This Week in Weddings: 2/1/14-2/8/14

Hey friends! Guess what? We're starting a new thing where, every week, we'll recap the best things that we've seen on the web! These will likely be things that we've talked about elsewhere- on Pinterest, Facebook, etc. but there might be some new things mixed in as well. It will just be a cool mashup of all of the week's wedding offerings- in case you missed them. Check back every Sunday for cool new wedding recaps, news, and links to the best of weddings that the web has to offer! So LET'S GET STARTED!

This week had a lot of LOVELY bright colors, and gold. I think we're all sick of this dreadful weather and are trying to recall more colorful time. The lovely bouquet featured above comes from our Fab Flowers board on Pinterest, and is originally from this awesome Russian wedding website. 

One of my favorite colorful weddings this week, which we talked about on Facebook on Wednesday, was this AMAZING 80's Pop Themed wedding, featured on 100 Layer Cake. This whole wedding is bursting with happy and fun, so I definitely recommend a page through the full gallery. 

Something that we have yet to talk about, but is definitely worth discussion, is Zac Posen's new line for David's Bridal. These stunning, elegant, modern dresses are a great option for a high-fashion bride on a budget! Read more about these here, and shop the line when it comes out this month here!

What did YOU love this week in weddings?

Throwback Thursday: Nick and Mary Pat Barmantje

Today's Throwback Thursday features a couple whose happy marriage of over 30 years is a true inspiration. Since this day in 1982, the Barmantjes have raised three amazing children and become great members of their community, but today we're looking back at the wedding that started it all!

Couple's Name: Nick and Mary Pat Barmantje

Wedding Snapshot:

Wedding Date: February 20, 1982
Ceremony Location: Our Lady of the Wayside church in Arlington Heights, IL 

Reception Location: The Barn of Barrington

Number of Guests: 180
First Dance Song: I Love You Just the Way You Are

Bridesmaid Dress Color: Teal

How did you meet?

We met at college, at Eastern Illinois University.

When and how were you engaged?

We were engaged in 1981.  Nick took me to a fancy restaurant and proposed.  We bought a bottle of champagne to bring to my parents house to celebrate.

Throwback Extra: The women in this picture have all been friends since kindergarten!

What was your most memorable wedding day moment?

We were concerned about the weather.  Getting married in Chicago in February can be risky.  It was a rare semi warm sunny day.  Being a 2^nd grade teacher, many of my students were at the church.

If you could do it all over, would you change anything?

No.

What is one piece of advice that you can give to our brides and grooms?

Always keep the lines of communication open and remember to laugh together!!

Thanks Nick and Mary Pat for being a part of Throwback Thursday! If you are interested or would like to submit a family member or friend to be featured in an upcoming Throwback Thursday feature please contact amanda@ladievents.com

Throwback Thursday: Chad and Sarah Ward

Couples Name:   Sarah and Chad Ward

How did you meet?   We met at a party after a basketball game over Thanksgiving break in 1996.  However, during the Pumpkin Fest Parade that same year I was working at the Sports Booster’s pork chop booth, and saw him on the Sycamore News Float in the parade and thought he was cute!  We went on our first date at the beginning of December and just before Christmas I saw a picture of him on the float and realized it was the same guy!!!

 When and how were you engaged?   We were engaged officially in January of 1998.  We had already selected the diamond from a friend in the US Virgin Islands and had the ring created there and shipped.  I expected him to propose at the Blackhawks game we went to the first weekend in January, but he didn’t.  The ring came in the mail on January 8^th and that same day Chad’s boss sporadically played a song that reminded him of me and he left work quickly, ran across the street, bought a red rose, and raced up to my classroom where he proposed. 

 

Wedding Snapshot:

Wedding Date:   11-28-98 (Happy 15th Wedding Anniversary, Sarah and Chad!!)

Ceremony Location:   Disciples United Methodist Church, Mt. Morris, Illinois

Reception Location:   Ballroom of a Hotel in Rock Falls, Illinois

Number of Guests:    between 275-300

First Dance Song:    Is it bad I can’t remember?  ; )  I’ll ask Chad. (neither one of us could remember!) ;)

Bridesmaid dress color:  Black

 

Most memorable wedding day moment?    My favorite part of the entire wedding weekend was the time spent with our closest friends AFTER the rehearsal dinner.  We hung out in the pub connected to the hotel and stayed up way too late laughing, talking, and reminiscing.  At that point in my life, many of my closest friends were far from home at grad school and working out of state. It was a gift to have them all together.

As for the wedding itself, the flowers (fire and ice roses) were absolutely stunning!  I wanted a holiday feel to the wedding and they really felt festive. 

If you could do it all over again would you change anything?  I would do a destination wedding!

 

What is one piece of advice you can give to our Bride and Grooms? 

Don’t let outside conflicts and opinions factor in – as much as possible.  More is not always better and in the end, looking at the photos should bring you joy, not bad memories.

If you are interested or would like to submit a family member or friend to be featured in an upcoming Throwback Thursday feature please contact amanda@ladievents.com

Throwback Thursday: Jeff and Caroline Berman

Today's Throwback Thursday is the romantic true story of a couple married over 18 years ago, and still as happy today as they were on their wedding day. Get ready to reminisce with this wonderful couple!

Couple's Name:  Jeff and Caroline Berman

Wedding Snapshot

Wedding Date: May 13th, 1995
Ceremony Location: St. Lambert's Catholic Church, Skokie, IL
Reception Location: Bristol Court Banquets, Mount Prospect, IL
Number of Guests: 210
First Dance Song: "I'll Always Love You" by Taylor Dane (Note: Jeff didn't love the song, but they both loved the lyrics.)  
Bridesmaid Dress Color: Burgundy

How did you meet?

We met on July 24th 1992, at Old St Pat's Block Party in Chicago, in the beer line!

When and how were you engaged?

We got engaged 1/29/1994.  Jeff took me to dinner at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants: Lindo Mexico. Right before the check arrived, Jeff said he forgot his wallet in the car and would be right back. While I sat there waiting, Jeff went back to my apartment around the corner and changed into a suit and tie from jeans. The waiter kept walking by smiling, and about 10 minutes later came by with a note in an envelope. It said "The bill is paid, here is $20 for cab fare. Take a cab to 2639 Sheffield and tell them your name."

I walked outside to beautiful fluffy snow falling and took a cab to the address. It turned out to be my favorite romantic bar-- Pops for Champagne.  I went to the door and told them my name. They brought me to a small table and soon brought a beautiful red rose and champagne. I said "I didn't order this," and they just smiled at me.  A couple of minutes later, the waiter brought me a card with the sweetest words I ever heard: Jeff telling me how much I meant to him and how much he loved me! I started crying and when I looked up, Jeff was down on one knee, in his suit and tie and asked me to be his wife!

Of course I said YES!! And everyone around us started clapping!

That was almost 20 years ago and he still gives me butterflies and continues to surprise me! I made the best decision of my life that night, and four kids and 20 years later, I feel like I love him even more!!!

This adorable note was a key part in Caroline & Jeff's proposal story.  Caroline saved it- how sweet!

What was your most memorable wedding day moment?

Two things were soo memorable-- RAIN and nerves.

I got married in May and I thought I would have a beautiful Spring wedding! HAAAA! Nature had other plans for us, like 45-50 degree weather, gusting winds, and RAIN!! They said it was good luck to have rain on your wedding day, but I thought they were just saying that so brides didn't have a nervous breakdown.

Turns out it was true- I got so lucky when I married Jeff!

My other most memorable moment was really how incredibly nervous I was. I was shaking on the way down the isle, but once we said our vows, I relaxed so much, finally smiled, and enjoyed the day even though it it was pouring outside!

If you could do it all over again, would you change anything?

My wedding was beautiful and the only thing I would change (besides the weather, which none of us have control over!) would be to not worry about all of the small details, which don't seem so small at the time. Just enjoy the day and try to remember as much as you can because it goes by soooo fast!

What is one piece of advice you can give to our Brides and Grooms?

GO ON A HONEYMOON!!!!  I don't care if it is an hour away or the most exotic trip! Get away afterwards to celebrate your day, spend time together, relax, and begin the next chapter in your lives. Besides, after all of the months and possibly years of planning a wedding, truthfully, you feel a little sad when it is all over. The honeymoon gives you something to look forward to and enjoy, just the two of you!

If you are interested or would like to submit a family member or friend to be featured in an upcoming Throwback Thursday feature please contact amanda@ladievents.com

Throwback Thursday: Matt and Jeannine Harvell

Couples Name: Matt and Jeannine Harvell

Wedding Snapshot:
Wedding Date: 11/25/1989
Ceremony Location: Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, IL
Reception Location: Matthew Boone's, DeKalb, Illinois
Number of Guests: 300
First Dance Song: Color My world (Our song was sung at wedding): Always by Atlantic Star
Bridesmaid dress color: Black and white

 

 

How did you meet? Matt was moving a relative out of one of my parent's apartments. I answered the door after hopping out of the shower, dripping wet! The next week Matt came looking for me at a Sycamore playoff football game.

When and how were you engaged? June 6, 1987 at my high school graduation. Matt got down on his knee and asked me to marry him at my parent's house right before the graduation ceremony.

   

Most memorable wedding day moment? It snowed in the morning and it was so beautiful.

If you could do it all over again would you change anything? We would have gone to a different honeymoon destination because we were in a car accident in Longboat Key, Florida. We also wish we would have hired a videographer because we don’t have a video of our wedding day.

 

What is one piece of advice you can give to our Bride and Grooms? Forgive and communicate. Enjoy the day and don’t worry about everything.

 

 

If you are interested or would like to submit a family member or friend to be featured in an upcoming Throwback Thursday feature please contact amanda@ladievents.com

 

Throwback Thursday: Chuck and Glenda Stowe

 

Couples Name:

Chuck and Glenda Stowe

 

Wedding Snapshot:

Wedding Date: May 10,1980

Ceremony Location: Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, Illinois

Reception Location: DeKalb Elks Club

Number of Guests:250

First Dance Song: "Help Me Make It Through The Night"

Bridesmaid dress color: Light Blue

 

 

How did you meet?

We met when I applied for a job as Service Secretary at Appletree Stereo. I got the job after the other person turned it down! That was the beginning of Oct 1979.

 

When and how were you engaged?

We became engaged in Feb 1980. We had been dating for a couple months and I thought that it was going to cause problems with my job so I went to tell him that we should probably stop dating and he said "How about marrying me?" He came and picked me up the next day and we went to pick out an engagement ring.

 

Most memorable wedding day moment?

The best man lost his tie and it was in his pocket the whole time! When the wedding ceremony started it was dark and rainy. Then 20 minutes later when our pastor was ready to pronounce us husband and wife the sun came shining through the church window. The pastor said God had blessed this union!

 

If you could do it all over again would you change anything?

Well we would have had a  photographer who had a camera that worked! Half of our wedding pictures were supplied from our parent's Polaroid's. Also, the powder blue tuxedos!!

 

What is one piece of advice you can give to our Bride and Grooms?

That it's one day in your life together! My husband and I planned our wedding in 2 months! Treat it as a party, not a production! All you need is food, friends, and family- and Chuck says beer and a band! No DJ!

 

If you are interested or would like to submit a family member or friend to be featured in an upcoming Throwback Thursday feature please contact amanda@ladievents.com

Real Wedding Recap: Gwen & Mike, Acquaviva Winery

Hey Friends!

Guess what? We are starting a new series of blog posts in which we provide a full breakdown of some of the fabulous big days that we've been lucky enough to be a part of. We have seen SO MANY WONDERFUL moments, while so many lovely La Di couples tied the knot. So get excited people, because things are about to get BEAUTIFUL!

We're going to start with the absolutely stunning wedding of Gwen & Mike, which took place at Acquaviva Winery on June 8, 2013. Get ready to gasp at all of the gorgeousness in three...
two...
one...

Am I right about the gorgeousness? That really happened, and we can all thank Redwall Photography for capturing this amazing moment, and for providing all of the beautiful photos that we're about to obsess over.

Gwen & Mike's incredible ceremony took place in the midst of Acquaviva's lovely vineyard. They provided fruit infused water for their guests before the ceremony, which looked lovely and left guests happy and hydrated!

Gwen walked down the aisle to the sweet sounds of the Nerius String Quartet. They sounded incredible. If you were thinking that there is nothing more romantic than a string quartet in a vineyard, then you are absolutely right.

The weather was absolutely perfect throughout the whole ceremony, and Rev. Toni Maddi did an incredible job officiating. During one particularly memorable moment, Rev. Maddi had the couple take a moment to turn out and face the crowd, to see how much everyone there loved them. I would be lying if I told you that I didn't tear up a bit there.

The couple's dog made an adorable addition to their wedding party. She was a real class act, standing proud and tall throughout the ceremony.

Immediately following the ceremony, guests headed to the reception across the street, at Acquaviva's stunning restaurant. In keeping with the wine theme, the escort cards were made from corks from wine bottles. They were adorable.

Even more adorably themed was the guest book, which was a wine barrel that guests were invited to sign. What an incredible piece of decor that Gwen and Mike can now incorporate into their home, as a reminder of both their special day, and of the love of their family and friends! 

Gwen and Mike's centerpieces were expertly composed by Tiffany of The Petal Boutique. I loved how elegant and simple the combination of the flowers and lanterns turned out.

Tiffany also provided olive branches to lay around the gorgeous cake, to make sure that the rustic Italian villa vibe carried into the cake-display as well!

Cake cutting is not always easy. Honestly, who among us has any real experience cutting tiered cakes? The perks of having a planner: when Gwen & Mike had some trouble getting the cake on the plate, it was Amanda to the rescue!

After cutting the cake, the lovely couple hit the dance floor for their first dance. Let's take a moment to admire how absolutely gorgeous they look. Gwen's INCREDIBLE hair and makeup was the work of the super talented Jamie Herst. Her look was so classic and beautiful. And her dress was absolutely to die for! 

I'm not being cheesy, I'm just being perceptive when I say: look at how obviously in love they are. It's so sweet and wonderful to see a couple that is THIS happy to be with each other. Thanks so much to Gwen & Mike for allowing us to be a part of your incredible day. We wish you a lifetime of happiness and love!

Venue: Acquaviva Winery  www.acquavivawinery.com

Photographer: Redwall Photography www.redwallphotography.com

Florist: The Petal Boutique http://thepetalboutique.com

Dj: Music by Design http://musicbydesign.com/

Musicians: Nerius String Quartet neriusfamily@gmail.com

Hair and Makeup: Jaime Herst www.jaimeherst.com/

Officiant: Rev Toni Maddi http://www.tonimaddi.com/

Wedding Planner: La Di Events www.ladievents.com

Cutest Wedding Readings Ever: Kids Books

Let's get real for a second. What is your favorite book? What book do you love more than any book in the world, and makes you smile when you think of it, and makes you want to make sure that every person in the world reads it at least once so they know how great it is? For some of you smarties, that book is going to be something like One Hundred Years of Solitude or The Sound and the Fury or Gone With the Wind. English majors, theater people, and liars will say that it's something by Shakespeare. Every teenage girl will say it's one of the Twilight books, and 37% of the world will say Harry Potter. And all the people that are left will be honest, and say it's a kids picture book. Because kid's books are frickin' fantastic.

These kids know what's up.  Image borrowed from here.

So, if you know how awesome kids books are, and you're having a slightly nontraditional ceremony, why not consider a reading from an amazing book that meant a lot to you in your formative years? Before you get all "What? That's crazy!" consider these things:

1. Odds are, a kids book has a more prominent place in your heart and your memory than some random poem on a wedding reading website, even if that poem is very pretty and romantic.

2. Can you imagine how crazy and wonderful it would be to read your children and grandchildren the same book that was read at your wedding?  I mean- OMG.  SWEETEST. THING. EVER.

3. I really like this idea, so just consider it, okay?

And if those arguments weren't convincing enough, please consider the following books, and then tell me you don't want a picture book read at your wedding.

1. Your Personal Penguin by Sandra Boyton

Are you a cool, fun couple who doesn't take themselves too seriously?  Then this adorable book might make the perfect wedding reading for you.  The text of this book was also recorded as a song by Davy Jones, which is pretty darn cute, and could very easily make a sweet encore appearance at you reception. Here's an excerpt: 

I like you a lot. 

You're funny and kind. 

So let me explain 

What I have in mind. 

I want to be your personal penguin.

 I want to walk right by your side. 

I want to be your personal penguin.

 I want to travel with you far and wide.

2. I Like You by Sandol Stoddard Warburg

I am not convinced that this book wasn't written for the sole purpose of being read at wedding ceremonies, while everyone smiles with happy tears in their eyes.  It is a perfectly perfect expression of love, friendship, and companionship. The entire book is wonderful- so much so that it would be really difficult to pick a single passage for a reading.  Go ahead and read the whole darn thing! Here are some of the many amazing moments:

I like you because

I don’t know why, but

Everything that happens

Is nicer with you.

I can’t remember when I didn’t like you.

It must have been lonesome then.

I would go on choosing you,

And you would go on choosing me,

Over and over again.

That’s how it would happen every time.

I don’t know why

3. The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

This book is definitely a children's classic, and most people read or owned a copy at some point in their childhood. And while you probably remember bits and pieces, I bet you don't remember how incredibly sweet, wise, and quite frankly, profound, the Skin Horse was. That old horse had a lot of valuable advice that is equally applicable to the lives of toy rabbits and newlywed humans.  Here's what I'm talking about:

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

"I suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive. But the Skin Horse only smiled.

"The Boy's Uncle made me Real," he said. "That was a great many years ago; but once you are Real you can't become unreal again. It lasts for always."

So there you have it. And believe it or not, these are just a few of the many MANY kid's picture books that would make amazing wedding readings.  Some other great options include Guess How Much I Love You? by Sam McBratney, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery, and The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. And I bet if you raid your childhood bookshelf, you'll find a lot more.  So do it! And then tell me about all of the other incredible, touching wedding readings disguised as children's picture books. 

Ring Warming? More Like Heartwarming! LOVE IT!

You know what's adorable? Ring Warming Ceremonies. Wait, you've never heard of a ring warming?! OMG well let me explain.

I also had never heard of a ring warming until I stumbled across this TOTALLY AMAZING wedding on the Weddingbee Boards. If you are not already on Weddingbee, I suggest you get on that ASAP. Not only is it FULL of awesome tips and info from other real brides, the message boards are also like watching a million wedding reality shows at once. There's A LOT of drama, intrigue, and suspense, and also a lot of super nice, helpful people.

Here is the basic idea: Place your rings in a visible spot near the entrance to your ceremony as guests are walking in.  Make sure you designate a groomsman, usher, or other trusted person to be on ring watch. Then put up a sign that invites guests to "warm" your rings, while holding the rings and making a happy wish! Here is an example of a sign that another Weddingbee member made:

Adorable right?! Here's a super cute ring warming action shot: 

Image Borrowed from Here

Now the only question is, how do you appropriately display these rings?  Well, some people use ribbons to tie them to something solid, so that no one accidentally walks off with them.  See here: 

Image Borrowed from Here

But my favorite option is to have a very lovely ring box in which to display your rings, which you can save as a keepsake after the wedding!  Etsy seller FloMade designs lovely proposal boxes, which could easily be customized into ring warming boxes.  Aren't they pretty?

So what do you guys think about ring warming ceremonies?  Are you as in love with this idea as I am?  Will you do a ring warming at your wedding? Is this the most heartwarming thing you've ever seen?

Wedding Season Recap: Highlights and Cool Things We Loved

Hey Friends! How is everyone?  How's wedding planning going?  Fantastic?  Hooray!

So with this wedding season drawing to a close, I thought that we could recap some unique and lovely elements from a few of our fantastic weddings this season.  We've had a lot of fabulous weddings from a bunch of brilliant, creative brides, so it's only fair that we share some of their cool ideas with you!

I'll start with Joanna & Mike's fantastic Blumen Gardens wedding, which was full of personal touches from the bride. Joanna had TONS of creative ideas for her centerpieces and decor, but my favorite element was probably the head table decoration.  She had collected hundreds of glass bottles before her wedding, which we combined with candles to create a stunning and nontraditional head table. It looked absolutely AMAZING.

The next brilliant bride we'll talk about is Gwen, who married Mike in a breathtakingly beautiful ceremony at Acquaviva Winery.  Literally guys, THIS is where they got married:

That picture is just an iPhone, no filter, taken with my very limited photography skills, so even though it's gorgeous, trust me: it was even prettier live.  And Gwen and Mike's genius was not limited to venue selection! They also were very creative when it came to their guest book which (how fitting!) was a wine barrel. Guests loved signing the barrel, and BONUS!, Gwen and Mike now have an awesome piece of home decor covered in memories from their happiest day.

The final wedding that we'll touch on in this post is Amy and Jason's, which just happened this past weekend! The weather was perfect for their outdoor ceremony at Burpee Natural History Museum. The couple very elegantly incorporated an artichoke theme into so many elements of their day, including the floral arrangements! The bride and bridesmaids all had artichokes in their bouquets, and centerpieces incorporated artichokes as well.  Here's the purple artichoke arrangement that hung on their ceremony arch:

Amy and Jason also made sure their guests were never hungry.  Immediately following the ceremony, guests walked out to find the good folks from Dairyhaus in Rockton ready to serve them delicious ice cream flavors selected by the couple!

And that's just the tip of the iceberg, friends! We've had so many wonderful weddings this season, full of a million little elements that made each one memorable in it's own special way.  We'll share more delightful details in posts to come, and hopefully we'll be able to touch on each and every wedding.  THEY WERE ALL SO PRETTY, YOU GUYS!

But for now, we would love to hear from you! What are some special wedding details that you've seen, or that you will be incorporating into your own wedding?  And don't hold back, because we LOVE this stuff!