Ilana and Ben were married in an elegant and romantic wedding at Revel Fulton Market. The urban-chic warehouse in Chicago’s former meatpacking district is bursting with possibilities: concrete floors, white brick walls, and industrial details. The couple, along with their wedding planner David Caruso of Dynamic Events and Revel Decor, created a chic and sophisticated atmosphere worthy of the trendy locale. Their pup Cooper even joined in the fun, as seen in the stunning images from Rachael Schirano Photography.
How We Met
When a close mutual friend visited Chicago from NYC, he gathered his Chicago friends all together to watch a Wisconsin Badgers football game. I had known this friend since elementary school but did not continue to go to the same school thereafter, and Ben had been close friends with him throughout high school. Among the about 20 people there, we started talking and hit it off. We realized we grew up about 15 minutes from each other in Madison, WI and didn’t know each other. It wasn’t until a few weeks later when we reconnected and went out on our first date.
Our Proposal
After meeting in Chicago, Ben’s job moved us to Seattle for a few years. While we were there we got a dog (Cooper!) and loved taking him on long walks in the multitude of beautiful parks that Seattle has to offer. On a cloudy but unseasonably warm Sunday in December, Ben suggested we spend a few hours strolling the arboretum with Coop. In the middle of the arboretum he got down on 1 knee (we like to think Cooper did too!), and popped the question. It was low-key, just us, and really sweet.
Our Wedding Vision
We wanted our wedding to reflect us, our style and be a space where all the people we love could come together to meet, connect and have a really really good time. Our wedding venue, Revel Fulton Market, was slightly industrial, with concrete floor and white brick walls. We wanted the entire event to feel warm, so our fabulous wedding planner, David Caruso of Dynamic Events, and the people at Revel Decor, incorporated a lot of greenery, candles and white and pale colored flowers. Because we wanted to make sure that people could connect with each other, we opted for a mix of round and farm-style long tables, keeping center pieces low so that people could easily talk to those around them. Finally, most importantly, we wanted people to have a really great time – and both of us love to dance. We kicked off dancing right away, getting everyone on the dance floor immediately when entering the reception, which ultimately led to the dance floor being packed all night long!
Chicago Wedding Vendor Love
Rachael Shirano Photography – There are not enough words to sing Rachael’s praises enough (although we keep trying)! We were drawn to Rachael because her photos weren’t stiff like others we’d seen, rather they’re softer, capturing all of the emotions that are running so high on your big day. I can look at our photos, and see our candid smiles, hear our laughter, and almost be transported back to that moment in the day. Beyond that, she makes you feel FABULOUS all day long, and is a dream to work with. She is calm, really easy-going, and adds absolutely zero stress to the day, really masterfully coordinating two families, multiple locations and too many personalities with grace and ease and a smile on her face!
Dynamic Events – There is a reason that David Caruso wins award after award for his party planning skills – he is amazing. He works really hard to understand your vision, and then makes it come to life in ways you hadn’t even imagine. Additionally, he’s a joy to be around, collaborative, and really flexible. He ensures that he is the buffer between you and other vendors, and handles any hiccups that may arise with so much grace and professionalism that you wont even know they happened.
Stephanie Reid Hair – If I could, I would have Stephanie style my hair every day of my life. She really listens to make sure she understands what you’re looking for, and then executes it with utmost attention to detail, taking her time to make sure everything is absolutely perfect.
Joey Claeyssen – After a horrible makeup trial elsewhere, I was referred to Joey from a really trusted resource and I am so glad I was! Joey really made me look like the best version of myself, and is masterful at what he does.
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