Our bride and groom, Christen and Mike, met through a mutual friend and there first official date was the following night … love at first sight? Mike proposed to Christen atop a cliff overlooking the desolate Papkolea Green Sand Beach on the Big Island (Hawaii). A very rare type of beach, its unique olive green sand is made of a smi-precious stone eroded by the ocean and crushed into fine sand. Mike surprised Christen after a 3 mile hike through volcanic rock to get there.

Fun to know…Christen’s something old was a beautiful diamond that she won at the grand opening of a department store. Her parents had placed in on a ring setting that she was allowed to wear to church until she was old enough. By then, it was dated so it was put away in her mom’s jewelry box. Come her wedding day, her parents surprised her with her “old” diamond in a new beautiful necklace.

Ceremony: St. Hyacinth Basilica
Reception: The Blackstone Hotel
Wedding Gown: Lazaro
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Flowers: A Stem Above
Cake: Take the Cake
Entertainment: Bradley Young Orchestra
Rings: Harry Winston

Chris and I are high school sweethearts who dated for ten years before getting married. On a romantic trip to Las Vegas, Chris popped the question at the Venetian hotel. He took me by surprise when he brought a huge assortment of pastries up to our room, with one special box put aside. Inside? A chocolate torte (my favorite!) with a diamond ring.

As Ohio natives who have lived in Chicago for some time, we wanted our guests to enjoy the glamour and excitement of a Chicago wedding. We began planning an intimate wedding, selecting the Ritz Carlton hotel as an elegant backdrop for the reception. I did not use a wedding planner – who needs one when they’ve been dreaming of their wedding and all the details for this many years?

The ceremony was held at Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue. Afterwards, guests gathered in the Terrace of the Ritz Carlton for cocktails and the Dining Room for dinner. I wanted the wedding to embody modern elegance and romance, with a touch of sparkle. Jessica Griffin from Botanicals was able to meld my ideas into beautiful floral creations, which accented the rooms’ natural sophistication. Her selections far exceeded my expectations. One of the most unique elements of our wedding was the all-vegetarian fare. As a vegetarian couple, it meant a great deal to us to serve vegetarian food. Ours was the first such wedding hosted at the Ritz and they did a fabulous job! The festivities began with house-made deep-dish pizzas to keep with the Chicago theme. Chef created unique and delicious entrees and an ice cream sundae station (along with wedding cake) were served as sweet treats later in the night.

We will be forever indebted to our wonderful photographer, Jai Girard, who not only captured precious moments, but did so with exquisite elegance and beauty. We will treasure the images for years to come. A thank you to our family and friends is also in order – it would not have been the same without them!

Bridal Gown: Kenneth Pool with Swarovski crystal buttons added down the back. I tried on over 100 gowns before I found this one!
Headpiece & Shoes:  the Left Bank
Photographer: Jai Girard
Wedding Ceremony: Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago
Wedding Reception: The Ritz Carlton, Chicago
Florist:  Botanicals
Bridal Party Hair: Ginger Damato
Bridal Party Makeup: Wendy Woodside, Wendy City Faces
Bridesmaids’ Attire: Bella Bridesmaid
Music: Cagen Music, Incognito
Cake: Sarah’s Pastries & Candies

They were together over two years before Danny proposed. Danny thought the only appropriate way to propose to an angel was to take her up into the clouds. So he booked a helicopter tour of the Windy City. After the helicopter landed, Danny went around to help Jasmine out, and got onto one knee, pulled out the engagement ring and Jasmine said yes before he even uttered a word.

Jasmine wanted to create a romantic feminine style without being obvious. A cream palette kept everything soft and ethereal. She loved having the bridesmaids in cream with the contrasting purple flowers. The hints of purple added to the romantic feminine look.

The Elysian Hotel was the reception location. The bride fell in love at a glance! Every room was more beautiful than the next. And then she entered the ballroom and saw the chandeliers and the balcony – it was perfect. Jasmine mentioned to the manager that she wanted to get married outdoors in a park and she told her about Washington Square Park two blocks away. Mom and daughter walked over to the park with the fountain and the flowers and just fell in love again!

When asked what they thought was the best part of their wedding, they answered:

“…that moment we clasped hands and had the wreath of orchids around our shoulders, speaking our vows face to face holding back the tears…the best part of our wedding was being in our own world for that moment in time.”

Bride: Jasmine Alvarado-Paxson
Groom: Daniel Paxson
Date of Wedding: 9-18-10
Venue: Washington Square Park
Reception: The Elysian Hotel
Photographer: Lex Alexander
Planner: BCR Events
Floral/Décor Designer: Kehoe Designs
Bridal gown: Anne Barge