A Modern Summer Wedding at Chicago Illuminating Company in Chicago, Illinois

Julia Hamilton (31 and a attorney) and Barry Gewolb (31 and a attorney) had a luxuriously modern wedding at Chicago Illuminating during the heat of summer. The couple played off the heat with a cool-toned color scheme of white and gold with hints of bright blue and purple, making the atmosphere of the reception classy and sophisticated. They had difficulty finding a space to accommodate their nearly 200 guests. But they absolutely fell in love with Chicago Illuminating, and Julia's parents did too. "Luckily we could not have been happier with the space. It is an amazing venue and fit us perfectly," Julia says. Raed Kakish at Indulge & Bloom in Minneapolis used the color scheme to the biggest advantage to create the most stunning high centerpieces of hydrangeas, roses and exotic flowers like blue thistles. "We borrowed him from out of town since he does a good amount of work in Chicago, it turned out really beautiful," Julia says. Julia and Barry's wedding was a black-tie affair, automatically raising the bar for the day's fashions. Barry and his groomsmen sported classic black-and-white tuxedos with solid black bow ties while the bridesmaids wore slate blue floor-length gowns that matched the color palette. Julia glowed as she walked down the aisle in her white strapless gown. She accessorized her dress with a veil that her mother made using the floral applique from the dress in addition to Stuart Weitzman open-toe heels. A piece of advice from the bride: "Don't stay up until 2 a.m. the night before at your rehearsal dinner after-party no matter how fun it is. Actually, do, it was really fun."