Shannon & Brian | Patrick Haley Mansion | Chicago Wedding Planner

Dec 26

To say this day was cold would be an understatement. It was a balmy 6 degrees on Shannon and Brian’s Chicago wedding day. As a Chicago wedding planner, I’m used to dealing with a variety of weather conditions from pouring rain, blinding sun and high heat and humidity. Summer and fall wedding typically rule the calendar. You can easily see why I was so excited when Shannon and Brian reached out. I first met them at Brian’s older sister’s wedding in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. They were a ball of fun. A dynamic couple who feed of of each other’s energy with fun quip and loving gestures. Shannon is a spitfire with the biggest heart for her students and family. Her and Brian made me laugh so much making this day such a blast.

The night before their wedding it snowed several inches. We emerged from the ceremony rehearsal to our cars freshly coated in a blanket of white. The group headed to dinner in celebration for the next day. Shannon and her bridesmaids got ready at her home. The bridesmaids were gifted costume fur shawls to help keep warm. They were married at St. Louise de Marrillac nestled in Brookfield where her mom married her dad years earlier, making the church a special place for the family. The day was so cold that the heat at the church couldn’t combat the cold temperatures. Most guest opted to stay in their coats including myself to keep warm. After the ceremony the wedding party headed out to the venue to sneak in a few outdoor photos before heading into the Patrick Haley Mansion for cocktails and the reception. One things I love helping couples with is pulling off a surprise for the their spouse. Brian asked if I could hid a few sets of bride and groom rubber duckies throughout the day for Shannon to find. While I never got the full story of their meaning, I was happy to sneak them into the bridal suite at church, the shuttle bus, and their head table. Shannon wanted to incorporate the holidays and used a variety of burgundy, red and gold in her wedding. You can see this in the variety of tall and low centerpieces set in gold stands as well the the gold rimmed plates for dinner. She added some gold with chivari chairs, gold framed signs and table numbers. It was stunning to see the room transform and embrace the such bold colors. Congrats Shannon and Brian.!