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BANQUETS, RECEPTIONS, SHOWERS & PARTIES
22 | FALL & WINTER 2018
CHICAGO WEDDING & PARTY RESOURCE
CHICAGOWEDDINGRESOURCE.COMForget cookie-cutter hotel ballrooms. Celebrate your
uniqueness with an unconventional urban vintage wedding
Urban vintage lets you combine different
styles from different eras, such as blending
the gilded age with a modern touch, says
Kate Lerman, owner of Chicago
Vintage Weddings.
FIND THE RIGHT STAGE
Key is finding the right venue, especially a
space that will look great in photos. “[Today’s
couples] want pictures in front of something
architecturally interesting,” says Neasia
Henson, senior events coordinator. Think
stone or brick walls and lofted spaces with
exposed timber. Warehouses with skylights,
firehouses, or clean buildings with white walls
are great canvasses for your event.
SET THE SCENE
How you dress up that industrial space
makes your one-of-a-kind look. Go for the
unexpected and bring in provincial furniture
and lace. “[You’re] contrasting the rough, raw,
masculine venue with something that’s more
feminine and pretty,” Lerman says.
Look beyond the regular wedding suppliers
and try antique stores for décor ideas. Create
a mix of elements that blend form, function,
times and styles for your space. This will help
harken to a different time.
Create your environment with unique seating
and beautiful wooden tables that don’t need
to be covered with linens. O’Malley suggests
setting up a beautiful bar that’s mirrored
or mixed with wood. “Something that’s
utilitarian now becomes a decorative focal
point.”
Décor is also an opportunity to share
something important to you. One of Henson’s
brides brought in a three-tiered feed bin from
her grandfather’s farm, which they decorated
with hydrangeas and baby’s breath and filled
with bottles of Perrier for guests to enjoy
while dancing.
Don’t forget photo ops. Create insta-worthy
settings for your guests with elegant vintage
couches, giant pocket watches or unusual
statues.
ADD CLASS AND WHIMSY
Decorate tables with mixed metal
centerpieces or tall, thin vases. Lush greenery
and branches add height and drama. Vintage
postcards, house numbers or flash cards
add a whimsical touch to table numbers
and place cards and reflect your crafty, less
formal invitations.
The right lighting bridges the gap between
vintage and modern. Edison bulbs, industrial
right chandeliers, string lighting and drip
lighting all achieve this look, Lerman says.
YOUR FOOD SCENE
Food stations let you further personalize the
day. Skip the rubber chicken and choose
restaurant favorites. Favorites like Sushi,
shrimp and grits, tacos, chicken and waffles
and prime rib will have your guests lining up
for more.
“Again, it’s stepping out of the box of what’s
expected at a wedding,” says Henson.
LOOK THE PART
Vintage details also shine through on bridal
attire. Ivory and rose shades win out over
formal white, and back-of-dress details like
pleats, soft bows and lace add the right
touch. Vintage accessories like a beaded
1920s clutch complete a look, Lerman says.
Soft, feminine hair completes this look.
Think extensions, soft updos with vintage
barrettes or loose, flowing hair. “It’s a very
soft aesthetic,” Henson says.
Most importantly, because there’s no one-
size-fits-all approach to urban vintage,
Lerman recommends setting priorities and
knowing what elements are important to you
so that you can work with your planner to
execute your concept exactly the way you
want.
© CTW Features
Vintage
2018 STYLE:
By Jill Jaracz,
CTW Features
URBAN