We began planning with Callan and Henry from the beginning of their planning process with our Emerald Full Planning Package. They got engaged after a few years of dating on a sunrise walk along the beach on Sanibel Island where Henry hid the ring in seashell and Callan immediately said yes!

They wanted a wedding that was memorable, felt like them, and showed their guests a good time. Their combined style is rustic, historical & modern eclectic (a little bit of everything!), so for their wedding venue the Fairlie was the perfect mix of industrial and elegant to suit their vision.

wedding invitation suite, spring wedding, light blue wedding

The Fairlie offers great natural lighting and wedding suites so Callan & Henry were both able to get ready all in one place!

We Only Do Pretty got all the ladies dolled up with soft, natural beauty looks. Instead of a veil, Callan choose a lace ribbon for her hair that was a perfect accent to her lace wedding dress and fun, casual style.

Becca Blue created boutonnieres that had a touch of rustic style with blue thistle. 

They shared an epic first look on the venue’s staircase with the bride even showing off her dab dance moves. They came to party!

first look, dab, spring wedding

Callan & Henry were surrounded by a immensely fun wedding party. Bridesmaids wore mismatched dresses in the same soft, floral fabric that matched the groomsmen’s ties. This little touch amped up the vintage flair and perfectly complemented the sweet bouquets of peonies, anemones, & petite blue flowers.

TIME TO FIND YOUR PARTY ANIMAL

So many great details went into Callan and Henry’s wedding day. Guests were welcomed by a sign that appropriately stated “We’ve waited an extra 371 days for this. Please party accordingly.” Tables were named after different animals and the seating chart featured cute watercolor illustrations. 

Relics Rentals created two lounge areas with eclectic vintage furniture for guests to mix & mingle as they sipped the couple’s signature drinks during cocktail hour.

Callan & Henry also invited guests to write letters to strangers in lieu of a traditional wedding guestbook. They chose two non-profits, Operation Gratitude and Love For Our Elders, that each rely on handwritten cards to forward to the people they serve. The couple additionally made donations to the organizations rather than including guest favors. Read more about these organizations at the end of this page!

AFTER 350+ EXTRA DAYS, THEY’RE MARRIED!

Callan made a grand processional entrance down the staircase adorned with lush greenery and candles. The couple’s friend officiated and they kept the nuptials on the shorter side to get to their favorite part, the party!

wedding ceremony, fairlie chicago, spring wedding, wedding planner

BRONZE ANIMALS, CHEESECAKE & LIGHTSABERS, OH MY!

Dining tables were filled with romantic candlelight amplified by the warm, amber uplighting in the room. Bronze animal figurines corresponding to the table numbers were interspersed amongst loose greenery and ceramic bud vases.

Hearty Boys created a delicious spread of upscale comfort food for dinner and the couple opted for a yummy cheesecake for their wedding cake.

After dinner, the dancing began! Cage & Aquarium kept the dance floor rocking all night long and guests had a blast with glow-in-the-dark accessories and lightsabers.

VENDOR LIST

Wedding Planner: Naturally Yours Events, Carlene Hartline

Venue: Fairlie

Photographer: Ed & Aileen Photography

Caterer: Hearty Boys

Florist: Becca Blue Flowers

Videographer: LEAP Weddings

Lounge Rentals: Relics Rentals

DJ: Cage & Aquarium

Hair & Makeup: We Only Do Pretty

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

Callan & Henry chose to support these two organizations in honor of their wedding day. Below is the information they included for guests about these non-profits.

Relying on the help of civilian volunteers, Operation Gratitude packs cards and handwritten notes into each of their 300,000+ annual care packages before being sent to current and former members of our Military and/or their families.

Built on fighting chronic loneliness and isolation with love, Love For Our Elders gathers and distributes hundreds of thousands of letters & cards for older adults. Frequently facing additional challenges, inequities, and smaller support networks, aging LGBTQ adults are particularly at risk of social isolation. Hoping to bring some sunshine to those who need it most, we will be distributing our cards specifically to LGBTQ elders.