Brittany and Blake’s Chicago Destination Wedding

With romance, formal glam and a vintage air, Brittany and Blake’s wedding exuded the essence of Chicago.

Brittany and Blake met shortly after Brittany traded in her condo in River North for a house in Bellevue, Iowa. Brittany grew up in Chicago and is a true Chicagoan, with her mother working for the City of Chicago and her father being a homicide detective for the Chicago Police Department. But in 2020, she left her bustling hometown of Chicago for a quiet Iowa life.

While perusing Bumble in her new town, Brittany came across Blake’s profile, enamored by him and the Old English Sheepdog in his profile picture. When they met in November 2021, Brittany and Blake knew their first date would not be their last.

While Brittany is a city girl, Blake’s family has lived in Dubuque, Iowa since 1870, making him a true Iowan. After two years of fun adventures and enjoying summers boating the Mississippi River together, Blake asked Brittany to marry him.

“When I relocated to Iowa, I never thought I’d be able to have my dream wedding in Chicago. Blake, an Iowan native, always figured he would be married in his hometown of Dubuque, IA … so we compromised and got married in Chicago,” joked Brittany.

To bring their Chicago destination wedding dreams to life, the couple enlisted the expertise of Amanda Paige Events, an event planner operating in Chicago, New York and Scottsdale. “I know a lot of times couples toss the idea around of a planner but trust us, it’s worth it!” shares Brittany. As a self-proclaimed “hands-on bride,” Brittany faced some challenges with conducting venue visits, vendor interviews and other wedding planning components from afar. But with a planner with “boots on the ground” access to Chicago, Brittany’s stresses were eased.

Brittany and Blake took many trips from Dubuque to Chicago during the wedding planning process. While they enjoyed the planning aspects, the couple notes that their favorite part of these visits included carving out times for them to create mini vacations together.

FEBRUARY 24, 2024

After tirelessly planning from afar for eight months, Brittany and Blake’s wedding came to life on a beautiful winter day in February.

Seventy years ago, Brittany’s grandparents wed at Holy Name Cathedral in the heart of the Magnificent Mile. So for her own wedding, she knew she had to walk down the same aisle. Her dream came true and she married Blake in the same spot her grandparents did, as they watched from the second row.

After this sentimental ceremony, Brittany and Blake headed down the street for iconic wedding photos in front of the Chicago Board of Trade building. After all, what’s a Chicago wedding without portraits in front of the city’s most iconic architecture?

Celebrations continued at the carefully selected venue, the Blackstone Hotel. The hotel — an iconic piece of Chicago’s history and a standout feature of today’s skyline — provided a beautiful backdrop for Brittany and Blake’s celebration. They knew many of their guests would be traveling from out of town, so they wanted to treat attendees to a beautiful ballroom in a hotel setting. From the first time they toured the historic Blackstone, they knew they had found their venue.

Brittany and Blake’s wedding was the epitome of a classic Chicago celebration, complete with a color palette of gold, black, and white, warm candlelight, statement floral centerpieces, fur shawls, and a nine-piece big band. From the Chicago skyline-adorned stationery to late-night treats of Lou Malnati’s pizza at the reception, every detail reflected the essence of a quintessential Chicago wedding.

Vendors

PHOTOGRAPHY Janelle Rose Photography
VIDEOGRAPHY 9two5
VENUE The Blackstone Hotel
PLANNER Amanda Paige Events
FLORAL & DECOR Juliet Tan Floral Design
HAIR Dana Dekelaita
MAKEUP Makeup by Paulina (Paulina Nissan) and Bronze Me Up Girl
BRIDE’S GOWN Rivini from Bella Bianca Bridal Couture
GROOM’S FORMALWEAR Graham’s Style Store Dubuque
STATIONERY Junie’s Decor
CAKE Bittersweet Pastry Shop & Café
ENTERTAINMENT Greenlight from Rendezvous Music