We love the voluminous flowers and fine feathers from Minnesota’s Bethany Lorelle—lovely for every occasion!

Fresh, bold and clever—Kelly at Clementine Custom Events has such an eye for the latest greatest event possibilities in Chicago in every season. Illinois brides, her blog is simply a must-read for brilliant design ideas and practical advice.

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What can we say about Harrison Studio? Ben and Laura are two of the finest photographers you’ll find. Hailing from Michigan and traveling worldwide, they have such an incredible way of finding unique, lasting beauty in every occasion. Definitely visit their portfolio—inspiration is everywhere!

Aletha is back with another great tip for event design: specialty linens, perhaps the most singularly important element in creating a distinctive table. What a difference a little color and texture can make to complete a look! If you’ve seen any of the weddings by Pearls Events, you know this is sage advice!


Linens are the stage for the any centerpiece, regardless of what will be gracing your tables—from candles and flowers to less traditional options like vintage birdcages and books. Linens will transform even the simplest table design into a show-stopper. It is standard practice for catering companies and reception venues to supply clients with standard white linens. However, upgrading to specialty linens is the number one piece of design advice I give to any bride-to-be. Guests will notice, centerpieces will pop, and your photographer will be thrilled with your choice.

Although linens are an investment, it’s a wise one if you’re looking to make a big impact with you event design. Also, your event planner, or day-of-coordinator, will be there to make sure each one hangs straight and even, and if time allows, each one should be ironed before being placed on the table.

I realize not every town in the Midwest has their own local linen company. Even in Grand Rapids, Michigan we are limited on what is available locally. Nationally, however, I work with amazing linen companies, including BBJ Linen and La Tavola, that continually supply my clients with gorgeous choices. Even if you are not hiring a wedding planner, contact a local planner to see if you can simply work with her on just linens if you cannot find a local company to go through.

Nothing proves the point more than photos can! For more from Pearl Events‘ recent shoot with Telltale Photography, Stems Events and The B.O.B. Also, our latest project from McMaster & Storm, hand-dyed vintage linens. How are you thinking about table design for your day?

Don’t miss our Grand Rapids Unveiled wedding fair giveaway—one great opportunity to meet Aletha and some of Michigan’s finest! We’ve still got a couple tickets left and they’re going, going…!

“The Schindler Banquet Center was about a five minute walk across campus from the chapel and is where we held our reception immediately following the ceremony. We absolutely loved this elegant room with its tall open arches and ballroom feel. Anna Davis was our event coordinator, and she was absolutely amazing—I would recommend her over and over again!”

“The reception table centerpieces were alternating floral arrangements and small guest-sized cakes. The guest cakes were done by Cakes by Jerri Deeter. The three flavors we chose were dark chocolate, white almond, and spice, with the flavors alternating from table to table. Each cake was topped with real miniature pears brushed in edible gold paint. Jerri also did our wedding cake, and it was perfectly romantic with its delicate lattice pattern and leaf motif which varied in design on each tier and was separated by strings of piped dots. I especially loved the way the combination of satin and lace ribbons tied around the pedestal of the stand mimicked the cake’s intricate detailing.” Isn’t the pear detail so lovely? And the guest cakes, and the wedding cake piping…it’s all so beautiful!

“Another merry moment for us was when we lifted our toasting glasses after cutting the cake, and Tony realized that we were about to drink… milk! He loves milk, and a few months earlier he was lamenting the thought of champagne—he was convinced milk would be a far greater accompaniment with cake. After a few sneaky arrangements made with the wedding coordinator, he got his wish! The toasting glasses were a matching pair of tall antique gold teacups instead of clear glasses, so it wasn’t obvious that they held milk until just before we took a sip. The look on his face was priceless!”

“We asked some of my close friends who weren’t in the bridal party to be a part of the day by serving cake at the reception, and the fabric flower ornaments they wore were made by two very dear friends, Sara Deaton and Kristen Brubaker. The corsages were sewn from various fabrics which were all swatches from the dresses worn by the bridesmaids, little girls, and cake servers. The most special handcrafted fabric corsages were those worn by the mothers of the bride and groom, as they were sewn from the same fabric used for my wedding gown.”

Erika had the most poetic advice: “The details are fun, and for a perfectionist like me, important. However, the moment you sense the details are taking over your planning and are beginning to consume your life—step back, breathe deeply, and remember that planning details wouldn’t be a reality if it wasn’t for the fact that the man you love has asked you to spend a lifetime with him. When the anticipated day comes, the excitement of pledging your vows will overshadow all else.”

“Start as early as possible with your plans, and be sure to enlist the help of friends and family in adding the unique and creative touches—you will be surprised by the hidden talents that many of them have in different areas, and they truly will be delighted to be included in your special day. Above all, as everyone told me over and over again—enjoy it, and have fun! Once in a lifetime moments are beautiful, and flee so quickly into the world of sweet nostalgia.”

Complete sweetness, yes! We’re so grateful, Erika & Tony, to have had the chance to share your wedding—thank you! Warmest wishes for your life together—may every day be as beautiful as this one!

“Our ceremony was held at the Collier Chapel. Built in 1873, the chapel still boasts of the original candle-operated chandeliers (electrified in 1928) and stained-glass windows. We were so excited to vow our hearts to each other in this beautiful little church house!”

“Our ceremony included a thirty minute worship service and a prayer before we pledged our vows, and many of the musical pieces performed by the pianist as well as those sung by the a capella vocalist group were praise songs and old hymns. Later on, toward the end of the reception, just before we dashed out to our get-away car, we had a short, informal devotion time with all the guests gathered around us and giving us a parting blessing on our brand new life together. It was a beautiful day of celebrating our marriage covenant; one that still brings tears to my eyes just recalling it!”

“I cannot say enough of Branton Hoblit Photography. As an old friend, we had a wonderful time hanging out and being completely ourselves, but more importantly as a photographer, he did a phenomenal job working as our eyes to capture not only our own emotion and feeling, but also those of our treasured families and friends. The soul and expression of our photos illustrates a depth that serves as a visual storybook to read for the rest of our lives.”

“I always loved the idea of walking down an aisle covered by flower petals, and wasn’t willing to depend on little flower girls to scatter enough flowers in their few nervous moments down the aisle. Instead, we dubbed the little girls ‘bell ringers,’ and they carried vintage gold bells shaped as pears. It was adorable to see them softly ringing their bells as they held hands with each other, and the aisle swathed in hydrangea petals was perfect!”

We asked Erika about her favorite parts of the day: “Tony and I have talked about this—by far the most meaningful moment for both of us was the moment I walked up the aisle and into his arms. The ambiance of the chapel was poignant, and the tall candle stands created romance and tenderness, but the actual beauty of that small sliver in time when my dad kissed my check and I turned to embrace my groom captures our memories more so than any other aspect of that day.”

The reception is next…more sweet moments to come!

“Our wedding was October 3, 2009. It was an evening wedding, which made for a relaxing day—we had all morning to get ready and look forward to the ceremony and party. Photographs started around one o’clock in the afternoon, and from there, all the excitement just culminated into one glorious event!”

“Our color palette was slate blue and marigold with cream and ivory accents. I had always loved the mind pictures I got from reading the classics of Jane Austen’s day with the ladies in their Old English fashionable dresses and the gentlemen in their dapper tweed vests. I tried to mimic this mental picture I had of that era and summed it up by theming our wedding as vintage, but the final outcome of all the little details definitely had a lot of my own personality in the mix—resulting in more of a simple elegance, with a few antique vintage elements thrown in here and there.”"

“Our flowers were beautifully arranged by Wendy Lavy with Consider the Lilies. After I described my vision of a loose, airy, whimsical bouquet, she created the perfect blend of ivory and cream toned flowers with accents of goldenrod resulting in a simple arrangement which complemented the rich texture of the fabric of my wedding dress. One of my favorite things about my bouquet was the long gold, ivory, and slate blue ribbons that fluttered and danced as I carried it. Wendy also did a gorgeous job on both the reception table centerpieces comprised of football mums and cattails among other wildflower pieces, as well as the touches she added to the already charming chapel.”

“My wedding gown was sewn by an aunt of the groom, who did an incredible job creating a dress from practically thin air. I’m still amazed at her ability—I loved it. I showed her pictures of dresses and jumped from one photo to another, asking for this sleeve, this neckline, that skirt style, and that bodice design. She literally merged it all together and gave me the dress of my dreams—feminine in an antique and simple way. The other wedding attire worn by the ladies, including the bridesmaids, little girls, and mothers of the bride and groom, were also handmade, sewn by either themselves or a family member.”

Perfectly lovely! More from Erika & Tony’s wedding in just a bit…!

Corrie’s advice for planning: “Be open to the ideas that your vendors give you, but don’t sacrifice what you want. We had to go to four bakeries before we found someone who would decorate the cake how we had envisioned and make it taste great! On the other hand, we gave a lot of freedom to the florist and the results are even better than the magazine pictures I had. Just go with your gut. You know yourself and your style, take the time to find someone who will work with you to bring your ideas to life. You won’t regret it!” Corrie’s flowers were designed by Our Backyard Flower Shop and the couple’s cake (see below) by A Slice of Heaven Cakery.

“The number one best thing about getting married in Indiana and our motivation for doing the planning out of state—we currently live in Nashville, TN—was being surrounded by family. Adam and I are both originally from Indianapolis, so it was nice to have so much of our family and friends be able to be there with us. The second best thing: affordability. We got great deals on these gorgeous venues and some of the details of the wedding. If we were to throw the same wedding somewhere else, say New York City, it would’ve been way out of our budget. We got to have an incredible wedding without going into debt.” Corrie’s wedding jewelry was a Christmas gift from Adam—love those pearl earrings and bracelet! Adam found the pieces at Reis Nichols in Greenwood.

Two of Corrie’s favorite keepsakes from the day: “I wasn’t going to wear a veil, but I wanted to use some of the lace from my mom’s in some way. I had our seamstress press the lace onto a clutch I bought. I loved it and I still carry it all the time! Also, Adam’s brother and his wife put together the guest book for us. They got a camera with sticky film and had everyone take photos of themselves to put in a scrapbook. I love flipping through now, reading the messages and seeing the goofy pictures.”

“The original color palette was all white. As we began the planning though we let ivory, ‘bridal pink’ and other shades like eggshell creep in. The effect was a very clean vintage look. When I walked into the reception I instantly felt that warmth and romance we were going for—soft candlelight, strings of white lights on the columns, gorgeous vintage glass pieces around the room, the smell of a field of flowers—it was simply stunning.”

“I know people say this all the time, but it is so hard to choose just one favorite moment! I would say that the dances were truly beautiful. When Adam and I had our first dance it was so peaceful to simply lay my head on his shoulder for a moment and breathe. I felt absolutely fulfilled. He told me afterward that our nieces and nephews were dancing and running in circles around us, but I didn’t even notice! The dance with my step dad was especially memorable too. It had been such a busy day that we hadn’t really gotten a chance to talk, so the time we had dancing together was really special. Dancing with my mom was so much fun! I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile that much in one day—she looked so radiant! Finally, all our friends were having a blast on the dance floor, which made me so beyond happy! I couldn’t believe so many people were there just for Adam and me.”

How cute is Corrie here in her winter coat and dress? Love it! Congrats to you two! What a beautiful beginning!

Indianapolis really is a beautiful city—the riverway, historic architecture, unbelievable culture via the museums, mansions and restaurants…so many reasons to love it! We were so thrilled when Corrie & Adam agreed to share their wedding with us—the day is just filled with all these incredibly thoughtful details that just speak love and home. Pair such sweet intention with photographs by Lemongrass Photography and the day is nothing short of stunning.

“Adam and I got married on January 2nd of this year. Although it was absolutely freezing outside, the sun was out and it was a perfect clear day. Because we were having a winter wedding, we really wanted our guests to feel the kind of warmth you get from sitting in front of a fireplace, and the ceremony and reception sites were perfect for getting the mood across. The ceremony was held at Sacred Heart, which has a spiritual kind of warmth thanks to a neat connection to Adam’s family—his grandfather worked as a master carpenter in one of the workshops that made the pews and other ornamentation around the sanctuary. Also, a mutual friend of ours married us, which gave the ceremony the intimacy that really takes the wedding from a simple ceremony to a spiritual union. The reception was at The Rathskeller, Indianapolis’ oldest restaurant—and you couldn’t ask for a better place to get cozy on a winter’s day. Their food is hearty and delicious and the whole atmosphere warms you up right away.”

About the schedule, Corrie told us, “It was a really long day, with a wake up at 5 am, but I felt totally energized all day! I was so amped about spending so much time with all the people I loved I didn’t even think about rest! I wanted to be awake for as much of this day as I could.”

“Adam and I both have a very classic style, a little traditional even. I’m a romantic person, and as my brother says, Adam is a surreptitious romantic too. So we were looking for that timeless, beautiful look, but we didn’t want the wedding theme or style to completely overwhelm any one aspect of the day. We wanted everyone to feel relaxed—to feel that we were taking care of them. We were definitely planning with our guests needs in mind.”

“We thought and talked about our ceremony essentially every day for a year. We read the readings over and over, discussed the songs and talked about each aspect of the Mass extensively. One thing that stands out in my mind was how we entered the church. I didn’t have anyone give me away, instead we followed the Catholic Church’s suggestion to walk into the wedding ceremony together, to symbolize that we’ve come into the marriage together as a couple. We did that and it was one of the most memorable moments of the whole weekend. People are still commenting on how beautiful the Mass was. I knew it was special to us but it’s great to hear that others were moved too.”

This last image gets me every time—what a moment! More from Corrie & Adam’s beautiful winter wedding in just a bit…!

Is it just us or is Chicago the perfect bold urban garden city? We loved Jaimie & Jason’s engagement and wedding so much—a little sexy satin, rich jewel tones, subtle grainy botanical textures and surprisingly perfect vintage touches. Translate their style for the home and you’ve got an effortless one-of-a-kind interior a girl really could be ecstatic about. Let’s pour a little of that champagne!

Sources (clockwise, from left to right): Marsden leather chair from Crate and Barrel, Chinese art deco color sampler rug from Douglas Rosin, woodgrain embossed stationery from PaperSource, handmade R&Y Augousti purple satin clutch from Lille, Tiny Bubbles by Kate Simon from Chronicle Books (m’mm prosecco cocktails!), Kiln Enamel leaf in gold from Lille.

Looking for lovely fine art photography? For those perfectly graceful images, Erica Loeks Photography is one of our favorites. Erica’s latest achievement: this amazing spread in MN Bride, wow!

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Lauren of Chicago’s LK Events has just launched her brand new website and, let me tell you, it is gorgeous! Definitely stop by for a look—Lauren’s great taste, talent and experience light up every page.