The Ivy Room

I have a friend who is getting married. He is a guy. So much a guy that he told me that they are getting married in downtown Chicago but not wanting to spend more than 7,000 dollars. I said - on the whole chibang? And he was like of course! Yeah, very naive. I laughed, but then realized that they were going to have to see for themselves to actually believe that they could do a whole wedding for that amount in Chicago.

He recently asked me if I could do it over again, what place would I pick as my reception....I love this place - the Ivy Room at Tree Studios. So gorgeous.

Chicago-Style Etsy

I must confess - Etsy is going to be the death of me (or actually my checkbook). Unfortunately, if I am not reading all the lovely wedding blogs out there, I am on Etsy. After reading Tina's very cool discovery of possible Welcome "Chicago themed" totes for her out of town guests, I decided to see if there were any really cool Chicago gifts on Etsy. I think some of these would be perfect for welcome gift additions or even bridal party gifts.

Chicago EL Magnets! How cool are these? And she even does buttons!

I think including one recipe in your welcome gift of any local food is a great idea - and how neat would this be to include the Chicago Hot Dog and exactly what ingredients are included!

Or maybe your guests will need these little notepads in their welcome gifts?...

The Chicagoland notecards for your thank you cards?

I am loving the Chicago photos coasters. It looks like the artist also has several other Chicago landmarks that you can pick and choose from!

This was actually my favorite - the Chicago streets art canvas - and I ended up purchasing it for a friend's bridal shower gift. But it actually might just end up lost (...on the wall in my home).

Despite getting married several miles aways from downtown Chicago - this city means a lot to my fiance and I. It is where we met and I so want to include something as a memento to our guests.

I love Chicago...I really do!

Where I am right now...

(www.chicagotribune)

Where I wish I was right now...

I am so happy I am getting married, but the other day I did envy a couple of my single friends. They ended up just on a whim deciding to go to Cancun and left yesterday. I know we will have our honeymoon, but I so want a vacation right now. Especially this morning when I woke up to not just one flat tire but two. Spent the majority of the morning, getting the tires fixed and then treked all the way out to the suburbs to find out that my office was closing because of the winter storm. Then spent another two hours treking back home.

Map Totes

I am in love with these bags from Map Tote. We are not getting married downtown, but I still want to try to use these bags for something - maybe as gift bags for my bridesmaids?

A Fellow Chicago Blogger

(photo from Imaginative Studio)

Yeah, Chicago! I love coming across another blogger, who hails from our great city - A Windy City Wedding. Welcome! (I have updated my earlier Chicago post). UPDATE: Yeah! I found another great Chicago blogger - It's A Jaime Thing! A big blog hug to you!

Another Wedding

Exciting news - My fiance's niece got engaged over the weekend! (Yes - his niece. He is the youngest of a very big family and his first niece is only six years younger than him!). Like me, she wants to get married all at the same place and not do the church thing. So it has been sort of fun to pull out my old files and hand over some of the sites that I loved, but couldn't do. She is teetering back and forth on getting married either in the city or heading out to the suburbs. I rattled off a couple downtown sites off the top of my head, but would love anyone else's input...She is definitely looking for something unique and possibly inexpensive (HA!).

Downtown Chicago

Cafe Brauer

A New Leaf

The Stadium Club at Wrigley Field (I am not kidding. My friend just went to a wedding there a couple weeks ago and said it was awesome!)

Snow, Snow and More Snow

So we got hit with a ton of snow last night and I have to say - I love it. Everything looks so pretty. It really is a winter wonderland. However, in a couple days it will be looking a little yucky and ugly when it becomes mush.

Things are busy today, because I found out on Friday that I am heading to New Orleans for the BCS National Championship game! It is great because being an OSU grad - I get to see my Buckeyes. The bad news is they are playing LSU practically in their backyard! I also have visions of last year's game as well (yikes!). I am going for work, but in all honesty - all my family is going as well - so it is sort of a vacation too! I am so psyched but have been spending the last couple days searching for somewhat reasonable airfare, which has not really given me much time to do any wedding planning or x-mas shopping.

My Chicago

I fret every year over x-mas and finding the perfect gifts. I feel like it is ten times worse this year, because I am planning a wedding and trying to also stay on budget. So I can't go too crazy with gifts. However - a great thing about this blog world - I saw this on Pearls Events and checked it out myself. It is Ork Posters and this is perfect for a friend of mine. She just moved into a new condo in the West Loop. I love it! Thanks Aletha!

Windy City Love

I love all the blog love! After my shout-out on Tuesday, a couple other bloggers also did some Chicago love on their blogs - With this Ring - found some beautiful wedding shots done in downtown Chicago, while I Heart Peonies has dedicated a blogroll for all the Chitown bloggers. In the same spirit - I have decided to throw some things up that are total must for your wedding if you are a true Chicagoan! (All photos from my photographer - StudioThisIs)

Even though we are not getting married in downtown Chicago, I would love to get these trolley cars as our transportation! They actually will travel out to the suburbs, but I just don't think it will work as well for our wedding.

How about a replica of Wrigley Field as the grooms cake? Call me a bandwagoner but I became more and more of a Cubs fan after moving several blocks away from Wrigley.

You have to get a shot of you and your groom in the downtown area. I love walking down Michigan Ave. and seeing a bridal party get a perfect shot right near the Water Tower. We went back and forth on getting engagement photos and instead we decided we are just going to get some "fun" shots of us in our wedding best at some of our favorite Chicago locations.

Sweet Home Chicago

Photo from StudioThisIs

I have wanted to give a little shout out to all the Chicago blogs. I am sure I am missing a ton, but these are ones that I am really enjoying.

There is I heart Peonies so many neat ideas and totally love where she is getting married - Cafe Brauer is beautiful.

With this Ring - Another Chicagoan, planning a wedding in Wisconsin. Absolutely love her colors for her wedding.

Miss Jasmine at Wedding Bee

And another favorite I just came across - Elizabeth Anne Designs - Elizabeth is living here in Chicago. I seriously found her on Brooklyn Bride's blog and have in the last hour gotten so many inspirations from them! Thank you, thank you.

Update - I have also added A Windy City Wedding. Another great find on Brooklyn Bride's blog. I love the fact that she is helping out our Midwest Brides!