Postscript

P.S. The funniest thing about My Wedding Story (okay, "funny" isn't the right word) is the irony of the whole situation. I'm not a huge risk taker...hence the Midwest location, church ceremony (indoor) and country club venue (indoor). I was going out on a limb to suggest that, weather permitting, we could have our cocktail hour outside on the patio! Who would have thought that the one and only "natural disaster" that could happen in the middle of June in Chicago would...a power outage. The possibility never even crossed my mind. I thought I was pretty safe with the fact we had no potential risks for hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, snow and so on. It could have rained, but it didn't even do that!

Do you have a similar "wedding story" to share? I'd love to bond with some fellow brides...

My Wedding Story...

I must admit, I've been putting off writing this for the last 2 weeks. Because, 1. it still makes me a bit sad 2. it's a long story and 3. i've been really busy. Let me preface this story with the fact that we had a wonderful wedding and everything turned out perfectly. Now for the dirty details...

If you're familiar with Chicago weather you know that it is unpredictable. We haven't had much of a summer so far. June was pretty random...cold, cloudy, hot, rainy, stormy and so on. The day of our rehearsal (June 19) I drove out to the western suburbs with my soon-to-be sister-in-law. We had a fun day of manicures, pedicures and lunch ahead of us. Then it would be on to the church and rehearsal dinner. The weather was looking pretty strange - the sky just north of us was dark and scary looking (we were worried for the guys - 20 of them were golfing in Oak Brook that morning). Needless to say, horrible storms ripped through most of the northwest suburbs, but didn't hit Oak Brook or Hinsdale (where both our ceremony and reception were to be held). I let out a big sigh of relief and went on with the rest of my day. I guess the weather gods weren't done with me yet. That night, around 7pm, more storms ripped through the suburbs, this time in our area. The rehearsal dinner went on as planned (it was wonderful!), and we didn't know what (big) problems loomed ahead.

Unfortunately, my dad had not been feeling well the week leading up to my wedding. He wasn't feeling much better at the rehearsal dinner, so he headed home a little early. My mom and I were planning on following a few minutes later, as I was going to be sleeping at my parent's house the night before the wedding (my last time as a "single" lady). Bad news...my dad called to say that they had NO POWER at the house and a huge tree was down in the driveway. Not good. I had a minor freak out, but wasn't too worried yet, as the town of Hinsdale seemed to be fine - the restaurant and church still had electricity. Just to be safe, however, I decided to call over to the country club (where we were having our reception) to make sure things were okay. I didn't get an answer...

I started freaking out a bit more. I couldn't believe this was happening - the storms hadn't seemed that bad - and they hadn't lasted more than an hour. To make sure things were okay, I made my mom drive by our florist's shop which was located in the next town over. Things looked fine - their lights were on - hallelujah! Then we headed over to the country club. As we pulled up to the cross streets, things looked dark (pitch black, actually). The traffic lights were out. We pulled into the drive to find that my worst nightmare was coming true...they had lost all of their power and were not sure when they would get it back. It was now about 11:30pm the night before my wedding!

There was nothing we could do to help the situation, so I went back to my parents house to retrieve my things (using a flashlight and candle). I would just stay at the hotel where all of our guests (and Luke) were at...they confirmed that they had both a room and working electricity. My mom drove me over to the hotel and I took no more than 3 steps toward the door when there was a "pop," and the whole building (all 20+ floors/ 400+ rooms) went black. Are you f**king kidding me?! I dropped to the ground and started sobbing. What had I done to deserve this kind of luck? More phone calls were made, and I ended up staying at my Aunt Karen's house a few towns over. Surprisingly enough, I think I managed to get 5 or 6 hours of sleep that night...I just prayed that everything would be okay by the morning.

Nope. I woke up to find that my parent's house, the reception site and our hotel still had NO POWER. Meanwhile, my dad was feeling worse and almost had to admit himself to the hospital earlier in the morning. Nothing was looking good. The country club was calling to talk through "alternative" plans. I had to stay composed (as much as possible) because we had to come up with a new plan for where to get ready. We were supposed to get ready in the gorgeous (recently renovated) women's locker room at the country club. The groomsmen and Luke were planning on getting ready at the hotel. Now, neither were going to happen. I was calling my hair stylist, photographer and florist at 7:30am to tell them that plans were changing. My mom found a close-by hotel for us to get ready at, while the guys went to a family friend's home to prepare. My stomach was in knots, but I had to keep myself (somewhat) together. I was still getting married later that day...

Before I get to the good part (where my luck started to turn around), I have to say that I can't thank my mom enough. She was the glue that held me & and the whole situation together. I love her more than she'll ever know. She was strong through the whole thing (which I really needed) and she helped solve so many problems. My bridesmaids and friends and family were wonderful too. I couldn't have gotten through it without them.

So my perfectly planned day (that I had worked on so hard, for so long) did not get off to a good start (to put it lightly). I made an executive call that we were not going to change the venue for the reception. The country club assured us that they had enough generators for lights, the DJ and the food. We were just going to go "al fresco" and have an "open air" reception. No AC, so all the windows would be open and they might have to grill food outside on the patio. Not my dream wedding, but I was willing to take what I could get at this point. As we were getting ready in the cramped hotel room, I was excited and nervous (like any bride should be) and, unfortunately, a bit sad too. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. And it wasn't fair. Noon rolled around and my mother got a call. The country club got their power back. I don't know how or why, but it was the best thing I'd ever heard. A sense of relief swooped through the room...oh my gosh, things might actually work out!

From there, things went smoothly. The ceremony was one of my favorite parts of the day. The church looked beautiful (I loved my flowers) and, more importantly, my dad was well enough to walk me down the aisle. And I can't forget the weather - it was absolutely goergous - blue skies, sunshine and 80 degrees. Perfection. Entering the church, on my dad's arm, was such an amazing feeling. The pews were packed and the love of my life was waiting at the other end (okay, now I'm making myself cry). It was perfect and it was my day. Not the day I had planned for so many months, but the day that I would remember forever. The reception was fabulous, and because of all the hysteria earlier, we had the whole club to ourselves (all other dinner plans and bar functions had been canceled). We ate, we laughed, we danced the night away....in air conditioning too! I can't wait to share our photos with you.

So, if you've gotten this far, I thank you and appreciate your patience. I still can't believe what happened to us and I hope it never happens to any other bride. It still makes me sick to my stomach to think about, but it also put everything into perspective...you can plan ahead all you want, nothing is ever going to go exactly as you wish. I mean, our trolley even broke down as it was driving us (18+ people) to the reception. We ended up having to call taxis to pick us up and we were 45 minutes late to our own cocktail hour. At that point we didn't really care...we were having a blast and a "little" transportation glitch was nothing compared to what we went through earlier in the day. (My trolley vendor review is sure to be juicy).

Our wedding was better than I had even envisioned, and I got to spend it with my family, friends and new husband. In retrospect, worse things could have happened (but lets not go there), and in the end I got to marry the man I love and have both my dad and mom by my side. That's all that really matters anyways. I'm now a happily married woman and can't wait to attend another wedding - this time just as a happy-go-lucky (unknowing) guest. The end.

Copycat photo

Luke and I got married in the same church as my parents...who will be celebrating their 29th anniversary this year. The above photo of my mom is one of my favorites. It was taken in the "bride's room" at the church and, lucky for me, the room hasn't changed much in the last couple of decades. I asked my photographer, Rob Barcroft, to craft a "copycat" photo of me in the same spot in front of the window. I'm loving the mother-daughter comparison.

I wish I was back...

...in St. Martin! Our honeymoon was amazing. The islands we visited (St. Martin and St. Barts) were absolutely beautiful.

This back to "reality" thing - I'm not digging it so much. I can't seem to catch up on anything. My world has been flipped upside down since the wedding, and I don't see a "right side up" happening anytime soon.

Oh, how I miss you...beautiful white beach, pina colada and juicy novel!

A Wedding at Brookfield Zoo

One of my dearest friends (and my recent MOH!), attended a wedding at Brookfield Zoo early last month. She took a few photos for me since she knows how excited I get about new (wedding-related) ideas. As you can see, the cocktail hour was outside with the giraffes and monkeys. Fun! The reception included details such as "grassy" centerpieces and animal cookie favors! Check out the unique menus too...

Finally, details on the dress...

Oh, the wedding dress...one of the most important details of any bride's big day (and most secretive too). The hunt to find the perfect gown is daunting, yet probably one of the most exciting things a girl will do. I tore out magazine pages, collected print-outs, doodled sketches and wrote overly detailed descriptions of what I wanted. My dress had to be unique, yet elegant and simple. And it had to have a grecian feel! I went shopping with my mom last summer looking for the perfect gown (something that probably only existed in my head) and, after many stores and many dresses, found this beauty...it was better than any of my visions:

Alfred Angelo, Sapphire Collection - Style 755

Originally, I had been drawn to anything by Jenny Packham (okay, truth be told, I still am). However, I wasn't willing to pay the $5000+ price tag that went with one of her dresses. I would never of thought my dress would be by Alfred Angelo (I'm not really drawn to any of his other styles), but this one was different. It was slightly grecian and very ME. The chiffon fabric, accordion pleating, a-line skirt, umpire waist and beautiful crystal beading...I fell in love...and still am!

I'm back!

Okay, so my body is back but maybe not my brain just yet. We had a wonderful honeymoon in St. Martin...and our wedding day was perfect (well, minus some very major glitches - more on that later). But, all in all, everything was great! I've posted one of my favorite photos from all of the shots my friends have so kindly sent after the wedding. There were so many awesome shots (just taken on personal cameras) - I can't even wait to see what our photographer has! 

So, I'm back and will be blogging in full force next week. I'm going to take the long, holiday weekend to recuperate...

I hope everyone has a fun and safe Fourth of July weekend!

Married!

Last Minute Projects

I think I've mentioned that my Mom is the best - she really is! She has helped me SO MUCH over the last few weeks that I couldn't have pulled everything together without her. For instance, she purchased and put together the hotel treat bags pictured above. She actually created the black & white "hang tags" (w/ message inside) out of blank note cards she found at Hobby Lobby. She also found all of the ribbon and secured the bows to the bags. I filled them with yummy goodies last night - they're off to the hotel this afternoon.

My MOH came over yesterday and helped me fold 125 programs. We also used the black & white ribbon (pictured above) to secure the programs...I love how they turned out (pictures to come after the wedding). It's amazing HOW MUCH ribbon you actually need to finish projects. Does anyone else have similar stories? Like most brides, my Mom and I have been living at Hobby Lobby, Michael's or any other craft store we can get our hands on. Ribbon, votives, apothecary jars, frames, more ribbon, bags, tissue paper, cards, more ribbon...the list goes on! 

So, only 2 more days until the wedding. I CAN'T wait! I can't believe the day is finally here!! I'm not too stressed, however Luke might argue differently. We're having more issues over the car and who's driving who when than anything else. Besides packing for the honeymoon, I'm in really great shape (need to do that today). I wanted to say thanks to everyone who has been keeping up with my blog and sending well wishes - you're all awesome! I can't wait to share all the photos and details once I'm back in a few weeks. I will definitely keep blogging well after the wedding. I'm so excited to start more projects and work on other people's invitations.

See everyone in a few weeks....Kelly.

Surprise Shower

I have awesome colleagues - they threw me a surprise bridal shower yesterday! The room was decked out in my wedding colors and the carrot cake cupcakes were to die for. Check out the super cool tissue paper flowers/balls that were hung from the ceiling...many thanks to Kari and the team! Only 4 days to go!

Candy Buffet

I ordered my black, white and green candy for our candy buffet this week - it should be here by the weekend! We're having a combo "candy buffet/sweets table" at our reception. I'm not going crazy on the candy options because we will also be having pastries, cookies and cupcakes for our guests.

I ordered the above goods from Candy Warehouse. I was actually inspired by Laura over at soon to be koo on the candy choices. She is another Chicago bride blogging about her big day...and she also has a black, white and green color scheme. She did a great post on candy awhile back, and I was instantly inspired. I think she has since changed her mind, however, and is going with individually bagged, locally-made maple cashew granola for her favors. Definitely check out her blog!

A sixpence in your shoe?

Something old, 

Something new,

Something borrowed,

Something blue,

a lucky sixpence in your shoe?

I haven't given this last "sixpence" portion much thought. What is a sixpence (I was kinda asking myself this question)? According to sources, it is a British silver coin that was minted beginning in the 1500's, through 1946. It is believed that if a bride sticks one in her left shoe on the day of her wedding, it will bring "wealth and good fortune" to her marriage.

I'm not so sure about this tradition. I don't have a "sixpence" coin and with only 11 days and counting, I'm not so sure ordering one is on the top of my priority list. Then there is the whole issue of "where is this coin actually going to go in my shoe"?! As previously shared, I'm wearing flat, grecian sandals that don't have much "shoe" to them. Are you planning on sticking a sixpence in your shoe? Or maybe you recently got married and included this tradition in your special day? I'd love to hear some reader's thoughts on this? Image sources from here and here.

Moody

Today has just been one of those days. It's monday, ugh, and I'm moody. I feel like I have a million things to do. Only 12 days left until the wedding - I can't believe it! I'm so excited...and so busy!

I thought I would share this "moody" photo of Luke and I. A friend of a friend who is starting her own wedding photography business took an impromptu "portrait" session of Luke and I back in April. I've only gotten a sneak peek of the images so far, but I'm loving the overall style. The shot above is very artsy and dark. Luke doesn't think it looks like "me," but I think that has something to do with the high contrast. Cadence, the photographer behind the shot, has enlisted my help in designing a custom logo for her new business. Check out more of her great work here.

Mak'in Me Hungry

I came across this photo of the cake a friend had at her wedding last fall. It was chocolate mousse with raspberries...and it was yummy!

Napkin Folding

Anyone given any thought to their napkin fold for the reception? I think I'll be going with something fairly simple and flat - such as the "pocket" or "kennedy white house" fold - as not to take away from the rest of the decor on the table. The "wedding industry" is great - just when you thought there wasn't much to think about regarding the cloth you use to wipe your mouth, there's an entire online community dedicated to proper napkin folding! Gotta love it! Image source here.

Coral Me Pretty

There is just something about coral that I love. Maybe it's the color, or the intricacy of the shapes. I actually contemplated using it as a theme for our wedding, but it just didn't seem appropriate for a Chicago wedding at a country club. Needless to say, I've still found a way to incorporate it into certain parts of my life (and home).

The top photos were taken from here and here. I love the "coral" inspired wedding mood board. That cake is awesome! I also love the simplicity of the invitations. Do you know anyone planning a beach wedding and in need of a theme? Coral would be super cool...and, hey, I'd love to help out with the invitations! :)

The middle photographs are actually of the entryway in our condo. I love, love, love the coral prints I found with the mirrored frames. I bought them at a local Lakeview boutique. The glass vase also has coral printing on it and is by Fringe Studio. Here it is.

Finally, the bottom photos represent a fun way to bring "coral" into your life...china and jewelry! I seriously contemplated registering for this china at Bloomingdales, but decided against it after seeing the prices. It's very cool, but maybe a bit impractical?! The earrings are pretty, and can be purchased at Muylinda on Etsy.

Bachelorette!

Just some fun photos from the bachelorette party the girls threw me this past weekend in Chicago. I had so much fun and we even got a photo-op with Lou Piniella (Chicago Cubs manager)! I also was sporting a pretty sweet "TP-inspired" wedding gown at some point in the night...thanks to everyone for showing a girl a good time! You're the best!