Windy City Wedding

Since last time checking in here we have been on the go, go, go. Last weekend was the long awaited and fabulous wedding of Karen and Matt. To say it was nothing short of beautiful would be a massive understatement. Anyone who knows me, knows that wedding (and babies) are my Achilles heel. I cry at strangers' weddings, needless to say, watching one of my best friends get married came very close to being a sob fest...except I remembered that I had $65 worth of make up plastered to my face and therefore pulled it together.

Thursday we had the rehearsal at Loyola and a fabulous dinner at Wildfire (so hard to be at Wildfire and not have flight of mini-martinis, thank heavens for Clausthaler). Addie was spoiled with gifts of her very own tiara and rhinestone bracelets, while Karen was slightly embarrassed by her bridesmaids sporting a wearable version of the note that rekindled her and Matt's relationship. By the time we rolled into bed at midnight we had logged an 18 hour day.

The celebrating continued on Friday with daytime manicures and pedicures after a girls trip to the Aroma Workshop to create signature perfumes. Addie and Andy napped and off we headed to downtown - first for a delectable dinner at Quartino's and then chilly, but lovely, boat cruise of the skyline. The little lady thought downtown was amazing, was awestruck by the Magnificent Mile, was astonished by the beauty of the skyline and thought that the bicycle cab we took back to the car was "weary , weary cool".

And then it was Saturday. We got our hair done, faces painted and zipped into our finery.

Karen redefined what a relaxed bride is with laughter and smiles. The ceremony was breathtaking at the chapel on Loyola's Lakeshore campus, followed by photos inside Wrigley field, at the Magnificent Mile, on the museum campus, and of course, where it all began, at Mulligan's.

The reception was perfection down to the last detail - from the beautiful atrium cocktail hour, to the specialty drinks, to the dance floor flanked by antique cars. There was a Chicago style hot dog cart (sweet heavens!), moist delicious cake, and more desserts than I ever imagined (chocolate mousse shooters, martini glasses full of fresh berries, ice cream sandwiches - OH MY!). The dancing was non stop - as was the laughter. A night focused on celebrating two wonderful people and filled with with our dearest friends -can't get better than that!