Katie & James' University of Chicago Wedding

Katie and James had a beautiful September wedding.  The couple tied the knot at one of our favorite churches, Old St. Pat's.  Between their ceremony and reception, we stopped for some wedding party photos throughout the city.  Then, we went to their reception at the University of Chicago.  Ali Philips planned the event - it went off without a hitch!

Sebrina & Dave's Intercontinental O'hare Shindig

Some might say Sebrina and Dave are the Romeo and Juliet of our time. Sebrina works for the Chicago Bulls and Dave works for the Miami Heat. For those of us that remember the 2011 Basketball Playoffs... well... that could be a hard pill to swallow. Despite rivalries and distance these two manage to make it more than work! We had a blast with them and their families and wedding party on their wedding day and got to throw down a wicked party! Even Alonzo Mourning was in attendance! 

Take a look below at some of our favorite pics from the day!

Venue & Catering: Intercontinental O'Hare
Planning: Ali Phillips - Engaging Events By Ali
Floral: Alexandra Jusino - Exquisite Designs
DJ: Al Okyne - Okyne Media Lab

Mike & Allyson's Salvage One Wedding

Mike & Allyson are practically family!  Mike works for Poetic Productions, one of the top video companies in Chicago.  The couple got married at Pilgrim Lutheran.  After their ceremony, we trekked around the city for some fun photos.  Alexandra from Exquisite Designs did their flowers, which looked awesome.  Ali Phillips from Engaging Events by Ali planned the fabulous party at Salvage One.  Larry King Orchestra rocked the house all night!  

Sebrina & Dave's Sneak Peek!

Stay tuned for more from Sebrina & Dave's big day at the Intercontinental Hotel at O'hare!

Sneak Peek: Allyson & Mike

We can't wait to share Allyson and Mike's wedding! Just putting the finishing touches on the blog post and slideshow. Check back later this week for the full story.

Love the Love: Style Me Pretty

We are honored to report that our very own Belen's wedding is featured on Style Me Pretty today!  We shot our photographer's wedding last year in DC, and as you can imagine, everything looked great!  Even though this wedding took place on the east coast, it wouldn't have been possible without some awesome talent from Chicago.  Thanks to Ali Phillips and Toast & Jam for traveling to the other side for a wedding well worth it!  Check out the blog post to see more!

Wish Upon A Wedding

Many members of the Chicago wedding community came out  for Wish Upon a Wedding's First Annual Blissful Wishes Ball which  took place on Monday, November 1, 2010 at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel.

We are humbled to have been nominated for, and to have won the first  Chicago Shining Star Award.  G+S Cofounder Kurt Gerber was honored for charity and generosity within the community.

 Our mission at G + S to is to always be grateful for what we have and always extend our hand to those in need.

We were  also proud to be one of the sponsors for the evening. It was a fun-filled night with over 200 of the most prominent and generous individuals from the wedding industry in attendance. Dana Kozlov from CBS2 Chicago and Dan Bernstein from The Score were the co-emcees and hosts for the evening.

The Blissful Wishes Ball was a gala celebration benefiting Wish upon a Wedding, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide weddings & vow renewals for couples facing terminal illness and other serious life-altering circumstances, regardless of sexual orientation.

By giving the gifts of dream weddings & vow renewals, Wish Upon a Wedding is able to grant some of the most intimate and heartfelt wishes of these people's lives, and help them share this important day with close family members.  A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales from the Blissful Wishes Ball will benefit Wish upon a Wedding, Chicago, and its mission. This fabulous event would never have happened if it wasn't for the hard work and dedication of our dear friend and colleague, Ali Phillips of Engaging Events by Ali. We are so blessed to have such amazing giving spirit in our community.

Guests at the evening's festivities  were treated to a three-course sit-down dinner, open bar, and dessert provided by Sarah's Pastries and Katherine Anne Confections. Entertainment for the evening was provided by the Larry King Orchestra and it didn't take long for them to get the dance floor going!  Guests also had a chance to experience Shutterbooth's photo booth, have their photos taken by Gerber + Scarpelli Photography, be a part of  the highlight film of I Do Films, as well as view the extravagant decor provided by Bbj linen, The Meetinghouse Companies, inc., Classic Party Rentals, Tablescapes Party Rental, More Cupcakes , Frost lighting and CS Brides.

Blissful Wishes from I Do Films on Vimeo.

Midwest Wedding & Event Professionals 2nd Annual Charity Golf Outing - A Huge Success!!

Last Wednesday, we took part in one of our favorite charity events of the year.  It's a day of BBQing, golfing, and having a great time all while raising money for the One Step at a Time Camp.  We got tons of people out to support and raised over $2000!!  This money will send multiple kids to summer camp and has the potential to be life changing for any young person experiencing a disease, hardship, or terminal illness.

1:  Bill Dugan of the Fish Guy, a great seafood market on Elston, and his team won the golf portion of the event.
2:  Keith Jorgensen of Poetic Productions won the "best dressed" competition for being dressed just like Carl Spackler from the Caddyshack.
3:  Belen of Gerber+Scarpelli poses with Ali of Engaging Events by Ali.
4:  Attendees bought raffle tickets the length of their height to be entered into the raffle to win our fabulous prizes.
5:  Maggie Thalheimer of Gerber+Scarpelli poses with her mom who drove out to attend the event.
6:  Nick Gerber of Gerber+Scarpelli poses quite enthusiastically with Ali.
7:  Two videographers from I Do Films having a great time at the BBQ.
8:  Laura Black, a make up artist, won a fancy umbrella from the raffle.
9:  Nick Gerber and Louis of I Do Films having way too much fun for their own good.
10:  Ali, Keith, and Kurt Gerber drawing numbers for the raffle.

Jennifer & Michael

The wedding we have here was 14 years in the making. Jennifer and Michael met  in 1996 and have been dating ever since. We started out in the Ritz Carlton where they Jennifer and Michael got ready. We set up their first meeting of the day in a wonderful little park just across the street from the Ritz. The trees that shaded the park gave a refreshing respite from the heat, and made for terrific pictures. Then it was off to the awe inspiring Museum of Contemporary Art. This build was not only amazing for pictures, but held a special place in the hearts of both the bride and groom. The couple had met because of this build (Michael is a chief executive of We O'niel, the company that constructed the museum), and had many stories about it that made it dear to them. After a wonderful ceremony in the courtyard of the MCA, the guests retreated inside the beautifully decorated museum to enjoy dinner and a casual evening of socializing and dancing. Of course it all went off perfectly because we had the steady hand of Ali Phillips of Engaging Events by Ali to keep things in order. We had so much fun and wish Jennifer and Michael all the best! Thanks for letting us be apart of your special day!

Lisa & Jason

At Gerber + Scarpelli, we're lucky enough to see and celebrate with all different traditions. This past weekend we got to see a Christian ceremony come together with a Hindu ceremony to create something beautiful and unique! Lisa and Jason met at Michigan State and knew almost instantly that they would end up together. They combined two beautiful traditions of faith into one ceremony which represented their different backgrounds, while at the same time speaking to their unity. After the ceremony everyone took a short break as Lisa changed outfits into another beautiful sari, while the boys all changed into their tuxedos. Then it was time to party - and party they did! It was an amazing time with so much to see and photograph!  A BIG thank you to Ali Phillips of Engaging Events by Ali, who helped bring everything together perfectly! Check out their slideshow below!