6 Holiday Wedding Tips from Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza River North

GUEST POST FROM HOLIDAY INN CHICAGO MART PLAZA RIVER NORTH

JPP Studios

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… and there’s no better time of year to host your wedding!

Whether you’re newly engaged or daydreaming of your ideal wedding day, the holidays are the perfect time of year to celebrate.  Surrounded by family, friends, and the magic of the holidays, let it transform your wedding day into an even more memorable time of year. Here are a few tips and reasons why a holiday wedding is the way to go!


1. Play up the festivity of the season and use the Holiday as the theme to your wedding celebration. An added bonus if your wedding venue already helps decorate the space!

2. You already love spending the holidays with your closest family and friends, and with a holiday wedding, your wedding party and guests won’t have to take off personal days from work if they need to travel to your nuptials.

JPP Studios

3. Make it easy on yourself and your guests by having the wedding ceremony, reception, and after-party all in one place! Hosting your wedding at a hotel not only keeps the day-of less chaotic by removing travel from the equation, but the details of your planning and wedding day will stay consistent and eliminate the need for vendor rentals ranging from chairs, china, stemware, catering, and your dance floor.  

4. A holiday wedding doesn’t fall between the peak wedding months of May thru September, meaning lower wedding minimums at many venues saving you money.

5. During the winter months, enjoy early sunsets setting the mood for a romantic evening with the sparkling city skyline as the perfect backdrop to your reception.

Angel Eyes Photography

Angel Eyes Photography

6. Best of all, you’ll be starting off the new year as a newly married couple!

If you’re ready to start planning your holiday wedding, contact the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza River North at 312-529-1124 or email us at wedding@martplaza.com. To learn more about hosting your wedding at the Mart Plaza, please visit our website!

Special thanks to JPP Studios, Timothy Whaley & Associates, Sprung Photo, and Angel Eyes Photography.

What Your Wedding Planner Needs to Know: "Tell Me Your Love Story"

GUEST POST BY FRANKLIN J., EVENT PLANNER WITH KENSINGTON FLORALS AND EVENTS

Image by Ocken Photography for ChicagoStyle Weddings

It’s official: I am a hopeless romantic. I am in love with Love and the idea of Love and everything that involves Love. From first dates and love letters, to stolen kisses and late night storytelling, I am obsessed with Love. And everything in between -- romantic comedies,Valentine’s Day, chocolate covered strawberries, and red velvet cake. All variations of Love.

It all starts with Love. A first date turned into a second one. Like at first sight that developed into more. Days turned into months, and months turned into years. And when you’re with the one you love, it feels like just a moment in time. You are in love and no one can tell you differently. This is it. You have found that person that you want to spend the rest of your life with, to grow old with, and to love until the end of time.

And what event is the culmination of all these things? A wedding. A ceremony merging two lives to one collective unit based on love, fueled with admiration and nurtured by grace. Every wedding, bridal shower and engagement party starts with Love. They asked, you said yes and you are on the beginning of a new path. A lifelong relationship built on the foundation of Love. And everything thereafter derives from each person’s individual experience with Love, and the collective expression of that love to one another.

I say all of this to show you how deeply in love I am with Love. And weddings. Of course, as a hopeless romantic, I am ALL about weddings -- from “City Chic” to “Rustic Charm.” From backyards to beaches, from the glam to the modest, and everything thing else in between, I am about weddings. And the details -- the flowers, the food, the venue, the invitations, the music. All these have a special place during the day to express something special about the couple.

It was only a matter of time until I decided join the wedding industry. Of course as a certified Wedding and Event Planner I needed to make my own approach. In my mind, a wedding is a couple’s love story -- from meeting to marriage -- being portrayed as they cross the threshold of single life into marital bliss in front of close family and friends. And each detail lays out a personal experience, favorite thing, or family value that directly relates to the engaged couple. And at the end, everyone in attendance will know their story.

Working with Kensington Florals and Events, I have had the pleasure to be a part of some amazing love stories with their own personal twists. A bride recently lost her grandmother before her wedding date, so a corsage was made in her honor and placed in an empty chair, and her handkerchief was included in her bridal bouquet. That was her personal experience.

Another couple loved Legos and built them together. They included Legos in the floral arrangements at their reception. That was their favorite thing!

A third couple wed during a Greek Orthodox ceremony that included a custom designed Stephana tray and flower petals for the Dance of Isaiah, in which they officially became husband and wife. That was their family value. Each of these weddings was beautiful and magical in their own individual way, each personalized by their own love story.

So, as a Certified Wedding and Event Planner with Kensington Florals and Events, I eagerly await hearing your story. Your first date, your love letters, the way they asked for your hand in marriage, and the reason you said yes. Every detail, unique moment, and personal story. Every favorite place to travel, hobby, or favorite memory. Every family tradition passed down through generations and heirlooms to be a part of your special day. 

Tell me your love story, and I will help you tell it again through your wedding day. Who knows? Your personal story could be told in your favors. Your favorite food included in your menu. Your family tradition intertwined in your ceremony. Your love story is your wedding date, and your chance for all of your guests to feel the love between you and your spouse. So get ready to tell that story again, for the world to see. And who better to help you tell that story?

A Hopeless Romantic like me.

A big thank you to Franklin J. and the team at Kensington Florals & Events! For more information on their wedding planning or floral design services, call 847.675.3789 or email
enquiry@kensingtonflorals.com!

Cupcake Magic: Jumbo Cupcakes Take On the Traditional Wedding Cake

GUEST POST BY BRIANA BOOKER, WEDDINGS CORRESPONDENT AT EXAMINER.COM

When planning a wedding, one of the things wedding guests will expect on the big day -- beyond a beautiful dress -- is dessert. Traditionally wedding receptions made the focal point of the menu a grand, multi-tiered wedding cake, but times have changed. Serving cupcakes at weddings is trending more than ever -- either to replace tier cakes or complement the traditional cake choice.

To understand the benefits of wedding cupcakes, I interviewed Chicago baker Clinique Cottingham from Bake-N-Cupcakes.

Clinique Cottingham has always been an entrepreneur and always worked for herself. Instead of making mini- or standard-sized cupcakes, Clinique wanted to create only Jumbo cupcakes so the enjoyment of eating them would keep people coming back for more.

In Chicago, people who order from Bake-N-Cupcakes rave about the cupcakes being moist, fluffy and absolutely amazing in flavor. There are even adult flavor options available, which are alcohol-infused cupcakes. Those popular flavors include Strawberry Daiquiri, Patron, and more. As for the most popular cupcake flavors for the Jumbo cupcake business, there are several, including:

• Triple Chocolate Threat
• Seductive Snickers
• Raging Red Velvet with Oreo Cookie
• Lip Smacking Lemon with Oreo Cookie
• Oreo Cookies & Cream
• Strawberry Shortcake
• And the Crazy Candy Combination

So, we asked Clinique some questions about Jumbo cupcakes to see how they fit into the wedding world!


In comparison to a regular sized cupcake, how big are jumbo cupcakes? 
They are 3.5 in diameter and the base is 2.5. If you are looking for gluten-free cupcakes, Bake-N-Cupcakes offers them but baked on “request only” and a 50% deposit must be put down.

What are the advantages of ordering jumbo cupcakes for your wedding?
You won’t have to worry about transportation issues. When you place your orders in a timely fashion, you can have them safely transported by having the cupcakes shipped directly to your event site. You don’t have to worry about the stress of transporting a seven-tier wedding cake or looking for ways to refrigerate the food items. Cupcakes are easier to store in a fridge in comparison to a tiered cake.

The overall look of jumbo cupcakes remains until the last bite. When you have a big wedding cake, it only remains as beautiful as the first cut slice. Shortly after it’s a train wreck -- there’s no such thing as cutting a perfect slice of cake for everyone. Often, the icing and cake filling get everywhere. With jumbo cupcakes, everyone has a perfect piece. And you can buy cupcakes that beautifully match your wedding decor!

How do you choose the right flavor?
With cupcakes, you can pick an assortment of cupcake flavors for the varied tastes of your wedding guests. As many of us know, it’s a struggle picking a wedding cake flavor every guest will love. You can't make everyone happy -- especially if your favorite flavors lean a bit more non-traditional than a typical wedding (hello, Ciroc Pineapple). With cupcakes, you can get something for everyone -- and maybe even a personal batch for you and your sweetheart!

What about storing the left overs?
If you don’t plan to eat your jumbo cupcakes right way, it's best to store them in the fridge. The cupcakes should either come in a box or airtight container.

Just a rule of thumb: no baked good with icing, eggs or milk in the formula should be kept at room temperature. That’s how bacteria forms. To prevent bacteria growth, you should always keep baked goods in the fridge.


If you are living in Chicago and searching for Bake-N-Cupcakes, the store is only online. You can place your order by emailing bakencupcakesyum@gmail.com or text 708-328-8657. Bake-N-Cupcakes delivers not only locally in Chicago, but also nationwide. To view samples of Bake-N-Cupcakes, check them out on Facebook and Instagram!

If you’re ready to add a little sweetness to your life and order jumbo cupcakes today, let us know how you use them for your wedding events and more! Enjoy!

Tips for a Wonderful Winter Wedding

GUEST POST BY THE INTERCONTINENTAL CHICAGO MAGNIFICENT MILE

Despite what people say, winter has its perks. Warm fires, comfort food, twinkling lights, and romantic settings are some of the things we look forward to when the weather gets colder. And before you get discouraged by the thought of a winter wedding, Chris Schmidt, the director of catering at the gorgeous InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, offers his ideas for making the most of your winter wedding, wowing guests with an amazing cold-weather fete:

• Integrate lots of candlelight into your decor for a warm ambiance
• As winter weather encroaches, consider upgrading to a more decadent red wine selection to enhance your dining experience
• Consider a venue that overlooks a beautiful street or park to take advantage of the holiday lights. We love a ballroom overlooking North Michigan Avenue, where you can see the lights twinkling down the Magnificent Mile
• Consider more unique menu options like pheasant or lamb as an cold-weather alternative
• Bring the outdoor campfire experience inside with a make-your-own S'mores bar
• Fall and winter weather brings the return of richer color palettes. Make sure to add in pin-spot lighting so that these rich colors really pop
• Consider a warm welcome beverage or after dinner drink to keep with the season

A huge thanks to Chris Schmidt and the team at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located at 505 N. Michigan Ave. Click here to request information about holding your wedding at this iconic location, or call (312)321-8735 for an appointment.


Photo courtesy of InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile.

Event Images: Pinstripes' Bollywood Celebration!

Pinstripes' Bollywood Celebration was one for the books! This unique wedding show gave guests the opportunity to meet local vendors and experience all the colorful and gorgeous glamour of Bollywood.

Marketing Director Keely Brennan says, "A big thanks to all of our sponsors and over 600 attendees who came out to join us! We look forward to hosting more Bollywood Celebrations in the future!"

Be sure to check out Pinstripes for your wedding or events! Fun bowling and bocce meet elegance in their timeless venue. Definitely a great place for the whole family! 

Photography by Johnny B Baijan, Baijan Photography