“We can’t believe Spring is here and how fast the recent months have flown by. It feels like just yesterday when we were outside in the chilly December weather photographing Sean and Emily’s Chicago Winter engagement photography session and now… these two are happily married! Sean + Emily planned an early in March wedding day. It was a formal event, with classic details, style and utter sophistication. A mix of cultures and traditions from both the bride and groom’s families were tied into the day, including an Irish bagpiper during their exiting down the aisle at the ceremony, photos at the father of the Groom’s alma mater the University of Chicago, and later Persian music and gifts at the reception. The lavish Empire Room ballroom hosted the couple’s reception dinner and dancing. The Empire ballroom is located inside one of the most famous of hotels in Chicago The Palmer House Hilton Hotel. When planning the decor and florals for the room, S+E hired a florist located nearby their Hinsdale home where they could work closely with and refine the details of the space. What stunning results and we believe it was exactly what they sought out to achieve, a jaw dropping room and presentation to their guests.

 

“For the ballroom, we wanted the decor to reflect the beauty in our church and the Palmer House. We saw the hotel and room as regal, with romantic touches, so we spent a lot of time with Sadie Belman our florist at The English Garden Flower Shop creating the centerpieces. We wanted people to gasp when they walked into the Empire Room. We were not looking for something conventional such as flowers low on the table. Because the room is so special, we wanted to add height with a grand, mystical feel.”

 

Chicago’s Palmer House Hilton hotel offers a number of historically stunning rooms and grand ballroom spaces. Photographically, we found the hotel to have an abundance of amazing photo settings around every corner. ( And great for couple’s who enjoy romantic and magazine style Chicago editorial wedding photography as Sean + Emily love, where we incorporate the room. ) If your searching for a stylish venue with historic and architectural details, the Palmer house is a excellent downtown hotel venue. Sean + Emily choose the hotel’s Empire Room, and the room defines the word luxury and grandeur. With it’s rich tapestries, painted molding and metallic embellishments, a centered in the room stage where historically celebrity performers took that same stage, and balconies on the sides, The Empire Room is one of the most captivating atmospheric settings we have photographed a reception within. Undeniably the most memorable of of element in the ballroom is its gold, ornate ceiling details. The rich elegance of the room, gold and brilliantly gleaming chandeliers offers an unmatched feeling for the bride + groom to feel truly like a celebrity and royalty for the day. With recent renovations in 2009, the Palmer House has undergone a complete restoration back to the hotel’s architecture from its 1920′s era glamour. Historically the hotel has been re-constructed a few times, from it’s original and first construction dating to 1871. The original building was a casualty of the Great Chicago Fire, rebuilt in the 20′s, and today stands as the second largest hotel and acclaimed the fanciest post-fire in all of the City. It’s a legendary space and the perfect setting which defined Emily + Sean’s classic and formal wedding theme. We decided to not only photograph the couple inside at the hotel before dinner began, but also at the University of Chicago’s Rockefeller Chapel. Another architectural significant building, the Rockefeller’s cathedral with it’s circular drive, Porte Cochere “covered doorway” entrances, and towering limestone and concrete walls presented another amazing setting for incorporating historical architecture and wedding photography together in pictures.

 

Thank you Emily + Sean in choosing us as your engagement and Chicago wedding photographers. What an amazing day it was, truly a memorable fairytale event. We can’t help but to feel like we’ve become close friends. We enjoyed the entire day, our photo shoot outside at the University, catching smiles as the cold March wind provided the perfect excuse for you two to get closer and warm up, the day’s Irish and Persian elements, and spending the day with you documenting all the celebrating. We hope you, family and friends enjoy seeing the photos. More will be coming soon.”

 

 

 

Sean + Emily’s Vendor Details:
Theme: Classic + Formal Wedding
Ceremony: St. Thomas More and photography at Rockefeller Chapel University of Chicago
Reception: Empire Room at the Palmer House Hilton
Bridal Dress: Badgley Mischka
Bridal Dress Shop: Ultimate Bride, 106 E Oak Street, Chicago
Bridal Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Jewelry: Family Heirlooms
Bands: Custom from Browning and Sons Fine Jewelry, Hinsdale
Engagement Ring: Family Heirloom Reset
Hair: TJ from Zazu Salon, Hinsdale
Make-Up: Morgan Byrnes, Freelance MUA
Bride’s Veil + Lace Bolero: Custom by Ultimate Bride
Bridesmaid Dresses: Jim Hjelm
Catering + Day of Coordination: Jane S. Himmel of Palmer House Hilton
Dinner Details: Soup: asparagus and green pea; Salad: champagne and saffron poached baby pear, ripe brie cheese, dried cranberries and candied walnuts, with balsamic vinaigrette; Entree: grass fed filet of beef encrusted with blue cheese and a pinot noir reduction-or-phyllo pouch stuffed with sauteed spinach, mushrooms, onions, and sundried tomatoes, with a red pepper reduction
Cake Dessert: Red Velvet, Yellow Cake, Layer with Buttercream and Chocolate Fudge Frosting by Take the Cake
Flowers: The English Garden Flower Shop, Clarendon Hills
Invitations: Sass n Class, Hinsdale
Church Exit: Red Rose Petals + Irish Bagpiper
DJ: James Traut from Big Fish Productions
First Dance: Tu Recuerdo, Chambao
Transportation: White Vintage Rolls Royce from Chicago Trolley Rental
Videography: Keith Jorgenson of Poetic Productions

 

Favorite Memory: Emily said the entire day was so perfect. But she said Sean had the most perfect of all answers. Simply he said and Emily says “I have to agree seeing him at the church and promising our life together was by far the best memory I have of that day. :)”

 

Honeymoon: With a love of traveling Sean and Emily are hoping to spend 3 weeks in Switzerland and Italy exploring. Honeymoon plans include starting in Geneva, Switzerland and then driving through the Alps to Milan. On Emily’s “bucket list in life” ( that Emily says Sean has promised her they will complete together ) they plan to attend a horse race ‘the Palio’ in the center square in Sienna, Italy. After leaving Sienna, they plan to drive down the breathtaking Amalfi Coast and end the trip in the Island of Sardinia, and do nothing but swim, sail and drink wine in the Mediterranean.

 

 

♥ Check out our recent photo blog photos post of Sean + Emily’s Winter engagement photography session.

“Donovan + Brianna were a fun couple to work with. Their chemistry, edgy ideas, awesome trendy clothes, and pure comfortability with each other in front of the camera made them extremely easy to work with. Not to mention, wow they are a beautiful couple. After learning more about these two while out on the shoot, we determined Brianna’s camera comfortability comes from her former experience as an actress in LA and later here in Chicago on stage and screen. It’s no wonder they are planning for their wedding at the Chicago Lyric Opera House. Brianna loves the stage and is planning for her reception just like that, front + center on the Opera house’s stage.

 

During D+B’s Chicago engagement photography session, we also learned of their unique “falling in love” story. Donovan + Brianna met in LA while out + about at Halloween costume party in 2002. During this first meeting time, their timing was a little off, but they never lost touch or stopped thinking about one another. In 2006, they reconnected and Brianna says “they have been crazy in love ever since.”

 

A couple years later, D+B decided they were done with LA and couldn’t wait to get back to their midwestern roots. So Donovan accepted a senior level position at the Nationally known, Inland Real Estate Auctions and they relocated back to Chicago in 2008. Brianna has transitioned away from the limelight and is enjoying being an entrepreneur who owns and operates her own organic and nutritious baked goods company called Brianna’s Heathy Fare. I sampled a gluten free brownie, which was delicious. Brides and mom’s… she’s accepting orders for a variety of cakes, muffins, cookie, cupcakes and more which are great for events, parties, showers and even weddings. : )

 

For more information about Brianna’s Heathy Fare and her nutritious products, visit her web site www.briannashealthyfare.com.

Be sure to check her September 2009 video clip and feature of Brianna’s Heathy Fare on Chicago’s 190 North television show .

 

When discussing ideas for their engagement session, Donovan and I were discussing locations. He mentioned that he proposed to Brianna ( did you see her gorgeous sapphire engagement ring? ) at The Elysian Waldorf Astoria Chicago Hotel. We have been long awaiting a look inside this hotel, and were very excited about this opportunity. In addition, to their proposal Donovan mentioned that few days after the proposal, D+B also hosted an celebratory engagement party at The Elysian’s second-floor Bernard’s Bar, so it was fitting that he requested and we returned to the Elysian Chicago hotel for their engagement session. We enjoyed shooting at Bernard’s Bar with it’s sueded lounge decor and velvet covered couches. The Elysian hotel lobby and their courtyard entrance creates a new definition in a Chicago luxury hotel. This hotel is SO VERY impressive and we couldn’t have asked for a more spectacular place to shoot at. We’d love to have had the luxury to spend more time within the hotel and especially in the lobby during our next visit… with only time for a few quick shots underneath the amazing, lobby chandelier “brooch” ( unfortunately with Donovan + Brianna it was a busy guest’s check in time ) we’d love to capture more photos here. : )

 

Thanks Donovan + Brianna in choosing us as your photographers! We had a great time spending the day with the two of you. Remember how super cold for like the last 45 minutes during the night photos on the beach, Brianna thanks for being such a trooper … you sure can’t tell from the photos how chilly it was. Good luck in the rest of your wedding day planning. Hope your family and friends in Chicago and LA love the photos as much as we do!!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Donovan + Brianna are planning their May 2011 wedding at the Chicago Lyric Opera House which is owned and operated by the world-renowned Lyric Opera of Chicago. The venue is considered a hybrid of Art Nouveau and Art Deco architectural designs and considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful opera venues! Built in 1929 and fully restored today, the Civic Opera House is majestic and will be an excellent, dramatic Chicago wedding venue for Donovan + Brianna to host their fairytale wedding. Visit the venue’s web site for more information www.civicoperahouse.com.

 

Searching for a glamourous, luxury Chicago hotel wedding venue, The Waldorf Astoria Chicago, formerly called the Elysian Hotel is definitely one to pursue. Visit the Waldorf Astoria Chicago Hotel web site www.waldorfastoria3.hilton.com for more information and of course, we look forward to you contacting Miller + Miller about your wedding photography.