The big day had finally arrived for Jennifer and Mark. When I arrived at the W Hotel, a very excited Jennifer was having her make-up done by Rebecca from Sonia Roselli.
Jennifer’s sparkly shoes and earrings were waiting to be put on.
Jennifer wasn’t the only one who got pretty jewelry. She gave each of her bridesmaids a special necklace to wear.
And Jennifer had some great bridesmaids, too. They attended to her every need and made sure she looked perfect.
Jennifer’s mom was on hand, too, watching as her daughter prepared for the wedding.
Jennifer was good to go! She made sure everything on her mental ‘to-do’ list was complete before we left the hotel to go meet Mark.
Speaking of Mark, Leah was at the apartment he shares with Jennifer to photograph he and his groomsmen getting ready.
Mark greeted Leah at the door… it seems that he and the guys were having a problem with Mark’s bow tie. Does anyone know how to tie them?
YouTube to the rescue! Mark made sure his tie was knotted perfectly.
And Jennifer’s brother made sure his breath was minty fresh before heading out to meet up with the bride.
Mark took his place on the balcony of the hotel and anxiously awaited his first look at his bride.
After Jennifer and Mark had a few minutes alone…
…we headed out to meet up with everyone else on the party bus. Fake tears galore!
Time for some pre-ceremony pictures around town!
The hotel was right by the lake, so it was the obvious first stop for pictures.
Back through the tunnel under Lake Shore Drive…
…and on to the trolley. Mark was ready to get the party started.
The groomsmen showed off their crazy, colorful socks.
Mark had to lay down some ground rules before the party got too out of hand.
A formal shot of the entire wedding party…
…and then one of Jennifer and her girls.
Who’s been drinking Mark’s beer? Mark examines the evidence.
There was a lot of evidence.
I think we’ve found our prime suspect.
We began to make our way from downtown towards Salvage One, where the ceremony and reception were being held. But first we got in a skyline shoot next to (and above) the Chicago River.
Finally, we arrived back at Salvage One where we began with the formal pictures in the courtyard. Look at how formal this group is.
A quick look at the clock revealed that it was almost time for the ceremony. Jennifer and Mark shared a moment, then they parted until the ceremony.
Mark lounged with his groomsmen…
…and Jennifer primped with the assistance of her bridesmaids.
Jennifer got an eyeful while one of her girls helped her secure the veil.
The time flew by, and just like that, it was time to get married.
Jennifer was escorted down the aisle by her parents.
Her mom took her seat in the front row…
…and her father gave her away at the altar.
A friend of the couple honored them by delivering a reading.
Mark’s grandmother was in the front row, watching as the couple delivered their vows to each other.
Jennifer’s mom read a passage as well.
The vows were made and the rings exchanged…
…and they were married!
Congratulations!
Jennifer and Mark slipped away for a few minutes alone while the guest began cocktail hour.
I wasn’t far behind…
…but I left them alone to enjoy a post-ceremony drink.
I snapped this picture as the wedding party made their way into the cocktail hour.
And while the guests grabbed their drinks and began mingling during cocktails, Leah and I ran upstairs to take some pictures of the details.
The centerpieces were gorgeous…
…Elizabeth from Asrai Garden did her usual amazing work.
The programs were printed by the good people at Starshaped Press.
These big, bright paper bouquets were hung on the trellis above the altar where Jennifer and Mark said their vows.
Michelle Durpretti Events helped the couple plan the day and served as the day-of coordinator. They did an amazing job making sure everything went off without a hitch.
Smoque was catering the meal, so guests were provided with specialized bibs in case, as the note points out, things got messy.
Amy Beck Cake Design baked and decorated the lovely cake.
They even had forks ready to go for when the newlyweds cut the cake.
Love it. This was a “Mark” detail.
With detail pictures checked off the list, we headed to join the guests at cocktail hour.
City Provisions prepared appetizers and drinks for the guests to enjoy.
Everyone was having a great time… love was in the air!
Time to eat! Everyone took their drinks and headed upstairs for dinner.
When the dinner was wrapping up, Jennifer’s dad took the microphone to thank the guests for sharing the day with the family.
Next up was the Maid of Honor, who wished the newlyweds all the best.
The best man wrapped up the speeches with a toast to Jennifer and Mark.
Then the couple shared their first dance together.
Everyone else jumped on the floor when the first dance wrapped up.
Quick! Get in the photo booth before there’s a line!
312photobooth had the booth (and some crazy props) ready to go.
Jennifer did some light stretches before tossing her bouquet.
And then it was time to get down!
And what a party it was! Kristin from Toast & Jam was the DJ for the night and she kept the crowd jumpin’.
The giant sunglasses were popular that night.
What a fun day!! I grabbed one of the unused BBQ bibs for the ring shot as I began to make my exit.
Thanks for sharing your day with me, Jennifer and Mark. Congratulations on your marriage!