As a Chicago wedding photographer, the location that a couple selects for their ceremony and reception affects my job a lot. Luckily, Emily and Chris, who I photographed in May, chose a beautiful and ornate setting for each part of their big day.
Choosing a church or reception room that is as ornate as the Chicago Cultural Center, where Emily and Chris had their reception, can change the colors, flowers and other décor you should use to accent your day. Shooting Emily and Chris, I realized how much a room itself can act as part of the decoration of your wedding. The bride went with a light shade of blue in her floral decorations and bridesmaids’ dresses that accented both the church and the cultural center beautifully. The spring color brightened the large rooms and picked up the colors of the stained glass and muraled ceilings of both locations.
The bride took part in a trend that I am really enjoying, both as a photographer and an observer of weddings. She dressed her bridesmaids in gowns of different colors. Emily chose similar hues of blue, that were also in the hydrangeas of her floral arrangements. As a photographer, I like having varied dresses to shoot to give interest to the photos. As a woman, I know it must be much easier on the bridesmaids to have some input on their gowns. Whether you are simply getting to choose the cut or hue of your dress, or if you get to choose whatever dress you like, you are more likely to wind up with something flattering for you if you have a little say in the matter!
Emily also chose to wear a full-length veil. Although we’ve been seeing tons of vintage-inspired birdcage veils lately, the long veil never seems to go out of style. It can accent a classic wedding gown beautifully and can act as an accent to or substitute for a long train. I particularly liked how Emily had the same scalloped lace lining her veil and her dress. Obviously, we got some great shots that featured her gorgeous veil.
The bride further accented the beautiful reception room by choosing a muted, metallic palette. The neutral colors highlighted the ornate design of the room and the beautiful blue and yellow floral arrangements by Peter at Tulipia Floral Designs. The reception was catered by Food for Thought, Ken Arlen Entourage provided the music, and Kara Underwood with Magnificent Milestones coordinated the whole event.
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