A Traditional Wedding in Chicago, Illinois

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Kori and Chris

The bride and groom, both native to Chicago, wanted to incorporate their mutual love of travel into their wedding. Besides the stationery, which Kori helped design, the wedding had other touches to honor the couple's shared adoration of traveling: the tables were named for some of their favorite destinations and for cities they'd be visiting on their honeymoon.

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Save-the-Dates

Kori collaborated with a former coworker (and graphic designer), Josh Blaylock, on all the wedding stationery and paper items, including the save-the-dates, which resembled a more subdued piece of airmail.

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Invitations

The invitation had more romance than the other pieces in the stationery suite, though it continued in the same color palette, which was inspired by a piece of ombre ribbon Kori found. The invitation was letterpressed on thick Crane's paper.

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The Location

When Kori was younger, she attended a wedding at Cafe Brauer, in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. It became a bit of a dream for her to be able to host her wedding at the same beautiful location.

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The Interior

The historic, Prairie-style building on the grounds of the Lincoln Park Zoo boasts amazing views of the city's famous skyline. The Great Hall's architecture served as the main decor for the ceremony, and the windowed dome shone a bounty of light over the 170 guests in attendance.

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The Programs

Kori's mother, aunt, and cousins pitched in by making pouches to hang on each chair at the ceremony. Tucked inside each one was the wedding program.

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The Ceremony

Kori's father, Robert, escorted her down the aisle as a string trio from Old Town School of Folk Music played. Kori's floor-length veil came from Nancy Shefts.

The summer sun, still shining during their 6 p.m. ceremony, pushed through the clouds on the somewhat rainy day.

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Tearful Moments

Kori was teary-eyed for most of the ceremony, which was officiated by friend Derek Erdman.

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Portraits Around Town

The couple and their bridal party scheduled their portraits prior to the ceremony. Maribeth Romslo of Red Ribbon Studio captured the group in several spots across the city. Additional family portraits were taken in between the ceremony and the reception.

The bridesmaids chose from a few dress styles, all in Kori's favorite color.

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The Fashions

Chris got his black suit at Men's Wearhouse, and Kori's dress is by No Ordinary Bride, which she found at Ultimate Bride in Chicago. Her earrings, from Tiffany & Co., were a gift from Chris.

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Old, New, Borrowed, Blue

Larkspur created the romantic bridal bouquet. Kori wrapped a handkerchief around the cuff of the bouquet, as many of the women in her family had done before her. The handkerchief (a family piece) served as the "something borrowed."

The rest of the familiar adage included her "new" dress, "blue" initials, which were embroidered on the handkerchief, and an "old" Mikimoto pearl necklace with an added brooch that had been in Chris's family since the 1960s.

Kori's mom also gave her a silver sixpence from her father's birth year to complete the saying "A silver sixpence in her shoe."

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The Reception

After cocktail hour on the loggia, guests reentered the building for dinner and dancing. Round tables draped in shimmering tablecloths and enchanting floral arrangements now filled the space.

The menu, prepared by Calihan Catering, included an herb-crusted beef tenderloin and a savory "beggar's purse" vegetarian option, served with a woodland mushroom ragout and sauteed baby vegetables.

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The Cake

Amy Beck made a delicious three-tier cake. Each tier boasted its own flavor: coconut cake with Key lime buttercream; chocolate bourbon cake with peanut butter ganache; or vanilla cake with raspberry buttercream. Delicate gum-paste dogwood blossoms fluttered across each layer, an homage to the tree that grew in the backyard of Kori's childhood home.

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The Favors

Guests were treated to small potted succulents and tins of Holland mints wrapped in gauze as wedding favors.

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The Photo Booth

A definite must-have for the wedding was the photo booth, spurred by Kori's long-time love of old photos. The couple was happy to have photo strips of each guest enjoying themselves.

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Sources

Photography: Red Ribbon Studio
Wedding Bands: Solomon Brothers Jewelry; Tiffany & Co.
Hair: Sine Qua Non
Makeup: Beauty on Call
DJ: Mary Nisi of Toast & Jam

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