Afton Vangsness

Dec 14, 2021

Kate + Bruno: Modern and Moody Illinois Wedding

Updated: Dec 14, 2021

Kate and Bruno were originally supposed to have a Halloween wedding, but I'm a firm believer in moody vibes all year round! When their wedding was postponed, the vision remained. The outcome was a day perfectly suited for this stunning duo!

All photos courtesy of Louie Abellera Weddings

Illinois bride and groom wedding portrait

The bride and groom spent the morning apart with their closest friends by their side. The ladies were at Hotel Indigo Naperville and got glammed by the Erica Davis Salon. The gentleman hung out at the house that the Naperville couple shares nearby.

Bridal party getting ready at Hotel Indigo

The invitations set the tone for the wedding - black with wild floral details. You'll see more of this style throughout the wedding design.

Kate wore a stunning strapless gown by Essense of Australia from Crystal Bride, and Bruno wore a chic burgundy/plum tuxedo from Indochino.

The groom met us in downtown Naperville for the couple's first look. As you can see, they were both so excited to see each other, and were ready for the next part of the wedding day!

Wedding photography by Louie Abellera Weddings

We of course had to have the couple's furchild be a part of their wedding day! Their dog, Jax, joined them for some photos as well. He was all dressed up and EXTREMELY excited to see his parents!

The wedding party complemented the whole vibe of the wedding in their Jenny Yoo velvet bridesmaids dresses in rich tones and their classic tuxedos from The Black Tux.

The wedding took place at Company 251 - a wedding venue in Aurora, Illinois - which also offered many options for photos. They have an additional floor that is all industrial with white brick and white floors, creating the perfect backdrop.

Kate and Bruno also decided to exchange personal vows in private before the ceremony. This is a great option if you don't feel comfortable doing that in front of a crowd, but you still want that moment making unique promises and reminiscing on your relationship with your partner!

These two went from being high school crushes, dating in college, building a life together in Chicago, becoming dog parents, moving to the suburbs, getting engaged, postponing a wedding (thanks COVID), to FINALLY becoming husband and wife. This day was a long time coming, and Kate and Bruno cherished every moment of it.

As guests arrived for the ceremony, they were greeted with a champagne cart and live musicians. The venue's white and gold aesthetic juxtaposed with the black ceremony chairs made everything pop. We had an A-frame arch from Rustique Swan and a modern black welcome sign from By Precious Anne. As a wedding planner, I love seeing the vision come together on the wedding day and creating an amazing guest experience.

Wedding ceremony by wedding planner Afton Events

The wild floral with boho pieces was all created by the talented Summit Street Blooms.

The venue also has a very cool bridal suite, which made for a great place to hang out before the ceremony began. The bride had a first look with her mom, and then hung out with the girls. Please note how relaxed she looks pre-ceremony in these pictures. THIS is how I want you to feel on your wedding day!

The ceremony began and was completely personal - filled with stories and jokes, love and laughter.

Ceremony at modern wedding venue in Illinois

Despite the officiant's outfit, he was actually Bruno's uncle and in no way a religious leader. This was just one of the many surprises he had in store for them for their ceremony. He killed it!

After all this time, everyone was ecstatic to witness their wedding ceremony and celebrate them as husband and wife!

Chicago wedding ceremony by Afton Events

Cocktail hour commenced on the same floor as the ceremony, illuminated with bistro lighting from Atmosphere Events Group. While that was taking place, we had everything set on the second floor of the venue for dinner.

The tables had black linens, burgundy napkins, and acrylic table numbers. We had a variety of tall and low floral arrangements featuring deep burgundy hues. The black escort cards, marble details, and acrylic table numbers rounded out the modern style of the wedding.

The marble sweetheart table featured more greenery and floral, and greenery hung from the chandelier above it as well, creating a focal point for the dinner.

Sweetheart table decor at wedding venue loft

The new Mr. and Mrs. entered the dinner ready to get the party started, complete with giant glow sticks (that were then used by all guests later in the night)!

They cut their cake from DeEtta's Bakery, which was a stunning black cake with gold foil. The moon cake topper, gold geometric stand, and floral completed the look!

Black and gold wedding cake by DeEtta's Bakery

The guests enjoyed a delicious dinner from Moveable Feast Co. which is Company 251's in-house catering.

After dinner, it was time to go back downstairs to continue the party! We had the lights down, DJ George May ready, and glow sticks for all guests. Kate and Bruno entered for their first dance under a tunnel of those giant glow sticks.

The night went on to be an epic party - with everyone on the dance floor, a late night snack from Big Star Chicago, and a sparkler exit to top it off.

Kate and Bruno were the most relaxed bride and groom who were truly just happy to be celebrating with their family and friends (and a celebration it was!). I am always so happy when a wedding truly reflects a couple, and that is exactly what this wedding did. From the style, colors, details, music, and overall vibe of everyone there - it was perfect for them.