I felt a great connection with Elizabeth and Gavin almost immediately when we started talking. They live in Seattle, where I spent a big chunk of my life. But they met in Australia, where I happened to also live when I was very small! Plus, Elizabeth is from the Chicago area, so she knew she wanted to get married somewhere close to “home” for a big portion of their guests. She found both Five Grain Events and the Women’s Club of Evanston through a dear friend, who was a previous client of ours! I loved how open and honest Elizabeth was with her stressors about the wedding: she and Gavin worked a lot, and were very busy, and the idea of throwing a big party that put her at the center of attention was not high on her list of “favorite things to do.” Since planning these sorts of receptions most certainly *is* on our list, I was happy to take some of the leg-work off her plate!
One of the first things we did was help Elizabeth and Gavin find a photographer. Since they were already married, having eloped at a beautiful lake in Washington state, they only needed a few hours of photography to capture some special portraits and the day’s events. Knowing that Elizabeth and Gavin were both good-humored and laid back, Ryan Moore Photography seemed like the perfect fit — and he was!
Elizabeth and Gavin took some time amidst their busy wedding day to exchange gifts and enjoy a glass of champagne together. We always stress the importance of finding time to be alone on the wedding day, as it can get quite busy and overwhelming. It’s nice to focus on the real reason the day is happening in the first place — your love for each other!
Women’s Club of Evanston was the perfect venue for this group — an intimate gathering of friends and family; some local, some in from abroad, but all joining together to celebrate Elizabeth and Gavin. Because the spaces are so well decorated and ornate, only a minimal amount of decor was brought in — perfect for a low-maintenance couple like these two! And with the added security team from Diplomatic Security Group, we knew that all of Elizabeth and Gavin’s guests would be taken care of throughout the night.
The food was provided by Catered by Design, and was delicious! We loved these caprese sliders, and how fun is this cute tuxedo napkin fold?! Schaefer’s supplied the alcohol and glassware, and drinks were flowing all evening!
For floral decor, Elizabeth wanted to incorporate some of the hues that were included in her elopement bouquet, as well as some floral from Australia to tie in Gavin’s background. Fleur did an absolutely beautiful job; she was thrilled with her bouquet (which included a beautiful Australian protea) and the rest of the wedding flowers!
It was so much fun to see Elizabeth and Gavin connecting with people they hadn’t seen in quite some time, and talking about the details of their elopement.
Gavin was excited to source some of the music for their wedding reception; and CloudGate was a wonderful choice! This quartet provided the perfect ambient music for a lively cocktail hour while guests mixed and mingled.
If you ever have a few younger kids at your wedding reception who you want to keep busy — put them in charge of your photo guest book! These girls took the job very seriously, and had a blast rounding up guests to snap a photo and encourage them to sign the guest book. It ended up being one of the most detailed and filled guest books I’ve seen!
During dinner service, Gavin and Elizabeth were delighted to hear from some of their closest family members. Toasts were filled with laughter and beautiful sentiments, and it was clear that everyone from all sides was thrilled with this union of love.
We can not get enough of having pie at weddings these days! It’s such a fun change of pace from traditional wedding cake (which we still absolutely adore, don’t get us wrong!). Bang Bang Pie is one of our favorites, especially when it is paired with ice cream service by the caterer.
Guests had a great time enjoying each other’s company as the night went on. Dancing, chatting, and laughter filled the room. Thanks to Gabe at Green Line Talent, the bride and her friends were able to show off their dance-major talents on the dance floor!
We truly enjoyed working with Elizabeth and Gavin, and hope these two are continuing on their blissful first year of married life!
