Afton Vangsness

Dec 4, 2020

Jaclyn + Kyle: Modern Chicago Wedding

On a warm September day, Jaclyn + Kyle got married in a modern chic wedding in Chicago. This couple knows how to have a good time, and their day was the perfect representation of them - fun, inviting, and impossibly cool.

All photos courtesy of Alisha Tova

The day started out at The Publishing House Bed & Breakfast, located in the West Loop. Jaclyn, Kyle, and their closest friends bought out the 11 rooms, which gave them exclusive access to the entire gorgeous space for the weekend.

Each room at the bed and breakfast is uniquely designed, providing fun accommodations for those closest to you, while also acting as the perfect getting ready location.

With music playing on the speaker system throughout, the energy was electric as hair was done by Megan Schnell and makeup was done by Joey Claeyssen.

The bride wore a sleek and sexy dress by Sarah Seven accompanied by bold shoes and a clutch by Loeffler Randall.

The groom looked dapper in a custom suit by Suit Supply and accessories from The Tie Bar.

They opted for a first look in the library of the venue. This allowed them to have a private moment together to exchange emotional letters as well.

Then, it was time to run around the West Loop together for some portraits before the ceremony. These two were clearly natural models!

A little more about this amazing couple - Jaclyn is a ball of energy with the most infectious personality. She is fun, outgoing, and I'm pretty sure you can hear her laugh from a mile away. Kyle is the yin to her yang. He is calm, caring, warm, and is constantly looking out for those around him. Together they are simultaneously cool as hell, while also being so inviting and approachable. We clicked immediately!

Get you a man that looks at you like this!

Bride looking over shoulder on wedding day

Their wedding party was comprised of their very best friends, and they were such a joy to be around.

Then, it was time for the ceremony, which took place on the main level of The Publishing House.

It was simplistically decorated with rugs, plants, books, photos of the couple, and the bride carried her bouquet from Steve's Flower Market.

Wedding ceremony at The Publishing House in Chicago

The bride's dad walked her down the aisle to 'In My Life' by The Beatles, and her brother officiated the wedding. Their ceremony was so personal to them, and their closest family and friends laughed and cried throughout. This is exactly why I love when couples choose someone close to them to perform their ceremony!

Instead of a traditional unity element, we did a champagne toast with everyone at the wedding to unify the entire group and to kick off the celebration!

After the ceremony, the group mixed and mingled for a bit over drinks before they got on a large bus from Signature Transportation Group to go to the reception location.

Did I mention how fabulous they are?

Bride and groom at The Lytle House in Chicago

The reception took place at The Lytle House in the Edgewater neighborhood - the perfect place for smaller weddings and receptions!

Chicago wedding reception at The Lytle House

We utilized the venue's industrial style tables and chairs to create U-shaped seating for the guests, centered around the couple's sweetheart table.

Catering was provided by Sweet Baby Ray's, who also supplied the burlap jute table runners, mauve napkins, and black square plates. Greenery and flowers from Steve's Flower Market were placed down the long tables, with lots of candles throughout. Modern menus, place cards, and table numbers were from Minted.

The Lytle House offers an excellent indoor-outdoor flow, so guests arrived for cocktail hour in the outdoor courtyard. The tunes of live music from Bluewater Kings Band played while they enjoyed a variety of signature cocktails with alcohol provided by Garfield's Beverage Warehouse. The ivy walls, cafe lighting, and awesome mural provided the perfect backdrop.

There were a lot of fun details set up throughout the reception. We used drink stirrers that acted as escort cards and drink markers. We also placed photos of the couple along with greenery, floral, and candles. Of course we also included 2020 wedding staples - masks and hand sanitizer.

They also had to have their sweet dog, June, incorporated in the event design! Her cute face was on the custom cocktail napkins and one of their signature drinks was named after her. I'm a sucker for dog details!

Not everyone was able to be a part of their intimate group, so they even had a few people stop by to give Jaclyn and Kyle a socially-distanced congratulations!

As guests finished up at cocktail hour, Jaclyn and Kyle got some more epic shots around the city as they ran around with Alisha Tova.

I mean, how cool are they?

As if the day hadn't already been a total party, it was time to get the REAL party started. I think you can see by these photos, that Jaclyn + Kyle were ready as they entered the reception!

Can you tell how fun they are?

We placed candles everywhere - all over the tables and all over the shelves at the venue. As the sun set, the entire dinner became completely candlelit making it feel even more intimate and romantic.

After dinner, we moved onto the couple's first dance to 'Everywhere' by Fleetwood Mac. Jaclyn + Kyle have excellent taste in music, and DJ Aaron from Bluewater Kings killed it.

This right here is exactly how I want you to feel on your wedding day - carefree and having the time of your life!

These two are perfect for each other. Honestly, you will fall in love with them too the moment you meet them - the Afton Events team sure did! I can't say how honored we were to be a part of this day that was just SO DAMN FUN.