Lauren and Ken’s Classic Elegance Wedding in Historic Chicago

The first time Lauren and Ken met, Ken found himself immediately gravitating towards her. Though on that particular evening, they parted ways forgetting to exchange information, the serendipitous nature of fate was already planning their next meeting. And so, two weeks later they once again found themselves in each other’s company with a few good drinks. Their connection, feeling so natural, they spent the entire evening lost in conversation. The more they learned about the other the brighter the sparks burned, inspiring them to schedule their next three dates – becoming inseparable ever after…

Read all about Lauren & Ken’s love story, proposal, and experiences in their classic elegance wedding in historic Chicago.

Bride & Groom-to-be: Lauren & Ken
Wedding Date: July 7, 2018
Wedding Location: Chicago, IL
Wedding Venue: Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel

Tell us how you met. The first time Ken and I met, he asked me out on a date, but it was too late in the night to appreciate what could be. We went our separate ways that night, and not only had I turned down his advance, but I didn’t give him my name or phone number.
Two months later, we ran into each other again at a pregame. Ken made me a whiskey cocktail (whiskey and red wine are the ways to my heart) and we talked the ENTIRE night. By the end of the night, we had planned our next 3 dates, including dinners, and a Drake concert in Chicago. Our relationship was off to the races as we discovered everything we had in common, even down to us both being Aries babies, with our birthday just 4 days apart!

Tell us all about the proposal. After two years of dating we had planned a week-long “staycation” for our 30th birthdays. Little did I know, Ken had other plans. The week before our birthday weekend, Ken came home from out of town with a small gift bag. Inside was a letter outlining a list of things I should pack for a surprise trip that we were leaving for in 5 days. He had surprised me with a trip to the Maldives! We arrived in the Maldives on Sunday, and on Monday (the day I thought we’d be celebrating his birthday), he proposed on the beach and asked me to spend our lives together! I was so caught off guard that my first response was, “but it’s YOUR birthday!”

How was the wedding shopping experience? After trying on over 50 gowns, the gown I chose was TRULY my dream dress. It was an off-the-shoulder Pronovias gown that had my name written all over it. For anyone that knows me, I am the off-the-shoulder queen!
My aunt gifted me with the veil from her wedding. Ultimate Bride in Chicago removed the applique from my aunt’s veil, and applied it to a new cathedral tulle veil. The applique matched my dress perfectly, and felt like it was meant to be! My bouquet was an ode to my mother, since orchids are her absolute favorite flower. My orchid boutique was bold and beautiful just like my mother.

What was the wedding planning experience like for you? We planned the wedding with love, and we did it together. We tackled the big items early, knocking out our venue selection within 2 weeks of getting back from the Maldives so that we could enjoy being engaged. We kept it fun and truly tried not to stress out about much.
Our goal overall was to have as stress-free a wedding day as possible. We achieved this by having a great team of vendors around us, and a small bridal party of ride or die friends and family members. We also adjusted our expectations. We knew that something would go wrong, and that we’d have to adapt, move on, and enjoy the moment.

What is your best memory from your wedding? No words can describe the day, and how much love we were surrounded by. After the ceremony, Ken and I were able to have a quiet moment, just the two of us. We let our entire bridal party head to cocktail, and our planner setup a table for the two of us, where we were able to have our first glass of champagne as Husband and Wife. We really hadn’t talked all day, so it was nice to debrief and realize, WE MADE IT!

Vendors:
Wedding Planner: Anthony Gowder
Venue: Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel
Bride’s Wedding Gown: Pronovias
Bride’s Ear Cuff: Ilona Rubin
Bride’s Bracelets: Cartier and Van Cleef Arpels
Bridesmaid Dresses & Getting Ready Tank: Katie May || Express
Bridesmaid Jewelry: Ilona Rubin
Bride’s Hair: Stylist Johnny B
Bride’s Makeup: Fatimot Isadare
Bridesmaid Makeup: Danielle Rochon Makeup
Grooms Attire: The Black Tux
Floral Design: Anthony Gowder
Cake: Alliance Bakery Chicago
Ceremony & Cocktail Hour Music: DJ Violin
Chair Rentals: Prestige
Reception Music: DJ Word
Save the Date: Minted
Registry: Zola
Honeymoon: Greece, Croatia, South of France
Videography: Carisma Films
Photography: Joshua Dwain