Isabella & John’s Candlelit Holiday Winter Wedding at Café Brauer
Wrapped in a candlelit glow, Isabella and John’s Café Brauer wedding celebrated timeless elegance and a touch of holiday magic. A palette of black, white and green, paired with seasonal charm, created a celebration both classic and personal.
The couple met in 2021, when Isabella, working in MedTech sales in Boston, reluctantly accepted a last-minute assignment in Pennsylvania. There she was paired with John, a representative from New York. Their instant connection — sparked while donning masks and hairnets in an operating room — felt serendipitous. Both Midwesterners living on the East Coast, they discovered a chemistry that felt too good to ignore.
Four years, three cities and countless adventures later, Isabella and John returned to the Midwest to marry in Lincoln Park and begin their newlywed chapter in Chicago’s Old Town. When choosing their venue, Café Brauer felt like the natural choice. The bride recalls it “blew every Pinterest board expectation out of the water.” The couple had often wandered through the Lincoln Park Zoo, reading plaques that detailed Café Brauer’s history and admiring the way people from all walks of life gathered to enjoy the space. To Isabella and John, the venue symbolized togetherness, community and storytelling across generations — the perfect backdrop for their dream day.
Guided by Isabella’s love of minimalism and her mantra of “doing simple well,” the wedding design embraced understated elegance. A black and white palette and greenery-heavy decor accented the venue, all enhanced by flickering candlelight and natural winter charm. The couple’s Christian ceremony featured a string quartet, flickering candles and amber uplighting that highlighted Café Brauer’s soaring architecture. Isabella’s brother officiated the ceremony, while the couple shared communion and prayer to the strains of “Silent Night.”
As the evening evolved, the celebration became a lively reception filled with seasonal music, dancing and festive cocktails. The band mixed in hits spanning the decades, creating moments that united guests across generations. One of Isabella’s most treasured memories was catching sight of her grandparents — just shy of their 65th wedding anniversary — smiling by the dance floor, soaking in the joy and essence of the day.
Reflecting on the celebration, Isabella shared, “From start to finish, our day was a true representation of who my husband and I are at our core – led by faith and family, fueled by connection and blessed with love and light surrounding us.”
Vendors
PHOTOGRAPHER Leah Starkey Photo
VIDEOGRAPHER The KL Media
VENUE Café Brauer
PLANNER Handled by Hamlin Events
FLORAL & DECOR Michaela Mantarian
HAIR & MAKEUP Glam Atelier
BRIDE’S GOWN Milla Nova from Lace Bridal Couture
GROOM’S FORMALWEAR Bespoke Below
STATIONERY The Cottage Paperie
CATERING Zelda’s Catering
CAKE Sweet Mandy B’s
LIGHTING Frost Chicago
ENTERTAINMENT Cagen Music
TRANSPORTATION Cloud9 Limousine
