CG Bridal Fall 2015

Fall 2015

Your Wedding Resource Bridal Guide

REAL WEDDINGS Congratulations Rhonda & Donald

Chicagoland’s Top Wedding Vendors

cgbridalmag.com

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REAL WEDDINGS

Rhonda & Donald

Hello! And Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. I created CG Bridal for brides who are looking for some of the best Wedding Vendors that Chicagoland has to offer. CG Bridal gives a voice to some pretty unique and unbelievably talented wedding professionals that you should know about.

Planning your big day can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Relax, take a peek inside and have fun. You’re worth it!

~ Claudia Grace

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FEAUTURED On The Cover JENNY TAYLOR

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06 TOP 3 PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FOR BRIDES 10 KEYS FOR YOUR BEST DAY EVER! 12 BON MACARON TASTES LIKE PARIS MADE LOCAL 18 REAL WEDDINGS Congratulations to Rhonda & Donald

22 YOUR WEDDING DJ MORE THAN SOMEONE JUST PLAYING MUSIC

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30 A SPECIAL TIP WHEN PLANNING YOUR WEDDING 46 DIRECTORY

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As a photographer with over 17 years in the industry... I’ve seen a lot and I’ve learned a lot. These are my top 3 tips for looking great in photographs on your big day: 1. Love the way you look. If you are not happy with your hair or makeup, it’s ok to change your mind. This is your day to be a beautiful bride. This is your day to shine. You are the belle of the ball. When you feel beautiful, you will be radiant with confidence. And that confidence will shine through in your photos.

2. Book an Engagement Session with the same photographer that will be shooting your wedding. This is a great opportunity to get comfortable with your photographer and feel confident in his/her work. You’ll also have your save-the-date photos and a beautiful picture you can use for your sign in board.

3. Laughing Photos Rock. Don’t underestimate the beauty of laughing. It gives you that lovely approachable sweetness that is absolutely contagious!

Photographers love smiling, laughing, happy brides. ~ Claudia Grace

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Keys For Your BEST DAY EVER!

Dearest Princess Bride…

“You don’t know, what you don’t know” - Let’s fix that!

I have been planning, designing, coordinating and executing events for 25 years. I have worked with every kind of Princess Bride, Queen Mother and budget in the Midwest and beyond so, I am confident when I say – whether your wedding will be a $10,000 or $100,000 affair, you shouldn’t do it without me and the sooner you hire me the better. I will save you time, money and a mountain of stress. My presence ensures a JOYful Journey to I Do and I guarantee your BEST DAY EVER! With that in mind, Princess Bride, I hope you will take to heart what I am sharing here, because it is coming from mine and it is KEY for your BEST DAY EVER. THIS DAY HAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF HOURS AS EVERY OTHER and IT IS GOING TO FLY BY. YOU NEED A DETAILED, WELL CONSTRUCTED and REALISTIC TIMELINE. It needs to be communicated to every vendor as soon as possible so that they can weigh-in and then resent and confirmed the week of the wedding.

THE REVEAL is ‘The REAL DEAL!’ Do It! You have purchased the most expensive and beautiful dress of your lifetime.

You have hired a professional photographer. By doing the REVEAL you get to spend the day with your Handsome Groom surrounded by your Nearest & Dearest. And then, when it is time to walk down the aisle and say your vows, you aren’t as nervous and you are able to be fully present and actually remember and cherish the moment.

HAIR & MAKE-UP is where the day goes wrong.

Don’t think because you have a couple of hours there is plenty of time. It depends on how many Maids you have, and how many Stylists you have and the time they need for each girl.

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THE BOTTOM LINE‌ Princess Brides should awake on their wedding day filled with joy and be able to be fully present in every moment with their Nearest & Dearest Maids and Queen Mother. Queen Mothers should be calm and able to be in every moment with their Princess Bride and her Nearest & Dearest Maids. Neither, Queen Mother or Princess Bride should have to be answering texts and calls from Vendors, watching the time and directing everyone. Queen Mothers should be able to enjoy the morning with their Princess Bride and then hosting their guests who have come to join in the celebration. Although there is more FOOD FOR THOUGHT, these are the BIGGEST and BEST, and will help ensure that your ONE DAY is your BEST DAY EVER!

Thinking of YOU!

Kelly Delamater

Backyard Soiree Weddings and Events www.backyardsoiree.com

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Tastes Like Paris made Local!

Macarons (mah-kah-ROHN) are an iconic food item in Europe.

A “MacarOOn” is a tasty coconut-based cookie. European Macarons are well known in Italy, France and Switzerland. All three countries use different meringue techniques creating a different style cookie. Some have traced the French debut back to the arrival of Catherine de Medici’s Italian pastry chefs whom she brought with her in 1533 upon marrying Henry II of France. The finest macarons in Paris today are made by Pierre Hermé and Ladurée.

Making macarons is technical and takes time and commitment to master. It takes two hours to make a batch; making successful meringue, the macaronage process (mixing the meringue with the dry ingredients), hand-piping each shell to the same size, hand-piping the fillings and hand assembly.

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Bon Macaron Founder/Chef, Catherine Cooper, is a Chicago area native and learned to produce macarons at Ecole Ferrandi Paris. All European macarons are naturally gluten-free made of almond meal, sugar and egg whites, and are filled with buttercream, jam or chocolate. The Bon Macaron facility is also GF and all products safe for those with gluten allergies.

Cooper suggests serving macarons during your event such as sweets table or a small course for the champagne toast or tea/coffee, “A fruit flavor macaron compliments Champagne perfectly, and is an elegant and stylish way to welcome your guests.�

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Bon Macaron (cont.)

Bon Macaron was the first macaron specialty shop to open in Illinois in June 2014. Open by appointment, clients contact to customize an order for pick-up or delivery. Small to large orders welcome! Classic and Playful flavors available. Bon Macaron offers the premium quality macaron in the Chicago area. Each cookie costs over $2 and filled with the highest quality French chocolate ganache. Look for retail Saturday announcements on FB/Instagram Bon Macaron Chicago. The “Bon Macaron Boutique� is open by appointment along with select Saturdays for walk-in clients. Contact to customize an order for pick-up/delivery for any day of the week! Small to large orders welcome!

Bon Macaron 1407 W Grand Avenue Chicago 60642 (312) 228-4325 www.bonmacaronchicago.com FB/Instagram Bon Macaron Chicago

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Rhonda & Donald “…..I’m Sure It’s You”

Donald and I met in 2011 shortly after my job relocated to New Orleans.

Donald worked for the apartment complex where I lived and every morning would greet me as I left for work with a pleasant smile. I still had my home in Mississippi, so every Friday my son and I would pack up to go home, just to return Monday morning for work and school. Each Monday, Donald (like clockwork) would be in the area around my apartment waiting to say hello, and to see if I needed anything and to inquire about my weekend at home in Jackson, Mississippi.

During our many conversations in passing, Donald would mention his love for fishing and promised to take me to the lake one day. I remember returning to my desk one evening thinking I was going to stay late when Donald called and asked to see me. Little did I know he was by my apartment, with all of his fishing gear on the back of his truck for a “fishing date.” I remember thinking, “Who does that?” I laugh when I think back to that day.

He caught 2 fish, I caught an Eel…..and we caught each other.

Three years would pass and our friendship blossomed into a relationship that neither one of us had ever had; nor imagined ever having.

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Without effort we found ourselves hopelessly in love with one another and anxious to build a future together as husband and wife. It was at that same pier that he took me fishing our first date, and that we visited frequently, that Donald would surprise me by going down on one knee and proposing marriage. Without hesitation I accepted his proposal and 4 months later we walked down the aisle at a small and intimate wedding with our family and closest friends.

photo credit: Claudia Grace Photography

location: Marrero, Louisiana

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So you’re engaged. Now it’s time to plan the wedding and reception. You have many options for entertainment and music for the day. We are going to talk about DJ’s and a few things to look for in a professional DJ service.

The first thing is to understand is that a DJ is more than someone playing music. This person is also your time manger and command center for the evening.

Sound is also important and understanding how sound works for your venue.

Ask questions of your DJ and get to know them. They are the ones who will be doing the introductions of the wedding party and making announcements throughout the event.

Next, ask if they have references. Speak with previous customers and find out how they performed. Would they refer one of their friends to this DJ? Would they hire them again if they had to do it over? Did they feel comfortable with the DJ? Was the job done correctly?

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Third, ask about insurance. Find out if they have just liability or full coverage. It’s a similar scenario to someone driving that hits you; you want that person to have full coverage. Many venues actually require $1,000,000 of coverage for all vendors. If property is damaged by the DJ, who will pay?

The DJ should, but you may be on the hook for it if they don’t have the right insurance.

Next, type their name into a search engine, e.g. Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.; and read what comes up. Most reviews are helpful and can give you a glimpse into how they work. If the have a bad review, read it and see if it is warranted for the job they did. If they have 10 good ones and one bad one about something out of their control, you know that they are good to go. How is their website? Do they even have one? Also look at social media, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest etc.

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Your Wedding DJ (Cont.)

Last is price. We all love the best price. On your wedding, your DJ is one of the most important parts of the night. They are the ones who control the flow of the event. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. A good wedding DJ will spend about 30 to 40 hours before the wedding to make sure that they have the right music and all of the right gear for the event. A good DJ will also have backup gear on site; if something goes wrong, they can swap out the bad part.

I hope that this information helps you in choosing a DJ for your special day and wish you and your loved one many years of happiness.

Buddy and Tracy Mueller T.B.M. Productions www.tbmproductionsdj.com info@tbmproductionsdj.com 773-888-DJ4U (3548)

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A Special Tip When Planning Your Wedding Whether recently engaged or planning for some time, planning your wedding can be exciting and frightening at the same time. All of the thoughts of what to start doing or what to choose takes over and in an instant “POOF” you’re overwhelmed. You start thinking about how to tie your vision together with your soon-to-be hubby and find out that the two of you may not be on the same page. Immediately, the disconnect of what you would like for your special day and what your fiancé wants is no longer in sync. Here is a tip to help you!

Make a date with your fiancé to spend a relaxing evening at home. Pick a nice comfy room where he can think freely, give him a coffee (or even a beer!) and ask him to write down 20 qualities that he would like for the wedding (i.e., romantic, luxurious, avant-garde, casual, cool, small, stylish, exuberant, impromptu, formal). You do the same, but in another room; making sure that the two of you DO NOT share your list until they are complete. You can even take a few days to think about it. But once it’s done for both of you, combine your lists together.

You’ll find that you have some qualities that align and those are the ones you start to build on. However, if you don’t have enough in common, which could potentially happen, talk about the ones that are important to you/him and try to come out with at least five but no more than eight that you can agree upon to build a foundation for your day. It’s the best way to avoid problems while you are planning your wedding.

Let this be the foundation that you build you day upon and when in doubt or dispute, reflect back to this exercise.

Happy Planning!

Sharon Ringier

SharonRingier.com 847-219-1080

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Directory ALCOHOL Alcohol Party Catering alcoholpartycatering.com 815-873-0405

Ceremony/Reception Venues Cantigny Weddings cantignygolf.com 630.260.8145 Chapel in the Pines chapelinthepines.com 815/895-4797 City View Loft www.cityviewloftchicago.com 3126008439 Garden Terrace Banquets GardenBanquets.com 773-736-1385 Great Hall at Union Station chicagounionstation.com 312-655-2481

Marquette Park Gary Pavilion marquetteparkgary.com 219/938-7362 National Hellenic Museum nationalhellenicmuseum.org (312) 655-1234

BDM Productions bdmproductions.com 630-291-5986

Pine Manor pinemanorchicago.com 847-873-7463

Keith Christopher Ent. Group keithchristopher.com 847-278-1050

Prairie Street Brewhouse psbrewhouse.com (815) 277-9427

Premier Entertainment premier-dj.net (630) 450-7106

Radisson Hotel- Rockford radisson.com/rockford (815) 226-2100

Prestige Sound & Lighting

Royal Gardens Banquets GardenBanquets.com 773-736-1131

T.B.M. Productions tbmproductionsdj.com 773-888-3548

White Eagle Golf Club www.whiteeaglegc.com (630) 983-0012

Cakes & Desserts

Hilton Orrington/Evanston hotelorrington.com 847.866.8700

Amy Beck Cake Design, LLC amybeckcakedesign.com 3125453655

Holiday Inn Gurnee higurnee.com 224-944-0602

BON MACARON bonmacaronchicago.com 312.228.4325

Hub Studio Loft hubstudioloft.com 3123744013

Cakes xo www.cakesxo.com 815-838-4145

Los Altos de Eros losaltosdeeros.com 800-391-1944

Desiree Chocolates desireechocolates.com (847) 444-1263

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DJ’s

prestigesoundandlighting.com

219-262-2925

Florists Aberdeen’s Wedding Florists aberdeens.com 773-282-8272 Of Course ‘Aisle’ Marry You chicagoplanners.com (312) 952-0033

Honeymoon Sand Castle On The Beach sandcastleonthebeach.com

800.524.2018

Musicians David Rothstein Music drsmusic.com 773.244.1239 Fretless Strings fretless.webs.com 262.488.2363 Potts & Pans Steelband pottsandpans.org (815) 245-3624 Tristan String Quartet tristanstringquartet.com (815)793-4901

Officiants Gay Wedding Chicago Site gayweddingchicagosite.com 847-873-7463

Rent a Rev

www.rentarev.com/ 847.854.1230

Photographers Brett Paul Photography brettpaulphotography.com (815) 762-2390 Claudia Grace Photography ClaudiaGracePhotography.com

888-520-0920

Ell Adele Photography elladelephoto.com 815.721.6391 Fred Fox Studios fredfox.com 847-882-3366

Jenny Taylor Boudoir Photography jennytaylorboudoirs.com (630) 605-0990 Jolie Images jolieimages.com (847) 850-7052 Katherine M. Photography katherinemphotography.com 815.757.3018

Videographer Our Wedding Movie ourweddingmovie.com 630-344-9668 WM Films wmfilms.net 773-972-0902

Specialty Services Donner Ferris-artist donnerferris.com

Wedding Expos

Flashes of Hope flashesofhope.org 440-442-9700

Windy City Wedding Show windycityweddingshow.com (847) 278-1050

Memorial Videos memorialbooklets.com

The Complete Wedding Expo thecompleteweddingexpo.com

Miss Fit Britt 815-293-7398

847-254-0621

Share Your Love drmusic.com/sharelove 773-244-1239

Wedding Planners Backyard Soiree backyardsoiree.com (815) 703-0006 Divine Elegance Things divineelegancethings.com (773) 505-3470 Toopes Events toopesevents.com Sharon Ringier Events sharonringier.com 847.219.1080

To advertise with us visit cgbridalmag.com or call us at 888.287.8220

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