Chicago - April 23, 2008

Vow or Never

Spring 2008 Wedding Guide

Divorce. Cheating. Bad behavior by certain New York governors. We hate every minute of it. So we’re making a call to action: Let’s bring love back. We’re talking holding hands. Kissing in the street. And heck, even marriage. We dedicate this year’s guide to stomach butterflies. And to remembering why you said yes in the first place.

Love Handles
Have your cake and eat it with Take the Cake, who’ll bake you a veritable tower of edible love. Imaginative flavors (hazelnut, white buttermilk, chocolate fudge), fillings (creme brulee, chocolate mousse, strawberry conserve, coconut cream), and charming artistry will make your day as sweet as can be.

Head over Wheels
Want to be a real baller? Play out your Jay-Z/Beyoncé fantasies and ride away in a whopping Rolls from Elegant Motoring, replete with chauffer and just-married sign.

He Loves You, He Loves You Not
Whatever month you choose to wed, floral designer/event planner April Joy Recinos of April Joy Events will make it feel as if it were, well, April. Her Northern California roots inspire her organic, earthy technique, using natural, dramatic florals to create arrangements that make a statement.

Send Your Love
After you’re done nixing each other’s exes from the list, hit up Girl Metro for your invites. Designer Richelle Albrecht has twenty options, from modern to classic, along with custom designs.

Heart on Your Sleeve
Much as you love chiffon, heavy beading, and long sleeves, your mother’s dress is dated (read: old). For something more current, look to Elda de la Rosa. A School of the Art Institute of Chicago grad, de la Rosa has a couture collection to die for.

Eat Your Heart Out
Treat your guests to top-notch cuisine from J&L Catering. Combining classic with avant-garde, J&L will create the ultimate menu. Freshly baked bread, grilled halibut with lemon tarragon sauce, and orange blossom-scented crepes will satisfy everyone.

Love at First Sight
Stiff, posed wedding photography isn’t your style. Luckily, it’s not Pen Carlson Photography’s style, either. Preferring to document the day with candid shots, the husband and wife team (how fitting) shoots your wedding naturally. They design custom books and albums, too.

Kiss and Makeup
There’s only one person you should look like at your wedding: you. WTTW lead makeup artist Amy Spagnoli (847-476-5021 or amyspagnoli@yahoo.com) uses her fine art degree to create clean, polished looks for the big day. From bridal consultations and makeup lessons to touch-up work, Spagnoli provides the whole package. And we ain’t makin’ that up.

Here’s to love.

Want further inspiration for the big day? Check out our spring and fall 2007 wedding guides. Or see our Everywhere edition today.

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