It was a teeth-chattering 10 degree day, but that didn’t stop Jaime and Greg from braving the cold for a first look outside the Lyric Opera, a moment she says was “way worth it for that special moment alone before the madness!” The couple combined her love for vintage elegance with his sleek and modern style to create a romantic wedding at the Hotel Allegro with a wintry palette and gorgeous florals from Fleur Inc. Wedding planning by LOLA Event Productions and photography by Natalie Probst.
How We Met
We met the old fashioned way—at a bar (an Ohio State Bar to be exact)! We both went to school in Ohio (Ohio State and Miami of Ohio) and have many mutual friends, so were coincidentally both there watching a Buckeye game. After weeks of getting to know each other, we finally went on our first date at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! in Lincoln Park.
It was love at first date, and after years of dating, traveling and moving into our first apartment together in the Southport Corridor, Greg proposed.
The Proposal
San Diego has always been a special place for us, as my best friend lives there and we had spent one of our best weekends there together for her wedding while we were dating. Greg proposed before we headed to dinner at our favorite restaurant in La Jolla, George’s on the Cove. It was low-key and absolutely perfect, as our friends that live in San Diego were on call to celebrate with us all weekend long.
The Wedding Vision
I love a more classic and vintage look, and Greg preferred sleek and modern venues, so we immediately fell in love with the modern-meets-old-world deco style of the Hotel Allegro. We both have a passion for design and detail, and the Allegro had it all. We envisioned a candlelit wedding with romantic floral and a soft but wintry palette coupled with gold and dark navy, with a mix of textures.
We love Prince, and decided to buck tradition and make our last dance with all our guests “Purple Rain.” It was a definite crowd-pleaser, and we still laugh thinking about how fun it was to close the night out that way!
Chicago Wedding Vendor Love
Fleur Inc – Fleur executed on our vision so well, we were honestly STUNNED when we saw the ceremony décor for the first time. The room looked so gorgeous under the chandeliers, with so many candles and romantic floral arrangements. Kelly was so great and fun to work with, I almost wish I had an excuse to do it all over again with her.
LOLA Event Productions – I can’t say enough about how much Carly C. from Lola. She handled every detail, small and big, and I was able to sit back and enjoy every moment of the day without worrying about a thing. I was skeptical about hiring a planner, and I can honestly say that it was the best investment we made.
Natalie Probst – Natalie Probst is an absolute PRO. She did a great job at capturing the highlights of the day with an incredible attention to detail. We’re so happy we have our memories preserved in such a beautiful way, and would recommend her to anyone looking for a wedding photographer.
Shannon O’Brien – I think hair & makeup artists are the unsung heroes of the wedding day, so I have to mention Shannon and Alex. Their positive, upbeat attitudes (and amazing work) kept everyone stress-free and in celebration mode all day. It was a pleasure to spend the day sipping champagne in their presence!
Cage & Aquarium – Neville from Cage & Aquarium kept people on the dance floor ALL night long, and made an awesome rock & blues mix for our cocktail hour- it was so fun to work with him on it.
Get in Touch
View the Gallery 
