Why Hiring a Professional Photographer is Worth the Investment

Why Hiring a Professional Photographer is Worth the Investment

Are you debating whether or not to hire a professional photographer for your next event or project? With the availability of high-quality cameras on smartphones and affordable DSLR cameras, it can be tempting to take on the task yourself. However, there are many reasons why investing in a professional photographer is worth every penny. From capturing the perfect shot to creating lasting memories, read on to discover why hiring a professional photographer is essential for any occasion.

Introduction to Professional Photographers

As a professional photographer, I often get asked why hiring a professional photographer is worth the investment. The simple answer is that a professional photographer Continue reading “Why Hiring a Professional Photographer is Worth the Investment”

What are the wedding planning challenges post covid-19

What are the wedding planning challenges post covid-19

As the world slowly emerges from the pandemic, weddings are back on track. But as much as we want to celebrate love and romance, planning a wedding in this post-COVID era is no easy feat. From social distancing to the ever-changing health regulations, there are a variety of issues that need to be taken into consideration. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the key wedding planning challenges couples are facing post-COVID and how they can be addressed.
With the pandemic still ongoing, many couples are faced with difficult decisions regarding their wedding day. From reduced guest counts to virtual ceremonies, couples are having to make adjustments to their original plans. Additionally, there are increased safety regulations that have to be taken into account when planning a post-COVID wedding. Many venues require guests and vendors to wear face coverings, and some may even ask for proof of vaccination or a negative test result upon entry. Couples need to consider these regulations when making their wedding plans.
Furthermore, couples must also consider their budget when planning a post-COVID wedding. With the various health and safety protocols that need to be taken into account, Continue reading “What are the wedding planning challenges post covid-19”

My Wedding Doesn’t Have To Be A No Fun Zone

My Wedding Doesn’t Have To Be A No Fun Zone

When I of wedding there’s one issue I have with them and this is one of the primary reasons I was so resistant to getting married to begin with. When I think of a wedding I think of something very formal. I have to get all dressed up, do my hair all fancy and make sure that I’m wearing the appropriate jewelry and makeup. I have to be properly fitted and everyone around me has to be very formal as well.

Don’t get me wrong. I get it. It’s a wedding. It’s supposed to be formal, but does it have to be this way. Why can’t a wedding go outside of convention and be something other than formal? If you ask me I believe this is one of the primary reasons why people seem to be so resistant to coming to weddings. It takes so much energy in order to get yourself prepared just to attend.

So what if we decided to eliminate this? As a women I don’t want people to look at my wedding as something formal, almost similar to a funeral, but with a more pleasant aspect. No, I want people to look at my wedding as being something fun. I want people to view my wedding as a fun party. Continue reading “My Wedding Doesn’t Have To Be A No Fun Zone”

Picky Eaters At Your Wedding Reception

Picky Eaters At Your Wedding Reception

What do you do when you’re having a wedding, but you’re unsure of what food is going to be appropriate for the guests there? The reason why we ask this is because one of the biggest dilemmas facing people putting together a wedding is what food to include.

Well you want something tasty of course, something healthy and aesthetically pleasing. You want food that’s going to provide energy, but at the same time not cost too much in order to supply everyone with enough to get good and full.

The reason why this can be so tough is because different people have different tastes. And it doesn’t even have to be just this. You can just have several guests that make it a mission to be food snobs or what we call picky eaters. Picky eaters can be the worse, because usually they aren’t afraid to let it be known how they feel about the food they’re eating.

It might not seem like it, but a picky eater can really put a damper on a wedding reception. They can impact the minds of other guests, especially if their energy is strong enough. So you need to get it under control as best as you can. There are several ways this can be done.

Make sure you know who the picky eaters are

It can be hard to know who the picky eaters are, because you may be in the unique position of never having eaten with the bulk of guests who will be attending your wedding. So in this case it’s certainly going to be hard to know this. Continue reading “Picky Eaters At Your Wedding Reception”

Picking a Wedding Reception Location in Chicago & Suburbs

Picking a Wedding Reception Location in Chicago Area

This is Arrowhead Country Club in Wheaton. Nice Decor, high minimum price of $14,000.00 on Saturdays and price per person of $90 and up.
This is Arrowhead Country Club in Wheaton. Nice Decor, a high minimum price of $14,000.00 on Saturdays and price per person of $90 and up

Picking a date for my wedding has hinged on finding a location to hold the wedding reception in the Chicago Area. There is no shortage of Country Clubs, Golf Clubs, Banquet Halls, Hotels and Large Restaurant locations in Chicago and the suburbs, but yet my wedding reception search has been difficult.

The reasons the search for a reception location in planning my wedding has been difficult are that:

1. We have a small wedding. Maybe 75 people will be there. It won’t meet minimum spend requirements for large places like Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton or the Naperville Country Club.

2. We don’t want to spend a huge amount per person. We would like good food and a pleasant atmosphere for the wedding reception but we don’t need anything overly extravagant. We thought the prices would be between $50 and $100 per person and they are. That said, $100 per person or more is just too much. So we often don’t meet the minimum spend for the banquet rooms we like. Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton has a $14,000.00 minimum cost on Saturdays and Naperville Country Club has a minimum spend of $10,000.00 for a Saturday Wedding reception. We can’t make that total spend without going over $100.00 per person with this few guests.

3. We are finding that the nice places to have a wedding reception are already booked for weddings on many Saturdays throughout the year. We were originally planning on late April 2018 but now we are also considering July 2018 for family travel reasons. Some smaller less cool looking places may have better availability. We haven’t heard back from Seven Bridges in Woodridge or Carriage Greens Country Club in Darien yet.

Naperville Country Club is nice too, but they have a $10,000.00 minimum and price per person of $75+
Naperville Country Club is nice too, but they have a $10,000.00 minimum and price per person of $75+

So, this leaves us 2 weeks into being engaged and no date or location planned for the wedding yet. Booking a reception hall in Chicago is a lot harder than it looks if you have a small wedding. If Seven Bridges in Woodridge doesn’t have a room or a good cost and Carriage Greens in Darien doesn’t either, we may not know where to go next. Maybe we would look at some hotels like the Hilton in Lisle or the Mariott Rennisance in Oak Brook? The problem is that we only can look on Saturdays and Sundays and otherwise we don’t make any progress. It is slow planning a wedding when you have to work all week.

I am not a fan of the strip mall banquet rooms like the Abbington next to Wal Mart in Glen Ellyn or the Ashton Place in Darien. I had my prom at Ashton Place and Marie’s Catering was horrible. The food was almost unedible and my date got so sick we had to go home while he spent a few hours on the toilet. Granted, that was back in 1993 but if it is the same company running it I can’t take the risk of my guests getting sick at my wedding.

Generally, though all the Country Clubs, Banquet Halls and Hotels all have a lot included in their packages. Most have gone to a package deal kind of service where everything from the dinner to the drinks to the cake is included. Some even throw in some fringe benefit like a free room for the bride and groom or spa package as a perk. The problem though is that they expect you to sign and commit to the booking before doing a food tasting and without knowing your total number of guests. It is really like spending $8,000 on a car sight unseen. In any other industry, this would never be acceptable. Sometimes I can’t believe the things the wedding industry gets away with and how much of a marked-up racket it really is.

Finally, I’ve found a perfect place for my Wedding:

1375 W.  Dundee Rd
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
banquet hall in chicago
ASTORIA BANQUETS is my #1 so far, their Special offer hits the spot:

 

 

 

 

 

      ASTORIA’S LIMITED TIME SPECIAL OFFER:

Chicago suburbs banquet hall packages 2019

Follow this link to see what’s included: http://www.astoriabanquets.com/weddings/promotions

 

The Final lessons learned about planning a wedding reception in Chicago Area:

1. If you have a small wedding stay away from big banquet halls and country clubs, they have minimums you can’t meet unless you pay over $100.00 per person and to do that you would have to serve lobster tail.

2. It is possible to plan a quick wedding (even if there is no baby) in 2, 3 or 6 months. This plan it over 12-18 months thing is really unnecessary unless you have to save up to pay for it.

3. Every wedding planner at these reception locations is really a high-pressure sales person that is trying to lock you into a deal where they provide everything and they don’t do ala carte services. So, if you want to have a particular bakery make your cake or a certain type of wine expect it to be difficult to get them to break it out of the price because it is less money for them.

4. There is no guarantee of service or quality of food when you book a wedding reception location in Chicago or the southwest suburbs. You can’t taste the food beforehand and they don’t guarantee anything. Plus your full payment is demanded 10 days before the wedding so there isn’t even anything you can withhold if they don’t follow through. Asking for a refund will fall on deaf ears.

So, basically, I am not happy right now. Nothing we thought would work out has actually worked so far. We haven’t made any progress in 2 weeks. Hopefully, I will have better news the next time I post.

Update: The Seven Bridges club also got back to us and they have a 100 person minimum and an $11,000.00 minimum spend also. So, they’re out too.

I was going to consider Manzo’s Banquets in Des Plaines, but the date was already booked, too bad the venue looks gorgeous, here is the website if you want to take a look: http://manzosbanquetscom/

Whispers of Elegance: The Magic of Izzie Rae Photography

Capturing the Essence of Love Amidst Chicago’s Charm

In the heart of Chicago, amidst its towering skyscrapers and historic landmarks, lies a treasure trove of wedding venues. Each venue tells its own tale, but there’s a singular voice that captures their stories with unparalleled elegance: Izzie Rae Photography.

Izzie, the face behind izzieraephotography, has a knack for encapsulating the timeless moments that weddings bring forth. With each click of her camera, she transforms fleeting moments into eternal memories, offering couples a return ticket to their special day every time they glance at her photos.

Central focus a couple deeply in love, framed by the city's iconic skyline. The bride wears a Lace Lavene gownOne of her most captivating sessions took place at one of Chicago’s picturesque venues. The bride, adorned in a delicate dress from Lace Lavene, held a unique bouquet of wedding dried flowers. Unlike the typical fresh blossoms most brides opt for, this bouquet had a different story to tell. Dried flowers, with their muted tones and preserved beauty, symbolize everlasting love, a sentiment that resonated deeply with the couple.

The sun played hide and seek amidst the Chicago skyline, casting gentle golden hues across the venue. As the couple exchanged vows, Izzie captured their reflections, emotions, and the ambiance with an artistic finesse that’s signature to her style. Every detail, from the intricate patterns of the bride’s lace dress to the textured beauty of the dried flowers bouquets, was immortalized through her lens.

It wasn’t just about the big moments; Izzie’s genius also lay in capturing the in-betweens — a shared giggle, a tear trickling down a parent’s cheek, or an adoring glance between the newlyweds. Such candid moments, often overlooked, are where the essence of the wedding truly lies.

After the event, the couple was eager to relive their day. When they visited www.izzieraephotography.com, they were met with a visual symphony of their love story, intricately woven together by Izzie’s unparalleled skills.

In the vast realm of wedding photography in Chicago, Izzie Rae stands out not just for her technical prowess but for her ability to dive deep into the emotions of the day. Her photos aren’t mere representations; they’re echoes of laughter, love, promises, and the beginning of forever.

For those about to embark on their matrimonial journey in Chicago, Izzie Rae Photography promises more than just photos. She offers memories, wrapped in the golden threads of time and love.

How to choose and Buy an Engagement Ring

The classic engagement ring with a 1 CT center round brilliant diamond

The classic engagement ring with a 1 CT center round brilliant diamond

The first step in our engagement process was to find and buy an engagement ring.

I went through many iterations of what I thought was a pretty engagement ring over the years, and as styles changed I came back to liking a very classic style. I was not sure what Steve was going to think of this since engagement rings are one of the most expensive parts of getting engaged and married. I did not know how much to spend on a ring and he did not either. This was a totally new process for both of us.

Later in the day after we got engaged, (realizing all the jewelry stores were closed that day already) we sat down at the computer together and looked at some jewelry web sites and some engagement rings online. Steve ended up at the same site I have seen every guy end up at: BlueNile.com. They must come up #1 in Google for the search on “engagement rings”. We didn’t find much selection there in the engagement ring and wedding ring sets that I liked but we did find a good description of the different diamond grades, the color, cut and carat weight values and a search option for the stones themselves.

The cost of a 1 carat (1ct) diamond stone can range from $5,000.00 to $10,000.00. That is a huge range in price! I am not sure if the difference in the diamonds was evident looking at them though because there were no pictures from that individual diamond stone search function on the site, just the grades and cost info. (I am pretty sure they all sparkle) Then we decided we would go to James and Williams Jewelers in Berwyn and Fay & Co in Naperville next weekend so we could look in person. (My parents got their rings at James and Williams in Berwynin 1965 and Steve’s parents have bought things at Fay & Co before so they were recommended) The budget part of this was tricky, Steve knew that he would most likley buy his ring, but since I wasn’t sure how much it would cost and they are soooo expensive I offered to help out a little with the cost too. Saving money on a diamond would be nice but since you wear it forever I wanted a nice one and was willing to help pay or contribute small stones I had in other rings. This whole next six months is going to be expensive and we do have to stay within budget. Continue reading “How to choose and Buy an Engagement Ring”

Destination Wedding Pros and Cons

Destination Wedding pros and cons

Are you dreaming of a romantic wedding in paradise, surrounded by breathtaking scenery and your closest loved ones? A destination wedding could be the perfect choice for you! But before you start packing your bags and booking flights, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons of this type of celebration. From stunning locations and intimate settings to potential logistical challenges and higher costs, there are many factors to consider when planning a destination wedding. In this blog post, we’ll explore both sides of the coin so that you can make an informed decision about whether a destination wedding is right for you. Let’s dive in!

What is a destination wedding?

A destination wedding is a wedding that takes place in a location that is typically outside of the couple’s hometown. Destination weddings can be held in a variety of locations, including beaches, resorts, and private villas. While destination weddings can be a wonderful way to celebrate your nuptials with Continue reading “Destination Wedding Pros and Cons”

OMG! I just got engaged, how my boyfriend proposed

how to propose
How to propose to your girlfriend the old fashioned way

Welcome to my blog: The Chicago Wedding Locations and Bridal Blog by a real live Chicago bride. I just got engaged to my boyfriend Steve on Saturday 9/30/2017 and I am thrilled! I wanted to blog about the process that we are going through now to plan our wedding. It is also something I wanted to do because I wanted to archive this time in my life because it passes so quickly. I have 3 other blogs already so it made sense to write about this aspect of my life on a new blog especially if it can be of help to other Chicago brides and couples looking to research this very happy yet expensive time. I plan to write about all the companies and vendors I meet and how we plan on getting this whole event together for less than the average amount of money it costs to get married these days.

I am still not sure if everything has hit me yet. I am not giddy or crying or a mess. I can recall though how my boyfriend popped the proposal question: Continue reading “OMG! I just got engaged, how my boyfriend proposed”

The Perfect Wedding: How to Make Your Big Day Extra Special

The Perfect Wedding: How to Make Your Big Day Extra Special

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life. It’s a day to celebrate your love and commitment to your partner in front of all your family and friends. But with so many details to plan and decisions to make, it can be overwhelming trying to create the perfect wedding. That’s why we’re here to help! In this blog post, we’ll give you tips on everything from choosing the perfect venue, creating a beautiful theme, picking out stunning attire, selecting delicious food and drinks that will keep everyone happy – everything you need for an extra special big day! So sit back, relax and let us guide you through planning the wedding of your dreams!

Wedding Planning Tips

When it comes to wedding planning, there are a few things that you can do to make sure that your big day is extra special. First and foremost, try to delegate as much as possible. Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, so it’s important to have a good support system in place. Secondly, don’t forget to take care of yourself during the process. It’s easy to get caught up in all the details and forget to eat or sleep! Finally, don’t forget to enjoy the ride – this is supposed to be one of the happiest times of your life! Continue reading “The Perfect Wedding: How to Make Your Big Day Extra Special”