Posts Tagged ‘chicago wedding’

Marci and  Jon wanted a classic Chicago style wedding. They got that and much more! Grab the tissues and enjoy.

a film by melissa martens and rajesh bhagirat
shot at Trump International Hotel and Towers, Chicago
decor + flowers by Heffernan Morgan

Why do a February Wedding? Why not. Have you ever heard fashion experts giving advice on how to augment what makes you different? Love that, have a large for fore head? play it up! Have an off season wedding date? work that angle! February is an opportunity to do fantasy weddings and make them magical as opposed to kitsch.

Dig into the challenge, snow mobile races, sledding or ice skating after the party, have all the bridesmaids wear fantasy fur stoles, loose the veil wear a winter wonderland tiara. Or wear a veil but have special white snow boots for your outside shots.

Incorporate walking in a winter wonderland and other fun snow songs into the evening over dinner, during cocktails. Have a service team that gets involved with you. When it’s fun and you are all engaged in the challenge from creating a musical landscape that acknowledges your tastes and underlines the magic of the season to having photo- film shoot teams that will research exceptional city/ landscape backdrops for shots that use the weather and light in contrast and create dramatic shots in light or sculptural formations.

In addition winter photo and film shoots are such an invigorating and fun February wedding activity for the wedding party. Like ice skating, how crazy fun is that. I did it in January once and after I got over myself had so much fun!

Plan for less light, inclement weather and navigating your time frame effectively. Embrace the sleet! Plan for it. Don’t do weather well? Pick a historic hotel like the Drake or a redo like the Blackstone, their resources are abundant and they work wonderful deals in off season. The ornate backdrops are classic wedding cake, abundant and you can still include your great aunt. Call a catering manager and discuss their season with them, you’d be surprised how they compare to off premise catering, renting tables etc. For that matter call off premise caterers and ask them about their season as well, find out what venues they love and what they have available. SHOP IT! No scarcity, only super fun activities, tastings, chats and dreaming about what will work for both of you and your respective families.

Really wild: do a February wedding on Friday! Super wild, do February wedding on Wednesday, people still have trouble believing me that my husband and I got married 20 years ago on a Wednesday and had 100% turn out. People will come. Everyone loves time off. There will be some hard conflicts no matter what date you pick so why one date over another? f you pick an off day in the week you will really be shocked at the difference in prices at some locations.

Back to wearing fur, the new faux is so well done, if you are wearing white do a faux fox Russian hat with muff and have a hair dresser meet you in your room prior to reception entry. Muffs and stoles are so cute! Snow leopard is also racy and has white and cream so it matches most shades of formal dress.

What you save on doing an “off season” wedding you can put into details that others have to omit!

Push play and watch this, it will make you smile.

A wedding flashmob is so much fun! Rita and Jason know how to live it up.

Like this wedding? You have to see the photos: http://figweddings.net/chicago-weddings/rita-jason/

Dina + Kent from Fig Media on Vimeo.

We could not resist making a teaser film with these two.  Dina and Kent met at work. They casually went out for drinks one night. Drinks turned into a date, a date turned into love. Their wedding was fun, heartfelt and a blast to be a part of. We are honored that they picked us to capture the day. Grab your tissues and be inspired by this couple.

by filmmaker Melissa Martens.

Location: Salvage One

Photo: Brian Carey- fig weddings
DJ: Joe Nardi
Catering: J + L
Flowers: A Stem Above.
Original Music: Aaron Fox

Exclusive interview with Fig Media, Inc. Director of Sales and Business Development, Andrew Ettenhofer.

A wedding is more than just a venue, menu, and flowers. Every aspect of your special day is a direct representation of you and your partner and the life you are about to begin together. We talked to Andrew Ettenhofer, Director of Sales at Fig Media, Inc. and wedding expert. With more than 10 years of experience in the biz, he spoke not only about the importance of having a wedding with a purpose, but also how to do it.

“Everything we do is meaningful,” said Ettenhofer. And your wedding should be too. It’s more than just a party with food, music, and booze. “If you’re going through the time, energy, love and sweat of having a wedding and committing to someone for the rest of your life- that’s a pretty meaningful act. Everything you do that is associated with that should be meaningful.”

The first question to ask is ‘what is important to you?’ The more something means to you, the more excited you will be about it, and the more you are willing to fight for certain elements. If that means you have to have the lemon chicken taste just like your mother’s, make the extra effort to get the recipe to your caterer. If the elements of your wedding mean more to you, you must be more direct with your vendors, tell them exactly what you want and what is going to work for you.

It can even start with the venue. Choosing a venue can be one of the first big hurdles a couple must face while planning a wedding. The date, location, season, and style all reflect a lot on the couple and their personal style and tastes. It is also a decision of compromise between the couple. “You must focus on the basics,” said Ettenhofer, “what is important, what is non-negotiable, and what are you willing to compromise on.”

A very meaningful part of your wedding is your guest list. “Make sure all the guests will support you and your partner through thick and thin, that’s the purpose of even having guests, to witness the ceremony and to help you uphold your vows. They’re not just audience members,” said Ettenhofer. So when you’re thinking of your guest list, make sure you are choosing people who are meaningful to you and will witness your vows in real life, as a couple. This is the community of your wedding. Also, “if you educate your guests on why the elements are meaningful to you, they will be more meaningful to them as well,” Ettenhofer pointed out.

“Purpose is a lining- as a couple you have a purpose.” The event should reflect why you are getting married and how you are better together than apart. Here are some important tips from our expert about how to reflect your meaning at your wedding:

• The couple should be aligned behind a common purpose
• Remember: the wedding is a very meaningful act, everything should reflect that
• Do whatever you want, enjoy yourself, and enjoy being with your new partner throughout the entire evening
• Build plans and strategies to make the day more relaxing
• Unload your anxiety before the wedding to be able to enjoy it more
• Stay connected with your partner throughout the party. You want to enjoy it together
• Remember why you’re doing it

Throughout all the hustle and bustle of planning a wedding, remember that this is YOUR special day, and it should reflect the values, principles, interests, and love of you and your partner.