Jill and Mark's wedding on January 1, 2010

Jill and Mark were married on January 1, 2010 at Trump International Hotel and Tower. Aristene Aurand, is the wedding specialist at the Tower and weddings there are always very special.

Tara Swift Moser from LOLA Event Production (312.513.6531) was the planner and florist and was great. It is always a pleasure to conduct weddings with the team from LOLA!

Andre LaCour was the photographer and provided these excellent photos to. Andre is the director of photography at Edward Fox Photography and can be reached at 773.794.5149. Thank you Andre.

Mindy and Eric - James Hotel

This was my first wedding at the James Hotel and I was impressed. The staff were really helpful and great to work with and the room was especially attractive. Here was the team, at least the ones I met.

Venue: The James Hotel
Hillary Cavan, services manager and her staff were there to help throughout

Photographer: Pamela Luedeke Photography
Pamela has promised to provide some photos and I will post them later in a new post.

DJ: Toast and Jam
It is always a delight to work with the folk from Toast and Jam, this was no exception.

Planner: Here Comes the Party
This was my first time working with Marcy Alspach and Meghan Martinez, what a great team.

Florist: Dilly Lily
Usually the florist is gone by the time I get to the venue but this time I got to meet a couple of the people and compliment them on their arrangments.

I think Eric and Mindy were very happy with their choice of vendors and they are certainly worth your consideration.

First and Last

The day began with a 12:30 wedding on the Trump Terrace on the 16th floor of the Trump Tower. It has very dramatic views of the Wrigley Building Clock Tower, Tribune Tower and the riverfront looking east on to Lake Michigan. I noticed that as the guests arrived and walked out on to the terrace many of them took out their cameras and started to take photos of the view, it is pretty amazing. I only had my IPhone so the quality isn't very good but at least you can get an idea of the view east.

Lin of Lin and Associates was the real photographer and I am hoping she will share some of her photos with me so that I can post them here. You can contact Lin at 77.727.9494.

Monika Lotter, who is Director of Catering at Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago told me after the ceremony that this was the first ever wedding on the terrace. As I have mentioned in a previous blog Monika and the staff at the hotel are just wonderful. You can contact Monika at at 312.588.8059 or trumpchicago@trumphotels.com

The day ended with another wedding at the Shedd Aquarium for the last wedding of the year on their new outdoor terrace. I can't find it described on their website but let me add that the views of downtown Chicago are wonderful. Again, my photos don't do it justice but you can at least get an idea.


Tara Moser of LOLA Event Productions was the wedding coordinator, you can reach her at 312.513.6531 or tara@lolaeventproductions.com. LOLA always does excellent work and I think couples who select them are well served with the right mix of attention to all the details and the ability to be flexible when last minute changes happen.

Courtney Lawhn of Chicago Harpist provided the music. We have worked together in several weddings and it's always a delight to see her again. You can reach Courtney at 847.826.5067 or at
courtneylawhn@yahoo.com.



I don't often see or interact with florists but I have come to recognize the work of Keho Designs. There designs are always both beautiful and distinctive. Check them out, I don't think you will be disappointed.

Park Hyatt Weddings

Lori Stephenson of Lola Event Productions served as the coordinator for Pari and Edward wedding last month at the Park Hyatt, 800 North Michigan Avenue. I always enjoy working with Lori and her clients are always well served.

A week before Eugenia and Myat were also married at the Park Hyatt. Darcey Lohman from Big City Bride was the coordinator. This was my second wedding with Darcey and she was a life saver for me.

Both weddings were in the same room but the set up was entirely different for each one. It is a great credit to the hotel, the planners and florists that they can make the same room look so different.

The contact at the the Park Hyatt was Virginie Bishop, vbishop@hyatt.com and Maria Farrell, maria.farrell@hyatt.com. Virginie was there for the rehearsal and she and the other staff were most helpful on the day of the wedding.

The hotel offers the couple two complimentary nights at any Park Hyatt or Hyatt Resort worldwide when their wedding is at Park Hyatt Chicago. That seems like a very nice perk.

Trees Studios

Monica and Frank were married on Friday of Labor Day weekend in the Courtyard of Trees Studios. It had been almost a year since my last wedding at Trees Studio and it was good to be back. Be sure to check out the web site, it has some great photos of the courtyard set up for several different weddings.

Donna Albertson, is the director of marketing and special events for Tress Studios and she was as helpful and wonderful to work with as I remembered. Donna was joined by Lauren Knuepfer, from LK Events who was Monica and Frank's coordinator. Donna and Lauren were a great team and made my job very easy and enjoyable.

You can contact Donna at The Ivy Room at Tree Studios, 12 E. Ohio, Chicago, IL 60611, 312.645.7760, info@ivyroomchicago.com

Lauren from LK Events can be contacted at lkeventschicago@gmail.com

Hotel Monaco

Kristian and David were married on July 25 at Hotel Monaco. This was my first time at the Hotel and the wedding took place in an attractive room on the third floor.

Carrie Collins of Wed-Chicago was the coordinator, it was fun to work with her again and I really like the way she works with couples. Carrie seems well organized but also laid back.

James Knabe, trumpeter and two other musicians did a very nice job with the music.

Kristian and David did some editing of my materials and came up with a great Declaration of Consent combined with a Guest Blessing, they also used some traditional vows. I really like the Guest Blessing because it gives the guests a role in the ceremony as opposed to just sitting there passively.

Kristian and David did some editing of my materials and came up with a great Declaration of Consent combined with a Guest Blessing, they also used some traditional vows. I really like the Guest Blessing because it gives the guests a role in the ceremony as opposed to just sitting there passively. Here is what they came up with we called it the Declaration of Consent and here is how it went.

Kristian will you have this man to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?

Kristian, I will.

David, will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?

David, I will.

Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage? Will you, the family and friends of David and Kristian, you who know and love them best, pledge to them your honesty, compassion, and support? Will you continue to be quick to encourage and slow to criticize, ready to share both tears and laughter? Will you continue to share with them the deepest concerns of life-- whether in grief or in joy-- and so receive and give the love of the truly abundant life? If you will, with God's help, pledge these gifts to David and Kristian, answer: "We will."

Prairie Production

This was my first wedding at Prairie Production which seems to have become a very popular venue. It's located on Randolph between Halsted and Ogden. Parking was easy and there wasn't much traffic.

This is not your typical hotel or banquet type venue. My pictures aren't the best but I think you can get an idea. There is a nice out door area for people to gather in before and after the ceremony. The room is reset after the wedding for the reception. The whole place has a very urban feel and I think Michelle and Shaun were very happy with the venue selection.


Katie Kozlowski, the owner of Dettagli Weddings was the coordinator and she and he staff were a delightful to work with.

Grand Piazza Weddings

I had never been to the Grand Piazza or even heard of it for that matter and then I had two weddings there on the same weekend. The Grand Piazza located at 1431 West Taylor Street Chicago, IL 60607 and is home to the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, a museum that pays tribute to athletic greats such as Joe DiMaggio, Tommy Lasorda, and Mary Lou Retton. Natalie Arakelian is the contact person and she can be reached at 312.226.5566 or kperez@levyresturants.com

One of the best features of the Grand Piazza is its rooftop terrace, the views of the downtown skyline are incredible.


But, with outdoor weddings there are a lot of things that can go wrong. The first wedding was on a Friday night and it rained almost all day and evening. So, the wedding had to be moved inside into the ballroom. The space was nice and worked well but it would have been nicer outside.

The wedding was about 30 minutes late because I had not carefully thought through how to get the guests up to the third floor on a very slow elevator and then how to get the bride, who had not seen the groom that day, off the elevator without being seen by the groom. She ended up riding up and down the elevator for about 20 minutes while the groom waited patiently at the front. Nevertheless, I think they were happy with how the ceremony turned out.

The second wedding did take place on the terrace but in the midst of gale force winds. You can't see them in the photo above but there are actually guy wires holding down the hupa. The aisle runner had been tapped down but as the wedding party walked to the front it sort of billowed up in front of them. The ceremony however came together beautifully and the bride and groom were cheered as they walked down the aisle as husband and wife.

Marcia Hemphill and her staff from An Urban Affair coordinated the Saturday wedding, they are always a pleasure to work with.

The other cast of participants included:

• Daniel Gin, photography, 312.285.0388 and dg@dangin.com
• Kate and Rachel from Toast & Jam provided the music for a wedding and reception. I’ve worked others from staff in the past and they are first rate.

Newberry Library

The Newberry is an interesting setting for weddings. If you were to walk into the lobby during the week when the security desk and guard rail are in place it would be difficult to envision having a wedding there. But, when the desk and railing are removed it looks much different. The lobby has been restored and an art-nouveau chandelier creates a dramatic affect. The marble staircase and ornate banister become the focal point of the room and a dramatic way for brides to enter.

A separate room, Rugles Hall has large windows facing both Washington Square Park and Dearborn Parkway and is ideal for the wedding dinner.

Another room, the Towners Fellows' Lounge has oak paneling and works well for small more intimate weddings.

The staff in the office of events can be reached at 312 255-3595 or via email to skubishk@newberry.org

Anne and Michael were married at the Newberry last Saturday. Once again I enjoyed working with Ali Phillips of Engaging Events by Ali. I've mentioned Ali in many previous blogs and it continues to be delightful to work with Ali. You can contact Ali at ali@engagingeventsbyali.com

Ana of anamiyares.com was the photographer, she can be reached at ana@anamiyares.com or 773.852-3761. I am hoping Ana will share some photos with me to post here or perhaps a link to her site with photos of Michael and Anne's wedding.

Keith Jorgensen was the video guy. He is the co-founder of Poetic Productions a professional videography company. Keith is also involved in the wedding website called the Daily Bride. You can contact Keith at info@poeticweddings.com or 312 863-4007

Back at Bond Chapel

Bond Chapel at the University of Chicago was the setting for the wedding of Elizabeth and James last week.

Lori Stephenson of Lola Event Productions was the wedding planner and the person who introduced me to James and Elizabeth. Lori is a delight to work with, she is very well organized and detail orientated but she is also laid back so things get done well but without the stress that sometimes happens in weddings.

Trump International Hotel & Tower

Keith and Kelly were married in the Skyline Room at Trump Tower located at 401 North Wabash Avenue, in downtown Chicago. Monika B. Lotter, Director of Catering, 312 588-8000 and her staff were fantastic to work with. I was truly impressed by their willingness to help with the smallest of details and I was especially impressed that it seemed like every staff person in the hotel looked me in the eye and greeted me.

This was my first time working with Debi Lilly, Chief Eventeur, at A Perfect Event, Inc. Debi was clearly on top of every detail and provided a calm but professional presence during the rehearsal, wedding and reception. You can contact Debi at 773 244-9333 or debi@aperfectevent.com. Debi and Monica were a great team.

Technorati Tags: Wedding, Minister, Spiritual, Chicago, Non-Denominational, Wedding Officiant

Sofitel Chicago Water Tower

The Grand Ballroom of the Sofitel, with a 20-foot-high window and a spectacular view was the venue for Rob and Andrea's wedding and reception last night.

Marcia Hemphill and her staff from An Urban Affair coordinated all the events of the day. Kristine Semanic from The Brass String Chamber Ensemble provided the music and Brian Kinyon Photography was the photographer.

It was my first wedding at the Sofitel but I have another one coming up in January. The ballroom is stunning and the staff of the hotel were helpful and pleasant to work with. There were about 160 guests but the information on the website says the room will accommodate 270. As I was leaving the ballroom was being reset for the reception and it looked very classy.

Park Hyatt Wedding

Lori Stephenson of Lola Event Productions served as the coordinator for Julie and Jason's wedding last month at the Park Hyatt, 800 North Michigan Avenue. Lori is great to work with and her clients are always well served.

I have conducted a number of weddings at the Park Hyatt and I am always pleasantly surprised how the coordinator and florists are able to make the room look entirely different for each wedding. Lori and her florist had designed and built the long plastic light boxes (my name for them) and then covered them with fabric. As shown in the photo above, they were placed on each side of the aisle and created a very dramatic affect. I also loved the candles, barely visible in the photo, hanging from the canopy. The contact at the the Park Hyatt was Virginie Bishop vbishop@hyatt.com. Virginie was there for the rehearsal and she and the other staff were most helpful on the day of the wedding.

The other participants in the wedding were:

Music provided by Mary Monica Thomas, contact Mary at marymonicamusic@sbcglobal.net

The photography and video team were from Studio This Is. Sarah Parsons who is the studio manager and lead photographer can be contacted at, sarah@studiothisis.com

Wedding at The Knickerbocker

Ursula and Matt had a large wedding on Saturday at the Knickerbocker Hotel. I had never conducted a wedding at this venue. If you are having a larger wedding with 200 or more guests and want the feel of one of older grand hotels I would highly recommend the Knickerbocker. My photo isn’t great but you can I hope get an idea of the room as it was done up on Saturday. I really liked the groups of candles along the center aisle.

Here is the cast of characters:

Ali Phillips of Engaging Events By Ali was the coordinator and the person who introduced me to Ursula and Matt. I love working with Ali because our styles seem to match so well. You can contact Ali at ali@engagingeventsbyali.com

Lauren Haver at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, located at 163 E Walton Pllace, Chicago, IL 60611 worked closely with Ali and behind the scenes during the wedding, cocktail hour and dinner. You can contact Lauren at Lhaver@mill-usa.com

The string trio from Belle Music were wonderful too. I’ve worked with several of them in the past and they are always a delight, easy to work with and provide excellent sounds.

The florist was Blumen Design, as you will see from my photo, they did a fantastic job with the flowers. I thought the ballroom where the wedding took place looked amazing. For more information about Blumen Design you can email them at info@blumendesign.com

Kurt Gerber of Gerber and Scarpelli was the photographer as he has been at several weddings I’ve conducted this year. It’s always good to see him in action again. Gerber and Scarpelli can be reached at 312 455-1144 or info@gerberscarpelliweddings.com

Technorati Tags: Wedding, Minister, Spiritual, Chicago, Non-Denominational, Wedding Officiant

Wedding at the Metropolitan Club

Alexis and Sam got married this evening at The Metropolitan Club on the 66th floor of the Sears Tower. It's an outstanding venue and Joe Flynn, the private event director and his staff were wonderful to work with and very professional in the best sense of the word. Of course the views from the Sears Tower are amazing and it was a clear night so the views were exceptional both in the room where the wedding was held and in the dining room.

Lori Stephenson from LOLA Event Productions LLC was the coordinator. Lori and I do one or two weddings a year together and I always appreciate her thorough preparation and skills at guiding the ceremony from beginning to end. I don't have first hand knowledge of the other things she does to assist the bride and groom but I have no doubt her same attention to details comes through in all of her services.

If you want a photography team of three who advertise they take 1,200 to 2,000 photos at each ceremony and for a good part of the time, even though I asked them not to, stand next to me, like a member of the bridal party, then I would be happy to provide you with their contact information.

For more information on The Metropolitan Club, contact Joe Flynn at joe.flynn@ourclub.com or 312 993-2506 and Lori Stephenson at lori@lolaeventproductions.com or 773 942-6172. You can contact me at botto@SpiritedWeddings.com or 312 671-1804

Technorati Tags: Wedding, Minister, Spiritual, Chicago, Non-Denominational, Wedding Officiant

Wedding Vendors for a Wedding at Hotel Allegro

Jaime and JT had their wedding and reception at Hotel Allegro, 171 W. Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60601, 312 236-0123. I’ve blogged about Hotel Allegro in the past and their level of service is unchanged. I do want to comment on three of the other people that I had the pleasure of working with.

First, Ali Phillips of Engaging Events by Ali . Ali is one of my favorite wedding planners and when she or her staff are involved I know that things are going to run smoothly and on time. Erin Dahl, one of the very capable young women who work with Ali worked the rehearsal and the wedding. Ali can be contacted at ali@engagingeventsbyali.com.

Keith Jorgensen is the co-founder of Poetic Productions a professional videography company. Keith is also involved in the wedding website called the Daily Bride. I had spoken on the phone to Keith in the past and it was a pleasure to meet him at the wedding. You can contact Keith at info@poeticweddings.com or 312 863-4007

Kurt Gerber of Gerber and Scarpelli was the photographer, we worked together at a wedding last month and it was good to see him in action again. Gerber and Scarpelli can be reached at 312 455-1144 or info@gerberscarpelliweddings..com.

To view a cool video of the wedding photos check out this link http://www.gerberscarpelliweddings.com/braun

Technorati Tags: Wedding, Minister, Spiritual, Chicago, Non-Denominational, Wedding Officiant

Wedding in the Rotunda at Orchestra Hall

The Rotunda at Symphony Hall was the venue for Elizabeth and Peter’s wedding on Saturday evening. It’s hard to describe the room and its long spiral staircase and skylight and my photo doesn’t do the room justice but I think you can get an idea. Michael Lewis, rental events manager worked behind the scenes to handle the details.

Anne Harman, private event consultant for Rhapsody, and her staff attended the rehearsal and then coordinated the details of getting the ceremony underway. They also were responsible for the reception that followed. It was a pleasure to work with Anne and her staff.

JD Music, which for this event included James Hahn on the violin and a cello and piano, provide the music for the ceremony and they did a superb job. I’ve worked with James at other weddings and now with this Blog it’s fun to be able to tell my readers about the really good people that I have the pleasure of working with.

Aaron Rojas of Aaron’s Photography took the pictures, not the ones on this Blog but the official ones, which we haven’t seen yet.

Couples looking for a non-traditional setting will find the Rotunda is a good choice and then coupled with excellent service provide by Michael Lavin, lavinm@cso.org and Anne Harman, aharman@rhapsodychicago.com, this venue is a true winner in my book. I hope I have the opportunity to conduct another wedding their soon.

Technorati Tags: Wedding, Minister, Spiritual, Chicago, Non-Denominational, Wedding Officiant

University of Chicago, Bond Chapel

Bond Chapel located at 1050 West 59 Street in the University of Chicago was the setting for Sogol and Aren’s wedding on Friday afternoon. Earlier in the day they had a Persian ceremony led by Sogol’s uncle, then their guests boarded a shuttle bus to the chapel for the 2:30 ceremony. The chapel is small and although their webpage says it seats 300 people that seems hard to believe. There are beautiful stained glass windows in the front of the chapel, above the altar but other than the window the rest of the chapel is rather unadorned.

There is a small balcony with a pipe organ but Aren and Sogol had hired Parkwest Strings. They were very professional and easy to work with. I think you will find their website contains a wealth of helpful information. They can also be reached at 773 412-7753.

Kurt Gerber from Gerber & Scarpelli.was the photographer. Kurt and I have worked together in the past and just a couple of weeks ago I worked with another of the photographers from the firm. Their website is very nicely done and you will find all the information that you need about them there. They can also be reached at 312 455-1133.

I also worked with a very nice and extremely helpful “Day Of Coordinator” whose name was Kerry. Unfortunately she didn’t have her business card with her so I don’t have her full name of the name of her company. She promised to email her contact information to me and when it arrives I will add it to this posting. I am finding that a increasing number of brides are using a “Day Of Coordinator” so Kerry’s information may be helpful to you.

Technorati Tags: Wedding, Minister, Spiritual, Chicago, Non-Denominational, Wedding Officiant,