Illinois-Chicago — The Knot Community

Bridesmaid Dresses

CharlotteStar — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:01:23 +0000

Hello Ladies!

I'm looking for bridesmaid dresses and am in need of a few suggestions on where to go shopping for them. I originally thought to go to House of Brides but after all the negative reviews I've read/heard about them, I'd like to avoid them. I'd also like to keep the dress cost at around $150 and want to keep my search in the suburbs.

Any suggestions or recommendations? I'd greatly appreciate any help! Thank you in advance!

Restaurants in W. burbs for reception/restaurant pricing

gottadance64 — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:50:33 +0000

Anyone know of any restaurants in the west suburbs that are nice, good food and pretty rooms with a dance floor for a reception?

I've heard that it's much cheaper to have a wedding reception at a restaurant room than at a banquet hall, country club, etc. Is this true? Examples of what you paid per head? So far, the CCs I've looked at for Sat night have been $60-$80/head w/open bar.

FREE Bridal Show - January 27 2012 in Chicago

LauraMitts — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:00:26 +0000

One of my bestfriends is launching her company Créer {CRE·ATE} Beauty.Image.Style. on January 27th, they are a new company that will be providing makeup, hair and wardrobe styling for brides in the Chicago area and surrounding suburbs.

This will be a free show to all brides, grooms and guest. There is a cocktail reception from 9:00pm-11:00pm where you can enjoy free drinks, food and be able to meet with participating vendors.

The fashion show will start at 11:00pm and go to 11:30pm, they will be walking a total of 30 bridal looks that will fall into traditional, destination, runway and bridal party. This will be a great way to check out the different styles of hair, makeup and dress you can choose from.

Fashions will be provided by:
The Dress by Nicole www.shopthedress.com

Sebastien Grey Clotheirs www.sebastiengrey.com

Participating Vendors:

VIP Bachelorette Parties www.vipbachelorette.com

Glitz Event Design www.glitzeventdesign.com

Nail Bar Chicago www.nailbarchicago.com

Soleil Chicago www.soleilchicago.com

Glitz & Glam

Bittersweet Pastry www.bittersweetpastry.com

They are giving away 100 gift bags to the first 100 guest and everyone will be able to participate in a raffle contest full of free prizes.

The event will be hosted at:
The Underground Chicago

56 W Illinois

Chicago, IL, 60610

9:00pm-11:30pm

This will be a fun free event where you can meet some of Chicago's best bridal vendors and enjoy an amazing fashion show. You won't want to miss this event.

You must RSVP to creercreate@gmail.com with your first and last name and the names of all your guest. They are only taking 250 RSVPS so act fast and don't miss out on this amazing event!

Budget venue in or near Chicago

mary+alex — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:01:38 +0000

I'm looking for a place to have a reception that's budget friendly. Would like under $30 a person. I know that's unlikely so I'm also looking into renting halls, something nice that's not crazy with its room rental fee. I'm looking in or around the surrounding area. Would like a Friday wedding during summer. Anybody know of any places? Please help!

Opinions...Roseangeli's or Mia Francesca

allieblahblah — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:28:28 +0000

So we are doing a luncheon reception for about 40 people. At first I was looking at La Madia or Frasca Pizzeria. Now I've moved onto Mia Francesca or Roseangeli's The prices are comparable. I remember loving both when I lived in Chicago back in 2000, but I realize times have changed.

Any opinions...anywhere else I should look? We're targeting ~$26/head with a host bar.

TIA!

Chicago wedding rings

crund8 — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 03:25:04 +0000

Where did you get your wedding rings at?

I found a micro pave rose gold band that I love at Steve Quick, but I REALLY don't love the price. (over 2k)

Do you have any suggestions?

alteration recs south subs

kbogard5747 — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:22:58 +0000

i bought my dress from eva's bridal in orland and intend on getting it out of that store the second it comes in. i've only heard horror stories and i'm terrified something will go wrong with my gown. anyone know of a local that can do alterations? my dress is pretty heavily beaded at the top so i need someone who really knows what they are doing.

tia!

NWR: Dog grooming in Chicago

ARJ6511 — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 16:17:53 +0000

Where do you all take your dogs to be groomed in Chicago? We are looking for a place. We are new pet parents! TIA!

Schaumburg Alterations!

lilbitbeaker — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:37:54 +0000

my mom lives in the Schaumburg area and since my dress is staying at her place and our wedding is going to be there I want to find a tailor for my wedding dress in that area.

it only needs to be shortened

please if anyone has any suggestions on places to go that would be wonderful!!

Chicago jeweler to resize engagement ring?

NBADancer — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:54:46 +0000

Hi ladies, I was wondering if you had any recommendations for a Chicago jeweler in the downtown area. I need to get my engagement ring resized. My fiance purchased the ring from Good Old Gold so I'm not familiar with any Chicago jewelers. Thank you in advance!

Wedding venue that allows own catering

Sanmolade — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:07:06 +0000

I am trying to find a very beautiful venue either in the burbs or in the city that would let me bring my own food.

I want somewhere really classy and elegant.

Any ideas would be welcome

wedding dress alterations

krisdrane07 — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:54:06 +0000

I purchased my dress from a store in the Chicago, IL area and the shop charges a flat rate of $400 and all I need is for my dress to be taken up a little because, it is to long and a busle(sp) put in because, my dress does not have one. Does anyone know of any shops/individuals in the Chicagoland area that does alterations?? I called a few stores and they can not do it because, I did not purchase my dress from them. HELP PLEASE!!

Dress storage and alterations...

june22twelve — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:24:00 +0000

I need to save my dress! The Bridal Salon I got it from has had such bad reviews that I'm afraid to leave it there. The day it comes in, I need to have somewhere to take it....it will not be spending one night in that store. I'm sure most of you can assume which store I'm referring to considering the posts I've read previously....

My dress should be coming in some time around Jan-Feb. I need somewhere to store it and have alterations done. I've seen nothing but good things about Sue's Bridal in Naperville and I see that she works out of home. My only concern is if she has pets? Naperville is a little far from what I wanted to drive so if anyone knows of somewhere closer to the south suburbs, reccomendations would be great. Like I said, I need to store my dress until the day before. Do most alteration places do that?

Any help of advice is appreciated!

Dress alterations/restyling in NW suburbs?

whitandrior — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:19:19 +0000

I got my dress at Vanessa's in Arlington Heights. I know that when it comes in it will need to be taken in, hemmed, and I would like to change it from straight strapless to sweetheart. They quoted me $375 just to take it in basically. It would cost even more to get the neckline changed. I feel like this is pretty pricey and I want to find someone else TRUSTED but I would like it to be in the AH, Palatine, Lake Zurch, Schaumburg area.

12/10/11 Vendor Reviews, Pt. 2

TEA&Co — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:57:31 +0000

Cake: Oak Mill Bakery
Recommendation: Highly recommend
Review: Oak Mill's cake was included in our wedding package, so honestly I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about the cake. We had a tasting, selected our flavor and design, and then didn't think about it again until the wedding day. The cake looked gorgeous, and Oak Mill was kind enough to care for and place my husband's grandparents' cake topper on our cake. I really only took the one bite that we had while cutting the cake because the rest of the night got so busy, but from what I tasted, it was very good! Oak Mill and Arrowhead saved the top layer for us, so I'm excited to try it again.

Hair/Makeup: Tamara Hair and Makeup
Recommendation: Recommend
Review: For myself, my mom, my mother-in-law, my aunt, and my bridesmaids, Tamara (the owner) did makeup and Sabrina did hair. I was very pleased with the final outcome, but frankly the company's communication skills are awful. It took forever to get any kind of response, and sometimes I wouldn't get a response to emails. I know that the company is newer and is really taking off, so I think they are kind of in an adjustment period. I would definitely recommend Tamara based on talent, but the lack of communication often had me second-guessing my choice. So, for any brides looking to book, just beware that you may get a very delayed response, if any, to email. Phone calls were slightly better, but not much.

Hotel block/Shuttle: Lisle/Naperville Hilton
Recommendation: Recommend with reservations
Review: I wasn't incredibly impressed with this hotel or the shuttle service...the shuttle almost left Arrowhead without myself and my new husband at the end of the night! My brother-in-law had to literally yell at the driver to stop and wait for us to walk out of our reception. Also, we were organizing and carrying out gifts/centerpieces/card box at the end of the night, and the shuttle driver came running upstairs, asking how much longer we were going to be. The last shuttle pick-up was scheduled for midnight and it was 11:50 at that point. So I was not happy about the shuttle service in general. Also, my husband had a problem when he tried to extend our reservation to the night before the wedding as well. So, it was fine in the sense that the rooms were nice, but overall I wasn't impressed with the experience.

Dress/Jewelry: Crystal Bride, Geneva
Recommendation: Highly recommend
Review: I worked with Heather, who I've raved about on here before. I had a great experience with Crystal Bride, and would definitely recommend them. My dress came in about a month later than I was originally told, but it wasn't a problem at all.

Veil: Sandra's Designs, Lombard
Recommendation: VERY HIGHLY recommend
Review: I worked with Paul at Sandra's Designs based on the referral of Heather at CB. I could not have been happier with Paul and Sandra's. Working with Paul is like visiting an uncle--he is so calm and friendly. I had a piece of vintage lace from my grandmother that I wanted to turn into a veil, and Paul matched my vision to a T, and for a fraction (like, an insane fraction) of the price I would have paid anywhere else. Paul even offered to meet me at the Crystal Bride during one of my dress fittings so that he could show me the veil with my dress, and then would sew the comb on and press the veil while I was having my dress fitting so that I wouldn't have to make a separate trip to him. Amazing customer service!

Transportation: Naperville Trolley Company
Recommendation: VERY HIGHLY recommend
Review: The ONLY thing that my husband voiced an opinion on during wedding planning was that he really wanted a trolley. We booked Naperville Trolley and loved the experience! The trolley was clean, the driver knew exactly where he was going and was so kind, and not only was the driver on time on the wedding day, but he was early! Can't beat that!

pipe and drape

aimers1525 — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 18:19:09 +0000

Sorry, I know this is obnoxious, but my venue coordinator got us some quotes for pipe and drape (like a backdrop but more flowy material if that makes sense) and they are in the $500-800 range. There is no way I am paying that much for some material. We would like to have this to put behind the head table on a wall that has some ugly looking doors.

Any suggestions on companies that do/have this? Thanks!

Ceremony Gateway Building Peoria, iL

BYOU2FULONE — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:29:06 +0000

I booked the Gateway Bldg for my reception and want to have the ceremony there as well. I am curious if anyone has attended a ceremony held outdoors at this venue?

Theatre Style Venues

sheilalangston — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:04:25 +0000

My Fiance and I, huge movie and theatre fans, decided a theatre style wedding was best. Our first option was a library, but we can not seem to find a library that is large enough (and within our budget for our wedding party 200+)
I was wondering, if there is anyone within the Chicago suburbs who knows of a nice theatre we should look into. We are having a budget wedding, but the Rialto in Joliet quoted us $8000 for a saturday wedding with 200+ people. (includes marquee message, open bar, ceremony and reception rentals, audio system and manager)
We are hoping to find a better deal.

Indoor Pictures Near O'Hare

jsquared62009 — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:41:47 +0000

Okay we're getting married next Dec. 29th in the O'hare area. Since winters in Chicago are so hit and miss I definitely want to find a good indoor photo location but it's proving to be tricky. I don't want to go downtown because we will only have like 1 1/2 hrs to take the pictures and don't want to waste the time driving. Any/all suggestions would be greatly appreciated! TIA!

Hotels nearest to Ravenswood area?

ChristineG85 — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:58:25 +0000

We're getting married in October of next year at the Ravenswood Event Center and are really excited! Trying to find hotels near the venue isn't really happening, we are accepting that we'll have to go either downtown or Evanston/ Skokie to find a hotel for our guests. Anyone have any suggestions for reasonably priced hotels not obnoxiously far from the Ravenswood/ North Center area? We'll probably have to reserve a block of 30-40 rooms, any suggestions appreciated! Thanks!

Shilo Studios or Robet Cawthorne Videography

LawyerLover810 — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:41:02 +0000

Hi ladies, has anyone used either of these videographers? Their prices are great and I like their style, but I couldn't find any reviews for Robet on Wedding Wire and only one for Shilo Studios. I am curious about other brides experiences.
Thanks!

reception venues in the city on a budget?

staceyd88 — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:10:44 +0000

Hi! Just started looking at venues and feeling overwhelmed and under funded! Looking for any recommendations on a reception venue in the city that will work with my tiny budget, since we are paying for this ourselves. We are looking at having a small (85-100) wedding in the fall and so far the only things I've found that are reasonably priced are in the suburbs. Since we live in the city and have a lot of out of town guests - I'd love to have the wedding in the city too. Haven't found much yet - any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you!

Hair/Makeup Suggestions

morganalyx — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:19:18 +0000

My wedding is coming up in July & I'm looking for a reasonably-priced hair/makeup artist.

When I say reasonably-priced, I mean someone who's good, but doesn't charge more than $150 for a bride's hair/makeup on the day of. I see some of the vendors wanting to charge $200 or more & I choke on those prices.

Thanks

Considering Eloping

clouderman — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 02:47:50 +0000

FI and I are considering eloping. We would elope in Kansas City (where we currently live) in February and then have a religious ceremony and reception in September in Chicago (where we both grew up and our families/friends live). I already have a dress and we have a venue and DJ booked for September. We are considering doing it to save money (as we are not living together until we get married for religious reasons and to avoid family drama), and stress related to obtaining our marriage license. Guess I just need advice....

Wheaton/Carol Stream Photo Locations

mspetitebride — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:14:25 +0000

I am looking to search for wedding photo locations near Wheaton or Carol Stream...I also need a back up indoor location...I am not from around that area so I am finding this really hard...if you have any ideas or suggestions please to share!!

Thank you!! :-)

Suggestions Needed - Motown/R&B/Funk Wedding Band

muldoon744 — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 20:50:29 +0000

I am getting married next fall and would love to book an energetic wedding band that plays Motown/R&B/funk music.

Does anyone have suggestions on bands they have either booked themselves or heard at other events? Price ranges (if you aware of them) would be extra helpful.

Thanks!!

has anyone used MJ photobooth? or shutterbooth?

kellycatalo — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:14:16 +0000

I'm looking for reviews. it seems like all photobooths are pretty much the same.

NWR: NYE Plans?!

hz80408 — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:39:41 +0000

Whatcha up to this wknd ladies?

12/10/11 Vendor Reviews, Pt. 1

TEA&Co — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:42:19 +0000

I'm married! I honestly found about 95% of my vendors through recommendations and reviews on this board, so I thought I'd pay it forward to brides planning their weddings. We had a beautiful wedding day and I loved every minute of it!

If anyone has any questions or would like more information, feel free to send me an email at teaandco1211 @ gmail.com (minus the spaces)--PMs never work for me!

Reception: Arrowhead Golf Club, Wheaton
Recommendation: VERY HIGHLY recommend
Review: I knew wayyyy before I was even engaged that I wanted to have my wedding reception at Arrowhead. It is a gorgeous setting, and made for beautiful pictures. The whole building was decorated for Christmas, from the mulitple Christmas trees, to the amazing gingerbread house that the chef decorates every year with his family. Guests came up to me all night to rave about the stunning building, the friendly and helpful staff, and the superb food. Kristina, Jaci, and the rest of the team at Arrowhead helped make my wedding day dreams come true, and I can't imagine a better setting.

DOC: Karolina Warren, Weddings by Karolina
Recommendation: VERY HIGHLY recommend
Review: I can sum up my experience with Karolina by simply saying, I do not know how brides get married without her. She was worth her weight in gold, and was so unbelievably helpful, organized, diplomatic, and calm. Karolina was the main reason why I made it through wedding planning and the wedding weekend without having a nervous breakdown, and I will be forever grateful to her for that. Her pricing is extremely reasonable, and I honestly could not have done this without her. Oh, also--I have never met another human being who responds to emails so quickly. Love!

DJ: Matt Lodding, Your Night Productions
Recommendation: VERY HIGHLY recommend
Review: Matt was a fantastic DJ and emcee. The dance floor was packed, and one party enthusiast told me the next morning that Matt was the best DJ he's ever seen (heard?). We added uplighting at the VERY last minute (as in, Friday morning for our Saturday wedding), and we are so glad we did--it only added to the beauty of the room. I would work with Matt again in a heartbeat.

Photographer: Tasha Schalk, Redwall Photography
Recommendation: VERY HIGHLY recommend
Review: I loved Tasha from the moment I met her. She is friendly, enthusiastic, and quick to respond to emails (which I sooo appreciate). Tasha's eye for detail is amazing and beautiful. She is so passionate about her work and it shows. We received an email from Tasha the Tuesday after our wedding with "sneak peek" shots--gorgeous and such a wonderful surprise! I cannot wait to see the rest of the wedding photos and will treasure them for the rest of my life.

Videographer: JJ Kim, Orange Wedding Films
Recommendation: VERY HIGHLY recommend
Review: I am completely obsessed with JJ and the work that his team does. JJ is so unbelievably kind--you cannot set foot in his studio without feeling like you are in a friend's family room (an amazingly high-tech family room, but nonetheless, a friend's home). I was adamant in the beginning of wedding planning that I did not want a videographer...and then I saw one of JJ's wedding trailers and knew that not only did I NEED a videographer, but it had to be JJ. I am convinced that JJ is the absolute best at what he does and I am so excited to see our wedding trailer and film!

Outdoor Reception Venues?

AmandaPudinPie — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:56:06 +0000

Hello everyone,
I'm hailing from the Aurora, IL area. My fiancé and I are getting married August 4, 2012 and we've been running into diffiulties with our original idea of having a reception at one of the neighboring forest preserves. We need space for about 125 people, which cuts out most preserve locations. There are also complications in that they generally only allow acoustic music. Does anyone know of similar nature-y places that we could look into? We have a small budget.

Thanks!