1. Real Weddings

A Classic, Romantic Wedding at The Standard Club in Chicago, Illinois

The wedding of Kirsten Barrish (30 and a health-care consultant) and Robbie Schloss (30 and a hospitality consultant) brought warmth to wintery Chicag

The wedding of Kirsten Barrish (30 and a health-care consultant) and Robbie Schloss (30 and a hospitality consultant) brought warmth to wintery Chicago at Standard Club. “I wanted a very classic and delicate wedding that was romantic and elegant,” says Kirsten. Soft chiffon drapery, bursting arrangements of white and blush hydrangeas and roses with trailing floral garlands, mirrors and candles created an aura of simple romance that flowed throughout the entire evening. The couple had a traditional Jewish ceremony but chose to walk down the aisle according to the traditions of their heritages: Robbie was escorted by both of his parents, while Kirsten gave her father the honor, a nod to Filipino tradition. At the cocktail hour, guests were greeted by a bold open-arch branch-and-floral sculpture with hanging candles illuminating the escort cards. The reception continued the theme of romance with lush flowers and candles atop mirrored tables. “The idea was to create the feeling of a fancy dinner party,” says Kirsten. The wedding cake was the focal point of the reception, with six intricately decorated tiers ranging from tiny detailed sugar blossoms, sugar pearls and dramatic sugar flowers.

The groomsmen wore black peak lapel tuxedos, white French-cuff shirts with a black bow tie and stud set and a flower lapel pin. “We thought it was more fun [to wear a lapel pin] and they don’t get smashed when people are hugging you all night,” says the bride.
“Since every girl is unique in her own way, I let my bridesmaids choose everything, from their dress to their hair, makeup and accessories,” says the bride. Each bridesmaid wore a long black dress.
The bridesmaids’ bouquets were white roses wrapped in black satin to match their dresses.
The ceremony room and huppah were draped in soft ivory chiffon. The beginning of the aisle was adorned with mirrored risers and silver urns with bold arrangements of hydrangeas, blush and ivory roses. Lush floral garlands cascaded down the urn and pedestal and puddled on the floor.
Silver Urn Ivory Arrangement With Floral Garland
The aisle was decorated with mirror runners and planter boxes displaying lush roses in hues of ivory and blush with candlelight at varying heights.
Romantic Chiffon Draped Huppah With Chandelier
The bride chose a clean, classic look for her makeup and wore her hair down with loose, romantic waves. “I decided to wear my hair down because I never wear it up. I believe every bride should look like the best version of herself,” says Kirsten.
The escort card table was a focal point of the cocktail hour. Kehoe Designs created an open curve sculpture using Manzanita branches with floral clusters and suspended candles. “Since this was the first reception detail that was seen by our guests, it set the simply romantic tone for the evening,” says the bride.
Classic Parchment and Calligraphy Escort Cards
Reception Venue and Dance Floor at Standard Club
Long mirrored dining tables were embellished with low floral arrangements displayed in an assortment of mirrored containers with gold quatrefoil graphics and mercury glass containers. Each table hosted an assortment of gold mirrored candlesticks with glass hurricanes and ivory pillar candles.
Elegant Ivory and Gold Place Setting
Each of the six wedding cake tiers displayed a different design. Layers displayed deep quilting, sugar pearls, sugar blossoms and lace trim that matched the bride’s wedding dress and veil and dramatic sugar flowers.
Horah Dance at Standard Club in Chicago
Kirsten’s bridal bouquet was a sphere of stephanotis with a pearl accent in the center of each flower. “I chose these flowers because they were similar to the flowers on my wedding dress. Since my dress had so much detail, we chose a small and simple bouquet to make sure it complemented my dress,” says the bride.