This morning on the blog we visit, Erin and Rob in Chicago where the talented team at Windy City Production captured their stunningly moody and industrial-inspired wedding at The Westin Michigan Avenue and Salvage One. Keep reading as we chat to Erin and Rob and find out all about the lead up to their wedding, their planning tips and of course their all-important wedding day.
Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day?
When we started looking at venues for our wedding we both wanted a Chicago loft-style feel with brick walls\exposed beams, etc. We wanted to stay away from the traditional wedding feel of a banquet hall. Our wedding was in December so we wanted dark rich colours to accent the time of year. The girls wore burgundy dresses and the guys wore navy blue suits with burgundy ties. For something borrowed I wore my older sister vail she wore for her wedding, it was so special for me that I was able to wear it. My something old was my florist wrapped my grandmother's handkerchief to my bouquet. My sister gave me a beautiful blue diamond ring for my something blue and that I wore on my wedding day.
Let's talk about wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?
Salvage One is such an incredible venue and did not need many decorations. Our florist added some tall floral arrangements at the front of the alter with ivory, light pink burgundy and greenery for the arrangements. Rob made our tables numbers which were distressed wood and our table assignment sign. He made a tall wooden sign that listed who was at which table. this was so beautiful and the florist added some simple greenery on that table. Our look for the wedding was very rustic and vintage. All the tables for dinner at Salvage One are different with mix-matched chairs. This was such a unique look and fit us so well.
We are huge flower lovers, so tell us, what were the florals like at your wedding?
For the flowers, I wanted to keep them very simple yet classy. I wanted there to be a lot of greenery as I think it looks so beautiful during the holiday and worked for the time of year we were getting married. The florist incorporated burgundy in mine and the bridesmaid bouquets with a lot of greenery, ivory and light pink. Rob and the groomsmen wore ivory boutonniere to soften the navy suits. Salvage One is so beautifully decorated on its own and there is so much to look at. I did not want the centrepieces to be too distracting. We had a couple of different centrepieces. we alternated the tables, some had just garland with a few flowers mixed in and others had candles with some flowers. I wanted candles everywhere.
We placed votives on all the window sills which gave the room a romantic feel.
Did you personalize the day in any way (food trucks, guest entertainment etc.)? What were some of your favourite parts of your wedding?
Since we had our wedding in Chicago we wanted people to feel like they were in Chicago so we did a late-night snack of Super Dog which is a famous hot dog place in Chicago. Rob is Italian with a large Italian family so having a traditional Italian dessert like cannoli, was an important part of the celebration for us.
Let's talk about fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look? Describe the looks in detail.
Since we got married in December we wanted dark rich colours. Right away we both agreed on the colour scheme. Rob loves navy blue suits and burgundy was such a beautiful colour for all my bridesmaids. I knew for my dress I wanted something form-fitting with sleeves. The dress I found was beautiful, it was a full lace, ivory dress with cap sleeves. The back of the dress was completely open. There was no beading or much bling so I added a beautiful crystal belt that added a little glamour to the dress. The dress was so perfect and fit our venue so well.
How did you meet and please tell us all about the proposal?
We met at work. Rob and I worked in the hotel industry and we were on the same team. We became friends first by working together for a while. After a few months, Rob asked me to go out after work, I did not think much of this as I thought we were just friends. I accepted his offer and quickly realized there was more to us. We started going out more and then became official. We were together for 3 and a half years then got engaged and planned our wedding for a little less than a year and a half.
What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
The most anticipated moment for us was our first look. We did a first look early afternoon then took pictures around the city afterwards. We were both so nervous/excited for the first look to see each other on our wedding day dressed up and for Rob to see my dress for the first time. There was no greater feeling than seeing him on our wedding day just us two with no other distractions or 200 other people looking at us. It was such an intimate moment for us. Our photographer was able to capture this moment so perfectly.
Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you'd like to share with other couples planning their day?
During the wedding planning (and marriage) you need to compromise. I really wanted our wedding planning to be a joint effort, I wanted both of us to look at our day and know we contributed equally for everything. We both talked about what each wanted and didn't want and we made it work. I advise to always be open and communicate. For example, Rob did not have a preference on the flowers but I kept him up to date on everything so he knew what was happening. People need to remember it is one day out of your life and marriage is a lifetime and that is the most important thing.
MEET THE TEAM:
Photography: Windy City Production
Videography: Windy City Production
Pre Ceremony Location: The Westin Michigan Avenue
Reception Venue: Salvage One
Floral Designer: Oh My! Floral
Makeup Artist: Beauty Boutique with Meg
Bridal Couture: Galian Signature Collection by David's Bridal