Vintage Vibes at The Armour House for Kathryn & Jesus
Wedding inspiration can come from so many places — from color palettes and seasons to cultural backgrounds and venues. For Kathryn and Jesus, their day was rooted in a vintage aesthetic. More specifically, their Armour House at Lake Forest Academy celebration was inspired by a special ritual of their’s: weekends spent antiquing. What started as a way to furnish their two separate apartments soon became the heart of a sentimental wedding design.
Kathryn and Jesus met on their very first day of medical school at UIC, serendipitously placed in the same small group. Today, they’re finishing their training as psychiatrists, though a residency “match” placed them in different cities — him in New York, her in Boston. Despite the distance, their shared love of Chicago remained constant.
When planning their wedding, the couple fully leaned into their favorite pastime. Frequent visits to Warehouse 55 turned into a months-long curation process, resulting in hundreds of antique finds. A collection of silver, china, crystal frames, vases and glassware were curated with care. While they didn’t know the exact histories behind every item, they were drawn to the idea that these objects had lived full lives before theirs. “We felt truly blessed by the opportunity to have small pieces of other people’s love stories to reflect on during our day,” said Kathryn. This sentiment was especially reflected in their collection of antique china, including heirloom sets passed down through generations and even one that traveled from Czechoslovakia.
Their vintage vision carried through every layer of the day. Kathryn hand-sewed lace overlays, sourced silk robes and slip dresses for her bridesmaids (including a vintage Christian Dior piece for herself) and incorporated details like vintage brooches in place of boutonnières and a Hermès scarf repurposed into groomsmen pocket squares. Additionally, the setting complemented the aesthetic seamlessly. The Armour House at Lake Forest Academy provided a stately, old-world backdrop for the reception, while the couple exchanged vows earlier in the day at Saint Mary of the Lake Catholic Church in a bilingual ceremony, ensuring both families could fully participate.
At UIC, the end of orientation week is marked by a trolley ride through the city — and it was on this ride that Kathryn and Jesus first really connected. So on their wedding day, a trolley once again carried them through Chicago as a full-circle nod to where it all began. Surrounded by collected pieces of the past — both their pasts and strangers’ — they created a wedding that was personal, but also part of a larger, ongoing story.
Vendors
PHOTOGRAPHY South of Indigo
VIDEOGRAPHY Toast Weddings
CEREMONY VENUE Saint Mary of the Lake Catholic Church
RECEPTION VENUE Armour House at Lake Forest Academy
PLANNING & FLORAL BWeddings
HAIR & MAKEUP Rare Bird Beauties
BRIDE’S CEREMONY GOWN House of Flora
BRIDE’S RECEPTION GOWN Netta BenShabu
BRIDE’S EARRINGS Trejours
GROOM’S CEREMONY FORMALWEAR Gucci
GROOM’S RECEPTION FORMALWEAR Todd Snyder
STATIONERY Illusdreams
CATERING Armour House at Lake Forest Academy
CAKE Bittersweet Pastry Shop
SWEETS Deerfields Bakery
QUARTET Brian Ostrega and Company
ENTERTAINMENT The DJ Firm
CONTENT CREATION Social Brides Collective
TRANSPORTATION Second City Trolley
VENDING MACHINE FAVORS Ryan Jay
ACCOMMODATION & GETTING-READY VENUE Ambassador Gold Coast
