Travis & Kim’s Chicago History Museum Wedding!

November 29, 2012

We absolutely loved bringing Kim and Travis’ vibrant and bold wedding vision to life at the Chicago History Museum! When we first sat down with our bride, Kim, and her Mom, Deb, they had a clear idea of how they pictured Kim and Travis’ wedding day. Kim was drawn to really beautiful and celebratory colors and both of them were equally dedicated to bringing in delicate details to make this day unique and special. From the K+T monogram, which was introduced on the invitations and carried on through welcome bags, programs, favors, and decor (yes, even the pillows and the glow bar featured the monogram!) and finally onto thank you notes, to the gorgeous floral backdrop at the ceremony; to the sunflowers that honored the bride’s brother who had passed away; to the lounge furniture, custom created pillows, and AMAZING lighting; to the beautiful linens, chargers, gorgeous deep purple wine glasses, and AMAZING 4 tier cake, this wedding had it all! Guests were treated to a visually stunning experience from the moment they arrived and danced the night away while enjoying late night snacks, including Garrett’s Popcorn!

Wedding Photography: JPP Studios / Wedding Venue: Chicago History Museum  / Wedding Planning: Michelle Durpetti Events / Floral Design, Lighting + Rentals: ALD Shows + Kim Schiller / Officiant: Burt Constable, a Friend of the Bride & Groom / Catering: Blue Plate / Wedding Cakes: Amy Beck Cake Design / Wedding Paper Goods: Erickson Design / Ceremony Musicians: Belle Music / Ceremony Soloist: Dr. Falyne Frye, a Friend of the Bride / Entertainment: Toast & Jam / Linens: BBJ Linen / Trolley: Second City Trolley / Favors: Garrett Popcorn / Hair: Beth Stock of Epoch Studio Salon / Makeup: Jessi Sheehan of Epoch Studio Salon / Rehearsal Dinner: Adobo Grill / First Look: Sofitel Hotel

From the Bride…on the style me pretty feature of this wedding Whenever I attend a wedding, I’m on the lookout for those personal touches that make it a couple’s own. So when my now-husband (it still seems odd to say that!) Travis proposed, I knew I wanted to avoid anything cookie cutter. Helping to make that happen was our venue. The Chicago History Museum is a wonderful tribute to the Windy City, and I immediately felt at home. It’s as if Chicago met the South in this gorgeous, Georgian-style building, which is particularly fitting considering my mom’s side of the family hails from the Peach State. Despite breaking with several traditions, I was going for timeless and elegant. And bright. It was August, after all, and we had a gigantic cream room to work with. I wanted things to pop. People would ask what my colors were, and I hesitated when answering pinks and oranges because it’s a combo that could easily clash. But with the help of all my amazing vendors, what could have been brash and gaudy was instead more gorgeous than I ever imagined.

The setting was also an introduction to our hometown for much of Travis’ family. He grew up in Nebraska and moved in 2005 to work as a copy editor at the Daily Herald, one of the metro newspapers. I started there shortly after as a reporter. We worked out of different bureaus, though, and only met about four years ago. We immediately bonded over our shared misery/love for the Cubs and made bets whenever his alma mater, the University of Nebraska, played mine, the University of Michigan. One of my favorite moments of the reception came when his groom cake — a big block N — was wheeled out to his fight song. He didn’t know that a little figurine made to look like me would come with it, waving a Michigan flag. But the joke was on me, since my mom arranged for another cake — this time a block M — to come out with a mini Travis waving a Nebraska flag.

It was moments like these that made our wedding so memorable. Our officiant, a columnist we work with, captured us perfectly with his remarks in the ceremony. My friend sang. We honored my brother’s memory with a charm in my bouquet, as well as an engraved vase on the escort card table that was covered in sunflowers, his favorite. There was a table with our parents’ wedding pictures, and our favors were Chicago favorite Garrett’s Popcorn. A “K+T” graphic pattern we printed on the liner of our invitation envelopes made its way onto our programs, the bars and on customized pillows in the lounge area we set up. And the lighting subtly changed colors throughout the night. Everything was just so us, and it made for a wonderful celebration to begin our marriage.

 

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