You would be hard pressed to find two nicer and more laid back people than Kate and Chris.  Working with them was such a pleasure!  I think my favorite moment was after the ceremony when they were about to enter the cocktail hour.  They had just come back inside from taking pictures with the talented Rob Warner from Warner Foto when Chris turned and pulled me into a great big bear hug and whispered “thank you, thank you for everything you are amazing and this is exceptional.  I can’t even believe it”  What a great pay off, and from the Groom to boot!

Kate was referred to me by one of my all time favorite brides, Amy Barnes Gollan, which is always a great way to meet a new client. I had an extra good time at this wedding because  I got to catch up with the Barnes family (I have done a couple of events with them).  We also had an outstanding crew of vendors on this event which always makes the day more fun!

The ceremony and reception were held at The School of The Art Institute Ballroom.  The space is majestic and beautiful and the perfect backdrop for such a special occasion.  Kate walked down the aisle to the delightful sounds of Amarante Ensembles  and they were married by a family friend. Having a personal connection with your wedding officiant is wonderful and really makes the experience more personal for the couple as well as their guests.

Cocktails were held on the upper level of the ballroom with an extra cool musical mix the groom put together.  As the guests enjoyed their drinks, we performed a little magic on the main floor and turned the ceremony space into an elegant reception area with a twist.  Fleur, Inc. designed contemporary and elegant centerpieces in all white aglow with massive amounts of candle light. Kate and Chris really wanted the evening to be relaxed and unique so we decided to do food stations.  Weddings by Blue Plate treated us to retro foods and mashed potatoes in martini glasses (white and sweet!) with all the toppings, just to name a few.  Then the dessert station turned everyone into a sweet craving frenzy!   I even got an early sample of my all time favorite, the “horizontal tart” thanks to Ken, Sales Manager extraordinaire (I included a picture below, how could I not).  The totally yummy wedding cake was made by The Swedish Bakery, one of my favorite old bakeries (nothing beats wonderful tasting cake at an excellent price). All the while guests danced the night away thanks to the very cool and super skilled Rolland from The Sound Lounge.

Thank you Kate and Chris, for allowing Greatest Expectations to play such a special role in this extraordinary day.

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the day, enjoy!