The first meeting with Keith and Arianna was enough to tell me, this was a couple I wanted to work with! Arianna had a vision and knew exactly what she wanted–my kind of girl–while Keith was on board both for the wedding festivity fun and work that went along with it. These two made such a great team throughout the process.  Keith was always on hand to calm Arianna’s nerves, while Arianna continuously stepped up to the plate for anything thrown her way.  She was on a mission for their day to be flawless, just as a love like theirs deserved.  Their selection of Venue One made perfect sense:  Arianna and Keith embodied that “downtown Chicago cool” vibe. The state-of-the-art technology at Venue One allowed Arianna and Keith to truly personalize the space in a way I’d never seen before.  It set the stage for a picture perfect day for a wonderful couple.

When the day finally arrived everyone was ready for the festivities to begin.  The ladies gathered at Venue One bright and early for hair and makeup.  Hair and makeup artists, Andrea and Monica, truly made the ladies look stunning and wedding day ready! With the assistance of her lovely bridesmaids, Arianna put on her show-stopping gown which featured a sweetheart neckline and stunning train.  She looked just beautiful.

The ladies and gentlemen took off separately to take some fabulously styled shots around Venue One with Victoria Sprung.  They made sure to steer clear of one another so as not to spoil the moment Keith would see his bride for the first time walking down the aisle.

The day was off to a light and easy start as Venue One began its transformation for the breathtaking ceremony.  Deborah with Art of Imagination did such a phenomenal job capturing Arianna’s vision. The draping and lucite pedestals created the perfect backdrop to say “I do”.

The time had finally come, all were in place and Arianna took one last final breath before stepping out on the arm of her brother. The room was filled with tears of joy as Arianna made her way toward her groom.  The ceremony went off without a hitch and the two departed as “Mr. and Mrs.”!

It was time for the celebration to begin!  Guests sipped cocktails and noshed on delectable bites such as mini crab tacos, deviled quail eggs, tuna tartare, and crispy coconut shrimp. As guests entered the main reception and dining room they were greeted with gorgeous floral arrangements created by Oliver Dogwood Floral and unexpected beta fish swimming throughout the centerpieces.

Once seated, guests were treated to a fabulous, southern comfort inspired, dinner created by the talented chefs at Venue One.  A duo of seafood gumbo and hush puppies tantalized taste buds and were followed by an indulging dish of double fried chicken, barbecue brisket, braised collard greens and bacon bourbon molasses beans. My mouth is watering just remembering it!

Arianna and Keith’s first dance to Hi, Hey, Hello by the Chicharrones was perfect and it was very clear by the time dinner had wrapped that guests were ready to hit the dance floor.

Once the party started it was near impossible to pull our dance queen, Arianna, off the dance floor for a few twilight photos but we were determined to make it happen.  And the resulting images made our convincing all worthwhile.

The perfect end to a perfect day was marked by an adorable gift for everyone to remember the fabulous couple by:  mini “Jamerson” bottles as a nod to the new last name!

We wish the fabulous Arianna and Keith all the best in life, love, and happiness to come!