destination wedding Archives | Page 5 of 6

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.

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.

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

rustic barn wedding at byron colby barn

Ali & Matt got married in June at the Byron Colby Barn in Grayslake and their rustic barn wedding was pure perfection. Take a look at them getting all dolled up.

Ali’s dress and hairpiece were amazing. She was so effortlessly beautiful.

A glowing mom and a dapper dad (love the hat, right?) escort Ali to her waiting groom.

Poor groomsman on crutches in a suit in the June heat. What a trooper he was and still smiling the entire way down the aisle.

Waiting…

Walking…

Kissing!

This picture is amazing. So happy to be married were these two!

After, the crew headed into the party.

Meanwhile, the dudes took some glamour shots of their own.

The barn was ready for revelry.

Wine bottle table numbers and mis-matched vessels made for a cozy and eclectic atmosphere.

Then Matt decided it was time for everyone to get down…

…and then their friends decided it was time to put them up, high up in the air. Matt and Ali were just so lovely to work with and they made my day week when they called me (on their way to Hawaii no less) to tell me what a great day it was and say thanks one more time before they jetted off. Such class acts and it was my pleasure to be a part of it all.

Ali + Matt’s Vendors

Ceremony + Reception Venue: Byron Colby Barn
Planning + Styling: Anticipation Events
Photography: V ictoria Sprung Photography
Florals: Nancy Rolison
DJ: Toast + Jam
Catering: Dave’s Specialty Food
Cupcakes: Bleeding Heart Bakery
Custom Hairpiece: Love, LuLu Mae

outdoor barn wedding at byron colby barn

Stephanie and Brian’s wedding at Byron Colby Barn in Grayslake in August was the outdoor barn wedding of our dreams. Both Brian and Stephanie are super creative and artistic and put a ton of effort into making their day unique to them. Which is my MOST FAVORITE thing. Brian’s hat and bowtie were so dapper and Stephanie rocked an amazing dress and killer shoes:

Stephanie’s dad has passed away but Stephanie kept him close by all day long on her bouquet.

Stephanie and Brian were super troopers trucking through the fields surrounding the barn with Jeremy Lawson to get these shots. Stephanie even brought some little insect friends back with her trapped in the layers of her wedding dress! And yes, that was just after they shook hands with Mr. Ed.

Then it was time to get married!

So I rallied the troops: Stephanie’s brother escorted her down the aisle, they exchanged rings, shared a smootch.

day of coordination

Brian just could not help himself: a fist pump on the way out of the ceremony.

I mean, when you are marrying this girl, who wouldn’t be?

Fabulous details from the party follow. By now you know this is my absolute favorite part, right? Right.

Stephanie collected doilies that we fashioned into table runners and blue mason jars that Nancy filled with gorgeous wildflowers.

day of coordination

Stephanie and her family made these magical magic wands for their guests to shake and wave as Stephanie and Brian walked back down the aisle as a married couple. Then they shook them when the bridal party was announced, and when they shook their booties on the dance floor and I’m hopeful they shook them back at the hotel and at brunch the next morning as well!

A lot of laughing, singing, drinking and dancing capped off an incredible day celebrating two incredible people. S & B: It was so much fun to be a part of your day and may you always be able to laugh off the bugs that fly up your dress!

Stephanie & Brian’s Vendors
Venue: Byron Colby Barn
Photography: Jeremy Lawson Photography
Planning: Anticipation Events
Florals: Nancy Rolison Designs
DJ: Stax-O-Wax
Catering: Catered Productions

destination vintage vineyard wedding in michigan

Melissa and Pete were married in June at a vineyard in Michigan. They live in Chicago and wanted to have a mini-destination for their friends and family that were coming from all over the country. Melissa is a graphic designer and spent so much time on the paper and graphic elements of the day which were amazing. Melissa got ready in the bridal cottage with her mom and two bridesmaids and got a lift to the top of the aisle in a rolls royce.

Even though the night before it was raining, they were married in front of their family and friends with not a drop of rain in sight. After the “i do’s” the took a stroll through the vineyard and grape vines with Sarah & Kevin.

In the spirit of the winery, Melissa and Pete made place cards from wine corks, table numbers and adorable mini-wine bottle favors for their guests to take home at the end of the night. From the lace motif Melissa created for the invites and paper goods to the lace wrapped votives, rustic bird house card box and antique framed signage, everything perfectly fit into their vintage vineyard theme.