Spring Wedding at Cafe Brauer

Lori and Ken’s Cafe Brauer wedding features a pastel color palette, lovely florals by Ashland Addison Events, and images and video by Ann & Kam Photography & Cinema.

The Proposal

I travel every week for work so when I got home one evening there flowers and an iPad sitting on the countertop with a note that said “watch me”. He had put together a video of his day gearing up for the proposal. He went back to the first place we meet, our 2nd date spot, him going to get his hair cut (so he looked clean and polished), and going to pickup the ring from the jeweler. At the end of the video was a link to a letter he wrote me which was very heartfelt and of course made me cry. At the end it said to meet him on the rooftop of our building. So I did as told and when I got off the elevator he was standing there with a single red rose. He asked if “I would accept the final rose” (we are fans of the Bachelor) and then got down on one knee and proposed. He had one of my friends come over and “hide” and take video and pictures of the moment which was really sweet.

The Wedding Vision

When it came to planning our wedding we knew we wanted something that was “Chicago” reflecting the city we love and the beauty it holds. We were beyond ecstatic when we were able to secure Cafe Brauer. It was a place I had always dreamed of getting married at in the city but didn’t think it was a reality. Knowing it’s a top venue that books up years in advance we couldn’t believe we found a date that worked. For anyone that knows us it was perfect as it reflects our style similar to our home with exposed brick and lots of character. We never imagined it could be even more beautiful until we saw it on our wedding day. Our vision had come to life. With the most beautiful floral arrangements from Ashland and Addison, some mixed in farm tables to give it a rustic feel, and some personal touches of my own it couldn’t have been more perfect and beautiful! The perfect blend of rustic and glam! Ann & Kam were able to capture every beautiful moment of our day (as they always do because they are amazing) to keep the memories alive We truly had an all star vendor team that helped make our day literally perfect!

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Personal Touches

I made the place cards for the wedding. I bought marble tiles and made them into coasters by buying corkboard and cutting out the perfect shape and gluing to the bottom of each tile. Then I personally wrote each name on the front of tile and the table number on the back on the cork. Our venue wanted a way to identify what dish people ordered so I found the perfect gold stickers that matched to put in the corner of each one (Chicken, Cow for Beef, Fish, Carrot for Vegetarian). They were a hit and no one guessed I made them myself.

Wedding Planning Advice

The advice I’d give to couples getting married today is try and not get overwhelmed or lose site of what the day is about. Make sure that your wedding tells the story of who you are as a couple and reflects what you want. Also before you start planning decide which things about your day are the most important to you and maybe worth the splurge on (i.e. photos, venue, etc..) and plan those first and then fill in the other pieces. Lastly try and enjoy your day. It goes by so fast!