This luxurious Chicago cathedral wedding is fit for royalty

Practically Royal Luxe Chicago Cathedral Wedding | Christina G Photography | LOLA Event Productions 11

Who knew Chicago could be so ornate, so luxe, so elegant! I say this honestly, because through a well-traveled life, Chicago is still one of the few great American cities I have yet to visit, and this practically royal wedding has peaked my interest.

Oversized orchid bouquets, an ever-so-elegant Pronovias gown (such a fab choice for a classy city gal), sparkling tiara and an enviable ballroom – this wedding is so luxe and absolutely fit for royalty.

It’s not only in the grandeur that we see the regality, but in the little details too. Keara, with the help of her mother, chose fine, elegant script stationery so fitting for such an upscale event. And the always impressive team at LOLA Event Productions sprinkled little elegant details throughout the design of the ornate University Club of Chicago.

Our Love Story

We met through mutual friends who started a kickball team in Chicago which we were both on.

Rick proposed on the way to our favorite restaurant in Chicago, Balena. When we got to the restaurant our family and friends were all waiting to surprise us.

The Stationery

My mom and I are both stationary lovers. I fell in love with Scriptura and the way they made paper goods look classic and modern at the same time. They had a custom monogram made for us which we used on our invitations and other paper goods.

One of my favorite things is that I’ll have the monogram forever and have been able to use on dinner napkins and other things. Their invitation perfectly set the tone for our wedding.

Practically Royal Luxe Chicago Cathedral Wedding | Christina G Photography | LOLA Event Productions 2

The Dress

My dress was love at first sight, especially for my grandma. It was one of the first dresses I tried on and she couldn’t stop talking about it.

We ended up going to 4 more salons before going to Dimitra’s. After trying on ten more with no luck my stylist pulled one last one and it happened to be the style from the first salon. It was fate and I bought right away!

Practically Royal Luxe Chicago Cathedral Wedding | Christina G Photography | LOLA Event Productions 7

The Venues

My parents were married at Holy Name Cathedral 35 years ago and I always wanted to get married there. Picking that was easy! Our ceremony was very traditional and special as it is a family church.

Being from Chicago, we love old architecture and fell in love with venues that showcased the great architecture of Chicago. The University Club’s exterior and interior really displayed that. The Michigan room had it all: beautiful wood detailing, a gold ceiling, lakefront views not to mention a beautiful wood staircase leading up to it.

Our inspiration was a garden in the city. We wanted lots of greenery with a simple palette of white and gold for a fresh look. I loved the way the staircase was decorated which really gave that lush garden look as the first impression for guests.

Practically Royal Luxe Chicago Cathedral Wedding | Christina G Photography | LOLA Event Productions 13

The Photography

My friend had hired Cristina for her wedding and thought she really captured their wedding perfectly. She not only does amazing dramatic shots but really captured the day. When I look back at pictures it takes me right back and I can hear the laughs that she captured in the shots. She also has the sweetest personality which is a major bonus as she sees some of the most intimate moments and is there all day with you!

Practically Royal Luxe Chicago Cathedral Wedding | Christina G Photography | LOLA Event Productions 14

Advice for Other Couples

Be as organized as possible leading up to the wedding but once the weekend is here just enjoy it. Take the time to look around and really be in the moment.

Also, if you are investing in nice floral definitely also invest in a lighting designer! The lighting really takes it to the next level and highlights all the beautiful floral arrangements.

Do a first look if you can. It was so nice having that time together before everything started. It also helped keep me calm and get my tears out of the way. It was so nice having that moment alone.