Why (and How) to Hire a Wedding Planner

A wedding to plan. Ideally, those words elicit joy. “Hip hoorah! Yes! A wedding to plan!” But also, this opportunity can (and should) trigger concerns. Most weddings are expensive and complicated. The average cost of a Chicago wedding in 2014 was $50,000, according to a study by The Knot. The average cost of weddings in North […]

What Celebrities Can Teach Us About Prenups

When late-night comedian David Letterman was asked why it took him so long to marry his girlfriend of 23 years, he joked, “We wanted to make sure we had the prenup just right.” The quip alludes to the sometimes-prickly process of entering a marriage while simultaneously creating a plan for its potential demise. A prenuptial […]

How to Get the Custom Wedding Dress of Your Dreams

Can’t say yes to a dress? A custom gown could be calling your name! A good designer can knit together your ideas to make the dress of your dreams a blissful reality. But, while a one-of-kind wedding dress is an alluring proposition, the process of creating a custom gown can be confusing. To help demystify […]

8 Local Florists for Every Occasion

Those garden-variety grocery store flowers will do in a pinch, but when you want to impress, a good florist is your best bet. We roamed the wilds of Chicago and the North Shore in search of the brightest florists in the field. Below is our perfectly pruned arrangement of floral designers to suit every taste […]

Should Kids Be Invited to Weddings?

For families with a “No Child Left Behind” policy when it comes to weddings, a couple’s decision to make their nuptials an adult-only affair can not only be seen as controversial, it can be enough to start a family feud. Whether or not you plan to include those pint-size cuties on your invite list, wedding […]

Say ‘I Do’ to These 2015 Wedding Dress Trends

When it comes to bridal fashion, trends can be tricky. What might seem de rigueur today can look like a poufy-sleeved meringue-monster with a hat-veil in photos later on. Trends come and go (thankfully!), so we tapped the experts at Kleinfeld in Manhattan, national wedding brand BHLDN, Chicago design house Mira Couture and Doris Bridal […]

Engagement: David Simon and Lesley Smith

David Simon asked Lesley Smith to marry him in front of her entire family during an annual Smith family summer birthday bash last year. The couple, who met through friends, will marry Sept. 12, 2015 at Old Oak Tap in Chicago. They plan on including personal touches throughout the ceremony and reception to honor family […]

Wedding: Alex Ford-Carther and Katrina A. Mattingly-Carther

“I think I love her.” These were the very first words Alex ever said to Katrina. Coincidentally, those words happened to be the lyrics in the song that began their lasting love affair. On Memorial Day weekend in 2010, the two found themselves singing and dancing at the former Landmark Restaurant in Lincoln Park after […]

Wedding: Nico and Lindsey Fatai

When she left for vacation in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Lindsey had no idea she would meet the love of her life. Nico and his family, originally from Milan, were living in Spain at the time, so fate definitely played a hand in getting this couple together. When Nico decided it was time to propose, […]