Here at Chicago Lighting Design we are so happy to be a part of Amanda and Mike’s wedding day. They are a great couple and very deserving of such a memorable event. I had the opportunity to meet with them recently to discuss design details. They are both very excited about every detail, from invitations to linens, to the decor. We will help them redefine their ceremony space, making it more intimate and special, using some lighting to accent the windows and walls of their event space, the West Loop Studio. We’ll be draping some areas of the space to separate the kitchen area, using some fun fabrics and accenting them with light. This will be the first time we’ve lit “King’s Tables” which are long, rectangular tables that will fit perfectly in the space. Our biggest challenge is to transform a counter into a fun bar area. We have several ideas in the works and are very excited to put them into practice. It’ll be a great day for a great couple.
Stay tuned for blog posts from the other sponsors featured in this video montage by Poetic Productions!
I am very excited to be a part of Amanda and Mike’s eleven eleven WEDDING. They came in with a very unique design concept for their wedding cake so that made me excited and intrigued from the start. Their cake is going to incorporate their love of music, which is also how they met. They wanted to pair their love of music with the design and color scheme of the entire wedding so we decided to use shiny green fondant as the base of the cake. We will add antiqued looking sugar sheet music and tie in stylized flowers to make it look really amazing. They will also celebrate their Italian and Irish heritage with sculpted sugar cake toppers that are the Celtic Love Knot and an Italian Horn.
They picked some amazing flavors that will really compliment their fall wedding including red velvet with cream cheese (which happens to be Heather from Greatest Expectations favorite), pumpkin cake with chocolate chips paired with alternating layers of cream cheese and cinnamon ginger buttercream. Finally, the largest tier will be chocolate bourbon cake paired with alternating layers of raspberry buttercream and chocolate ganache. All scrumptious. I cannot wait to present it to them on November 11th!
Allow me to start by saying I fell in love with Amanda & Mike the second I saw their video on the eleven eleven website. I first met them at the live reveal party at Zed451, I could feel the sincerity and warmness of their hearts and it flowed to their parents.
For our planning meeting we met at a local coffee shop, I explained that my job as their Celebrant was to create a ceremony that should be an expression of their heart and soul. Simple or elaborate, traditional or cutting-edge, formal or casual, collectively we will create a meaningful ceremony tailored just for Amanda and Mike. They were excited about having their love story told during their ceremony. As a Celebrant, believe in the power and effectiveness of ceremony and ritual. I collaborate with my clients to create and perform personalized ceremonies that reflect the clients’ beliefs, philosophy of life and personalities; not the my own.
Unity rituals were a big topic during our discussion, they were interested in having some elements of their ceremony be traditional, however, and they also wanted to incorporate non-traditional rituals. Hand fasting or “tying the knot” is a Celtic ritual of tying the bride and grooms hands together with a cord or ribbon in a love knot signifying the tying together of two hearts and two families forever, Amanda and Mike loved the idea of tying their souls together with a love knot.
Humor is what gets Amanda & Mike through tough times and they would like to include it in the ceremony. Family means everything to them and they look forward to honoring their families on their wedding day. When Heather from Greatest Expectations first told me about this contest I was excited to do something extra special for a deserving couple, I am truly blessed and honored to be Amanda & Mike’s Wedding Celebrant.
I was so happy to join the amazing group of participants for the Eleven Eleven Wedding, but am even *more* excited after meeting with Amanda and Mike! One of the first things that Amanda said (after many sincere “thank you’s”) was that she and her fiance are a “Chicago couple,” which is music to my ears. It is because of this common admiration of our fair city that I decided to create a custom line, Third Coast Collection, that screams: Chicago!
Wedding Invitation: I am no traditionalist, but I appreciate nothing more than an elegant calligraphed wedding invitation. For Amanda and Mike, we are designing just that: an elegant hand written, letterpress invitation, letterpress on the front and a beautiful with a hand drawn map of Chicago on the back. Simply gorgeous!
Rehearsal Invitations: I believe that rehearsal invitations, like thank you cards and save the dates, should be fun, spunky and in *any* color you want. Rehearsals are rarely the same feel as the wedding, so the invitation shouldn’t be either! We are going with a modern outline image of the skyline in teal and papaya.
Day of Details: One of my favorite pieces to design is the wedding program, which is shocking to most. The reason I love designing the program so much is because I believe if you are going to do anything, anything at all, do it right. Forgo the program if you must, but if you are going to have one, it should require just as much thought and effort as every other piece. For this “Chicago couple” we are designing a program that mimics the CTA purple line (of course).
Catch a glimpse of our meeting on the video link in the fleur post and stay tuned for pictures!
It was so exciting to finally meet Amanda and Mike!
Through the (Greatest Expectations) grapevine, word was that they both were interested in a very “country chic” style. Hearing this brought nothing short of a flurry of ideas to share with them. Their color palette is dusty yet vibrant, dramatic, and filled with ambiance and romance. They share a love for an eclectic style paired with a certain familiarity that offers something sweet and heartwarming. And despite their non-traditional tendencies, simplicity was an adjective often used.
Our shared ideas held on as almost endless, flirting with river rocks, rosemary, artichokes, chalkboards, grapevine, succulents, trailing ribbons, moss, and so much more. We discussed mason jars, candles, mix-matched pieces and mercury glass. Blooms included garden roses, hydrangea, ornamental kale, dusty miller, Queen Anne’s lace and orchid florets. I know I’m beginning to sound like a broken record, but this couple’s style just has me gushing! The flowers they love are just exquisite!
Amanda and Mike are such a delight. Our conversation regarding stylized tables and floral blossoms moved along just wonderfully. However, the obvious and larger picture was the two of them as a couple. Their laugher and smiles both carried the conversation and the all-embracing spirit encompassed our time shared together. Throughout the entire meeting they turned to one another, smiled, held hands and were as happy as you can imagine. They are truly in love and behind their bliss for the planning and process of the wedding, the larger joy stems from their love for one another. Amanda and Mike, congratulations on your engagement, and a deeply heartfelt thank you for allowing Fleur to be a part of your wedding on Eleven-Eleven.
Here is a fantastic video from Poetic Productions showing several meetings Amanda and Mike had with some of their wedding sponsors. We hope you enjoy it!
Here at Jenny Yoo, when we were approached by Heather from Greatest Expectations to participate in the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway we were thrilled! After hearing the three stories and getting to know the couples, it definitely went to another level. Once the winner was announced we were so happy for Amanda and Mike!
Amanda was a pleasure to work with! She was a fun, yet simple easy going bride. The dress she picked will look stunning on her for the big day! We are so thankful to have gone through this experience and hope we have made an impact on the happy couple for their special day!
Thank you for your patience with us as we worked hard to create the video from the live reveal party at ZED451! Check out the amazing video by Poetic Productions. You will see a little of each couples finalist interview, highlights from the party and the big announcement.
We posted some amazing photo’s of our winners the day after the party but wanted to share a few more from this magical night! Thanks to Amanda Hein for capturing these special moments.
The rooftop deck of ZED451 was perfect for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and the guests truly enjoyed the beautiful music provided by the Becca Kaufman Orchestra.
Once inside, we watched the finalists interviews and announced the winner. We love these images of the finalists watching their videos. A special thank you to Len from Chicago Lighting Design for the beautiful lighting work and Rich from Still Point Creative for the audio visual equipment!
Last night was the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway live reveal party at ZED451! It was truly a magical night and we want to thank all of our sponsors who went the extra mile to make everything just perfect. Gina and the staff at ZED451 truly outdid themselves! Also a giant thank you to Poetic Productions for creating the outstanding interview video and shooting footage of last night’s event, Amanda Hein Photography for capturing all of the details and emotions, Chicago Lighting Design for enhancing the room with beautiful lighting, BKO for providing musical entertainment, Still Point Creative for stepping in last minute to provide the audio visual and Michelle Moy for her breathtaking design work!
I must admit, this has been a very emotional journey for me (and many other sponsors) and last night I was overjoyed to be announcing a winner but also heart broken for the two couples that did not win. I feel honored and privileged to have been invited into each of their lives and I wish them nothing but love and happiness for the rest of their lives.
So now I guess you want to know who won, right?
By secret ballot from each of the sponsors … I am proud to announce that Amanda and Mike are the winners of the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway! They were gracious and thrilled when their names were announced and we couldn’t be happier for them!
We won’t have all of the event pictures until next week but Amanda Hein was kind enough to give us a few shots of the lucky couple. I promise to post more as soon as we have them!
Amanda took pictures of each finalists during the cocktail party on the rooftop. It was a beautiful evening without a cloud in the sky. Then we went inside to watch the video interviews and just as we started the sky opened up and down came the rain … Just in time! It was a heartwarming experience to look around the room and see each of the finalists tear up as they watched not only their story but the other finalists stories as well. The anticipation built as we prepared to announce the winner, especially because not even the sponsors knew who the winners were and let me tell you keeping a secret like that is a lot of pressure! Each couple was surrounded by family and friends as we announced the big news! I don’t think I could describe the reaction and mood in the room, but perhaps these images from Amanda will tell you all you need to know.
I absolutely loved seeing Amanda and Mike’s families reactions in these pictures. The emotion was overwhelming! Shortly there after you could see the excited text messages flying
We couldn’t be more excited to get to work with such an amazing, strong couple and can’t wait to help them plan their dream wedding!
Wow – what a week of voting!! More than 16,000 votes came in for the ten amazing semi-finalists. We would like to thank all of our ten semi-finalists! Your stories were inspiring and we wish you nothing but love and happiness in your lives together. Also a big thank you to everyone who voted, we could not have done it with out you.
We will be meeting the finalists this week for interviews and the winner will be announced at ZED451 during our live reveal party!!
Amanda & Mike
Amanda and Mike met when she auditioned for his band; turns out he liked more than her voice. They were instantly in love, but adversity struck when the recession hit and Mike lost his job and faced several health issues; a collapsed lung, and 2 Pulmonary Embolisms, to name a few. For some people this may have been too much to handle but it has brought Amanda and Mike closer than ever! Once out of the hospital Mike took Amanda to Michigan,where he spent summers as a child, for a break from it all. As they watched the sunset that night on the waterfront he asked her to marry him. He had even designed a ring for her using the stones from all four of their Grandmothers’ rings.
The moment they are most looking forward to is when they look into each other’s eyes and say “I do.”
Katelin & Phil
Katelin & Phil met four years ago in college, at a good old fashioned college party where they stayed up talking all night. The friend who introduced them says he cannot imagine them without one another.
Since first meeting, Phil and Katelin have endured being separated by army boot camp, family locations, and summer jobs. Once they finally lived together in Chicago Phil popped the question.
Throughout their relationship, Katelin and Phil have had to constantly watch their money and hold back from doing things together because of their financial situation and they come from families without the financial means to help them with a wedding. Both of their families live in other states and, should they win the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway, they plan to use any money they have saved to fly their family members in for the big day.
The moment they are most looking forward to on their wedding day is after all of the formalities are taken care of, and they can look around and really appreciate all of the individual aspects of the wedding—the people, the decorations, the table arrangements, the setting and their dearest loved ones.
Jennifer & Fred
Jennifer and Fred both work for the Cook County Sheriff’s Department. When Jennifer was transferred to the unit where Fred worked, the sparks immediately started to fly. After three short months they knew they were meant for one another and moved in together. Fred proposed in November of 2009 while at a friends wedding. Jennifer was completely surprised!
Jennifer is a single mother, the youngest of 5 and the last of her siblings to get married. Her father won’t be able to walk her down the aisle because he is extremely ill and even has a hard time leaving the house. To make matters worse, her mother recently suffered a massive stroke. She and her siblings spend most of their free time taking care of their parents, as well as their own children. Jennifer says she feels selfish planning a wedding in the midst of such hardship. The thought of the extra expense right now is overwhelming.
The moment they most look forward to on their wedding day is when Jennifer walks down the aisle and sees Fred for the first time.
We received so many wonderful submissions for the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway! As a team we want to thank each and every one of you who shared your love story with us. It was such a pleasure getting to know each of you at least a little bit.
Unfortunately we could only select ten semi-finalists so we had a very difficult decision to make, and let me tell you it was not easy in any way. That said, we are presenting you with ten amazing couples who have shared their wonderful stories with us and who also truly deserve to win this amazing wedding.
So here’s your chance to help your favorite couple get into the top three!! Their stories are below. At the end you will be able to vote for your favorite couple. The three couples with the highest number of votes, as of 11:59 p.m. on May 17th, will be our finalists. They will then meet with the eleven eleven WEDDING team for interviews and get to participate in our amazing live reveal party at ZED451 on June 1st.
The couples are listed in random order below!
Kristy & Dustin
Kristy and Dustin met in Chicago four years ago. They always work hard to put family first, often setting their own needs aside. Dustin proposed by filling their hallway with roses and waiting for Kristy on bended knee then arranged a romantic dinner and a meet up with close friends. He even flew her sister in from out of state.
This year marks Kristy’s 5 year cancer free milestone!! Due to their medical bills, student loans and other financial obligations they have put their wedding on hold. Both in their 30’s, they want to get married and start a family as soon as possible.
The moment they are most looking forward to on their wedding day is the first time they see one another.
Danae & Juan
Danae and Juan met in college where their friendship quickly grew into love. They have two beautiful children together and this past summer Juan planned a wonderful proposal in Miami. But his plan to propose at a John Legend concert didn’t pan out, so instead he proposed at a small Italian restaurant. On a warm evening with the glow of candle light Juan had their waiter take a picture, and before the first snap, he was kneeling. The entire restaurant cheered when Danae said “yes!”
Everyday they talk about the wedding and what they want it to be like, but most especially how to save for the wedding. Difficult economic times have made saving a challenge.
Juan says the moment he is most looking forward to is seeing Danae walking down the aisle in a wonderful gown. Her maids of honor in blue (her favorite color and and the hue of her sapphire engagement ring) and seeing her wonderful smile as their family looks on.
Katelin & Phil
Katelin & Phil met four years ago in college, at a good old fashioned college party where they stayed up talking all night. The friend who introduced them says he cannot imagine them without one another.
Since first meeting, Phil and Katelin have endured being separated by army boot camp, family locations, and summer jobs. Once they finally lived together in Chicago Phil popped the question.
Throughout their relationship, Katelin and Phil have had to constantly watch their money and hold back from doing things together because of their financial situation and they come from families without the financial means to help them with a wedding. Both of their families live in other states and, should they win the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway, they plan to use any money they have saved to fly their family members in for the big day.
The moment they are most looking forward to on their wedding day is after all of the formalities are taken care of, and they can look around and really appreciate all of the individual aspects of the wedding—the people, the decorations, the table arrangements, the setting and their dearest loved ones.
Peta & John
Peta and John had both been through a lot when they met. Having just ended long term marriages, they both had little hope of a happy ending. But then there was a speed-dating event. In the brief minutes they spoke, they connected as single parents. Although they both quickly knew it was a long term relationship, it took 3 years before John was ready to propose. His surprise was almost blown, however, when the kids got wind of it. Surrounded by their children, John proposed and Peta said “yes.”
Together, they have four children to whom they are deeply devoted. Two of those children have special needs, one extreme, and the other one more mild. The needs of their children make the prospect of planning and paying for a wedding extremely difficult. Physical barriers, special feeding requirements, extra helpers, child care scheduling issues and the associated extra costs are all issues that few brides need to manage.
The moment they are most looking forward to is being surrounded by their loved ones as they join themselves and their families together.
Amanda & Mike
Amanda and Mike met when she auditioned for his band; turns out he liked more than her voice. They were instantly in love, but adversity struck when the recession hit and Mike lost his job and faced several health issues; a collapsed lung, and 2 Pulmonary Embolisms, to name a few. For some people this may have been too much to handle but it has brought Amanda and Mike closer than ever! Once out of the hospital Mike took Amanda to Michigan,where he spent summers as a child, for a break from it all. As they watched the sunset that night on the waterfront he asked her to marry him. He had even designed a ring for her using the stones from all four of their Grandmothers’ rings.
The moment they are most looking forward to is when they look into each other’s eyes and say “I do.”
Marta & Chris
Marta & Chris both moved to Chicago for their careers. After being robbed at gunpoint while walking home from work, Marta took a medical leave to stay with family. When she returned to work (as a flight attendant) she was assigned to a flight with Chris (an airline pilot). He helped her find a new, safer neighborhood and the rest is history.
Chris had planned to propose in Paris this past April but the ash from Iceland’s volcano prevented them from leaving Chicago. Instead he proposed after a romantic dinner at home. They met in Chicago, fell in love in Chicago, and feel that there is no better place in the world for them to get married.
What they are most looking forward on their wedding day is having all of their closest friends, and family together to share one of the happiest moments of their lives.
Brandy & Jim
Brandy and Jim met two summers ago through friends. They hit if off right away and they say their relationship has come to be the sweetest joy of their lives. Jim proposed to Brandy on her birthday this year. He presented her with a stack of birthday gifts and after she opened the last box he told her to look inside to find her bonus gift. Jim got down on one knee as Brandy opened the box quickly and the ring flew out, getting lost in the couch cushions. After a quick search, the ring was found and he proposed using her grandmother’s engagement ring saying “This ring means so much to you, and has such great family history. Even though your grandma is physically gone, we can still honor her spirit in the rest of our lives together as we add our own love to the history of this ring.”
Both Brandy and Jim work full-time and are in school to change careers and follow their true passions. Time and money are very scarce these days. In addition to their hectic daily lives, they have experienced a great deal of tragedy during the last year due to illness and untimely deaths of several loved ones. After all the heartache and loss their families have suffered, they would like their wedding to be a celebration of the love and gratitude they received from their supportive families.
The moment they most look forward to on their wedding day is the exchange of vows.
Jennifer & Fred
Jennifer and Fred both work for the Cook County Sheriff’s Department. When Jennifer was transferred to the unit where Fred worked, the sparks immediately started to fly. After three short months they knew they were meant for one another and moved in together. Fred proposed in November of 2009 while at a friends wedding. Jennifer was completely surprised!
Jennifer is a single mother, the youngest of 5 and the last of her siblings to get married. Her father won’t be able to walk her down the aisle because he is extremely ill and even has a hard time leaving the house. To make matters worse, her mother recently suffered a massive stroke. She and her siblings spend most of their free time taking care of their parents, as well as their own children. Jennifer says she feels selfish planning a wedding in the midst of such hardship. The thought of the extra expense right now is overwhelming.
The moment they most look forward to on their wedding day is when Jennifer walks down the aisle and sees Fred for the first time.
Nicole & Ed
Nicole and Ed had their first date at a coffee shop in Chicago, and sat on the patio getting to know each other for hours. On their one-year anniversary, they set out to recreate their first date. At the end of a wonderfully romantic evening, Ed proposed.
Nicole and Ed both completed graduate school within the last few years, and then immediately threw themselves into their careers as a Chicago Public School teacher and a full-time advocate for Chicago’s homeless. This means they spend the majority of their time and energy serving others. They want their wedding day to embody the pampering, excitement and joy they both deserve but cannot seem to afford. They both are so thrilled about their wedding ceremony, and expressing vows (written by the couple), and declaring their love and commitment to each other in front of friends and family.
The moments they most look forward to on their wedding day are expressing their vows and the toasts, where their closest loved ones get to share anecdotes about when they were kids, awkward adolescents, and how they each have changed after finding one another.
Annie & Andy
Annie and Andy were introduced through a mutual friend and a month later he surprised her with a trip to Florida. They started dating during that trip and a year later went back to that same beach where Andy surprised Annie with a proposal.
Both of their families are from overseas (Poland and Russia). It is very hard for them since they both have huge families. Only their parents are here in America, and they are unable to assist with the cost of a wedding. They dream about a wedding and starting their lives together on a happy and positive note.
The moments they are looking forward to on their wedding day are exchanging vows and sharing in their respective country’s traditions.
UPDATE: Thank you for your enthusiasm and all of your votes! Please keep in mind we only allow ONE vote per person. It has come to our attention that some people have voted more than once, and fortunately we have been able to correct the situation so it will not happen again. You will see this reflected in the poll below. We want to make sure the contest is totally fair for all of the couples!
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