What to focus on when starting to plan your wedding
Weddings in Chicago always seem to have a unique method to charm and amaze everyone who attends – even the bride and the groom themselves. But it is no secret that bringing your event to new heights and infusing it with unique flair requires some proper and carefully considered action plan! And that is exactly what brings me here; as a Chicago wedding photographer, to give you my insight and guide you on how to get started on plan your wedding and have a marvelous celebration – just like the weddings in Chicago you’ve been using as an inspiration!
Find the perfect venue to plan your wedding
First and foremost, you must pick the spot where your iconic event will take place. The city of Chicago offers many options for you, all of which are distinguished by some authentic characteristics which I will give you some hints about later, but first let’s talk about the questions you must ask yourself beforehand:
How many guests are invited?
Come up with rough numbers of your guests! Grab a pen and paper (sorry, I am an old soul) and list all the people you like to invite and all the people you have no choice but to invite (LOL).
You all have friends and families whom you like to share your wedding day with, and there are some people who are not as close to you necessarily but they are very close to your parents for instance, and you invite them to make them happy.
The best way to handle this situation might be to come up with a few number of guests for each parent to invite. Allow them to decide who to invite among their beloved friends and families.
At the end of the day, it is true that the day is all about the couple, but if the situation allows, it won’t hurt to make the parents happy as well.
Read more: Tips About Family Pictures on the Wedding Day
After coming up with a number, then we can search for the venue. You don’t want to envision your wedding in a cozy and intimate venue and then realize that it cannot fit everyone, or reserve a huge and luxury venue in Chicago and end up being empty of people.
Read more: DO’s and DON’Ts of wedding planning
When is your wedding date?
To answer this question & Plan your wedding schedule, let’s ask a more simple question from the bride-to-be or anyone reading this blog post:
What is the style of the wedding dress you always have envisioned yourself in, since your early age?
Here is the fact, Chicago’s weather rules our plan! You cannot be protected from the cold weather with an off-the-shoulder lace dress. On the other hand, if you always liked to wear a long sleeves dress _just like me :)_ you’d better not consider a summer wedding in Chicago.
Maybe people have a different approach in order to assign a date for their weddings, but I figured the wedding dress style is non-negotiable factor for the brides-to-be, therefore, I take this route to come up with an answer, and believe me, this is really really helpful for many couples when they ask my advice.
Aside from that, there should be another factors to consider such as the availability of the VIP guests such as the immediate families. Always make sure that the wedding date is not on your sister’s due date or your brother’s graduation.
Read more: The perfect wedding timeline
What has been your Dream Wedding type?
It all depends on your character! Your wedding day is supposed to be the happiest day of your life together as ONE, which means you both should love it.
This is a great practice for couples to learn how to compensate if they don’t share the same characteristic type. Although I don’t see it as black and white, some people enjoy being around people, and get their energy from them; Extrovert, while some get recharged by enjoying intimate gatherings with a predictable environment; Introvert.
You, two should come up with an answer before planning for your wedding and reserving a venue.
Read more: How to Turn Your Home into a Personalized Wedding Venue
I have shot in glamorous and luxury venues in Chicagoland area with hundreds of invitees where everything has been loud and bold. At the same time I have photographed weddings in the couple’s favorite taco place in Chicago, with limited guests, and no music but conversation and emotional interactions. They both are beautiful and they both were something to be called: the best day ever in the couple’s life!
Just to make it clear, any location is capable of being your wedding venue, be it your backyard, a cozy cafe’ where you have share beautiful memories, rustic venues in the west loop in Chicago or a luxury venues such as the Chicago athletic Club, the Langham or the London House.
Read more: Unique Chicago Wedding Venues
My top venue recommendations in Chicago
Depending on your personal requirements, I gathered some of my top venue recommendations:
- Best overall:
- Most unique:
- Best all-inclusive:
- Best for outdoor celebrations:
- Best for an intimate event:
Read more: Wedding at the Artifact Events
Find your wedding photographer when you are planning your wedding
After you book the ideal venue, the next obvious step for plan your wedding would be finding the best wedding photographer in Chicago.
That’s right! This person will be in charge of capturing all of the candid moments of your celebration, so you must ensure you are choosing a professional wedding photographer who is well-experienced and cares about details.
Read more: The Best Time to Book a Wedding Photographer
After all, you don’t want to end up with blurry images of your once-in-a-lifetime event! But professionals get booked quickly, so open your browser and search for “Chicago Wedding Photographers near me” as soon as possible.
Look at their portfolios and discover the wedding photography packages they offer. Your ultimate Chicago wedding photographer should match your vision and be able to capture the essence of your wedding in a genuine yet glorious way.
Read more: How many hours of wedding photography do you need?
I take great pride in having the honor of having documented plenty of weddings in Chicago. I think my clients’ positive reviews and earned trust speak enough about my commitment to perfectionism!
Read more: What do wedding photographers do? A comprehensive guide for photographers and couples!
So do not hesitate and book a free consultation with me for plan your wedding. I will be glad to offer my services and eternalize your wedding memories!
