Afton Vangsness

May 18, 2022

Nicole + Serge: Warm Winter Wedding on a Cold Chicago Day

On a snowy day in February, these two brought the heat with amber tones, cozy textures, mood lighting, and the best style.

All photos courtesy of Jules Kennedy Photography

From the moment I first spoke with Nicole, I fully understood her style and vision and couldn't wait to help bring it to life. Nicole and Serge didn't want the ordinary. They wanted personality, trendy elements, and to stand out from the crowd. With a winter wedding, they wanted their guests to feel warmth and intimacy and that is exactly what we got. We vibed immediately!

Everything took place at Fairlie, a Chicago wedding venue that gives us industrial vibes and was the perfect setting for a cool, yet warm wedding day. The day started with hair by Hannah Aubrey Hair and makeup by Shannon O'Brien.

The bride's style was simplistic yet unique with her stunning dress by A lexandra Grecco. The stationery and accessories matched the effortlessly chic tone of the day.

Serge wore a chocolate velvet tuxedo from Indochino, which went perfectly with the luxe winter setting.

Look how chic these two are!

Because Fairlie has ample space, the ladies and gentleman were able to hang out onsite separately prior to the first look.

This may be one of my favorite first look photos...

The bridesmaids perfectly encompassed the color palette with their mismatched dresses in different shades and textures.

The floral design by Splendor of Eden packed a punch with warm colors, minimal greenery, and a modern shape.

Jules Kennedy Photography absolutely killed it with all of these stellar photos!

Nicole and Serge got some family photos with their pups as well. I love a dog-friendly wedding!

The ceremony was all about candles, so as the sun set the flames set the tone for the evening.

Innocenti Strings played as the wedding party walked down the aisle.

The ceremony was officiated by a friend of the couple which is always the best!

Chicago wedding ceremony by Afton Events

Now THAT is a kiss!

Cocktail hour took place in the same area with fun elements like disco ball escort cards and a stunning photo backdrop with floral and large disco balls.

Nicole and Serge stepped out into the cold for some blue hour photos, which may be even more stunning than golden hour photos!

Early sunsets during winter meant it was completely dark for dinner, and we played off of that with the cozy table settings. Full of candlelight, amber bud vases, colored taper candles, and vintage-inspired glassware, it was a MOOD!

Hearty Boys did an incredible job with the food, service, and table settings!

Chicago wedding reception by Afton Events

The reception kicked off with a champagne tower to get the party started!

A grand entrance, toasts, and candlelit dinner followed.

Nicole and Serge shared their first dance and then the party really started with DJ Archi!

Everyone had a blast on the dance floor, and a late night snack from Portillo's kept the guests going!

I feel so lucky to be able to work with couples like Nicole and Serge. They have an eye for style, let me have so much fun with their wedding design, and were so great to work with throughout the planning process! The Afton Events team had a blast on their wedding day!