Gorgeous Pink, Cultural Wedding in Downtown Chicago

Wow, is this wedding held at a fabulous venue! Captured by J Wiley Photography, Anne and Rick were married at the historic Rookery Building in downtown Chicago on a lovely Spring day. The ceremony and reception took place in the Rookery Building’s luminous central light court, remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1905. The soaring glass ceiling and expert ironwork make a stunning space for a celebration! The couple’s wedding effortlessly mixed Anne’s Taiwanese and Canadian heritage into the details of the day. A color palette of bright pink and purples complemented the mostly white reception space while still allowing the architecture to shine.

A few words from the bride:

Rick and I met while working together at a philanthropic management consulting firm in Chicago. Even though our cubicles were across the aisle from each other, we worked in separate departments and did not cross paths much. I just had a vague impression of him as the cute guy that did something tech-ish. After a while, I decided to switch jobs and move on to a new firm. As I was saying my goodbyes, I mentioned to Rick that we should keep in touch and hang out sometime–thinking nothing would come of it. To which he replied, “Great! How about Tuesday?” and we’ve been together ever since!

Five years later, we were married at the historic Rookery in downtown Chicago. We share a love of architecture and found the perfect venue in the Rookery. It is a National Historic Landmark originally designed by famed Chicago architects Burnham and Root and later remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright. Technically it’s the lobby of an office building—which doesn’t sound romantic at all! But the light-filled atrium, gold-inlaid marble, and delicate wrought iron work make for a gorgeously ethereal space. To contrast against the Rookery’s white marble interior, we decided on a color scheme of rich shades of red and purple.

Our favorite elements of our wedding are the personal touches, of course. The contributions of our family and friends were so meaningful to us. We were honored to be married by Rick’s college roommate who flew in from Spain (where he was completing missionary work) to officiate our wedding. Our wedding also included nods to my Taiwanese and Canadian heritage. We had a tea ceremony to pay tribute to our parents and I changed into a chi pao for the reception. Rick’s mom, a talented quilter, quilted a double-happiness banner for our sweetheart table. It’s a wonderful keepsake of our wedding that will become a family heirloom for our children in the future. To celebrate my Canadian upbringing, we had a late-night poutine bar. If you’ve never tried poutine, it’s French fries smothered in cheese curds and gravy. Best midnight snack ever!

At the end of it all, we were absolutely thrilled with everything—the wedding, celebrating with our family and friends, and most importantly to finally be married!

Photographer: J Wiley Photography
Videographer: XO Pictures
Ceremony + Reception Venue: The Rookery
Catering + Rentals: Jewell Events Catering
Chaircovers: Sylwia
Draping: Art of Imagination
Bridal Gown Designer: Watters
Bridal Gown Store: RK Bridal
Bridal Shoes: Me Too
Bridal Veil/Headpiece: Occansey Designs
Jewelry Designer: Haute Bride
Bridesmaid Dress Designer: ML by Monique Lhuillier
Bridesmaid Dress Store: Nordstrom
Groom’s Suit: Balani Custom Clothiers
Groomsmen’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Cake Designer: Bittersweet Bakery
Floral Designer: Vale of Enna
Makeup Artist + Hair Stylist: Kim Piech
Invitation Designer: Minted
Wedding Planner: Sweetchic Events
DJ: Spin
Officiant: Ben Knox, friend of couple

All images by J Wiley Photography

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