Wes, determined to propose to Katy, pandemic or not, got down on an impromptu knee only to be given the ultimate plot twist. All photos by Angela Conners Treimer with Stories from Six Feet.

How did you meet?

We met through mutual friends in 2015. We were both in relationships at the time and learned we signed up for the same half marathon. We resolved to be accountability buddies. Following the race, we kept in touch here and there, reconnecting when Katy was shifting careers, when I went on medical leave from work, at a surprise birthday party, and again when I lost my job. We always crossed paths during pivotal moments in each other’s lives. We remained friends for four years and it evolved into an amazing relationship. After that, we both knew right away.

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This post is sponsored by Great Heights.

One of the newest trends driving the jewelry industry is sustainability. More and more, people are wondering where their treasured pieces and investment gemstones come from. As you’re looking for your next piece of jewelry, keep the following points in mind to ensure you’re able to find a piece that benefits the world as much as it’s benefiting you!  (more…)

Congratulations to Barbara, our latest diamond earrings winner! Her beautiful diamond earrings are courtesy of State Street Jewelers.

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Looking for wedding décor tips? We’ve teamed up with the wedding professionals at Chicago Marriott Naperville to show you all the innovative uses for this versatile floral element.

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Amit surprised Maya with a trip back to Chicago, the city where they met and fell in love, and popped the question while on a romantic walk through Lincoln Park. All photos by Emma Mullins Photography.

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Chicago Style Weddings sat down with Jenny Yoo, the incredible designer behind Jenny Yoo Collection Bridal, Jenny by Jenny Yoo Bridal and Jenny Yoo Bridesmaids, to learn all about the details that make her Spring/Summer 2020 collections so special. We were so inspired by her passion, sheer talent and immense knowledge, and we know you will be too! Photos by This Modern Romance.

(photo provided by Chicago Style Weddings)

Your new collections are gorgeous. Can you tell us more about them?

We’ve really focused on the beautiful fabrics we’ve sourced for our Jenny Yoo Collection Bridal line. We’ve done a lot of mixing and matching with different fabrications, so you’ll see plenty of floral appliques mixed with different crepes. The collection has a lot of sheer illusion bodices and fit and flare silhouettes. We’ve also brought in a lot of architectural seaming details and played around with organza. We’re touching on a classic silhouette with whimsical details.

For our Jenny Yoo Bridesmaids collection, we’ve introduced a whole palette of soft pastels. There’s a beautiful light mint, light shades of blue and pastel floral prints.

What is this season’s collection all about?

This season is very much about keeping things clean and simple. We’re using chiffon but introducing it in sleeker, more modern silhouettes and emphasizing clean lines. We’ve done less rouching and gathering. We’ve also incorporated some lovely velvet fabrics. Brides seem to really love the rich texture and color of velvet, surprisingly for every season. English Rose is a particularly popular color.

Who is the Jenny Yoo bride?

The Jenny Yoo bride is classic, but not afraid to take chances. She wants to marry her love of classic bridal with high fashion. Our brides have very different styles, but all want a clean, modern, fashion-forward look.

What do you love about designing bridal and bridesmaids gowns?

With bridal, we love pushing the envelope and making ourselves different. For bridesmaids, we love breaking the bridesmaids traditions and creating new trends that people are really excited about!

Speaking of trends, what bridal trends are you seeing right now?

We’re seeing a lot of sleeves right now. Girls are feeling more comfortable about being more covered. With sleeves, we like to keep it light by bringing a sheer illusion element, flutter sleeves or fitted sleeves.

We’re always trying to find a good balance of trends and looks. This season, I’m personally loving cleaner, fit-and-flare crepe gowns mixed with lace illusion bodices. A classic look with a bit of drama.

Jenny Yoo  is all about modern femininity. With an unparalleled array of sizes and beautiful colors, their goal is to give every bride and bridesmaid a personalized experience and beautiful quality dress that she can carry with her for years to come.

The lovely team at Diana’s Bridal popped by the blog to share all the details of their stunning new boutique expansion and what’s new for 2020. All photos by Bart Galbas Photography.

Congratulations on a big expansion to your shop! What has changed?

Thank you! We are so excited about our big expansion! We’ve added 3,000 square feet to our store, essentially doubling our space. We’ve added a lovely marble front desk and new viewing areas. We have two large viewing areas that will accomodate larger groups in a chic and comfortable area.

What designers can brides-to-be find at Diana’s Bridal?

We’re thrilled to announce that we recently added a new designer to our stellar lineup. We now offer gowns from the talented Martina Liana! We also have stunning wedding dresses from Allure, Stella York, Pronovias, and Essense of Australia in store. We also carry a lovely selection of bridesmaid and flower girl dresses.

Anything else exciting that you’d like to share?

We are so excited to welcome 2020 brides! We recently celebrated our 6th anniversary, so we have a lot of experience in helping brides find their dream gown. We’ve expanded our team to make sure we provide the best service to every bride who walks through our doors. Oh, and we also offer in-house alterations, which is a convenience that our Diana’s Bridal brides really appreciate.

Diana’s Bridal is a full-service bridal boutique located in Skokie, Illinois that serves Chicagoland brides with a personal and unforgettable shopping experience. For more information, please visit their website.

(December 19, 2019) — Nei-Turner Media Group, Inc., a publishing and events company, announces the addition of ChicagoStyle Weddings magazine to its portfolio of publications. Nei-Turner currently owns The Celebration Society Weddings and Parties magazines in the Chicago area and will be combining the wedding publications under one umbrella of ChicagoStyle Weddings.

By combining forces, the magazine will have increased customer service resources, as well as local editors and sales directors. The newly combined ChicagoStyle Weddings will be the only locally sourced magazine in the marketplace. “We are thrilled to be a part of Nei-Turner Media Group and The Celebration Society,” said Kelly Broz, former owner of ChicagoStyle Weddings, and now Sales Manager with Nei-Turner. “This merger gives us more opportunity to grow and will provide additional marketing resources for our clients’ business success.”

Clients and engaged couples alike will benefit from this powerful partnership, as ChicagoStyle Weddings will retain the style and sophistication that readers and advertisers have come to know and expect from the publication. ChicagoStyle Weddings will continue to reach engaged couples through availability on newsstands, at bridal shows and events and at local venues and vendors.

“We are excited to combine forces in the Chicago area and be the only locally produced wedding magazine for the region,” stated Barb Krause, Publisher of Nei-Turner Media Group, Inc. “We will be able to offer increased circulation and a stronger digital presence, which will help our clients reach even more Chicagoans.”

About The Celebration Society

The Celebration Society is a marketplace for reputable venues and vendors, and includes thecelebrationsociety.com and magazines in Georgia/Florida, Chicago and Arizona. The mission of The Celebration Society is to help connect celebrators to venues and vendors that they can trust to execute their visions and styles. With the focus of editorial on TheCelebrationSociety.com being both for weddings and parties, readers can use the magazine and website frequently to plan the next occasion they have on the calendar.

About Nei-Turner Media Group, Inc.

Nei-Turner Media Group, Inc. publishes high quality, regional guides and magazines, including At The Lake magazine, BRAVA magazine, Lakeshore Living, Experience Wisconsin and Wisconsin Meetings. The company also produces events including the Midwest Kids Expos, Madison (WI) Women’s Weekend and Madison Well Expo. Nei-Turner has offices in Lake Geneva and Madison, Wisconsin.

Download the Press Release here.

We all know wedding planning involves a lot of time, energy and usually a healthy dose of stress at some point. But what makes that all worth it? Wedding gifts! (Okay, and maybe the whole being married to the love of your life part, too.) But in all seriousness, you will probably receive more gifts for your wedding than at any other time in your life. From outfitting your kitchen with matching silverware to fluffy, monogrammed towels for your bathroom, you will be given plenty of thoughtful items that you actually want and need. The only catch to this plethora of presents? Writing the thank-you note.

The etiquette on this item is pretty clear, you have got to send a thank-you note to every single person who gives you a gift. The note both communicates your appreciation and also confirms that you received the gift so that the giver knows it was not lost in transit. Thank-you notes should always be handwritten, as a printed message comes across as cold and thoughtless. While you can arguably take up to three months after your Big Day to send a thank-you, the gesture feels more sincere when sent in a timely manner. It is perfectly fine to send your notes before the wedding for gifts received at showers ahead of time.

Newlyweds can sometimes feel unsure about what to say or how to structure a thank-you note, especially since sending handwritten letters is pretty rare these days. We have simplified the process for you and laid out everything you need to know to make sure you are sending thoughtful thank-you notes that everyone will appreciate.

The Note

Traditionally, wedding thank-you notes are small, folded-over cards with a monogram on the front. If you choose to take the traditional approach, you can use
your new married monogram. If your wedding vibe is less traditional and more laid-back or modern, you may want to choose a colorful, creative and less formal
thank-you note. Pick the style that fits your personality, and feel free to use more than one style of thank-you note depending on your audience. You may want a more casual or spirited card for close friends and something more formal for distant relatives and casual acquaintances. And don’t forget that you can register for your thank-you notes as well!

The Format

Thank-you notes are typically small for a reason – you don’t need to write that much! You should always start with a greeting – “Dear Whomever” is always
appropriate – and then include two to three sentences of text. In the body of your thank-you note, be sure to mention the specific gift you received and how
you will use it. It may seem obvious, but don’t forget to say ‘thank you!’. End with something personal – “We can’t wait to see you soon!” or “We are so happy you
could celebrate with us!” – to help your thank-you feel meaningful.

Dear Aunt Helen and Uncle Mark,

Thank you so much for the beautiful vase you gave us. We cannot wait to display the fresh-cut flowers from our garden in it. We are looking forward to seeing you both at the Fourth of July party soon!

Love,

Jennifer

The Gift

It is quite common to receive money as a wedding gift, which can make writing a thank you note feel a bit awkward. Never mention the exact amount given. Rather, treat each monetary gift as a “generous gift,” and write how you plan to spend the cash in your card. For example, “Thank you so much for your generous gift. We were so excited to be able to book a snorkeling excursion on our honeymoon!”

If you receive an item that is a duplicate or that you plan to return, keep that information to yourself. Mention the specific gift given in your note and focus on
your gratitude to the gift giver. If you received three toasters, your thank-you might look like this: “We really appreciate the four-slice toaster. We can’t wait to
have you over for brunch soon so you can see it in action! It means a lot to us both that you thought of us at this exciting time in our lives.”

There is a chance you may receive something that you’re unsure of how to use or what exactly it is. In that instance, be as general as necessary while focusing on the person who gifted it and how appreciative you are.

The Recipient

Model your greeting based on how familiar you are with who gave you the gift. It would be weird to address your sister or close friend with a formal pre-fix, but
your Dad’s work friend that you’ve never met should be addressed with a Mr. or Mrs. as appropriate. You should also think about the recipient when signing your own name. Traditional etiquette states that since you are writing the card yourself, you should only sign your name. For a more modern approach, both names can be signed. For those who are close to you, your first name should suffice. It’s best to use your full name – first, maiden, and married – when sending a card to someone who may not recognize just your first name.

Remember that thank-you notes are not solely for gifts, either. You should send a hand-written thank-you to anyone who helps you plan, prepare and celebrate your Big Day. This includes your wedding planner, photographer, officiant, the host or hostess of any wedding showers or events and any others who contributed significantly to your ceremony or reception.

The Organization

Staying organized and on top of your wedding thank-you notes will make life so much easier. Keep track of every gift – who gave it, what it is, when they gave it – in a spreadsheet so you can clearly mark when you have sent a thank-you note for each item. If you have several wedding showers, try to send those notes immediately after the event so they don’t pile up. If you wait to send any notes until after your wedding day, the task may feel overwhelming.

At the end of the day, guests genuinely appreciate knowing that you received their gift and that you are grateful. Make writing your thank-you notes more fun by writing while watching a guilty pleasure TV show or listening to your favorite podcast while you crank them out. Take a moment to truly reflect on how thankful you are for the generous people who celebrated your Big Day before sitting down to write – the grateful spirit will come through in your notes. The most important thing is that you actually send everyone a thank-you note, so stay on top of your gift list and make sure you address, stamp and mail each and every card of gratitude. Your hand may hurt by the end of the process, but once you are done, treat yourself to a bubble bath and one of those new, fluffy towels you just received.

Find local stationary companies and start planning your thank-you notes today!

By Leah Economos

Many brides are surprised that most vendors insist on knowing their budget before providing a detailed proposal. Truth is, this saves you both time and prevents miscommunication, sticker shock and getting attached to an idea you just can’t afford.

Why Share Your Budget?

Because you’re a busy bride with limited spare time, you’ll want this process to be as efficient as possible. Also, the vendors you’re interviewing respect your time and aim to make the proposal process as simple and straightforward as possible. With knowledge of your budget, each vendor will be able to provide a proposal in the price range you have specified.

The Dangers of a Proposal that’s Above Your Budget

A proposal with no budget guideline has several dangers. The first one is sticker shock. Many brides are truly shocked by the cost of wedding elements. Being surprised by your proposal price is not only unpleasant, but it may cause you to eliminate a wedding vendor from consideration who is truly capable of supplying a fantastic alternative for half the price—they just had no idea how much you wanted to spend!

Beyond the sticker shock, there’s another danger: attachment! You’re likely to become attached to all of the beautiful options conjured up in that initial proposal—and they’re way out of your price range. This will only create disappointment down the road as you find it impossible to be satisfied with more budget friendly alternatives.

Your style, taste, and personal preferences are equally as important as your budget. But, if you start out with a proposal that’s above your budget, trimming it down will be the only solution. That will mean parting with some elements you may love, and it also will delay arriving at your “budget happy place” while your salesperson revises your proposal. To avoid this dilemma, simply share your budget with vendors in your first conversation.

Finding a Fit

There’s a possibility that your vision and budget aren’t a match for a particular vendor, and that’s okay! If they aren’t able to offer the service or product you’re looking for within the amount you’re willing to pay, don’t be shy about telling them your budget is firm and you’ll have to look elsewhere.

If you consult several reputable vendors and continue to hear your vision can’t be accomplished within the amount you want to pay, it’s probably an indication your budget isn’t reasonable. Consider shifting money from another category within your overall budget, or open your mind to more budget friendly options that still allow you to have a great event.

Great vendors will do their best to offer an alternative to suit your budget, whether it’s a fabulous short rib small plate station instead of filet mignon, or ranunculus for your bouquet instead of peonies.

Take Steps in the Right Direction

Occasionally, brides can get stuck in what is referred to as ‘proposal la-la land.’ This is what happens when you continue to swoon over Pinterest pictures and celebrity weddings featuring ideas far outside your budget range. Remember, the goal is to arrive at a proposal you’re happy with and can afford.

Trusting Your Vendors

Some couples say they don’t feel comfortable sharing their actual budget with vendors they’re interviewing, for fear that they will “use up all the money,” and I want to offer some insight on that topic. Any vendor you’re considering hiring should make you feel comfortable and cared for as a customer. If at any point you feel pressured in a used-car-salesman-fashion, you’re in the wrong place.

When it comes to budget, remember: you’re in charge. Your florist or caterer isn’t going to reach into your wallet and take your money. When you agree on a price, make sure you’re comfortable with the amount you’re spending.

Bottom Line

You’ll make your planning process easier, avoid disappointment and sticker shock and develop a great relationship with your vendor team by sharing your budget from the beginning.

Budget Breakdown

In Chicago, the average cost of a 150-person wedding is approximately $42,000 with downtown weddings costing more ($51,000) and suburban weddings costing less ($33,000). When you start planning your wedding, one of the very first things you’ll need to create is a budget. The most helpful approach for you, your partner, and your respective families will be to openly discuss how much everyone will be able to contribute. Today, it is not uncommon for the bride and groom to foot the entire bill, or for the families to share the expenses. When discussing your expenses with your loved ones, be sure to remain courteous and realistic.

• RECEPTIONS: 40-45% (Reception venue, food, beverages & rentals)
• PHOTO & VIDEO: 10-20% (Photo & video)
• ATTIRE & WEDDING BANDS: 8-12%  (Bride and groom attire & wedding bands)
• FLOWERS: 8-12% (Flowers & décor)
• MUSIC: 5-10% (Ceremony & reception music)
• PLANNING: 0-10% (Planner or coordinator)
• CAKES: 3-6% (Cakes & sweet tables)
• OVER SPEND: 5% (Overspend Fund)
• CEREMONY: 2-4% (Ceremony)
• INVITES: 3-6% (Stationery)
• TRANSPORTATION AND GIFTS: .2-4% (Gifts & transportation)
• BEAUTY: 2-3% (Hair, makeup & pampering)

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