Cancer Survivors' Garden - Maggie Daley Park

Wedding Day

Wedding

River Roast

Reception

Our Wedding

We met at the University of Iowa (go Hawks!) when one of our best friends introduced us. Our first date was at a local restaurant in Iowa City, and the first year of our relationship was spent traveling to Chicago and Iowa City to meet as McKenzie concluded her bachelor's degree.&nbsp;We then spent nearly 3 years both living in Chicago before Matt had to move to Cincinnati for work. After just one year of long distance (again), Matt was able to move back to Chicago with his new job.&nbsp;We have since been living on the north-side of the city for 2 years, marking&nbsp;6 years together&nbsp;in 2018. We are so very excited host our family and loved ones for an amazing weekend in Chicago!!

Our Story

Event Locations & Maps

Ceremony Location

Maggie Daley - Cancer Survivor's Garden:&nbsp;337 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601

Ceremony Time:&nbsp;3pm

Directions&nbsp;(Image above):&nbsp;The garden is on the North East side of the Park. This is roughly a 14min walk from the silversmith.

Reception Location

River Roast Restaurant:&nbsp;315 N LaSalle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654

Cocktail Hour: 6pm



Directions&nbsp;(Image above):&nbsp;This venue is 1 mile away from the&nbsp;ceremony (22min). Once you arrive at the main River Roast entrance, please proceed to the right, around the corner. The river walkway will take you to the event entrance.

Details

Wedding Party

Photos

Registry

Q + A

Go down to baggage claim and follow the signs for CTA or Public Train to Downtown. Take the Blue line into the city (to "Forest&nbsp;Park"). Note:&nbsp;You will need to pay for a CTA&nbsp;pass (we would suggest at least +2 rides per person in order to pay for the roundtrip). Ride the train into the city (~1hr) and get off&nbsp;at "Monroe" for the Loop (check your hotel for potential differences in your stop).&nbsp;

Public Transit from O'Hare (ORD)

Current Nightly Rate:&nbsp;$246Very close to both the ceremony and the reception.&nbsp;

Palmer House a Hilton Hotel

Go towards baggage claim and take the Orange Line north into the&nbsp;"Loop." Note:&nbsp;You will need to buy a CTA&nbsp;pass in order to board the train&nbsp;(we would suggests at least +2 rides per person so that you can use the same card on the way back).&nbsp;You will then need to transfer to the Green line at "Roosevelt."&nbsp;Please take the Green line north into "Harlem."&nbsp;You will then exit the train at Adams/Wabash (Please check your hotel for potential differences in exit stops).

Public Transit from Midway to Downtown

Current Nightly Rate:&nbsp;$289For any SPG&nbsp;members that are looking to book with points. This is the closest Westin to the events (within walking distance).

The Westin Chicago River North

Current Nightly Rate:&nbsp;$199Very close to the events and&nbsp;the best rate downtown I was able to find.

Comfort Suites Michigan Avenue - Loop

Current Nightly Rate:&nbsp;$161A little farther away from the events, but a great discount for the nightly rates. Might need to take cabs for at least the ceremony.

Best Western River North Hotel

Travel

Our favorite thing to do when visitor's are in town. See Chicago from a completely different perspective, on the water!!&nbsp;They will take you through downtown Chicago, showing all of the history of the city. Then, you will venture out onto Lake Michigan and see the entire city-scape from the best view possible. Must-do if you are in town early (and there is good weather)!!

Wendella Boats Architecture Tour

White Sox will play the&nbsp;Texas Rangers on Thurs, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

White Sox vs. Texas Rangers

Try the best pizza in Chicago, Lou Malnati's!&nbsp;(Don't let anyone tell you different)&nbsp;Try to call ahead or there could be a 1hr wait for dine-in options.&nbsp;Get there early if you can!

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

The views are amazing. Head to the top bar and then ask for directions up to the rooftop balcony. This can get crowded in the summertime.

Drinks at the London House Rooftop

Come Check-Out where McKenzie and Matt got engaged, right in front of the Water Tower.

Water Tower Place

The Magnificent Mile!&nbsp;Full of shops and boutique stores. Even if you aren't shopping, it is an amazing way to check out the city. Start up North at the Water Tower, and walk south down Michigan for about 1 mile. You will see the entire shopping area, cross one of the bridges over the Chicago River, and you will end the stroll right at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/McCormick+Tribune+Plaza/@41.8829156,-87.6245183,19.69z/data=!4m8!1m2!2m1!1sthe+bean!3m4!1s0x880e2ca5cfecd00f:0x8fdaab590b73efbb!8m2!3d41.8826671!4d-87.6237626">the Bean</a>, one of the most famous landmarks in Chicago.&nbsp;Enjoy!

Stroll down Michigan Ave

Cloud&nbsp;Gate (also known as the Chicago Bean) has quickly become the most famous landmark in all of Chicago.

The Bean 

Enjoy a cozy, chic cocktail lounge to wrap-up a long day of shopping on Michigan Ave. Close to our hotels and in the heart of downtown Chicago.

Nightcap at the Berkshire Room (inside the ACME Hotel)

Take in the view from the sky-high heights of the Willis Tower, the second-tallest building in the United States. From the 103rd floor, look out over 4 states and the Windy City's urban sprawl, and then test your vertigo on a glass balcony to peer down at the streets and skyscrapers of Chicago beneath your feet.
Step into an elevator and be whisked to new heights in just 60 seconds, waiting for the ear-popping sensation as you ascend to the Skydeck at the Willis Tower. Standing 1,353 feet (412 m) above the Midwest metropolis, the Willis Tower’s steel-framed structure was specifically designed to withstand the city's infamous wind—you may even feel a slight sway if visiting during a blustery spell.
From this elevated vantage point, marvel at a panorama that stretches to include 4 neighboring states and the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan. Scan Chicago's iconic skyline, and venture out onto The Ledge—a glass balcony extending from the tower's façade. From this vantage point, it's the skyscrapers that are looking up at you.
Once you've taken in the cloud-level vistas, snag a seat for a showing of Reaching for the Sky, a short movie that traces the Chicago's rise to the top of the architectural world. After the flick, spend some time engaging with the digital floor displays and fascinating trivia games before heading back to ground level.

Willis Tower Skydeck & The Ledge

What sprung from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition now stands as Chicago's Field Museum. Its neo-Classical buildings are stocked with more than 25 million artifacts—some up to 4.6 billion years old. This vast collection of fascinating relics exhilarates history buffs and curious novices alike.
The museum's main attraction is Sue, the world's largest, best-preserved, and most complete T. rex ever discovered. Purchased for more than 8 million dollars in 1997, the remarkable fossil stands 13 feet (4 m) tall and 42 feet (13 m) long. Enjoy a photo opportunity under her stunted arms and marvel at the mural depicting her as she lived.
As you take in the massive dinosaurs, ancient gems, and stunning taxidermy, stroll toward Ancient Egypt for floor-to-ceiling hieroglyphs, mummified cats, and an authentic Pharaonic tomb. Then discover the Evolving Planet exhibit, a journey through the past 4 billion years of life on Earth, from single-celled organisms to modern city dwellers.
Other highlights include the Hall of Jades, which explores China's prehistoric past and its enduring empire with more than 400 objects on display; the Grainger Hall of Gems, a breathtaking collection of hard-to-find stones and expertly crafted jewelry; and Restoring Earth, an investigation by leading scientists into wilderness conservation.

The Field Museum with optional Jurassic World: The Exhibition

Get a new perspective of the Windy City on this guided streamlined adventure. Glide past iconic landmarks, along the scenic shores of Lake Michigan, and through the city's most beautiful parks. This is an ideal tour for anyone with a tight schedule, who still wants to catch Chicago's top sights.
Enjoy a 30-minute safety and instructional orientation before heading out to enjoy the charm and beauty of Chicago. Then ride through the centerpiece of this tour, impeccably manicured Grant Park, host to some of Chicago’s largest festivals and spectator events. The 319 acre (130 ha) park is home to the world-renowned Buckingham Fountain.
With your professional guide in the lead, admire the architectural wonders of Chicago’s skyline and cruise along the beaches of the glistening lakefront and Monroe Harbor. Wind your way through Museum Campus, listening to your guide's brief narration of the surrounding structures. Admire the Adler Planetarium's epic dome, the oldest in the country, and marvel at the sheer size of the Shedd Aquarium.

2 Hour Segway Tour

Spend the day lingering over one of the finest collections of art in the world at The Art Institute of Chicago. Download the mobile experience, with audio tours and a location-aware map to help you plot a course through the museum’s 1 million square feet of exhibit space, the second largest in the country, which showcases 300,000 works of art. The Ryan Learning Center offers free art-making for kids, as well as Journey Maker, a new digital interactive tool that allows your family create their own tour of the museum.
The Art Institute boasts the largest collection of impressionist art outside of Paris. Ponder the mesmerizing landscape of Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte and peer into the 19th-century before Gustav Caillebotte's Paris Street; Rainy Day. In the American collection, marvel at iconic works like the Nighthawks diner scene by Edward Hopper and the Midwestern farmer and daughter depicted in Grant Wood’s American Gothic.
Grab a bite to eat at one of the museum's 3 restaurants if you need a break, and be sure to stop in one of the 2 gift shops for an art-inspired souvenir.

Art Institute of Chicago

Journey beyond the moon, through the stars, and to the edge of the galaxy—all without leaving Chicago. At the Adler Planetarium, explore the exhibits, artifacts, and interactive displays that have been transporting visitors into the cosmos since 1930.
The first planetarium in the United States, the Adler Planetarium features fascinating permanent exhibits, a real research observatory, and the Definiti Space Theater, which shows films on the mysteries and wonders of the solar system. Get a close look at the world’s oldest known window sundial, a telescope made in 1529 by William Herschel, or marvel at antique astronomical artifacts dating back to 12th-century Persia.
In the Shoot for the Moon exhibition, visitors of all ages can unleash their inner astronaut as they fly over the lunar surface and feel the excitement and dangers of space exploration. Lean about the history of human space travel with a look at the restored Gemini 12 spacecraft and the personal collections of celebrated astronaut Jim Lovell, commander of the infamous Apollo 13 mission.
Get behind the telescope at the Doane Observatory for a close-up look at planets, stars, and galaxies existing trillions of miles away. Then take a celestial tour of the night sky and beyond with your choice of 2 mesmerizing Sky Shows at one of the planetarium’s 3 all-digital, 3-D theaters.

McKenzie + Matt