog. Link in profile. 🛹🧡

Photographer: @jackhoylephoto 📸
Styling + Coordination: @anticipationevents 📋
Music: @beatmixchicago 🎵
Florist: @sprouthomechicago 🌸
Build Your Own Bouquet: @northroadflowerfarm 🌷
Rentals: @tablescapeschgo + @boweryandbash 🍽️
Photo Booth: @fotioco 🎞️
mary elisabeth + john 🖤🌿 mary elisabeth + john 🖤🌿
Sarah + Dylan are on the blog! Link in bio for mor Sarah + Dylan are on the blog! Link in bio for more details on this romantic fall wedding featuring garden-inspired florals and moody vintage flair 
 
📸 @alishatova

Planner @anticipationevents 
Venue + Catering @thaliahallchicago 
Florals @splendor_of_eden 
Rentals @hallsrental @tablescapeschgo
Band + Ceremony Musicians @bluewaterkingsband
Hair @merakiroomchicago
Makeup @kelseyjoelle
Chalkboard Art @latenightchalkshow
Rehearsal Dinner + Dessert @pilotprojectbrewing
Officiant @ravsteven
Transportation @charterup
Dress @newhite_bridal
@swungiee
@dshearer333

#chicagoweddingplanners #bride2025 #voguewedding #chicagowedding #fallwedding #weddingideas

@anticipationevents

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