Five Grain Events

Chicago Event Planners

  • About
  • Weddings
  • Corporate | Non-Profit
  • Social
    • Social Events
    • Theme Parties
  • Blog
  • Contact

Happy Anniversary, Hilary and Jeremy!

April 22, 2022

Hilary and Jeremy’s April 2021 wedding was my first post-pandemic event, and even though it much smaller than most of the weddings we had planned before 2020, it still felt SO good to be “back in the swing of things” helping beautiful couples celebrate making it official.

We loved the perfect details they included in their City View Loft affair and all the ways they ensured their personalities shone through.

Congrats and happy anniversary, you two!

Much love,

Joan

Filed Under: Anniversary Posts, Blog

More Posts You'll Love:

Happy Anniversary, Gina and Kevin! Happy Anniversary, Nikki and Ben! Happy Anniversary, Kate and Matt!
share it pin it tweet it

Butterfield Country Club Wedding–Meg and Sanjay

March 15, 2022

From my first chat with Meg’s mom, Maureen, I knew this was going to be a blast of a wedding.  There was so much joy in her voice as she described plans for her daughter, Meg, and her soon-to-be son-in-law, Sanjay’s Labor Day Weekend celebration!  When the big day arrived it was just as fun as we had imagined.

Rebecca Marie Photography

Wedding day morning was easy-peasey.  Meg’s bridesmaids got their hair done at Zazu Salon before returning to the Hilton Oak Brook Hills to get dressed and ready.  My longtime pal, Rebecca, of Rebecca Marie Photography met us at the hotel to capture all the prep.  Sanjay spent the morning at the driving range with his groomsmen and then decided to keep his “getting ready” time quiet before all the excitement of the day began.

The midwest celebration was “Part 2” of the wedding festivities–the California wedding (where Sanjay hails from) had been a couple weeks prior–and so many of their details had been meticulously planned down to Sanjay’s custom cufflinks engraved with each wedding date.

Rebecca Marie Photography

Rebecca Marie Photography

Rebecca Marie Photography

Sanjay and Meg shared their first look at Butterfield Country Club.  The rain had been teasing us all day long, but it stopped just before the crew took photos all around the property.  The bouquets created by The English Garden were bursting with bright and joyful colors.  I just loved Meg’s tea length dress.

Rebecca Marie Photography

Rebecca Marie Photography

Rebecca Marie Photography

The ceremony, held under a stately tree glowing with cafe lights, was perfectly tailored to the couple.  Guests waved colorful ribbons to celebrate the bride and groom once they made it official.

Rebecca Marie Photography

Rebecca Marie Photography

Rebecca Marie Photography

The reception was held in Butterfield’s tent.  You couldn’t have picked more perfect details for a summertime celebration.  From the crisp sky blue table linens, to the brilliant floral arrangements, to (my favorite addition) the table numbers hand-painted by the bride’s mother, it was certainly one to remember.

Rebecca Marie Photography

Rebecca Marie Photography

Following a delicious dinner and some truly heartfelt toasts, Talk of the Town Big Band kicked off and kept the dance floor filled until the end of the night (and then some!).

Rebecca Marie Photography

Rebecca Marie Photography

Rebecca Marie Photography

Rebecca Marie Photography

Rebecca Marie Photography

Rebecca Marie Photography

Meg and Sanjay, you two were a joy to work with and it was such a pleasure getting to be welcomed into your families for the weekend.  Cheers to many many years of celebration!

Rebecca Marie Photography

Filed Under: Blog, Wedding Profile

More Posts You'll Love:

Artifact Events Wedding–Kate and Matt Galleria Marchetti Wedding – Robynn and Matt Artifact Events–Melissa and Slater
share it pin it tweet it

Drake Oak Brook Wedding – Courtney and John

December 28, 2021

Lindsey Kay Photography

Courtney and I were introduced in late 2018 by Courtney’s family friends whose two daughters’ weddings Five Grain had been lucky enough to be involved in. She and her fiancé, John, were at the very beginning stages of their planning process and were ready to get support from start to finish.

Courtney’s parents had been married at The Drake Oak Brook and so we knew right away that was the place it had to happen (though we took a couple other tours just to be sure). Planning went along swimmingly for their 8/08 (or “BOB” after her dad) 2020 wedding…right up through their menu tasting on Leap Day of that year. We all know what happened next.

Despite the stressors of planning a wedding through a pandemic (AND both moving across the country and dealing with a family health scare to boot) Courtney and John were a delight to work with. After their third separate wedding date, they were excited to have a fabulous party with their friends and family to celebrate this perfect match–and thankfully we were able to finally deliver in June of this year.

The morning began for the ladies at Courtney’s family home where her long-time hair stylist, Debbie Musso, did all the ladies’ hair. Andie Cumber worked in her parents’ sun-soaked dining room to ensure faces were made up to perfection.

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography and Smiling Toad Video were on hand to capture all the preparations including the gift of some very nice perfume from the groom.

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Meanwhile, the gents were getting spiffed up at The Drake. Once everyone was dressed, Aries Charter Transportation gathered up the groom and groomsmen and brought them to where the ladies were for Courtney and John’s first look. It was such a sweet moment for the happy couple after a very long wait.

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

The group headed around town to take some photos. They made a special stop at Courtney’s home church, St. Peter’s in Elmhurst, to take a few photos. They had hoped to celebrate their wedding service there but with too much pandemic-related uncertainty in the lead up, we opted for an onsite ceremony at Drake. It was important they were able to get some of the traditional portraits done there.

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

The wedding ceremony was held in the stunning Flower Room at Drake Oak Brook. Flowers for Dreams brought in the gorgeous backdrop to frame the space and the ceremony was officiated by Courtney’s pastor from St. Peter’s, Amanda McEvilly. The personal vows the couple wrote to one another were sweet and heartfelt–I’m sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Cocktail hour was buzzing with excitement as guests finally had the chance to say hello and embrace after a too-long absence from social interaction. It had been raining and raining in the days leading up to wedding day but June 27th blessed us with absolutely perfect weather.

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography captured some stunning photos fo the bride and groom during golden hour.

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

I am certain the Three Oaks Ballroom at Drake Oak Brook has never looked more beautiful.  The deep blue and purple tones of the Flowers for Dreams floral brought a deep sophistication to the space, while the mixed table shapes and mirrored stage front planners were an unexpected bit of decadence that tied the space together perfectly.

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

The Drake’s staff effortlessly served the delicious multi-course meal while Courtney and John’s friends and family gave some of the best toasts I’ve ever heard (and, trust me, I’ve heard MANY).

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

After dinner it was time to really kick off the party.  The Mix brought the energy and fun and guests packed the Drake‘s light up dance floor until the very end of the evening.

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

Lindsey Kay Photography

I absolutely loved this recap video that Smiling Toad put together which encapsulates this incredible group of people and all the gorgeous details.

Courtney and John, wishing you both the very best.  Thank you for giving us all a reason to celebrate!  Here’s to many more years of joy to come.

Lindsey Kay Photography

Filed Under: Blog, Wedding Profile

More Posts You'll Love:

Artifact Events Wedding–Kate and Matt Galleria Marchetti Wedding – Robynn and Matt The Drake Hotel–Cory and Matthew
share it pin it tweet it

Five Grain Home Logistics

September 3, 2020

Family, friends, current and past clients–I hope you are all well and surviving the madness!  The Five Grain Team misses collaborating with you to produce events brimming with personality, vibrancy, and panache.  We cannot wait until this virus is conquered so we can all gather again.  The connections with our clients and vendor friends are so sorely lacking, and that has been one of the hardest parts of being in limbo in this way.

It’s been an interesting 6 months, to say the least.  On the home front, my family welcomed our fourth child–Stanley Joseph–in May so I’ve been grateful to have a little extra time to snuggle with our last baby.  It’s been fun watching my older three girls (2, 6, and 8) play together and become best friends.  Even so, there is a part of me that doesn’t feel whole without putting some energy each day into the part of events I most love:   LOGISTICS!  Timelines, Templates, and To Do Lists:  oh my!

Over the past week, as I worked to disentangle two daily virtual school schedules, baby sleep schedules, and work needs to create our family calendar in five-minute increments, I realized there may be families who don’t find as much enjoyment in a good color coding as I do.  People who face mounting anxiety as we kick off another school year and are feeling helpless and hopeless on how to regain control of the day-to-day.

Enter, Five Grain Home Logistics!  For all my past wedding clients who wished I could be their “life planner”, now’s your chance 😉 .  I am going to be creating custom toolkits for the overwhelmed family.  It will include a weekly schedule, daily checklists, and tips and tricks I’ve picked up on how to stay ahead of the curve and improve your family’s level of calm and organization.

Please reach out to me at joan@fivegrainevents.com to schedule your consultation.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

More Posts You'll Love:

No related posts.

share it pin it tweet it

3 Ways to Celebrate Birthdays While in Quarantine

September 1, 2020

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, people are strongly advised to stay inside their homes and avoid gathering in large groups to prevent the spread of the virus. Many businesses are closing down and moving operations online. Health organizations around the world recommend social distancing and self-isolating, which means social gatherings like birthday parties are off the table until the pandemic is under control.

Finding a way to celebrate a birthday can be tough while everyone’s in quarantine. Hence, people have to get creative to celebrate their or their loved one’s special day. If you’re out of ideas, here are a few you can try.

An Intimate Family Dinner

If you live with your family, an intimate dinner with everyone at home can be a joyous way to celebrate. To make the day extra-special, prepare the birthday celebrator’s favorite dishes or a fancy meal. Bake or buy a cake for everyone to eat, and open a bottle of wine for the adults to enjoy.  Watch a movie after dinner or play games for fun.

Since we have all been staying home in quarantine, there have been few opportunities to dress up. Why not take the chance to clean up and dress to the nines? After all, a birthday is an important day, and it deserves to be celebrated in a special way.

A Virtual Birthday Party

Don’t live with your family members? No problem! How about a virtual birthday party? Set up a Zoom meeting or video conference and invite your family members and friends to join. Everyone can individually prepare a special meal and eat together during the group call—or maybe send out recipes for a special menu item or cocktail to partake in together. You can chat and enjoy one another’s company even when you’re far away.

Choose an interesting theme (like medieval or Renaissance style , ’80s disco, or Hollywood), and dress up according to the theme to make the virtual birthday party even more exciting. Don’t forget to decorate your home or add a fun virtual background as well. Prepare games or creative activities, like karaoke, trivia games, or even group arts and crafts, for added fun.

A virtual party won’t be the same as gathering together in person, but it’s better than not getting to see your family and friends during such a special day.

Pampering Yourself

All “zoomed out”? There are still plenty of ways to enjoy your birthday. Take this time to focus on yourself, and do things that you enjoy but don’t get to do often. Take a day off and sleep in if you can. If you must work, pamper yourself at the end of the day. Have a spa day at home! Soak in a warm bubble bath, light some scented candles, and just sit back and relax.

Your birthday is a good excuse to indulge. Lose yourself in that book you’ve been wanting to read, or watch a movie you’ve been wanting to check out.

Get yourself a nice gift too. That pair of shoes you saw online? Buy them! It’s your special day, and you have every right to splurge.

Before You Go

Social gatherings are not recommended during the pandemic, but that doesn’t mean you should miss out on celebrating. There are so many ways you can honor your special day without being in the same room with your friends or family. Try any of these ideas with your family and friends. A little variety will make the celebration even more fun and special.

This is a paid featured post.

Filed Under: Blog

More Posts You'll Love:

No related posts.

share it pin it tweet it
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 35
  • Next Page »

Welcome

Welcome to Five Grain Events, home of the detail-oriented and obsessive list-makers. We love all the nitty gritty details that come together to create a flawlessly executed event. See our recent occasions here on the blog!


Categories

  • About
  • Adler Planetarium
  • Anniversary Posts
  • Applause
  • Art Institute of Chicago
  • Assumption Catholic Church
  • Blog
  • Chevy Chase Country Club
  • Chicago Cubs
  • Chicago Cultural Center
  • Corporate Events
  • Featured
  • Festivals
  • Fly the W
  • From Our Clients
  • Galleria Marchetti
  • Helpful Advice
  • In the News
  • Méson Sabika
  • Mid-America Club
  • Modern Wing at the Art Institute
  • Non-Profit Events
  • Oak Park Country Club
  • Other Events
  • Ovation Chicago
  • Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
  • Private Residence
  • Services
  • Social Events
  • Street Festivals
  • Summer
  • Thalia Hall
  • The Peninsula
  • Uncategorized
  • Union League Club
  • University Club of Chicago
  • Venue West
  • Wedding Profile
  • Workshop 4200

Featured

Say Hello

Contact Us

get in touch
773-359-3106 • hello@fivegrainevents.com
Chicago, IL (by appointment only)

© 2022 Five Grain Events

| a doodle dog creative website