It’s inevitable: when a couple tells us their wedding theme was “FUN”, you just know we gotta learn more. With job transitions, planning from a distance (NY to Chicago), and 140 guests coming in from all over, Renee + Fabien decided to keep the emphasis on having a really, really good time. Enter a modern, minimal winter aesthetic, fun craft beer + wine, and of course, a massive dance party—all captured by Codrean Photography & Film. Thanks to Nicole of Urban Allure Events for sharing!
Renee’s winter bridal bouquet by La Rue Floral: anemone, ranunculus, hellebore, ferns, ivy, nagi, and ruscus.
Fun fact about R + F: They met in high school, but reconnected when they were both in Vegas for a weekend. They met up on a whim, and it made a pretty big impact! Their story…
Fabien: When we reconnected in Vegas and the door to the elevator opened, I had that “a-ha” movie moment and said to myself. “I’m going to marry her”. What sealed the deal was spending our first Christmas together in France in a three-bedroom apartment with my entire family. I figured if she could survive meeting my family and staying with six adults and an infant in a tiny, albeit charming, French apartment all at once, she was the one.
Renee: I wish I could say I had a romantic moment where I realized Fabien was the guy I’d want to marry, but my “a-ha” moment came after a few tequila sunrises and rounds of roulette that first night in Vegas. I sloppily texted some of our mutual friends who were surprised to hear that we were together in Vegas, and jokingly asked, “Hey look who I found in Vegas. Should we get married tonight, yes or no?” Luckily, we had a six-year courtship after that night to make sure we didn’t jump into anything too quickly.
Isn’t Renee’s Watters dress from Chicago Glamour Closet beyond stunning for a modern bride?!
We went heavy on the greenery and candles and focused on clean, modern lines. Our colors ended up being lots of green from the garlands and ferns, along with some pops of ivory, blush pink, and burgundy. We loved working with a designer on creating the more modern invitations and design suite, and tried to mirror that design with funky candle holders and other geometric elements.
Their getting-ready venue was the Chicago Athletic Association, and they found Room 1520 after searching for a minimal space that would allow them to get creative with the design.
During dinner, our photographer asked if we’d like to head to the roof for some sunset shots. She played our first dance song on her iPhone and we practiced our dance together on the roof before the real deal. It was a peaceful moment and breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively. Being able to pause for a few minutes and have a bit of quiet time together to say, “Yo! We just got married!” was pretty special. It was a bonus that we now have great shots of dancing in front of the glowing Chicago skyline.
Afterward, they all reconvened for an epic dance party led by DJ Tim of Toast & Jam.
The most helpful exercise we did came from the book A Practical Wedding. When we got engaged we sat down and listed out a bunch of words describing how we wanted our wedding to feel, and throughout the process we kept returning to that list to make sure we were keeping things simple and not getting distracted by the multitude of wedding add-ons that exist. Our words included fun, relaxed, personal, dancey, chic, and “touch of glam” among others.
Congrats, you two!
Photography & Videography: Codrean Photography & Film / Accommodations: Chicago Athletic Association / Wedding Venue: Room 1520 / Event Coordinator: Nicole Fauls of Urban Allure Events / Florist: La Rue Floral (formally Pens & Petals) / Hair: Annie Fram from Epoch Studio Salon / Makeup: Tricia Clarke Makeup / Invitations: Meredith Lusher Fleece / Cake: Sweet Mandy B’s / Catering: D’Absolute Events & Catering / DJ: Toast & Jam / Photobooth: Fotio Photo Booth / Transportation: Emperor Limousine / Bride’s Dress: Watters from Chicago Glamour Closet / Reception Jumpsuit: Nordstrom / Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Veil: Etsy / Vintage Ring: Bride’s Grandmother’s / Jewelry: Nordstrom / Lipstick: MAC ‘Ruby Woo’ / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: BHLDN, David’s Bridal, & Nordstrom / Bridesman: Macys’ / Flower Girls: David’s Bridal / Groom’s Suit: Black Lapel / Tie: Turnbull & Asser / Shoes: Massimo Matteo / Groomsmen: The Black Tux