Happy Hump Day, Lovelies!!!  Today’s featured wedding comes from Nancy of David Wittig Photography. They are a Chicago, Illinois based wedding photographer.  Nancy has been so accommodating to GSS on this feature.  Thank you!  Gina and Lawrence were married in Chicago, Illinois on April 30, 2011.  Gina was kind enough to answer a few questions for us:

How did you and  Lawrence meet?  We met as undergrads at the University of Chicago. 

How long have you been together?  10 years!

How did Lawrence propose?  We had planned a weekend getaway for Labor Day, but I had to cancel at the last minute because of work demands.  We rescheduled for the following weekend and I thought nothing of it.   I didn’t know it then, but Larry had been planning to propose on that trip.  He just couldn’t bear to wait another week though, so as we were lounging at home on the couch, Larry left the room for a minute, came back, kneeled down next to me, thought for a second, and said, “Oh, I’m just gonna do it!”  He pulled the ring from his pocket and asked me to marry him.  He later explained that he “just couldn’t keep a secret from his best friend.”

What sold you on your wedding venue?  Our ceremony venue, Rockefeller Memorial Chapel at the University of Chicago, holds a lot of meaning for us because we share a lot of memories together on campus.  I always imagined getting married in a big, beautiful church, so it really fit the bill!  Our reception venue, Hotel 71, had amazing views of the city because of its floor-to-ceiling windows.  It had also starred as Bruce Wayne’s penthouse in one of the recent Batman movies!  The catering sales manager there, Rebecca, was an absolute dream to work with, and we could not have been happier with the five-star service.

Your dress is gorgeous, where did you get it and how did you know it was “the one”?  My dress is from Priscilla of Boston.  I actually never really thought of it as “the one” because I had such a difficult time picking it out!  Everyone thinks that dress shopping is the best part about planning, but it was really the most stressful part for me.  

What was your “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue”?  ”Old” was a necklace Lawrence had given me many years ago; “new” was the dress, veil, earrings, and shoes; “blue” was a garter my mom gave me that morning; and now that I think about it, I didn’t have anything “borrowed” – oops!

How did you choose your wedding color palette?  Pink is one of our favorite colors, and I love how romantic and elegant the blush tone looks with white, ivory, silver and grey.  

Do you have any advice for brides that are in the planning process?  As long as you’re organized and check off one task at a time, it will get done!  Seriously consider working with a day-of coordinator, especially if your wedding is logistically complicated (multiple venues and the like); otherwise, you’ll be too worried about making sure the day goes smoothly to actually enjoy it.  Most importantly, try to remember how blessed you are to have found someone who loves you and to be able to throw yourself a party to celebrate that!

What song did you dance to for your first dance?  ”More” by Bobby Darin.

What was your favorite part of your big day?  Every part was our favorite part!  We never expected to get so caught up in the joyfulness and excitement of the day and to feel more in love than ever.  We loved spending the day surrounded by our family and friends and we couldn’t have been happier with how everything turned out.  The part I will probably never forget is keeping my eyes focused on Lawrence during the ceremony so my tears wouldn’t spill over, and feeling so happy and reassured in those moments.  The quieter moments we shared while just the two of us were walking around the city taking pictures were also very special.

Vendors:

Venue:  Ceremony – Rockefeller Memorial Chapel;  Reception – Hotel 71 

Dress:  Priscilla of Boston, Oakbrook Terrace, IL

Cake: Take the Cake

Floral: Fleur

Linens: Classic Party Rentals

Catering: Hotel 71

DJ/Band: DJ Roberto Monastero

Videographer: N/A

Invitations/Wedding Stationery:  William Arthur

Event Planner:  Melissa, Clementine Custom Events (provided day-of coordination services)

Thank you so much, Nancy, for sharing this amazing wedding with us!  Please stop by David Wittig Photography’s website and blog and show them some love!  And thank you, Gina, for taking your time to answer our questions!  We wish you and Lawrence a lifetime full of love, laughter, and happiness!!!  May every day be better than the last!

If you have an engagement, wedding, day after, or anniversary session that you would like featured- Please send it to us at submissions@groomsoldseparately.com.  We HEART submissions!