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The Peninsula Creates Intimacy & Elegance at this Chicago Wedding

Our StrictlyWeddings.com Chicago partner, Carasco Photography, submitted this lovely new featured wedding that was held at (SW.com partner) The Peninsula  -  a cozy, romantic and scenic location for any wedding reception. Ana & Abe met in sunny Miami through her roommate. Another one of those, almost didn’t go on dates that turn in to a “historic” event!

View more photos from this Chicago Featured Wedding.

Featured Wedding: Ana & Abe

Couple: Ana Cristina Aguirre & Abraham Joseph

Wedding Date: September 17, 2011
Submitted by StrictlyWeddings.com Chicago Partner: Carasco Photography

Bride Ana Cristina and groom Abraham Joseph met in Miami. “He was friends with my roommate’s boyfriend at the time. My roommate had called me to go out with the three of them on a Wednesday night in February and she had to convince me because it was too cold outside. It was 60F outside! That was cold for me back then! I ended up going out, we had a great time and the rest is history,” noted Ana Cristina. “Abraham proposed over dinner in a very simple but beautiful way. He told me we were meeting a friend when in reality it was just the two of us. I was totally surprised.”

It was easy for Ana Cristina to choose vendors and logistics for her wedding since she is a Chicago event planner and owner of Deseo Events. “I think I went through the same nervousness that any other bride goes through on her wedding day. Kelly Cavanaugh from Clementine Events was my day of coordinator and she helped me so much in dealing with last minute stress!” said Ana Cristina. “I cannot imagine how brides do it without a wedding planner. I know I couldn’t have done it without my experience and confidence in the industry.”

“I didn’t want a ballroom, I wanted something different, but it was important the place was cozy because we wanted our families to get to know each other better. We looked at the available venues and when we went to The Peninsula we thought it was perfect. It is a ballroom, but it is cozy, elegant, it has beautiful windows over-looking Michigan Ave., the size, location and everything was perfect. The terrace for cocktails is to die for. There was a hold on the date and it was the only date available for the year! We had to wait for the hold to be released,” noted Ana Cristina.

“My favorite memory from my wedding day… You’ve heard this before but it is truly to have everyone you love with you. LOVE the DJ and the food. The service at The Peninsula was immaculate too, left a great flavor in my mouth. I stayed the night before the wedding day and the staff would call me Miss. Aguirre the day before the wedding and Mrs. Joseph the day after. Cute, right?” said Ana Cristina.

Gown: Vera Wang
Shoes/purse/veil: The Left Bank
Tux/Suit: Hugo Boss (Bloomingdales)
Bridesmaid Dresses: BCBG
Hair: Beauty on Call
Floral & Décor: KEHOE DESIGNS
Venue: The Peninsula
Caterer: The Peninsula
Day of event Planner: Clementine Events
Planning prior to wedding day: Deseo Events Design and Planning
Photographer: CARASCO Photography
Band/DJ: Quartet at cocktail: Artstrings. Rolando Calip with Deftmix
Honeymoon location: The Peninsula at Hong Kong and Bangkok, Thailand, Marriot JW at Phuket, Thailand
Dance Classes: Arthur Murray Studio
Transportation: VIP Valet Services

Brides, Bubbles & Bliss – A Luxury Bridal Event

Brides, Bubbles and Bliss^TM evolved out of Carasco Photography’s vision of bringing together a clever medley of top wedding vendors and art-driven brides and grooms for an avant garde bridal soiree. From the venue, décor, culinary delights, couture gowns to ambiance, they want couples to be inspired about their wedding day possibilities.

Carasco Photography in collaboration with Michelle Durpetti Events and Loudbyte Cinematography will present the 3rd Annual Brides, Bubbles and Bliss on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 from 6-9pm at the Bridgeport Art Center Skyline Loft.

StrictlyWeddings.com is proud to be one of its media sponsors. Event highlights include a bubbles bar, live entertainment by Style Matters DJs and Chicago Live Music, delectable hors d’oeuvres by Boutique Bites, and a couture runway show featuring gowns available at Ultimate Bride and Alice Padrul Bridal Couture. Proceeds benefit Hephzibah Children’s Association.

And now for something FUN and DIFFERENT! Check out the trailer created by Loudbyte Cinematography. The full Brides, Bubbles and Bliss film will premiere at the event on March 7, 2012!

Brides Bubbles and Bliss “Sneak Peek”
Trailer 2012 from Loudbyte
Cinematography on Vimeo.

Carasco Photography and Loudbyte Cinematography collaborated on a multi-day creative for a portrayal of romance: a promise, and the pursuit.

Photography by Carasco Photography
Cinematography: Loudbyte Cinematography
Film and Event Production by Michelle Durpetti Events
Lighting by Automated Lighting Design
Suits & Tuxedos by Nicholas Joseph Custom Suits
Gowns by Ultimate Bride & Alice Padrul
Hair & Makeup by Shelby George Smith & Kerre Berry of The Bridal Team
Styling by Jessi Sheehan

Capturing the Bride

Memorable shots of the bride can run from the more traditional photo of the bride looking directly into the camera, to one of her looking off in contemplation, to those expressing the emotions of joy, laughter, love. How the photographer creates that moment depends as much on the photographer’s style as that of their subject – the bride. Here are just a few of our fav StrictlyWeddings.com “just the bride” photos.

Carasco Photography – Chicago

Fred Marcus Photography – New York

Thisbe Grace Photography – Dallas

Fred Marcus Photography – New York

Gruber Photographers – New York

Jennifer Lindberg Weddings – Dallas and Austin

Courtesy of The Adolphus Hotel – Dallas

Jai Girard Photography – Chicago

Our Bride & Groom Photographs Capture the Moments

We just love how this post came together. We’ve captured poses from our Featured Wedding bride and groom showing love, joy, drama, playfulness … all the wonderful, exciting emotions that can be experienced during the wedding day.

We are so grateful for the amazing talents of our StrictlyWeddings.com photographers who made these moments possible – Carasco Photography, Brian Dorsey, Phil Farber, Jai Girard, Thisbe Grace, Gruber Photographers, Scott Hagar, Jennifer Lindberg, Andy Marcus.

Chicago’s Carasco Photography

We are so thrilled to welcome Carasco Photography to StrictlyWeddings.com. We’re loving what we’re seeing and can’t wait to publish a featured wedding.

Over the past seven years, Carasco Photography has become one of the most sought after wedding photography companies in Chicago.

As a husband and wife owned company, Cara and Scott Nava understand firsthand all of the elements that go into planning your wedding day and choosing a photographer to preserve those memories. Their ideology is simple. In life there is beauty and through creativity they are able to celebrate this beauty through the still image.

With a MFA in photography from Columbia College Chicago, Scott’s nationally recognized work has been in such magazines as Crain’s Chicago Business, Chicago Social Magazine, CS Brides and ChicagoStyle Weddings. Inspired by fashion editorial and every day experiences, this duo will convey a poetic and unscripted visual narrative of your wedding. Simply put, they love what they do.