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“Steve + Ashley’s were married in the evening on New Year’s Eve day. And once the day’s festivities began, the party basically never ended! It was a combo of both a fabulous New Year’s Eve party and romantic wedding with a TON of celebrating. What a fun way to ring in the year in attending a Chicago New Year’s Eve Wedding! Ashely coordinated a theme… the day was full of sparkle and TONS of bling. The bridal gown, the ballroom’s tables and centerpieces all were glistening, shimmering and glitzy with bling, diamonds, twinkle lights, fluffy white plume feathers, white florals, and burning candles.

 

With Christmas being less than a week before, remnant shades of green and red, holiday wreaths, and decorated trees were trimmed aside the bridal party and Steve + Ashley while on stage during their 5:00 PM evening ceremony. It was a romantic setting for their winter ceremony. The romantic aisle was lined and illuminated by flickering candles along the path down the narrow chapel’s aisle at the historic La Grange First Congregational Church. The church’s rich dark wooded pews and beams of the chapel and windows featuring stained glass warmed the room creatIng a cozy environment. Smiles, tears and vows were exchanged during the emotional ceremony.

 

Being Winter with a limited time for daylight photos, Steve + Ashley though creatively choosing a unique Lombard wedding photography shooting location which was very close by their Westin Hotel’s reception ballroom. The bridal party went bowling! – and we loved the modern photo backdrop the dubbed Hollywood iconic bowling alley Lucky Strike Lanes Lounge in Lombard offered. With black lights, moody lit lanes, and vintage hollywood decor, the style was fitting for the couple’s excitement of their NYE date. A special thanks to S+A in getting creative in picking the location and in reserving the couple of lanes for us. The later part of the day was packed full of energy, entertainment, and of course a few choreographed dance performances ( naturally with the bride being a professional dancer. )

 

Steve + Ashley’s New Years Eve evening’s reception events, cocktails, heavy hors d’œuvre dinner, dancing, photo booth, midnight countdown, and fireworks all ringed in the year at Harry Caray’s Ballroom in the Westin in Lombard. The bridal party’s arrival into the ballroom was one definitely not one unnoticed, nor unheard as each couple entered blowing into personalized vuvuzelas blow horns which everyone was madly honking as Ashley and Steve were announced! You would think that after an amazing dinner, special dances, speeches, and guest’s rockin’ our “Rock the Drop photo booth“, the night couldn’t get any more fabulous, but after the strike of midnight, the celebration moved outdoors onto the terrace where guests watch a spectacular NYE fireworks show over the pond. The Westin’s Harry Caray Ballroom has inside a perfect neutral decor with floor to ceiling windows and doors leading onto a private, outside terrace which overlooks a pond. A great venue not only inside, but giving room to roam outdoors with accessible outdoor terrace space.

 

The strike of midnight was EPIC! Guests were having a great time on the dance floor for the countdown, balloons and confetti were floating in the air, and everyone was on their feet. The rest of the night was one huge dance party with an unbelievably spectacular fireworks show on the terrace at 12:15 And who could forget the abnormally warm, fifty degree weathered day, which made it easy to be outdoors enjoying the amazing fireworks show. Steve + Ashley… spending New Year’s Eve with you is definitely one we’ll never forget! We loved, loved, loved working with the two of you! Thank you in choosing us as your engagement and wedding photographers. We enjoyed being there on such a big day in your lives and we wish you MANY wonderful years of happiness in your new lives together. Congrats!”

 

 

Illinois Chicago Wedding Photographers

 

 

A few more details from Steve + Ashley’s amazing Chicago New Year’s Eve celebration:
Church: First Congregational Church, La Grange, Illinois
Reception: Harry Caray’s Ballroom in the Westin., Lombard
Bridal Session: Lucky Strike Bowling Alley, Lombard
Dress Designer: Rina Di Montella
Dress Shop: A L’Amour, Barrington
Bride’s Shoes: Jessica Simpson
Jewelry: The Wedding Etc., Downers Grove
Hair: Via Moda, Lisle
Make Up: Jodi Carey Makeup ( A good friend of Ashley’s … who does not only bridal and also make up for HGTV )
Custom Made Veil and Garters: Sandra’s Designs, Lombard
Bridesmaid Dresses: Belsoie
Tuxedos: Black Tie Formalwear, Naperville
Food: Harry Caray’s ( pasta station, carving station, mashed potato station, sweet station )
Cake: Creative Cakes
Flowers: Shamrock Garden Florist, Lombard
DJ: Fun Times DJ
Honeymoon: Riviera Maya
Reception Fireworks: The Mad Bomber
Miller + Miller’s Reception Backdrop: Our Rock the Drop photo booth ( ask us about this optional upgraded photo service we offer )

 

Other Fun Details: New Year’s Eve guest favors included New Year’s hats, noise makers, confetti shooters, feather tiara crowns, and personalized blow horns with Steve + Ashley’s names and wedding date. Decorations featured tons of clocks ( tying in the NYE countdown as a theme ) which they put all over the reception hall, tables, bars. And the “bling theme” was developed with bling touches of silver diamond brooches put on the cake, bling-ing table number frames, diamond jeweled dress and jewelry, bling on the centerpieces, cake cutters, and cake topper, and a tad of bling in the bridal veil. Vuvuzela horns were a tribute to Steve’s love of soccer and Ashely, the DeForest Dance Academy teachers, and bridesmaids did a dance to “Single Ladies”.

 

 

Viewed the engagement session in Chicago with Steve + Ashley yet?
Click here to see their modern Chicago engagement photography session’s blog post.