Vendor Review III: Wedding & Reception Flowers (& candles)

Flowers with Feeling: A+

I really couldn‘t have had a more perfect experience with my florist, Flowers with Feeling. After months of being told that my budget wouldn’t allow for much creativity, Tina told me to give FWF a call…just to see what they could do. Boy, am I glad I did! My contact, Tammy, was actually willing to work with my mini budget (as you may recall, our flower budget took a huge hit when we decided to go with our fabulous caterer – review to come!).

I gave her some direction (by some, I mean I gave her a 20 page document that included all of my floral inspirations), but after hearing several people rave about her work, I was super confident with letting her do whatever she wanted to do.

My bouquet was inspired by the color of the bridesmaid dresses and had the most amazing mix of textures – it included dahlias, fringe & double tulips, ranunculus, coxcomb, and amaranthus, while my bridesmaids carried cream colored clutch bouquets with dahlias, English garden roses, and double tulips. Lastly, thanks to oliviamoon from Etsy, my bouquet included a pendant with a photo of my mother, so I could have her with me throughout the ceremony… The bouquets could not have been more fabulous!

As for the reception flowers, we kept it simple (and small). We had long banquet tables each of which included 15 or so candles in varying sizes, and featured two mint julep cup vases filled with dahlias, roses, and snow berries – seriously, those are all the flowers we had, and honestly, that’s all that we needed! The flickering candles made the space intimate and romantic, and provided tons of visual interest and texture. Plus, Tammy let me purchase all of the mint julep cups, candles and cylinder vases on my own which totally helped to keep costs down - because I can hunt down a deal like it's nobody's business!!! It was perfect, and it was all because of Tammy and Flowers with Feeling!!!!

photo credit: Essence Photo and Video

related posts: ourbudget-friendly wedding II: ceremony, Vendor Review II: Hair and Make up, our budget-friendly wedding I: Attire, The photos are in!!!, Vendor Review I: Reception Music

our budget-friendly wedding II: ceremony

Personalizing our ceremony was our favorite part of the entire wedding planning process. (Yes, the reception was wonderful, and the photobooth was clearly a highlight for many; but, to us, a meaningful ceremony was paramount.) We hoped to create a tender and ethereal mood that focused on our love for each other as well as our love for our family and friends.

We chose lighter, more romantic processionals, Ave Maria, Joy of Mans' Desiring, and Canon in D, as opposed to some of the more robust (or even severe) processional options (which, of course, shall remain nameless, just in case someone reading this is a fan of powerful or up-tempo processionals...) We also selected passages that underlined the meaning of love and marriage.

New Testament:

1 Corinthians 13

...if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

Even though I've heard this passage perhaps a dozen times before, I still get choked up...even as I read it now.

Old Testament:

Ecclesiastes 4

Better than one, all by himself or herself... If one should fall, the other helps him or her up; but woe to the one all alone with no one to help when falling. Again, they keep warm who sleep two together; but how can someone keep warm alone? Where alone one would be overcome, two will put up resistance; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The final personalized element to our ceremony was the Group Candle Ceremony and Group Blessing. After Nathan and I lit our Unity Candle, we shared our united flame with everyone in attendance. Our priest eloquently described our appreciation for our family and friends, for their unconditional love, support, and understanding, and asked them to bless our marriage by taking a vow to us:

Do you offer this Nathan and Colleen your blessing as husband and wife? "We Do"

And do you offer their marriage your support, as loving family and
friends, today and always? "We Do"

photo credit: Essence Photo and Video

related posts: Vendor Review II: Hair and Make up, our budget-friendly wedding I: Attire, The photos are in!!!, Vendor Review I: Reception Music

Vendor Review II: Hair & Make Up

Jill Gosser & Lisa Caputo: A+

Hair and make up are really and truly the unsung heroes of almost any wedding. I mean, really, when have you ever seen someone come out of a couple hours of professional hair and make up not looking great?! Never. Take the Olsen twins, for example; those are some simian looking girls, but you'd never know it from the way they look on the red carpet. But, I digress. The real purpose of this post is to give all Chicago brides-to-be the vendor tip of a lifetime...an affordable make up artist.

Jill Gosser is a senior make up artist who I found through BOC. Even though I paid BOC's prices for her services (because I had already signed a contract), I felt it absolutely imperative to pass along Jill's contact info, as her personal pricing is far less than BOC's. While her pricing varies depending on the size of the bridal party (i.e., the more people, the less it is per person), it is still afforable no matter how you slice it! For instance, if you and 3 bridesmaids would like full make up, and you're in the city, it's only $70 per person!!!! (note: to go to the burbs, there's an additional $30 one-time charge...) Compare that to BOC's $275 for the bride and $100 for each bridesmaid... INSANE! And, on top of that, she's so good! She made me look like me, but the best version of me there is! I can't recommend Jill enough. Seriously, use her!

Now for the pièce de résistance, my hair!!! I had always known that my stylist, Lisa, from Salon Envy would do my wedding day hair. She is the best hair stylist I've ever gone to, so much so, that I simply had to follow her when she made the move to Salon Envy... She interpreted my ideal look perfectly: loose waves, half-up with lots of height, and pretty to look at from the back... Voila, perfection! Lisa, I LOVE YOU!

photo credit: Essence Photo and Video
related posts: our budget-friendly wedding I: Attire, The photos are in!!!, Vendor Review I: Reception Music

our budget-friendly wedding I: attire

I'd like to begin our $15,000 wedding wrap-up at the beginning - the dress. My dress was the very first (major) decision I made. Essentially, it helped to dictate the tone of the wedding (that is to say, once I picked a more formal dress, I realized that my initial thought of having a laid-back destination wedding in Bluffton, S.C. might not be the right direction.)

As I've explained in past posts, my "vintage" Vera Wang was a fabulously inexpensive find (when you're in doubt, go the preowned or sample dress route). I couldn't have been more obsessed with it! The fabric and the detailing on the bust were to die for! I really lucked out, if I do say so myself. I also wore a gorgeous, standard cut, 72'' cathedral length veil, that was later replaced by a gorgeous silk gardenia, Nadri drop-crystal earings (not pictured), a Nadri crystal bangle (this one was on back order and came 1 week after the wedding...), and I donned some super sexy metallic 4'' heels from Zappos. All in all, I was very, very happy with the way my attire turned out! In fact, the only thing that wasn't perfect was the lack of my Nadri bracelet cuff bracelet...

Up next, hair and make up reviews...

photo credit: Essence Photo and Video
related posts: The photos are in!!!, Vendor Review I: Reception Music

The photos are in!!!

Our photos have finally come in and I've been drooling over them for days now! I can't wait to post all of the details!!! Stay tuned! For now, here's one of my favorite shots...a celebration of love and books! LOVE IT!

photo credit: Essence Photo and Video

Cheap but Chic

Hey ya'll! I've taken a bit of a vacation from anything wedding related - other than stalking my photographer's website, of course - and before I dive back in, I thought I'd share a non-wedding related post.

I was watching Channel 7 News last night (weird, I know) hoping to catch a glimpse of Obama's new economic strategy, when I found myself watching this super awesome segment on cheap stuff around Chicago! Wooohoo! They featured this adorable website, PoorLittleRichGirls, which compiles all of the deals around the city (be it food, clothes or beauty). Listen to how they define their reader:

"A PoorLittleRichGirl is a young woman living in the city earning enough money to support herself, but not quite enough to go spending it on every Jimmy, Marc and Saint Laurent she sees. She is conscious of the image she portrays and loves life’s little luxuries, but is not willing to spend a small fortune on designer goods and premium martinis. She is smart and would rather put this money into her 401K."

Ahh {sign of relief}, finally, a website after my own heart! The segment also featured some high-end designer consignment shops, such as Buy Popular Demand and Cynthia's Consignments. Just thought I'd pass this info along.

Have a great week, everyone!

Honeymoon Heaven

Our honeymoon was absolutely fabulous! It was the definition of relaxation; exactly what we needed after months of hard work. For the most part, we didn't leave the resort except for one excursion to the famed, Xel-ha, a natural eco-park (more on that below). We had decided early on that we wouldn't make our honeymoon an exploration vacation, our typical m.o., but rather we'd do our best to relax and unwind. So, we spent our days lounging on the beach, sipping mango daiquiris (me) and cerveza blancas (Nathan), and the evenings eating delicious, delicious, food at one of the seven restaurants on the resort.

We spent quite a bit of time exploring the "campus" that was the resort. It was HUGE! Above is the Lobby - gorgeous...

Nathan and I enjoying our first evening at the resort.


Above is the outside of our suite. We've decided that we're investing in these Yucatan "Adirondack chairs" - they are the most comfortable chairs we've ever sat in! Nathan has also decided that a hammock is a MUST HAVE for our new home (who knows how long he'll have to wait to get one!) Below is a photo of the "Casitas", free standing guest suites. If we ever go back to our resort, we are DEFINITELY staying in one of these. One word, luxury!


Above is a shot of the main pool at the resort. While there were over 10 pools, this is the one that got the most traffic - undoubtedly due to the HUGE attached bar. And, below is a shot of one of the resort's pets! There were dozens of these guys!



Here is the gorgeous resort chapel. There were 3 weddings that took place during our stay, but strangely, none took place in the chapel.

Here is the outdoor massage facility! Two words - a-mazing! :) Below are a few shots from our one "cloudy day". We were blessed with really beautiful weather, so we couldn't complain about the one day of massive waves and clouds - the remnants of Hurricane Paloma off of Cuba. Instead of lounging on the beach that day, we explored the resort's miles of coastline. Even while covered under a blanket of clouds, it was still gorgeous!


Our feet in the sand:


Because we were on our honeymoon, the resort gave us a romantic candlelit dinner on the beach. It was absolutely wonderful, except for this saxophonist playing Kenny G (literally, Kenny G), but that was easily tuned out by the sound of the waves and good conversation with Nathan.



Look at how happy we are!

A local artist visited the resort to sell his gorgeous "finger" paintings. Yes, he used his fingers to create these masterpieces. We totally got caught up in the moment and bought two of the
"Mexican village" paintings.

Finally, at the end of our trip, we got off of our butts to go to Xel-ha, a eco-park created from a fresh water river and lagoon and the Mexican Caribbean. I know, it's a bit controversial, creating a type of a theme park from nature and exploiting the history and resources of Mexico, but if they hadn't opened it to the public, Nathan and I would have never had an opportunity to see such a magnificent place! We swam with dolphins - number 34 on my list of 100 things to do in life. We floated down the river flanked with cliffs and mangroves. We snorkeled with schools of colorful fish (by we, I mean Nathan, because I'm too squeamish to let fish touch me) . We explored the ancient, underwater Mayan caves. And, while we didn't have time to lie in the hammocks, we admired the idea of a "forest of hammocks" from the sideline. The entire experience was AMAZING! We highly recommend it to anyone going to Riviera Maya... Note: you're not allowed to use regular sun block. You have to purchase biodegradable sun block, so to preserve the ecosystem.




Our honeymoon was absolute perfection. As you can imagine, it was difficult to leave paradise and return to regular life. However, we're comforted by the daydream of vacations to come and, or course, the daydream of our future together!

Oh entertaining, how do I love thee?

I was perusing the holiday invites over at WPD and came across this adorable thanksgiving party invitation! How cute is that!? I wish that our apt wasn't filled with boxes of wedding presents (seriously, box on top of box, on top of box) and the remnants of wedding projects! We would totally have a newlywed thanksgiving party. Oh entertaining, how do I love thee? I know it sounds ridiculous, but I seriously can't wait to host parties as newlyweds (parties that don't nearly resemble those of my college days with bad lighting, kegs, and people putting their cigarettes out on my floor!)...

photo credit: Wedding Paper Divas (my new favorite place)

Vendor Review I - Reception Music

Toast & Jam: A+

I've been sifting through dozens of emails from family and friends regarding the excellent musical selections played throughout our reception. Yep, that’s right, our DJ was so good that people are talking about her a week and a half later!

With that said, I thought I'd begin my vendor reviews with our DJ - our amazing, amazing DJ...

When we began our wedding planning process, we kicked around the idea of a band, but quickly decided that our money would be better spent elsewhere, so we began the month-long DJ search. (Literally, it took a month before we found one that didn’t scare us – and I found ours completely by accident while perusing the vendor list of this amazing blog!) Toast & Jam, the HOTTEST DJ service in town, is an all-ladies (well, there’s one dude), all amazing “Mobile Disc Jockey Service” that’s “Never Stale, Always Fresh and Sweet!”

We had the pleasure of hiring mini-master dj, Madeleine Kuhns. At first glance, you think that she’s just some adorable, well-spoken, college-age lover of music…but upon speaking with her, you realize that she is so much more! She has an amazing library of musical influences ranging from Frente to Sufjan Stevens (who, you ask – just iTunes them!). During our reception, guest after guest approached me about our “exceptional dj…and she's a chick”, as my one music-loving cousin put it! However, I think that the real test of a great DJ isn’t just the “dancability” of the songs played from 9pm – 12am (while crucial, indeed, it’s not everything), but rather the “listenability” of the music played from 6pm – 9pm (during cocktails and dinner). I mean, really, a little Frank Sinatra goes a long way if you ask me. Madeleine passed with FLYING COLORS! In fact, the music played for those three hours was arguably the best chilled-out, laid-back playlist I’ve ever heard, like ever!

Below is a short list some of the songs played during our cocktail and dinner hours. Enjoy!

Nick Drake - Pink Moon
Air - Playground Love
Mazzy Star - Fade Into You
Jens Lekman - Maple Leaves 7" Version
Feist - I feel it all
Peter, Bjorn & John - Paris 2004; The Chills
Belle & Sebastian - Dirty Dream Number Two
Yo La Tengo - Black Flowers
Zero 7 - In the Waiting Line
Bright Eyes - Make a Plan to Love Me
Coldplay - Til Kingdom Come
Norah Jones - Feelin' the Same Way
The Shins - Caring is Creepy
The Association - Never My Love
Sufjan Stevens - Chicago
Radiohead - No Surprises

Cost for Madeleine: $1,000 (and worth every cent!)

photo credit: Toast & Jam

I'm back and I'm married!!!

Hi everyone! Nathan and I are back from our wonderful wedding weekend and our AMAZING week-long honeymoon. Wow - it has been a crazy couple of weeks! More on the craziness in upcoming posts.

I'm doing my best to get people to post their pics on flickr, because it will be over 4 weeks before we see any professional pics (sad face). Here is a shot of me and my father walking down the aisle. Excuse the red-eye (albeit, white-eye). Below that is a shot of my beautiful sister and I just before we all processed down the aisle. I was surprisingly calm - like totally.

I can't believe it's over. I seriously can't believe it! I have so much to post, but I have a lot of "life" to catch up on as well. I'll be back soon and get you all of the details I can gather.

Talk to everyone soon!!