An Event Less Ordinary

WE'VE MOVED!

2011-08-08T13:30:00.000-05:00

Dear blog readers, we have abandoned blogger for tumblr.

Find us here!

And if you are a tumblr, don't hesitate to follow us!

Jenna + Matt 7.3.11

2011-08-05T09:47:00.001-05:00

These were some of our most highly anticipated photos. Jenna + Matt are an awesome (and may I say attractive?) couple who met on match.com, and their wedding was gorgeous and SO much fun. Look how pretty!

Really, one of the best first meeting photos ever.

Matt's a cool dude...

Full Bridal Party shot:

Jenna had her girls pick their own dresses from a selection on Modcloth.com.
The results are stunning!

Dancing in the limo:

Two of my absolute favorite AELO bride shots ever!

You may kiss the bride...and dip her.

After the ceremony at the Zhou B. Life's Garden:

Head table at the Zhou B. Art Center (such a cool venue):

LOVE cake topper, and high fiving cupcake toppers....awesome.

Great shot during one of the speeches:

End of the night sparkler shots.

Jenna + Matt, we absolutely loved being a part of your wedding day. You guys are great and we wish you the happiest of lives together. Congratulations!

<3 Amy + Carolyn

Photos by Brian at Fig Media
Ceremony: Zhou B. Life's Garden
Reception: Zhou B. Art Center

This is all kinds of awesome.

2011-08-05T09:14:00.002-05:00

In 1884, a dress was purchased by Nellie Cambell for her small wedding at her home in Iowa.

127 years later, her great-great-granddaughter wore it on her wedding day, the same as her grandmother, her aunt and her mother. Such a stunning, timeless gown.

Read the story here!

(via Daily Mail)

Nicole + Jim - June 17, 2011

2011-08-02T14:01:00.000-05:00

Nicole and Jim had a GORGEOUS June wedding day, and the photos are just to die for. BJ Enright (and second shooter Tom McGrath) captured their love and laughter perfectly.

The groom and groomsmen:

Excellent!

Mom and sister getting the gorgeous bride into her dress:

Beautiful!

Sisterly love. I love this photo.

The flowers were so summery and pretty.

The first meeting:

Exclaiming over dad's cuff links:

Look at that smile!

The ceremony was beautiful.

Exiting the church:

Photos around Chicago, love this one!

The girls' shoes matched their flowers. I absolutely loved this detail:

Singing on the trolley. So cute:

All the stationary was wonderfully made by the couple:

Awesome shot at Architectural Artifacts pre-announcements:

Room shot and the gorgeous rings:

Nicole and Jim weren't interested in clinking glasses for a kiss, so they created song books for each table. If the guests wanted them to kiss, they had to serenade the couple! The results were just fantastic:

The first dance was exuberant and beautiful:

Father/Daughter dance:

And then the dance floor opened and BLAMMO, party time. Seriously, guys. It was a PARTY:

So in love.

I was so happy to be a part of this fabulous wedding. I wish you both all the happiness life can bring!

<3 carolyn

Church: Pilgrim Lutheran

Reception Venue: Architectural Artifacts

Florist: Kehoe Designs

Videographer: Kayne Schwarz

DJ: Toast and Jam

Danielle + Alan - July 9, 2011

2011-07-26T13:17:00.000-05:00

On July 9, I had the pleasure of coordinating my dear friend Danielle's wedding to her wonderful man, Alan. Danielle did such an incredible job with all of the details, from picking her venue to the cake pops to the magnet favors. It was simple, elegant and a TON of fun. Thank you, Melisa Claudin, for the photos! Beautiful work.

No traditional veil! I loved her hair piece. It gave her whole look a modern edge.

The bouquet, the shoes, the jewelry:

This dress was absolutely made for Danielle. It was perfect and she looked so beautiful.

Pinning the bout on the groom right before the ceremony:

Alan's vows to De's daughter, Lily? Not a dry eye in the house. It was a beautiful ceremony.

Exiting the old timey schoolhouse...

...and entering the reception!

Cake pops for dessert:

And my favorite, the late night shots of the couple.

I love these two. Just love love love them:

Danielle and Alan, it was such an honor being a part of your day. Congratulations and I wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Kathy + Ben

2011-07-23T10:57:00.000-05:00

July 2nd, 2011 - a day that I had looked forward to for 11 years. My dear friend Kathy married Ben, and I couldn't have chosen someone better for her myself. I did double duty as a bridesmaid and coordinator (with a lot of help from my mom and my husband!) and it was a beautiful, perfect day. Check it out!

Beautiful bridesmaid's bouquets:

St. James of Belvidere, a beautiful little church:

Classic faces :)

Married!

Taking photos at Rock Cut State Park:

Just stunning:

Cutting the cake:

Beautiful reception at Rockford College:

First dance as Mr. and Mrs. Murphy!

Church: St. James of Belvidere, IL
Reception: Regents Hall, Rockford College
DJ: Flipside DJ

Photo credits: Valentin Tokarchuk Photography

Congratulations, Kathy + Ben! I love you both and I couldn't be happier for you!

Holy wedding season, batman!

2011-07-22T10:44:00.000-05:00

What have we been up to, you ask?

Well, we had 5 weddings in July. Let's recap.

Kathy + Ben got married in a beautiful church in Belvidere on July 2nd:

The very next day, we got Jenna + Matt down the aisle at the Zhou B. Life Garden in Chicago:

And on July 9th, Amy coordinated Bill + Liz's wedding in Pennsylvania...

...and Carolyn got Danielle and Alan hitched in Peoria:

And Jennifer + Jeremiah wed in this stunning church in Chicago last weekend:

We'll share more photos as soon as we get them! Congratulations to all of our beautiful July couples. <3

Who doesn't love a good promotion?

2011-07-18T10:32:00.000-05:00

Attention 2012 brides!

We are pleased to announce that AELO is offering a 15% discount for all 2012 brides who book us by the end of the summer 2011!

Shoot us an email at aneventlessordinary@gmail.com to schedule a consultation. We would love to meet with you and talk about your big day.

<---- This could be you! Come on, isn't that tempting??

PS: Keep an eye out on the blog for photos from our seven June and July weddings. They're coming!

the best kind of people.

2011-07-05T14:07:00.000-05:00

There are people you will always remember in your life, no matter how long it has been. The Boettcher family definitely makes that list for me. You know those awesome parents that weren't yours (I mean, mine were pretty awesome, but still my parents) who you loved visiting with? Who hugged you on arrival? Who threw the annual New Year's Eve party? For my high school years, those parents were Amy and Tracy.

This past weekend, Amy surprised Tracy with a vow renewal ceremony, something Tracy had been wanting to do for years. You can read about it here in an article by Michael Boren.

"As he walked with a smile down the path toward his wife, she held a black sign that read "Marry Me Again.'" Boren writes.

If that doesn't give you chills...

This past March, Tracy was diagnosed with ALS. And their whole family has met the disease head on with all the grace, humor and positivity we would expect - they are truly inspirational.

Tracy, Amy, Rachel, Nick and Sarah, you are in my thoughts - sending you ALL the good vibes.

<3
Carolyn

PS: If you'd like to donate to help Tracy kick ALS, you can do so here.

Something to be aware of...

2011-07-05T10:07:00.000-05:00

Brides. Florists. Listen up.

Mothers and grandmothers do not want to wear pinned on corsages. Ever. They want wrist corsages. Not to mention that pinning a corsage onto a fancy dress is very difficult, and no fun for mom!

When meeting with your florist, please ensure that they understand that you want wrist corsages for the women in your family. Trust us, it will save you and your family a lot of hassle on your wedding day!

presented with no comment.

2011-06-27T13:07:00.000-05:00

INCEPTION / RECEPTION from Loyd Calomay Films on Vimeo.

(Maybe one comment: this is amazing and I forgot to post it last week and it gets REAL good about 1:20. Enjoy.)

Best President Ever.

2011-06-24T09:14:00.000-05:00

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/06/23/obama.ny.fundraisers/index.html?iphoneemail

He's the man, you guys.

Gorgeous invite idea.

2011-06-22T12:51:00.000-05:00

This Saturday's bride, Meredith, created these gorgeous invitations and I swooned all over the place when I saw them. First, she Ebay'd 100 vintage handkerchiefs. Next, she sent them out to be screen printed with their invitation info. And lastly, she went to With Grace where she picked up boxes in which to fold the handkerchiefs and mailed them out.

I mean, just beautifulbeautifulbeautiful.

Meredith highly recommends With Grace on Roscoe. The service was amazing and the work is beautiful!

Cannot wait for her Gatsby-themed nuptials on Saturday. <3

Offbeat + AELO

2011-06-20T12:51:00.000-05:00

We love Offbeat Bride.

We love Andrea.

We love them together.

June!

2011-06-14T13:23:00.000-05:00

We're preparing for the next five weeks - it's going to be busy! So here are some truly awesome photos from over at Slate.

Two things I love: weddings and vintage. What neat photos.

videographer needs? these guys are awesome.

2011-06-05T10:24:00.000-05:00

Kayne Schwartz and Nate Horowitz were our fabulous videographers for Brant + Joanna's wedding at the Chicago History Museum. We absolutely loved working with them (seriously, they're both bad a**). Kayne also joined us at CFT Presents: ROCK THE DRESS! where he played this highlight reel of the beautiful couple. We love the work you did, boys, and can't wait to work with you in the future!

Wedding Montage for Joanna and Brant Harris from Persephanie Engel on Vimeo.

Chicago's new mayor is pretty cool.

2011-06-03T07:46:00.000-05:00

Emanuel presides over staffer's civil union ceremony

Mayor Rahm Emanuel officiated this morning at the civil union ceremony of one his top staffers.

The new mayor said he did the honors for David Spielfogel, his chief of policy and strategic planning.

Emanuel noted his participation while speaking at Millennium Park before the civil union ceremonies there. The mayor also thanked Gov. Pat Quinn for his leadership on getting the bill passed.

The mayor also held aloft a benefits bulletin he said went out with city paychecks Wednesday, explaining that city workers can now add their partners in civil unions to their medical benefits. "This didn't come out a week later, two weeks later," Emanuel said. "But I recognized how special and important today is."

Illinois grants Civil Unions!

2011-05-31T12:27:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is a big day for the gay community in Illinois - the new civil union law will take effect, affording same-sex couples the same rights as married couples for the first time.

The Cook County Clerk, David Orr, says he is very excited for this momentous occasion. The Clerk's office will be opening early and throwing a bit of a party for all of the excited couples coming in to obtain their licenses. "I'm thrilled this day has finally come," Clerk David Orr said. "This will be a joyous day for all couples - gay and straight - who want to make history as part of the inaugural group of civil unions."

Governor Quinn said, "Today is an important day in the history of our state, because today we are showing the world that the people of Illinois believe in equality for all."

The girls of AELO are proud to be Illinoisians today. We are so lucky to have people in positions of power who continue to openly support and push for equality for everyone.

this should clear up this dreary Wednesday.

2011-05-25T07:46:00.000-05:00

In August, AELO will be coordinating an event for one of our favorite MOB's out in Gurnee. At a meeting last night, Barb let us know that a highlight reel from Jamie and Kevin's wedding existed - thank you Michael Hendzel at Hendzel Productions! It's gorgeous.

Jamie + Kevin Highlight Reel from Hendzel Productions on Vimeo.

The soundtrack is Valencia by The Decemberists, the couple's favorite band. Pay attention to 1:45 where they almost kiss during the ceremony when they weren't supposed to! Their faces were priceless.

So so wonderful. Jamie and Kevin, we wish you all the best and congratulations on the house!

Joanna + Brant - 4.3.11

2011-05-20T07:29:00.000-05:00

The Chicago History Museum provided a gorgeous backdrop for Joanna and Brant's April 3 nuptials. We had such a wonderful time with this wedding - thank you to Nick Gerber at Gerber and Scarpelli for your amazing photos!

Pre-ceremony, the foyer

Pinning the bout on is serious business! Here is Amy with Brant's stepfather.

And Carolyn with groomsman Keith - yes! That Keith! It was so good to see those newlyweds.

The first meeting. That look on his face. She looked amazing.

Signing the Ketubah (or as Brant would call it, the Ketubahmahbah).

A few shots pre-ceremony - love the bouquets by Marco!

The ceremony was lovely and performed by Joanna's adorable, wonderful grandfather.

We flipped the room (well, we helped the FFT army flip the room) during cocktail hour and it turned out lovely!

We loved the blue lanterns from Pier One!

Each table was assigned a piece of art and the escort cards were bookmarks with the corresponding piece. Brant designed them all. It was such a creative way to do the seating!

The reception begins!

First Dances:

Our first Hora experience! So much fun!

And the dessert table is open. Delicious.

Some beautiful late night shots:

Brant and Joanna, we absolutely loved being a part of your beautiful wedding! We hope your marriage is full of love and music.

Venue: Chicago History Museum (call Anna, you'll love her)

Photographer: Nick Gerber

Videographer: Nate and Kayne (of Limitless Productions)

Caterer: Food for Thought (They are amazing! We've worked with them several times, and they are phemonenal.)

Were you wondering?

2011-05-18T10:29:00.000-05:00

CFT Presents Rock the Dress! was a big success! Cupcakes were consumed, dresses were trashed, fun was had, and one lucky winner went home with the grand prize package full of great discounts from amazing Chicago vendors. We had a great time! Check it out:

Mingling and checking out the photography of Colin Lyons:

The beautiful work of florist Janet Gallagher:

The delightful Reverend Marti McKinney, host for the evening:

Some great shots from Michael Litchfield:

Amy + Carolyn of AELO...

with Miguel and David!

Kirin Hertzner's amazing cupcakes, and that cake!! She's fantastic.

and the winning dress!

We are so happy to have been involved with this event that benefited Chicago Fusion Theatre and their upcoming show, Big Love. We had the opportunity to watch a few scenes from the show at the event, and it's hilarious! Go see it at the Royal George Theater!

Thanks for having us, CFT, and we hope to collaborate again in the future!

Amy + Carolyn

Another anniversary!

2011-05-16T12:38:00.000-05:00

Do you guys remember our Memorial Day couple Cheryl + Chris? And their puppy Gracie? Well it's nearly their anniversary, and we just got an email from the Landlocked Bride giving them a shout out on her blog!

Look at those photos - Matt and Stevi of Avery House have all of the genius. We can't wait to work with them again!

Happy (almost!) First Anniversary, Cheryl and Chris! We hope your first year together has been filled with love and bike riding. :)

carolyn + amy

Andrea + Drew - 4.30.11

2011-05-11T13:28:00.000-05:00

We had a lovely wedding for the sassy Andrea and her husband Drew at the Swedish American Museum on April 30th (ninjas!). It was the perfect venue for their small guest list, and everything went off without a hitch!

Love her face and shoes.

LOVE that First Meeting! We absolutely recommend it to every couple!

Erica was an absolute joy to work with - we HIGHLY recommend her! Head on over to her blog and you can check out even more photos!

Andrea DIY'd so many things - that centerpiece is all her! And the paper lanterns ended up looking adorable.

All of the paper crafting was Andrea:

We love that first dance...

Venue: Swedish American Museum

Officiant: Reverend Tyler Dean Kempf (favorite!)

Caterer: Fig (wonderful!)

Photographer: Erica Rose

Andrea + Drew, it was a joy getting to know you in the last year. We had such a blast with you guys, and we wish you all the happiness in the world!

Last Chance!

2011-05-05T14:49:00.001-05:00

Get your tickets to CFT's Rock the Dress - a wedding-themed benefit for Chicago Fusion Theatre! We'll be there, hanging out with some of Chicago's most amazing up-and-coming vendors.

The highlight evening will be the Trash the Dress contest, which you can be a part of if you choose to, and the Grand Prize is worth over $1500! Included in the prize package:

Free Engagement or Trash The Dress Photo Shoot by Colin Lyons Wedding Photography
$500 off wedding planning package by An Event Less Ordinary
$200 off Desert Package from Cakes by Kirin
15% off floral arrangements from Designs by Janet
$200 Videography by NTG/Limitless Productions
discounted Officiant services by Rev. Martha McKinney (who married Amy + Jesse!)

Pre-Sale tickets are now available at
https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/830355

We're not sure how you could possibly miss this awesome event, especially if you are in the market for wedding vendors! Plus, guys...cake pops. That's all I'm saying.

We hope to see you there!

tips from an AELO bride!

2011-05-03T09:34:00.000-05:00

First, a shameless plug: Get your tickets for CFT'S Rock the Dress! We would love to see you guys and feed you cake pops and watch you trash a dress! Hope to see you on Saturday!

And now for the real purpose of this blog! Our bride Andrea (of ninja cake topper fame) was a seriously thrifty, DIY bride. For her wedding last

Saturday, she paid so much attention to detail and the venue looked absolutely adorable because of her diligence.

If your venue is Swedish colors, go with it! Andrea picked turquoise and yellow and white and it looked TOO cute. She bought paper lanterns that we hung everywhere and it brought the whole room together.

She kept the budget SUPER low by DIYing, Etsy-ing and negotiating. We are SO impressed!

She got her flowers (yes, all of them), her adorable hair piece, her cake toppers, and her bolero off Etsy shops for a fraction of what she would have paid elsewhere. She used Amazon for the favors, and she SCOURED the internet for the least costly items with which to make the centerpieces and only purchased things on sale for the rest of the decor.

We can't wait to show you photos of it all, so here's a little preview of the fabulous hair piece:

LOVE.

Her tips? Always ask if you can pay in installments - you never know until you do, and they make everything more manageable. Secondly, if you are purchasing a package and know you won't be using a part of it, ask if you can remove or exchange it. You never know unless you ask, that's her number one rule!

We loved being a part of your day, Andrea, and we can't wait to get the photos from the lovely Erica Rose!

royal schmoyal.

2011-04-29T10:51:00.000-05:00

Who are Will and Kate?!

We're far more concerned with Andrea and Drew! We can't wait til tomorrow for THEIR royal wedding at the Swedish American Museum!

We hope that the day is as sunny and warm as it looks in this picture - keep an eye out for the photos. This is gonna be a REAL good one.

Ninja cake toppers. NINJA. CAKE. TOPPERS.

Wedding win!

3 Things.

2011-04-27T08:46:00.000-05:00

There are 3 things you will get just for attending CFT's Rock the Dress. 3.

1. A coupon for 15% off a photography package from the lovely Colin Lyons. Even if you don't have any personal photography needs, it's a great gift, and you get it just for walking in the door!

2. Cupcakes. Cake pops. Delicious. I have photos to share with you, but I have to figure out how to make .tiffs into .jpgs first. But, if you can't wait for my brain to catch up, look for Kirin Hertzner on Facebook. She's pretty great!

3. .....my in-laws from New Jersey will be there. I don't really know how to explain this, but trust me, you don't want to miss it. They should really have their own TV show.

All of that, plus a Trash the Dress contest? And hanging with the ladies of AELO? Pssh. Your Saturday can't get any better!

royal wedding takeover.

2011-04-27T08:03:00.000-05:00

If you haven't checked out CFT's Rock the Dress, you should! It's not just for brides and grooms, it's for everyone, and we would love to see your beautiful faces! GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!

Now obviously, everyone is crazy excited about the 3am-our-time-wedding-of-a-lifetime over there in Britain. Except for this girl! Remember this? Well, she DID say yes! And here's what she has to say:

"The royal wedding is totally stealing my thunder, and it's turning me into a raging bridezilla.

Here's some background: Last year, two brunettes announced their engagements to their longtime boyfriends. One announced it on BBC … yawn. The other woman—this would be me—was surprised with a marriage proposal in RedEye's Five on Five. And yet somehow mine's not the one being made into a Lifetime movie.

It's not fair. No matter how much of my savings I shell out, or how many bridal magazines I scour to prepare for my nuptials, it doesn't seem half as elegant as that other wedding.

Allow me to illustrate.

Kate Middleton will be marrying Prince William on Friday at Westminster Abbey followed by a reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by the queen. I, on the other hand, will be getting hitched at a church near Wrigley Field followed by a family-style dinner at a banquet hall in the suburbs (turn right at the Dairy Queen!).

While the design of Kate's wedding gown is one of the best-kept secrets, I am proud to share that my dress was purchased for a bloody steal from House of Brides. Kate, if you're still looking, ask for Lucille—she'll find you a gown that sucks in the gut.

The royal guest list is filled with names such as Sir Elton John, David Beckham and Queen Elizabeth. My great-uncle Jerry will be at my wedding if his golf trip doesn't fall on the same weekend, and my auntie Di will be in attendance if she can get someone to watch her dog that just had kidney surgery. Both are truly a list of who's who.

Honestly, the whole thing is Kate's fault. I was engaged first and yet somehow she's managed to whip up a wedding within a few months. Perhaps if I had a royal court and footmen to manage my day, I wouldn't be so upset. Instead, I have my M.O.H. younger sister who sends me text messages asking if she can wear a cape and demanding she have a dance solo during dinner. She's 22.

At least I'm not alone. Brides everywhere this year are dealing with the added stress of having their weddings compared to William and Kate's. Now in addition to hearing the title "Mrs.," we also will have to get used to hearing, "You were married the same year as the royal couple? That was the greatest wedding of the century. How was yours?"

I don't understand where all this fascination about Britain comes from. Doesn't anyone else remember a little something called the American Revolution? There was a war, people, and we won.

So while all of the tea-drinking, crumpet-eating royal fans are watching the wedding and ordering collector plates Friday morning, I'll be at Starbucks looking over wedding colors and shooting the scones an evil glare."

CONNIE REYES IS A REDEYE SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR.

And I don't blame her, not one bit!

Chicago Fusion Theatre Presents: Rock The Dress!

2011-04-25T10:04:00.000-05:00

An Event Less Ordinary is VERY excited to be part of this awesome upcoming event!

On Saturday, May 7th, 2011, come out to Chicago Fusion Theatre's (CFT) very own Alternative Bridal Expo and Fundraiser!

In benefit of CFT's upcoming Spring production of Charles L. Mee's BIG LOVE, you are invited to attend an evening of wedding-themed festivities and a preview of the show!

Are you a bride-or-groom-to-be? Single and loving it? Already hitched? It's a night for everyone! Come check out incredible matrimonial artists in the fields of Floral, Planning and Photography, as well as our main event...

...a Trash-the-Dress Contest!

Bring in your old..
prom dresses
bridesmaid dresses
...first communion gown?
Hell! Why not? Bring in your wedding dress!

You know you're sick of looking at it... so turn it into a work of art and help out CFT! Don't have a dress handy, or don't feel like parting ways with it just yet? No problem! Hit a thrift store and bring us the UGLIEST one you can find, we'll have a blast TRASHING it with paint!

Gentlemen... this means you, too! Find a dress and bring it in to get trashed!

LET'S ROCK THE DRESS!

The winner of the Trash the Dress contest will receive a grand prize package that includes discounted services from several awesome Chicago wedding vendors, including AELO!

Vendors include: Photographers Michael Litchfield (of this wedding), and Colin Lyons (of this wedding), amazing florist Janet Gallagher, who made this happen, videographer and super awesome guy Nate Horowitz, among others!

DETAILS:
Studio A
2941 W. Belmont
Chicago, IL
Saturday, May 7, 2011
8 PM to 11PM

$15 Pre-sale/$25 Door
Pre-sale tickets go on sale April 27
at chicagofusiontheatre.org

Not just for engaged brides - this one's for everyone! You'll get to watch a scene from the benefited show, BIG LOVE, mingle with some awesome people, watch (or participate) in a crazy contest, and there will be booze. How could you miss it?

We hope to see you there!

crossword puzzle proposal.

2011-04-20T08:14:00.000-05:00

Ohhh it's perfect. PERFECT.

friday squee.

2011-04-15T09:16:00.000-05:00

If you attended (or do attend) U of I and you have never heard of The Other Guys, you missed out for SERIOUS. They have been creating crazy acapella harmonies since 1968 and they are fantastic. Here they are showing Kate and Wills a little wedding love:

Love. It.

It's no secret...

2011-04-14T09:07:00.000-05:00

...that Amy and I are Harry Potter nerds. Isn't this a pretty bouquet!?

It was made out of the pages Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by this Reddit user. She used this tutorial to make the flowers, and while definitely time consuming, this is a phenomenal bouquet that will never die.

Kudos to her patience and awesomeness!

Can we brag a little?

2011-04-12T16:11:00.000-05:00

You guys, 2011 has already been a great year for us. Check out some of the cool things that have happened so far:

- coordinated 2 highly successful weddings with very happy customers
- featured in The Knot Chicago Magazine
- got hired by another wedding coordinator to DOC her wedding!
- asked to coordinate a big fancy party for one of our favorite MOBs
- taking part in a wedding-themed Benefit for a Chicago theatre company (details soon!)
- took a paycheck for the very first time
- had several emails from girls who would like to intern with our company!

We're feeling like...well, kind of a big deal. Just wanted to share. :) Thanks for all of your encouragement and support, and for reading the blog!

<3 <3

Funniest Bride Evarrr

2011-04-11T22:05:00.000-05:00

Monday, 7:10pm

Subject: Strictly for my Ninjas

Ladies,

I sent out a check this morning (well, I had Drew mail it out) for the remaining balance. Please email or text or send carrier pigeon (smoke signal?) when you get it.

Thanks!
Andrea

Best email ever received. Can't wait 'til April 30th!

BONUS: Check out her wicked cool cake toppers:

Vendor Spotlight!

2011-03-30T13:11:00.000-05:00

AELO has built a pretty significant base of awesome vendors over the last year and a half, but one area where we seem to be lacking is paper goods. Luckily, I have a friend from college who is an absolutely brilliant artist, and he's doing the invitations for this wedding in December.

Check out John's fantastic work here: www.thebungaloo.com.

2011-03-30T09:57:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, February 26th, we had our second Salvage One wedding and the wonderful Victoria Sprung got some awesome photos. Jamie and Kevin were absolutely beautiful and adorable:

Jamie wore her mom's wedding gown:

Jamie and her mom getting ready (LOVE):

First meeting:

Pre-Ceremony:

The new ceremony set-up looks fantastic!

Sweet photos from their childhoods and life together:

Married!

First meal together:

Dancing into the reception:

The adorable cake set up:

AWESOME bridal party. AWESOME.

First dance:

The beautiful couple:

Jamie and Kevin, thank you so much for letting us be a part of your wedding day. We had a blast and hope you had a wonderful honeymoon! <3

gorgeous photography: Victoria Sprung

venue: Salvage One

catering: Food for Thought, Chef Paul

rentals: Tablescapes

DJ: Toast & Jam (Faves!)

photobooth: Magnolia

hair + make-up: Mario Tricoci

Obama's still the man, guys.

2011-03-29T12:30:00.000-05:00

"I believe there are too many children who need loving parents to deny one group of people adoption rights. A child will benefit from a healthy, loving home, whether the parents are gay or not."

— Barack Obama (via Gay Writes)

This is why I still love and support this man.

Internships available!

2011-03-29T08:21:00.000-05:00

Hey, AELO fans!

Are you interested in wedding and event planning? We have two opportunities in June to intern with An Event Less Ordinary! Please send an email to aneventlessordinary@gmail.com if you're interested. We would love to hear from you!

Wedding invitation done right.

2011-03-23T08:09:00.000-05:00

This guy knows what he's doing. Nothing more romantic than the zombie apocalypse.

Why Chicago theater is awesome.

2011-03-15T12:47:00.000-05:00

Oh, I just love love love it.

friday squee.

2011-03-11T09:28:00.000-06:00

Bad a** proposal at the roller derby. Aw!

WGN Royal Wedding

2011-03-07T09:34:00.001-06:00

Clearly, the world has gone banana sandwich over Wills and Kate finally getting married (those of us in the know [read: who had giant crushes on the gorgeous prince at 15] are aware that all of his friends call him Wills).

Well good news, Chicago couples! WGN TV is giving away a Royal Wedding and you can enter the contest here. Here's the catch - audience vote is going to decide on all decor options, including flowers and the dress. If you are willing to relinquish the control, a $60,000 wedding could be all yours!

And you'll probably meet Pat Tomasulo, which is a secret dream of mine. Happy contesting!

Happy Anniversary!

2011-02-21T17:06:00.001-06:00

We would like to wish the happiest of anniversaries to Amanda + Andy, one of our most favorite couples, who have been married 1 year today.

Hope it's been a great year - we miss you guys!

<3 Amy + Carolyn

Friday squee.

2011-02-18T07:44:00.000-06:00

Earlier this week, Anthropologie (one of my favorites) announced a wedding line called B H L D N. It is absolutely stunningly deliciously gorgeous. I'm falling all over myself. The gowns are all rich and unique and reasonably priced (they range from $600 - $4,000).

This one is my favorite and it's only $1,600:

They are also showcasing perfect dresses for the rehearsal dinner as well as some that you could put on your bridesmaids. I love the movement on this one:

The shoes, the jewelry, the accessories, the hair pieces - you could outfit yourself for your entire wedding weekend on B H L D N. All of it is perfect for the unique, vintage bride who wants a little extra twist on her wedding day.

PS: Don't forget to pick up an issue of The Knot Chicago and flip to page 64!!

2011-02-14T07:40:00.000-06:00

To everyone who loves anyone, Happy Valentine's Day.

Love,

carolyn + amy

Venue Spotlight

2011-02-08T14:03:00.000-06:00

AELO will be experiencing a first later this month - a venue repeat!

Our very first wedding as a real business happened at Salvage One, a super cool antique furniture store that can be rented for events. Carolyn is convinced that she will have her wedding here, which I clearly support.

What's great about this place is that it cuts down on the other vendors that you might need. The decor speaks for itself, so a florist is not really necessary except for personals. The chairs and tables in the store are used for dinner seating, and the mismatched furniture makes for a unique and eclectic look. No need for linens, either!

One more thing we love about Salvage One - the site coordinator, Sarah. Site coordinators can be hit or miss, as we've learned, but Sarah is a delight to work with. She knows all there is to know about Salvage One and is completely on top of everything.

We are so excited to coordinate Jamie + Kevin's wedding at Salvage One in a few weeks! Awesome couple, awesome venue. Wee!

Thrilled with Illinois!

2011-02-01T08:06:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, Governor Quinn signed a bill legalizing same sex civil unions.

"Today is an important day in the history of our state because today we are showing the world that the people of Illinois believe in equality for all," Quinn said. "We look forward to individuals and businesses from across the country choosing to move to Illinois where we believe that everyone is entitled to the same rights."

We couldn't be happier. This is a gigantic step forward in the fight for equality for ALL.

The Knot Chicago

2011-01-31T18:58:00.000-06:00

This is a big moment for AELO - we've been featured in the Knot! Amy (and Jesse)'s wedding was chosen as one of The Knot's "10 Chicago Weddings We Love" in their most recent issue. It was the very first wedding coordinated by An Event Less Ordinary, and being mentioned and featured in the Knot is a very big deal for us. Look!

The issue should be on the stands sometime this week - pick up a copy and check us out!

A big, big thank you to Colin Lyons for taking beautiful pictures and being an awesome photographer. You're the best.

Julia + Andy

2011-01-25T10:56:00.000-06:00

Our last wedding of 2010 was a unique and beautiful expression of two people very much in love with each other, and it doesn't get much better than that for us. Julia + Andy were married on December 4th, 2010 at Prairie Production. The venue looked gorgeous, the band was rockin' and the guests had more energy than they knew what to do with - it was a great time! Below are the gorgeous photos taken by Michael Litchfield. Enjoy!

Thank you, Julia + Andy, for allowing us to be a part of your special day. We love you guys!

Amy + Carolyn

2011-01-20T11:05:00.000-06:00

Thanks to my good friend Rachel at Fresh Home, Carolyn and I are guest bloggers! This is kind of a big deal for us so we're pretty excited. View the blog below. And a special thanks to Amanda, Anna, and Ted for their awesome DIY ideas!

http://freshhomeblog.com/2011/01/guest-blog-diy-wedding-projects-from-amy-carolyn/

Amy

Rent the Runway - Weddings!

2011-01-19T08:31:00.000-06:00

Rent the Runway is a genius idea. If you're a designer fanatic, you can rent for four to eight days all kinds of designer labels - Helmut Lange, Proenza Schouler, Badgley Mischka - basically, any designer that the girls on America's Next Top Model wouldn't be able to pronounce. And it's free to sign up!

And they have started a bridesmaid dress section. Your girls can spend a small fee (starting at 65 bucks) for a fitting and an eight day rental and voila! Done! They look gorgeous, they don't spend $200 on a dress, and they don't have to figure out what to do with it after wearing it once. Such an awesome concept.

Get started here!

carolyn

Our first anniversary

2011-01-17T14:02:00.001-06:00

I feel like a terrible wedding planner - I just realized that yesterday was our VERY first couple's 1 year anniversary!

Happy Anniversary, Meghan and Ryan!

We miss you guys and we hope your first year of marriage was as wonderful as you are.

<3

friday squee.

2011-01-14T12:56:00.001-06:00

Amy and I have worked with some amazing photographers. Colin Lyons snapped her wedding and the photos were, needless to say, stunning. Almost a year later, he asked Jesse and Amy to help him make a promotional DVD by doing another photo shoot.

The results? Stunning.

And yea, she's gonna be mad at me, but I don't care, these are GORGEOUS and need to be shared!

That dress. That groom. Those smiles. I love these people.

Thank you, Colin!

carolyn

Anna + Eric, September 25, 2010

2011-01-07T12:16:00.000-06:00

Anna and Eric tied the knot a while ago, but their photographer was pregnant, so it took a bit to get the photos! They are absolutely GORGEOUS and we are just swooning over them. Congratulations on the little one, Caroline Tran! And thank you for the absolutely stunning photography.

The dress:

The invitations, hand-made by the bride (like nearly everything else!):

The lovely bouquets:

The ceremony:

One of our favorite snaps of all time at the Chicago Botanical Gardens:

Feeding each other McNuggets on the trolley - so romantic:

The first dance:

Escort cards on split wine corks:

The sweet cake toppers:

Quite the room!

The Polaroid guest book:

"Love is Sweet" honey favors:

Cutting the cake:

Such a lovely couple:

photography: Caroline Tran

flowers: the bride's mama!

ceremony: St. Isaac Jogues

venue + cake: Marriott Lincolnshire

All the best to Anna + Eric! We hope your first holiday season as a married couple was absolutely delightful. Thank you so much for allowing us to be a part of your beautiful day.

carolyn + amy

Annnd...we're back!

2011-01-05T12:42:00.001-06:00

Happy 2011, readers!

2011 is going to be a bit different for us, insomuch that we know a little bit more about what we're doing now. BIG props to our 2010 brides once again for giving us the opportunity. Seriously. Our first wedding of the year (hi, Jamie and Kevin!) is at the same place our first wedding ever was - it will be fun to go back to Salvage One and see how far we've come.

And now, for some awesome wedding details. This is what happens when two photographers get married:

Their invitations are patently adorable. See the rest here! So fun and unconventional, my favorite things.

Also - HUGE congratulations to one of the most beautiful and wonderful couples that I know. Squee!

carolyn

friday squee.

2010-12-10T13:53:00.000-06:00

One of our very own couples and the last of the year, Julia + Andy:

We can't wait to get the photos back from Michael Litchfield - he is a wonderful photographer and the beautiful snowfall and candlelight will make for some incredible shots. And these two...they're just so in love. We hope they're enjoying London.

And so wraps up an extremely eventful year.

Oh. And we got a Twitter. We're not sure what to do with it yet...but we'll figure it out. Bear with us. :)

carolyn + amy

Sharon + Ted 10.9.10

2010-11-30T12:07:00.000-06:00

We met Sharon + Ted (whom we affectionately refer to as "Shed") back in late 2009. Well, we didn't actually "meet" them - Sharon was working in Seoul and Ted, who lives and works in NYC, was visiting her, so we had our first consultation through Skype. Since they were both so far away from Chicago (and each other!), they hired us to take care of all their wedding details for them, and we had a blast throughout the whole process. What a unique and fantastic couple! Their wedding was so much fun; great guests, a photobooth, a candy station and an obstacle course designed by the groom showcasing the quirky fun these two have together. It was a great day.

Their photos are below, but first let us say how much we love.love.love Chad Husar. As you can see, his photos are beautiful, but he's also an absolute delight to work with. Thank you, Chad!

This wedding was at The James Hotel, by the way, and the event coordinator there deserves a huge shout-out as well. Sinisa is amazing - he will do anything in his power to make your wedding perfect. And he's also a spectacular person and so much fun to work with.

Shed, we love you guys - Congratulations! Thank you for letting us be such a big part of your amazing wedding.

<3 Amy + Carolyn

A Year in Review

2010-11-17T08:10:00.000-06:00

Today is officially An Event Less Ordinary's first birthday. 2010 has been an amazing year. We've learned so much and had our ups and downs, and all in all, WHEW! A whirlwind success that we hope continues.

We've started a tradition of taking a photo with all of our couples (though we've missed a few, sadly!) so here is a year in photos:

And we can't forget the wedding that started it all:

We've also learned some very valuable lessons!

30. Buy your booze from Binny's, but double what you think you'll need! Don't worry, all unopened bottles are returnable.

29. Giving the bride and groom private moments throughout the day is a must.

28. Check the sound and microphone situation WAY before the wedding.

27. ALWAYS have a back-up plan when there is a cab company involved.

26. The bridal emergency kit is INVALUABLE.

25. Make a practice centerpiece BEFORE the day of the wedding. They're heavy and take a while.

24. Be prepared for every personality type on the planet. Weddings are microcosms of the world.

23. CHECK THE SEATING CHART and all the other tiny details that are supposed to be done. Because when it isn't, you'll have a very, very bad day.

22. The catering manager can either be your best friend or your worst nightmare.

21. Sometimes things really do go off without a hitch.

20. Bring up every tiny detail with the bride - even the calmest and coolest stress out and forget things.

19. Obtain a copy of the floral contract. Always.

18. Get the Best Man's and Maid of Honor's phone number immediately.

17. Tell the bride not to take instructions from anyone but us - even their mother.

16. Learn Spanish.

15. Making sure your vendors have eaten is essential - photographers never want to take a break and they need to eat!

14. Filipino time. It exists.

13. Check the escort cards and plan on alphabetizing for half an hour if they aren't already.

12. Families, despite all warnings, are generally perfectly delightful on the wedding day.

11. Have umbrellas. It's gonna rain.

10. Learn how to pin a boutonniere. Make sure they aren't wrapped in wire and that the women get corsages.

9. Get the photographer a specific list of people for family photos. And make sure they're okay with yelling at people to get in them. :) Also, make sure you have the time frame available for the amount of photos you want to take.

8. Catholic ceremonies always - ALWAYS - run long. Prepare.

7. Check with the ceremony musicians meticulously. And prepare the DJ for all the special songs.

6. If you are doing something special for the wedding (a special dance, candy jars, etc...) COMMIT to it!

5. Your kids are SO cute! They aren't the star today, though. Sorry.

4. Wedding coordinators don't eat much.

3. Renting a giant, awesome, empty space rather than a hotel is a great idea for atmosphere - but be prepared to rent EVERYTHING! Down to the last fork.

And our top two lessons?

2. Make sure the bride and groom introduce the wedding coordinators as the people in charge who know every detail about the wedding day. There is ALWAYS one person involved who thinks they are in charge - and they aren't always pleasant.

1. This is the best. job. ever.

We've learned so much and we are so grateful for our family and friends support this past year. But most of all, we bow down to our AMAZING couples for taking a chance on our little endeavor. Here's to many more years to come.

Cheers!

Amy + Carolyn

Engagement Sesson!

2010-11-10T09:37:00.000-06:00

You may remember that our wonderful friends Bill + Liz got engaged this summer. Here's a little peak of their engagement session with Jenna Robinson, on a beautiful fall day in Indiana:

Another engagement!

2010-11-04T08:32:00.000-05:00

My dear friend Meredith FINALLY got engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Michael. They ran around Chicago taking some adorable photos.

In one of our favorite cupcake shops, Molly's:

So cute!
Their dog, Gatsby, maybe one of the coolest dogs of all time:

I love the way she's looking at him here:

Chicago makes for an amazing backdrop!

I'm so happy for you guys. Congratulations once again!

carolyn

Colleen + Keith - 9/5/10

2010-10-27T09:56:00.000-05:00

On September 5, Colleen and Keith got married in a Catholic/Jewish ceremony at the Seasons of Long Grove - it was a lovely evening for us all!

The first meeting:

Her gorgeous bouquet:

Hurray! Birdcage veil!

The ceremony:

The gift table with photos of their families - we love this idea!

Cake, cupcakes and challah:

The low centerpieces allowed for good conversation:

The tables each had cards explaining that Colleen and Keith had made a donation in honor of her father to the American Diabetes Association in lieu of favors:

The sweet cupcakes:

Dessert table:

Dance party time:

The Seasons is a very quaint venue:

photography: Dave at Essence Photo and Video

venue: Seasons at Long Grove

florist: Sylvia's

cupcakes: Mrs. A Cupcakes and Cookies/Central Continental Bakery

Our groom Keith also gave us a spectacular review here on Yelp! Big heart you guys! We hope Ireland was fantastic and wish you all the best. Thank you for letting us be a part of your special day.

carolyn + amy

Friday squee.

2010-10-22T08:41:00.000-05:00

All the best to you, Sean + Hayden. You just made my Friday.

carolyn

Hiiii...

2010-10-20T10:22:00.000-05:00

Hey... 2010 brides? Still reading our blog? If you're happy with the services you received from AELO...we'd love a Yelp review! Just click this link and share your thoughts!

Thanks!

Sneak Peek!

2010-10-12T16:39:00.000-05:00

The 11th and final wedding of our first year of business is coming up on December 4th, and we can't wait to wrap up an amazing year with this beautiful couple, Julia and Andy. Here's a little taste of their awesome engagement photos!

I feel like we say this a lot, but...how cute are they? AELO has been blessed with stunning couples this year! Can't wait for your big day, Julia and Andy!

Photos by Mrlitchfield Photography

Update

2010-10-12T15:28:00.001-05:00

The AELO website has been updated! Check out our summer weddings here - more to come in a few weeks after we receive photos from our fall weddings.

Thanks for reading!

2010-10-07T08:11:00.000-05:00

A Futurama wedding cake? Yes yes yes.

Yes.

I love.

(thank you, this guy on Flickr.)

carolyn

The Graphics Fairy

2010-09-30T08:02:00.001-05:00

This past weekend, our bride Anna did all of the stationary herself. This is a great way to save some cash and to really personalize things. Since, I stumbled upon a very cool blog: The Graphics Fairy.

Karen hunts down all kinds of awesome vintage images, scans them in and doctors them up. You can then take

Historical People, Shakespeare, Dance, Natural History and Victorian Fashion

Look at this vintage graphic, say for an invite to the rehearsal dinner:

Or for a couple who likes to bike:

There's also all kinds of backgrounds and wallpaper that would be cool to use. It's a really cool place to go if you're into the vintage feel and are DIYing a lot of your wedding. Check her out!

carolyn

New Trends in Weddings

2010-09-29T15:10:00.000-05:00

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/07/30/hot.wedding.trends/index.html?iphoneemail

Ignoring the Chelsea Clinton video, I found this article pretty interesting!

photobomb!

2010-09-27T14:43:00.000-05:00

WARNING: If you are taking your engagement photos on the beach with a guitar in New Jersey and The Boss strolls by, he'll jump in your photos and make them reek of AWESOME.

Full story here.

I would DIE.

care

Mariott Lincolnshire

2010-09-27T11:56:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday, AELO watched the beautiful Anna and Eric get hitched. Their traditional Catholic ceremony was followed up with a gorgeous reception at the Lincolnshire Marriott. It was so much fun and we cannot wait to see the photos from Caroline Tran.

Onto the reason for the blog. AELO learns something from every wedding. Therefore, we do have some advice, for ourselves and for our brides: First, if there is a site coordinator for your reception or ceremony, make sure your wedding planner is introduced and they know about each other! It creates less confusion on the day of.

Secondly. Just as an FYI. Do not work with Norma at the Resort. Anyone else is delightful, but we were absolutely astounded by her rudeness and how unprofessional she was. (The full story is Yelped, if you're so inclined.)

That's all we'll say about it here.

carolyn

The First Meeting

2010-09-22T11:01:00.000-05:00

There are a lot of traditions that come along with weddings (ooo, astute observation, Care!) and one of them is the groom seeing his bride for the very first time on their wedding day when she walks down the aisle arm-in-arm with her father. And for some couples, this moment is not only important to them, it's something they've thought about their whole lives.

Well, if you are a devoted blog reader, then you know that AELO appeals to the non-traditional bride. We absolutely understand and respect that tradition is a big part of our job, but for the non-traditional couple we will always recommend the First Meeting.

The First Meeting is a wonderful way to make your day flow and make it more enjoyable for all of your guests. It means that the couple sees each other before the ceremony, takes photos and then has a lovely night to celebrate. The photographer will work with us to set up the groom and make that first look at his bride just as special as when she walks down the aisle. Then they gather the bridal party and take all the photos they normally would between the ceremony and reception.

The day goes so smoothly and it makes it a lot easier on your guests. They go straight from the ceremony to cocktail hour to the reception - and you get to spend time at the cocktail hour too! The First Meeting will also help your nerves before heading down the aisle and you get to spend more of your wedding day with each other (which is the best part).

And don't worry, your groom will still get that look on his face. That oh-my-god-I'm-the-luckiest-man-in-the-world look - we wouldn't miss that for anything in the world.

carolyn

Mara + Beto - August 14, 2010

2010-09-20T13:05:00.000-05:00

Mara + Beto tied the knot on the GORGEOUS Promontory Point on August 14. It was a beautiful, WARM day, but with the breeze off the lake, it was just perfect. They had a sweet, lovely picnic wedding - we were thrilled to be a part of it.

Promontory Point (note to brides: dealing with the Park District is a pain in the bum and you have to be on TOP of all the permits/licenses you need):

Beto's face as he looks at Mara for the first time (another tip: First Meeting's are the best way to do things! More on that in another blog.):

Mara's bouquet:

Cuteness in front of the MSI:

During the ceremony...love that smile!

nerrrds:

Cake and cupcakes from Molly's:

A dip during the first dance:

Farewell!

They hired a rickshaw to take them up to the Drake...so adorable!

Photography: AJ Kane

Congratulations again, Mara and Beto! Thank you for letting us be a part of your day.

carolyn + amy

my heart is bursting.

2010-09-10T13:34:00.000-05:00

Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of one of my favorite shows In The Heights, surprised his new wife Vanessa with a performance by her friends and family of "To Life".

I am just dying...so so wonderful. <3

carolyn

Hi!

2010-09-09T11:48:00.000-05:00

We just wanted to say hi to Anna + Eric, our next adorable couple and faithful readers of our little blog.

Hi guys! We can't wait for your wedding!

How cute are they? ;)

I know we've been through this before, but.

2010-09-01T12:34:00.000-05:00

I couldn't resist sharing this with you. They're a little pricier than some of the other birdcage veils/flowers we've talked about before, but wait until you seeee them.

http://loboheme.com/

To quote Rachel Zoe (as I so often do...what?) "I die."

Sigh.

Things that make us happy...

2010-09-01T11:24:00.000-05:00

...equality.

Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- Kirsten Ott walked down the aisle in a white strapless gown with an embroidered bodice and cascading ruffles. Maria Palladino, dressed in a white suit, waited for her at the end of the aisle with a minister. Surrounded by their family and close friends, the women committed to each other for the rest of their lives.
A beautiful reception followed. It had all the makings of a traditional wedding, but instead of calling themselves bride and groom, the couple used the terms bride and "broom.""Broom is a combination of bride and groom," said Kirsten, who took Maria's last name when they wed. The "broom's" cake was a giant crab, Maria's favorite sea animal. "It was gorgeous and realistic," Kirsten said. "It actually stole the show from the wedding cake itself."
Both were relieved the special day they had planned for so long finally arrived.
Organizing a wedding can be challenging, what with finding the right photographer, the perfect cake, the prettiest flowers and, most importantly, the venue. It was even harder for Kirsten, because she had to find vendors who accepted same-sex marriage in Atlanta, Georgia, where the union isn't legally recognized.
"Our biggest obstacle was our fear, not knowing how we would be received by an industry so focused on heterosexuals getting married, " Kirsten said. "We e-mailed a lot of vendors instead of calling them, because we didn't want to get our feelings hurt. There were a few that didn't write back."

Kirsten and Maria turned to wedding magazines for inspiration while planning their 2008 wedding. But Kirsten said something important was missing. "There are tons of wedding magazines when you go into a wedding section at a bookstore, but we weren't in any of them. Not one single gay couple. It was disheartening."
Over time, the couple found vendors, like a photographer who had worked for a transgender couple and a gay-friendly wedding venue. Ironically, it was the Mary Gay House in Decatur, Georgia. "We did a lot of research before we contacted most of our vendors, reached out to ... we knew about more of the gay-friendly companies in town or we would ask around."
Planning their wedding inspired the newlyweds to start their own wedding magazine geared toward engaged same-sex couples. Kirsten, a journalist, and Maria, a graphic designer, used their career backgrounds and personal experience to launch the online magazine Equally Wed. "We do the work for you, call or visit these locations and talk to the owners about how open they are to same-sex couples, no rejection."

The Palladinos discovered that more wedding vendors across the United States are now offering their services for two brides or two grooms. The magazine has a staff that spans the country. Employees find companies that cater to same-sex weddings and welcome couples to their honeymoon destinations. They list gay-friendly vendors that will make the cake, design the flowers or take pictures of the ceremony.
Jeweler Rony Tennenbaum in New York designs wedding rings for same-sex couples.
"Most of the time they are opposite in the likes and tastes. One might be aggressive, rugged and one wants classier," Tennenbaum said. "It's important not to make rings that a straight person might think a gay couple wants. Gay couples don't need to wear triangles ... it's not about symbols, it's about signifying love."

Le Tux Shop in Atlanta tailors suits for women. Other shops design clothing for bridal parties made up of women who want to wear dresses or pants.
"That's kind of why we wanted to do Equally Wed. [It] was to showcase normal gay weddings for anybody that's planning their own. It helps to have a model to look at, [to] help you feel like what you're doing is OK," Kirsten said.
Maria said most gay weddings are similar to straight weddings, but there might be a question about which bride will walk down the aisle or which groom will propose. "Just some of the little things that come out in the details of planning."

Same-sex marriage is currently legal in five U.S. states -- Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Iowa and New Hampshire -- and in the District of Columbia, while civil unions are permitted in New Jersey. Maria said, "For us it doesn't matter if we were doing it in Alabama or doing it in Massachusetts, we're providing the fine details of a wedding day." Kirsten said she believes even though same-sex marriage isn't recognized in most states, that doesn't mean couples can't have a wedding.
"It's a ceremony in front of your friends and family, committing to this other person for the rest of your life ... it doesn't matter what sex you are or who, the sex or gender of the person you're marrying."

source: http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/08/12/equally.wed/index.html?iphoneemail

Carolyn and I are very passionate about the issue of gay marriage, and we love to see things like this. We're hoping to get involved with Equally Wed, as well!

personality.

2010-08-31T07:34:00.000-05:00

More and more couples these days are most concerned about their personalities being represented on their wedding day. They are bucking tradition and incorporating a lot more little details that are "them." Here is an adorable example:

A friend of the family is getting married in September and they are a quirky, fun couple. This response card is so very them. It is so fun to think of ways to incorporate you as a couple into all your little details. Another cute way...one of our couples is honeymooning in Ireland, and their table numbers will be all of the places they will be visiting. Table numbers are a great place to get creative! Using the little details to bring out your personalities is a great way to make your day truly unique.

Long time no blog!

2010-08-21T10:10:00.000-05:00

Looks like it's a been a bit since we last blogged! Happily, it's because AELO is having an extremely busy wedding season.

Mara and Beto's lovely wedding was last weekend, and we cannot wait to get the photographic evidence from one of our favorite photogs, AJ Kane. It was a very sweet, low key picnic affair at Promontory Point and we just loved it.

We have three weddings from now until the middle of October - woah! - so look forward to lots of pretty pictures to come. We are so excited to be wrapping up our first year in business - we feel like we've been doing it forever and are loving every second. At every wedding, we learn something new and apply it to the next one. It's a great time, it's hard work, and it is utterly thrilling.

Next week: let's talk engagement photos, shall we?

carolyn

Friday swoooon.

2010-07-30T08:26:00.000-05:00

Coolest wedding video ever? I think so.

Lauren + JP from Matt Odom on Vimeo.

stay fab,
carolyn

Tacy + Zach - July 10, 2010

2010-07-27T10:25:00.000-05:00

Tacy and Zach tied the knot on a beautiful-then-stormy-then-beautiful evening in July. The ceremony and reception both took place at the River East Arts Center down by Navy Pier and it was GORGEOUS!

The boys stopped off at a pub before heading over to the REAC (arriving ten minutes before the ceremony, giving us a heart attack!).

The ceremony:

They look like models!Escort card table:
The adorable cake from Sweet Mandy B's:

We highly recommend the River East Arts Center! They are fabulous to work with and it is beautiful:

The table set-up:

See if you can spot us watching over the Father/Daughter dance:

One of our favorite couple shots to date. Kudos, David! Absolutely stunning:

Photography: The marvelous David Bracho

Congratulations, you guys!

Cheryl + Chris, May 29th, 2010

2010-07-25T09:26:00.001-05:00

Sorry this took a while, but here are some photos from our Memorial Day weekend wedding at the Ivy Room in Chicago. We had a great time at this wedding - all the vendors were lovely and easy to work with, our couple was amazing, and their families were wonderful. What a delightful day for everyone!

AELO ready with flowers for the bride and groom:

Taking their first photos together at the James Hotel:

The setup at the Ivy Room (Frost Lighting, Bukiety decor)

Cheryl and Chris Woods!

Congratulations, you two, and thank you again!

Images by Avery House Creative

Bestill my heart...

2010-07-21T10:42:00.000-05:00

My very good friend Brian (who stood up in my wedding) recently became engaged in Tokyo, and I could not be more excited for him and his finace, Peter. They are moving to Boston this fall, where they can be legally married (!!!) and AELO is officially planning their wedding!

Brian and Peter, right after they became engaged:

Visiting some apparently very large cedar trees outside Tokyo:

Congratulations, Brian and Peter! I love you both and can't wait to be a part of your very special day!

Amy

Busy bees!

2010-07-12T09:02:00.001-05:00

Tacy and Zach's wedding was this past Saturday, and it was absolutely gorgeous! We'll post pictures just as soon as we get them from their fabulous photographer David Bracho.

Amy and I are busy preparing for the Chicago Bridal Expo this Sunday in Oak Brook. If you are a bride and you're going, please don't hesistate to stop by our booth and say hello (we'll have hummus)! We're so excited to meet tons of brides and hopefully fill up our 2011 calendar!

carolyn

Wedding #5

2010-07-02T09:15:00.000-05:00

As promised, here are a few photos from our most recent wedding, Kelley and Joe.

Kelley added a lot of really great touches of color, including this candy table:

Inexpensive but gorgeous centerpieces...great idea!

The happy couple :)

Congratulations, Kelley and Joe!

Photos by Chrissy Deming www.chrissydeming.blogspot.com

Up next, Cheryl and Chris' photos from their May wedding. Stay tuned!

Amy

Well it's...different...

2010-07-01T12:38:00.000-05:00

The bride wore white. The guests wore orange smocks. A southern California couple were married Saturday in front of more than 100 guests at a Home Depot store where they work. The wedding party for 56-year-old Carolyn Weatherly and Audwin Mosby, who's 55, marched down an aisle of light bulbs, grills and paint to the outdoor garden section, where a wedding arbor and stage had been built from the store's lumber and supplies.

The bride said the store in Lake Forest is like a second home and her colleagues are like family.

A regional manager said it's only the second wedding in a Home Depot.

___

Information from: The Orange County Register, http://www.ocregister.com

Yay!

2010-06-30T12:07:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to our friends, Bill and Liz (or Bliz, as we call them), who got engaged last week after 5 years together!

We can't wait for your big day!

<3 Amy

so. cute.

2010-06-29T11:23:00.001-05:00

Couples that cover Hendrix together, stay together.

engagement swoonage.

2010-06-23T10:37:00.000-05:00

More pretty pictures! Our couple Sharon and Ted are pretty unique. Sharon is in Seoul for the duration of their engagement and Ted is in NYC. We FINALLY met them a few weeks ago after planning from afar and can't wait for their October nuptials at the James!

Photo creds: Husar Photography. Cannot get over how beautiful these shots are! Wow.

Looking forward to the wedding photos...that is for SURE. Serious wow.

carolyn + amy

Kelley + Joe

2010-06-21T20:18:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday, I did a little halfsies coordination for an old friend of mine, Kelley Gloor. She requested that I camp out at the venue, the Rockford Art Museum, to meet vendors and set a few things up. Her choice of venue was brilliant - the whole thing was stunning and had a really nice feel. I'm hoping to get a few photos from the wedding, but for now, here are a few of their lovely engagement photos for your enjoyment:

Kelley + Joe

Photos by Chrissy Deming

Congratulations, Kelley! Thanks so much for asking me to help with your special day.

Amy

Friday squee.

2010-06-18T07:58:00.001-05:00

I found this sweetness in the Red Eye this morning. I guess this guy does something in the sports section, which I generally pass by completely. But I saw the words "Will you marry me" and stopped.

I hope she says yes! Well first, I hope she finds this. Then reads it, then goes outside of her office to get her ~~ring~~ man. How exciting. I hope they follow up!

In other news, Amy and I are gearing up for upcoming weddings and the Chicago Bridal Expo. We're hoping we fill our 2011 calendar...

Puppeh!

2010-06-09T08:23:00.001-05:00

To complement Amy's post below, here is lil' Gracie, the ring bearer at Cheryl and Chris' wedding on May 29th.

Everybody now...

Awwwww!

carolyn

The Biggest "Aaawww!" Factor There Is...

2010-06-03T15:57:00.000-05:00

When you're a bride, choosing attendants can be very simple. You want to chose the friends who have been there for you, whom you've known the longest or with whom you have the strongest friendship. Sometimes...that's your dog.

Our most recent couple, Cheryl and Chris, chose to have their dog, Gracie, be the ring bearer in their wedding. They own the dog together and have for a few years, and she is an important part of their lives together. We thought it was awesome. Especially because they went about it the right way - their ceremony was in an outdoor space that of course allowed dogs, and she was handled by her awesome dog walker, Sasha, the entire time. She was extremely well-behaved, and Cheryl and Chris were so happy to have her there with them on their big day. Photos of Gracie and much more from their gorgeous wedding coming soon!

In the meantime, here are some adorable pictures of Ring Dogs. :)

Ta-Ta, Tyra.

2010-05-28T08:18:00.000-05:00

I have a confession.

I...love the Tyra Show. Now, I didn't TRY and love the Tyra show. It just happened and then flourished on it's own, like any good relationship. You see, I watch the WGN news every morning (any other Pat Tomasulo fans??) and then when I get home around 3:30, I turn on the television still tuned to WGN and...there she is. Being crazy and self-absorbed.

I got hooked fast.

Today marks the very last Tyra show (SOB), but the second-to-last was pretty amazing. Yesterday, she gave one gay couple a gorgeous, over-the-top, amazing wedding designed by David Tutera (who Amy and I will see in November!). So thank you, Tyra, for doing one of your last shows just for me - a wedding planner/gay marriage advocate with a little idol worship for DT.

It's like she knows me. Maybe she isn't that self-absorbed...

...nah.

Cheryl + Chris' nuptials tomorrow! We can't wait...it's a beautiful weekend for a wedding.

stay fab,
carolyn

Holy wedding season, Batman!

2010-05-19T08:12:00.000-05:00

Amy and I are deep in the throes of the start of our very first wedding season and it is super exciting. We are currently finding rehearsal dinner venues, preparing for a wedding a week from Saturday, convening with the Park District, preparing for July's bridal show (our first!) and making sure to keep our sanity.

We're so pleased that we already have several weddings under our belt...we feel super-prepared and excited for the coming months, and we couldn't love our first three couples more for taking a chance on us.

Off we go...weeee!

carolyn

The Vintage Wedding Dress Company

2010-05-04T11:25:00.001-05:00

My friend Rachel found this site and sent it to me, requesting that I share it with our dedicated blog readers. So here it is, for your viewing pleasure!

http://www.thevintageweddingdresscompany.com/collections/vintage/

Some of my favorites:

1900s

1920s (loooove this)

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

Happy shopping!

Tchotchkes!

2010-05-03T08:47:00.000-05:00

I mean, first off, what a fun little word.

A couple of weeks ago, AELO's very dear friend, Reverand Tyler Dean Kempf performed a ceremony for a lovely and unconventional couple. The bride wore black and pink (clearly a color scheme we love) and one of the readings was from a Dr. Seuss book. Awesome.

But my favorite detail was their favors! They picked up all kinds of tchotchkes from thrift stores and attached the place cards to them. Snow globes and little frog figurines and all kinds of silly things. I'm just in love with this idea! It's not at all expensive, especially for a smaller wedding. And what a wonderful way for a couple to show off their quirky personalities.

carolyn

What is this?

2010-04-23T11:29:00.001-05:00

What's happening here? Why is this a trend, photogs? Who in their right mind would think this is awesome? Why are they "holding" tiny creepy versions of themselves? This is just plain WEIRD, people! (I'm clearly not concerned with offending anyone.) STOP IT!

And no, I'm not going to get into the groom's ridiculous get-up, including the cell phone case still clipped to his belt. Really? You gonna get a super-important call DURING YOUR VOWS???

Oh Wedinator.com, you make my Fridays awesome.

carolyn

Lisa + Danny!

2010-04-21T12:05:00.000-05:00

AELO coordinated our third wedding on April 10th, 2010. This was our first church wedding, our first 2-venue wedding, and our first multicultural event! It was a lot of fun. Thank you, Lisa + Danny, for sharing your special day with us!
For your viewing pleasure:

Lisa and her gorgeous daughter, Bella:

Our beautiful bride:

Photos in the park:

The cake!

The reception at the 4 Points Sheraton in Shiller Park:

Danny + Lisa Morgan!

Dudes are in weddings too!

2010-04-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

Our bride Amanda got her flowers off of Etsy and they were gorgeous! She also had a couple of boutonnieres designed, and I've been thinking about mens flowers ever since. I've read quite a few articles on unique boutonnieres lately, so I went trolling the interwebs for inspiration. There is a veritable plethora of unique ideas for boutonnieres! It is such a fun, easy way to give the guy's some personality with their flowers.

A little wire goes a long way...

An aviary theme...why not?

I really like the masculinity the curved wood brings to the table.

I think my favorite idea is going to a place like JoAnn Fabrics and picking out some charms in the jewelry and scrapbooking section and making your own boutonnieres with some fabric. The possibilities are endless: golf clubs, dominoes, tennis rackets, musical instruments...a crafty bride would have a LOT of fun!

stay fab,
carolyn

So...now what?

2010-04-13T10:07:00.000-05:00

Your wedding is over. You and your groom are in the limo exhausted and champagne-blissful. In your hands is a bag full of wedding cards and...your bouquet.So...now what?

It's hard to justify just tossing the bouquet you spent probably hundreds of dollars on. So barring going with fake flowers, what do you do with it? Luckily, there are lots of options to display your flowers after your wedding day.

You can have them preserved in a box and hung on the wall of your home:

I also really like including the stationary and a photo:

You can have your bouquet made into furniture...but...does anyone else get the creepster vibe from this? It's creepy.

There are also websites at which you can get your flowers made into jewelry, which I think is very cool:
And my personal favorite, turning your bouquet into a painting. I think this is absolutely GORGEOUS:

The artist even used pearls from the bouquet! So. Pretty.

So you don't have to throw away that gorgeous and expensive bouquet. There are tons of options for preservation!

stay fab,
carolyn