The lead-up to John and Grace’s Peninsula Chcago Hotel wedding, began years before their big day. John and Grace were high school sweathearts but like many couples, they parted ways when college rolled around. Fast forward 10 years later, and John posted a photo of his younger brother, Mikey, on social media. Grace commented on how Mikey had only been in elementary school the last time she saw him. That comment turned into “Let’s grab a drink” and a night that turned into hours of talking and catching-up. Less than a year later John proposed to Grace and the hunt was on for a wedding planner. At the time, I was helping John’s cousin plan her wedding and she recommended the couple reach out to me. (See Alexander’s incredible wedding here.)

Let the Planning Begin

The planning began in March of 2021 when COVID had many couples still sitting on the sideline waiting to see when Chicago would fully open for in-person celebrations. We looked at several different venues but the quiet luxury of The Peninsula Chicago Hotel for their wedding reception captured their hearts. The hotel’s Grand Ballroom, stood poised to accommodate their 300 expected wedding guests. The terrace, with views of the Chicago skyline, would serve as the stunning backdrop for cocktail hour as well as wedding party photos. Finally, the hotel’s “Avenues” room was the perfect spot to host the late-night party.

Creating the “A” Team of Wedding Pros for their Peninsula Chicago Wedding

With St. Clement’s Church, secured for their ceremony, next up on the list, was securing Grace and John’s team of wedding pros to pull off their wedding weekend extravaganza.: Charlie Hildebrand for video, BonPhotage for photography, Lake Shore Encore for entertainment and Taylor&Co Design for their florals.

Completing the Wedding Weekend Experience

In addition to the main event, John and Grace wanted to extend their celebration to include a special welcome party for all their guests. With RPM Seafood selected for their rehearsal dinner, they chose sister location, RPM Event Space to welcome guests who were coming from as far away as Italy and Mexico.

The Wedding Day at The Peninula Chicago

Elegant gift boxes were given to guests upon arrival at their hotels. Inside were the couples favorite sweet and salty treats. Following a heartfelt ceremony at St Clements, guests were whisked away to The Peninsula Chicago Hotel, where they were greeted with champagne and delectable hors d’oeuvres.

The Details

A escort board directed guests to their dinner seats. I encouraged the bride, an abstract artist to create a painting that could be used for their escort board. Guest names and table assignements were hand-calligraphied on a sheet of clear acylic and placed over the artwork. This beautiful piece of artwork now graces their home and serves as a reminder of their wedding day. Taylor&Co curated a sophisticated ballroom complete with stunning floral bridges over guest dining tables. The look on John and Grace’s faces when they entered the ballroom for their room reveal was priceless.

As the evening unfolded, guests were treated to a duet dinner of lobster and filet prepared by the hotel’s renowned culinary team. To ensure the wedding celebration was nothing short of spectacular, Lake Shore Encore kept their guests dancing all night long.

Late Night Party at Peninsula Chicago

As the night progressed, guests were invited to continue the festivities in the Peninsula Chicago’s Avenues Room. For this late-night gathering, Taylor&Co created a chic and moody lounge atmosphere. It was the perfect backdrop for guests to let loose and dance into the early hours of the morning. From signature cocktails to a high-energy DJ spinning the latest hits, the late-night party at Avenues was a fitting finale to the day’s celebration.

Farewell Send-off

As the wedding weekend drew to a close, John and Grace wanted to ensure their guests departed with plenty of memories. On Sunday morning, everyone gathered once again, for a leisurely brunch at The Westin Michigan Avenue. Following that, guests were shuttled to the beautiful home of the groom’s parents for a pool-side luncheon and buffet created by Chef Alvin Yu from Fyusion Dining. The afternoon provided the perfect opportunity for one last gathering before bidding adieu to their far-flung guest.

A thank you from the newlyweds

We loved working with John and Grace. They are the sweetest and nicest humans. EVER! Not to mention their wonderful families who we were blessed to have share in the planning journey. A heartfelt thank you note from the couple read:

We couldn’t have done it without you! You are so incredibly detailed, knowledgeable, patient, and fun to work with! You truly care about your clients, and it shows immensely…

I wanted to save the best for last, and offer you a HUGE thank you for all the work you and your team did in making our wedding day so absolutely incredible!

We also cannot thank you enough for going above and beyond in so many ways–countless meetings, phone calls, picking up and dropping off countless samples–and also being a compassionate listener and guide when the stresses of wedding planning arise.

We feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to work with you… John and Grace

Planning Your Dream Wedding at The Peninsula Chicago

If you find yourself dreaming of your own special day and could use a guiding hand to bring your vision to life, contact us today and let’s embark on this journey together.