Kimpton Gray Hotel Chicago Wedding - Riley & George
Outside of my destination wedding planning in Cancun, I don’t get to travel for weddings nearly as much as I would like!
Through several degrees of separation (story coming), I was led to coordinate Riley & George’s beautiful wedding at the Kimpton Gray Hotel in Chicago.
I loved their modern, art-deco inspired venue.
It has such a cool, unique vibe with so many amazing photo locations.
From the library in the lounge (called Vol. 39) to the marble staircase, there is so much elegance and romance to share with guests.
Funky chandeliers and hidden passageways give it an iconic feel, allowing guests to seek out excitement and chat with other guests, or tuck away for a little privacy.
The street view is incredible, too!
One of the best parts about having a hotel wedding, is that everything is on-site. You can celebrate the night before, get up on the day of the wedding, share your day with family and friends, and crash that night in the Honeymoon suite without ever having to travel.
It’s stress free for all involved!
Riley wore this satin dress from Honey Bridal. This gold leave belt was a unique piece that worked well with her overall style!
Custom hangers like this one (easy to find on Etsy!) are perfect for making sure you get great photos of your wedding dress.
I think my favorite story from this wedding is the connection between the couple and I.
Back in December 2016 I coordinated a military wedding for Jenny and Kyle.
They found me on TheKnot.com and we hit it off right away. Kyle is a fighter pilot and so was my husband (so we had a lot in common!).
That’s where I met Donnie, one of the wedding saber men.
Matt and Donnie had recently become engaged, and we were discussing if I would be willing to travel. (OF COURSE!)
We kept in touch, became friends and they hired me to coordinated their wedding in Washington D.C. in May 2017.
At their wedding I hit it off with Donnie’s family including his sister Riley.
We chatted on Facebook for the next few months, and when George proposed she called me and asked me to be her wedding coordinator in Chicago!
I have become fast friends with Matt and Donnie and whenever they come to Denver we meet for dinner. The best part of what I do is forming those forever relationships. I can’t wait until the next “family reunion!”
(Riley & George saw each other before the ceremony, and got to enjoy the City of Chicago and the amenities at their beautiful hotel. Check out the encyclopedia library inside of the Vol. 39 lounge!)
The library makes such a great backdrop for formal portraits, especially with the deep blue shelving, which beautifully compliments the rustic library tones of the old books.
This custom glass card box was simple and elegant, and perfectly fit the aesthetic of the hotel environment.
Riley had a gorgeous bouquet from
There is so much to love about this indoor arch of twigs and floral. By bringing a little nature indoors, we were able to marry luxury and natural beauty.
Their family friend Terry served as their officiant.
Riley & George incorporated several personal elements into their indoor wedding ceremony at the Kimpton Gray Hotel. Riley had her uncle perform a wrist tying ceremony, common in Thailand, and I loved how they honored her culture this way.
We used simple greenery and lots of glass votives with plenty of texture.
All of the candles gave a warm, romantic glow to the reception.
Riley and George’s signature drink was a Lemoncello, so as the guest favor they made each adult a small bottle of homemade Lemoncello. Yum!
Gift tags and a custom printed menu made each place setting feel special.
Chicago was once the candy capital of the U.S. , so they provided treat bags for the guests filled with Snickers, Tootsie Rolls, Cracker Jacks, Lemon Heads, Wrigley’s gum and more.
It was finally time to party!
I worked to make sure that no detail was left untouched - from the seating chart ‘windows’ to the greenery and plenty of romantic candle-light. This wedding was absolutely gorgeous and I know everybody had a fantastic time, too!
Riley & George danced the night away to Fig Media.
KIMPTON GRAY HOTEL WEDDING VENDORS
Ceremony & Reception: The Kimpton Gray Hotel
Invitations: Purple Trail
Hair & Make-up: Appease Inc.
Bridal Salon: Honey Bridal
Bridemaids dresses: Tulle and Chantilly
Suits: Suit Supply
Officiant: family friend, Terry Murphy
Photographer: Monica Inglot
DJ: Fig Media
Florist: Thistle & Plume
Ready to plan your wedding? I’m available for weddings in Colorado and Cancun, but I love to travel too - I’d be honored to hear about your wedding plans.