Jen and Matt’s Non-Traditional Two Day Celebration

by Amy Serrago

Jen and Matt planned a non-traditional wedding weekend in Chicago, Illinois. The two met at work, when Jen was new to the city. She was renting an apartment down the street from Matt and since she is, as she put it, “directionally challenged” she needed help finding her way home. She says the relationship grew from there. Matt proposed on the couple’s third anniversary and plans for their unique wedding celebration were underway. Jen’s family arrived from out of town on Friday night and on Saturday their small group headed to the Cook County courthouse to make things official.

Matt wore a custom tailored suit in navy blue and Jen’s dress was created from Matt’s mom’s wedding gown, which she gave to her new daughter-in-law for the wedding. The original ballgown skirt was turned into a pencil skirt for Jen, but the bodice fit her perfectly, so the original beading and details were left intact. We love the cool modern look she created. Once their “I dos” were said, it was off to brunch with the family, but this fun loving pair paused along the way to pose for some artsy photos with the city as their backdrop. Later that night, more friends gathered for drinks at one of Jen and Matt’s favorite spots in town.

Jen says the best part of having a two day wedding is that “you get multiple outfits”. We couldn’t agree more! She had two looks for her reception which took place on Sunday, at a small theater in uptown Chicago. Her first look was a classic A-line gown with a ruched bodice and spaghetti straps. She pulled in the pearls from her ceremony look and was an absolute knockout. She later changed into a two piece pants set made with fabric from her father’s home country, Ghana. Jen says it was reminiscent of what her mother wore on her wedding day, but she gave her look a modern twist with a sexy bare midriff. Matt was dapper in a burgundy tuxedo with a black shawl color. He wore a white shirt, skipped the tie and opted for black wingtips for footwear.

Fall is Jen’s favorite season and she and Matt are fans of craft beer and fine wines, so they decided on a color palette of gold and burgundy to personalize the reception. The centerpieces were DIY, but Jen says “We didn’t decorate the theater much because Matt has a background in acting and we wanted to make sure that came through.” They incorporated classic red roses into their DIY wine bottle centerpieces, because to Jen and Matt, they are the epitome of romance and love. Guests enjoyed a pizza buffet at the reception and the newlyweds loved that their weekend-long celebration didn’t feel rushed. “Because we were able to stretch it out we were able to show friends and family all different parts of the city that we love.”