Wilmette Harbor Club (formerly Sheridan Shore Yacht Club)

Rehearsal Dinner

The Northman Beer & Cider Garden on the Riverwalk

Welcome Drinks

Cafe Brauer

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Our Wedding

We met while we were both still living in Boston in late 2020 - it was a turbulent year by all accounts, but we both had a feeling this was something special. We bonded over our shared Midwestern upbringings, goofy senses of humor, and love of Pokemon. After a few months of dating, Klara brought up the prospect of Matteo joining her in Austin for law school, which he excitedly agreed to. After the first year of law school ended, we moved in together and adopted our second cat, Otie. We then got engaged in February 2023, and easily conquered two stints of long-distance: first, when Klara spent the summer working in Madison, WI while Matteo stayed in Austin, and while Klara studied abroad in Switzerland in the fall of 2023. Since we met, we've traveled all over together - visiting all five of Utah's national parks, going to New Orleans for St. Patrick's Day, visiting Matteo's grandma in Florida, and four trips across the Atlantic: Italy and Greece, Belgium and Holland, and two visits while Klara lived in Switzerland! We're so lucky to have had so many fun adventures together. And now, our biggest adventure yet: we can't wait to celebrate our wedding with you!

Our story:

Our Story

Photos

Friday, 8PM: Welcome drinks at the Northman Beer & Cider Garden

The bride and groom will hang out at a Chicago brewery, The Northman Beer &amp; Cider Garden on the Riverwalk, at 233 East Riverwalk, Chicago, IL 60601 for a few hours on Friday evening after the rehearsal dinner to welcome everyone to the city. The Northman has a lot of outdoor seating so we have not made a reservation -- feel free to stop by at any time and enjoy the views of the river!

Saturday, 5PM: We get married!

Saturday, immediately following the ceremony: cocktail hour, then dinner and dancing!

Schedule

Q + A

Flying in: we recommend flying into O'Hare or Midway. If you're staying downtown, Midway will be quite a bit closer than O'Hare, which is northwest of Chicago. Getting around: Chicago's public transit, the CTA, is genuinely pretty good, especially the "L" trains (but buses are often more convenient). Uber, Lyft, and Via are good ride-share options. Chicago is also incredibly walkable (Texas friends - trust us.) Places to stay: Given the enormous size of the city and availability of Airbnbs and hotels in so many great neighborhoods, we are not reserving room blocks for our wedding. However, we've listed some neighborhoods you may want to consider finding a place to stay in while you're in town, but don't feel limited to our list! By and large, Chicago is a safe (albeit big) city, and every neighborhood has something to offer. Lincoln Park - this is the neighborhood our wedding will be in, and has amazing food options, beautiful green spaces, and lots of historic landmarks/places of interest. Lakeview is adjacent to LP and equally charming! Andersonville - with Scandinavian roots and Clark Street as its main thoroughfare, it's a great option for its historic buildings and lively food/drink scene. It's a famous LGBTQ+ hub and a quick train ride from downtown. One of the coolest neighborhood in the city! Gold Coast - historic and luxe, this neighborhood has tons of famous restaurants, historic mansions, and some must-sees like the Magnificent Mile, Newberry Library, Oak Street Beach and the John Hancock Building. Lincoln Square - lots of places to sit outdoors and have lunch, this neighborhood is very close to public transit options, and has lots of little boutiques and cool specialty shops, like the toy emporium Timeless Toys (a favorite of Klara's circa 1997-2005). Logan Square - home to a lovely farmers market, hip music and comedy shows, and lots of nightlife. If you're in this neighborhood, check out Osteria Langhe and Lula Cafe. Bucktown &amp; Wicker Park - just west of our venue in Lincoln Park, Bucktown and Wicker Park have a very neighborhood-y and walkable feel, but with a bustling thoroughfare on Damon Ave. including vintage clothing stores and lots of taverns and restaurants. These neighborhoods are also home to several beautiful city parks, including Holstein Park and <a href="https://www.choosechicago.com/articles/parks-outdoors/explore-the-606/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The 606</a>, an elevated walk and bike trail on repurposed old rail line.

Travel

Chicago's finest museum (in Klara's biased opinion.) Spend an afternoon exploring paintings by masters like Van Gogh, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Rembrandt, or check out ancient Egyptian artifacts and the Thorne miniature rooms!

The Art Institute of Chicago

With unforgettable views of Lake Michigan, this iconic Chicago museum has it all--ancient astronomical artifacts, a history of space exploration with objects from NASA missions, and Doane Observatory, the largest telescope available to the public! If you're feeling brave, you can buy some freeze dried astronaut food in the museum's gift shop.

Adler Planetarium

Home of world-famous Sue the T. Rex (the most complete T. Rex fossil ever discovered!), the Field Museum has tons of stuff from the natural world. The Grainger Hall of Gems has dazzling jewels on display, the Ancient Egypt exhibit showcases one of the largest mummy collections in the US, while the Hall of Americas provides an anthropological view of some indigenous cultures and traditions in North and South America. Finally, take a look at the museum's incredibly detailed diorama habitats on the Nature Walk!

Field Museum

A trip to Chicago is the perfect time to stop by the Shedd Aquarium and admire the reefs, sharks, otters, belugas (and of course, sit and watch a dolphin show!) The Shedd does incredible work showcasing aquatic species and promoting conservation. Last time we went, we even got to pet the stingrays! They were very polite.

Shedd Aquarium

Though neither of us are Cubs fans (except for Klara's brief bandwagoning when they won the World Series in 2016), you might have the chance to attend a Cubs game while you're in town for our wedding! Opened in 1914, the stadium has a rich history and is a great place to spend an afternoon. We hear the hotdogs are pretty good.

Wrigley Field

This is where we're getting married! Whether you want to stroll past the animals when you're already glammed up and on the way to our venue, Cafe Brauer, or take a few hours to visit another day, the Zoo has some of our favorites - polar bears, lions, giraffes, and of course, the bird exhibit. The Zoo also has a beautiful boardwalk right by Cafe Brauer with spectacular views of the downtown skyline. And, it's completely free to visit!

Lincoln Park Zoo

Klara's favorite place in the city - the Conservatory is a beautiful, Victorian era building full of ferns, orchids, and tropical palms. Also free to visit, the Conservatory is directly adjacent to the Lincoln Park Zoo, so you can combine them into one trip! If you're wanting to see more plants, check out the Garfield Conservatory on the West Side, which is much larger and also lovely.

Lincoln Park Conservatory

Hop on a short cruise of the Chicago River for a tour of Chicago's iconic architecture and history!

Chicago Architecture Center - River Cruise

Spring is a perfect time to see migratory birds in this sanctuary, right on the shores of the lake. If you're not a birder, it's also a beautiful spot for a walk, especially in the morning. If you're lucky, you might spot Matteo lurking around the shrubs with his binoculars, trying to catch a glimpse of some of the 300 recorded species that stop here on their migration route!

Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary

Chicago has over 200 theatres! There are plenty of big names like the Goodman, Steppenwolf, the Shakespeare Theatre on Navy Pier, and Second City for comedy, but also lots of great smaller options around the city, like Lookingglass, Red Orchid, and Porchlight. The iconic Chicago Theatre downtown has music, plays and comedy shows every day of the week.

Theatres and Shows

Little Bad Wolf (1541 W Bryn Mawr Ave., no reservations). New American, some great burgers but also vegetarian options! Gretel (2833 W Armitage Ave., no reservations) is also really good. Tzuco (720 N State St., reservations accepted) - upscale Mexican food in River North. 5 Rabanitos (1758 W 18th St., in Pilsen) is also highly recommended! SuperDawg (6363 N Milwaukee Ave.) for a classic Chicago hotdog. Jr.'s Red Hots (2345 W. Armitage Ave.) is good too. Osteria Langhe (2824 W Armitage Ave, reservations accepted). Italian - delicious! Smyth &amp; The Loyalist (West Loop, 177 N. Ada St., reservations accepted) Two restaurants under one roof. French-inspired, they have really good brunch, too! Athenian Room (807 W. Webster). Greek - a classic, family-owned spot in Lincoln Park, with yummy gyros, pita sandwiches, and delicious baklava for dessert. Ben's Noodles (1139 W Bryn Mawr Ave). No frills but highly regarded Thai food in the Edgewater neighborhood. Their pad Thai is delightful. Antico (1946 N Leavitt Chicago, IL 60647). A delicious trattoria serving Northern Italian food in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area. Bloom Plant Based Kitchen (1559 N Milwaukee Ave) - if you're looking for vegan and vegetarian food (and lots of gluten free options!) look no further than Wicker Park's own Bloom. They serve brunch Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Pequods (2207 N. Clybourn Ave. in Lincoln Park, reservations accepted). If you're going to have Chicago deep dish, go here! [Klara thinks deep dish is heinous, Matteo loves it. You decide!] For drinks:District Brew Yards (417 N. Ashland Ave). Super cool beer hall with BBQ and sandwiches, too. Three Dots and a Dash (435 N. Clark St.) - speakeasy, tiki bar and craft cocktails. The Signature Room (in the Hancock) - amazing views and good cocktails! For coffee:Metropolis (1039 W. Granville Ave.), First Sip (1057 W Argyle St.) and Big Shoulders (there are Loop, Gold Coast, and West Town locations). For dessert:Molly's Cupcakes (4 locations), Firecakes Donuts (68 Hubbard St. and 2453 N. Clark St.) and Sweet Mandy B's (1208 W. Webster Ave. and 254 E. Ontario St.)

Klara & Matteo

Klara & Matteo

Photos