Lichen & Luxe by Designed and Detailed Event Management
Led by Designed and Detailed Event Management, this Designers’ Challenge team whisked guests into a modern fairytale inside The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel. Set against the backdrop of 1930s architecture, Adorable Designs by Candice, Anamaria Vieriu Photography, Atmosphere Events Group, Bittersweet Pastry Shop, Designed and Detailed Event Management, The Romel Collection and Tablescapes conjured a moss‑drizzled, whimsical tableau.
The Gwen, a downtown masterpiece, is an Art Deco Chicago gem reimagined with contemporary flair. To honor the landmark, the team took cues from the ballroom’s statement chandelier concept as their inspiration, echoing its gold tones in coordinated chairs and tabletop rentals. From there, they layered in lush, moss-filled floralscapes, unexpected punches of chartreuse and a bold juxtaposition between sleek lines and organic textures.
As if plucked from a hidden woodland glade and planted in the heart of Chicago, this Designers’ Challenge showcases that even in the city’s center, a serene escape can bloom where planted.
It was our goal to have a couple feel like they stepped into a 21st-century version of a woodland fairytale.
– Alison Grossman, Designed and Detailed Event Management
The Team
PLANNER Designed and Detailed Event Management
FLORAL Branching Out Chicago
CAKE Bittersweet Pastry Shop
STATIONERY Adorable Designs by Candice
RENTALS Tablescapes
SPECIALTY RENTALS The Romel Collection
DRAPE & LIGHTING Atmosphere Events Group
VENUE The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel
PHOTOGRAPHY Anamaria Vieriu Photography

Seated (Left to Right): Samuel Bertino, Bittersweet Pastry Shop; Candice Morales, Adorable Designs by Candice; Alison Grossman, Designed and Detailed Event Management; Christina Slabik, Designed and Detailed Event Management
Standing (Left to Right): Paige Galick, Branching Out Chicago; Justin Johnson, Branching Out Chicago; Christie Lindquist Delort, Branching Out Chicago; John Strzalkowski, Atmosphere Events Group; Anamaria Vieriu, Anamaria Vieriu Photography; Ari Michaels, Bittersweet Pastry Shop; Anthony Lighthall, The Romel Collection; Heather Joslin, The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel
Not Pictured: Christine Boulton, Branching Out Chicago
