Wildman BT Wedding | Raleigh + Andrew | Chicago Wedding Photographer
Wildman BT Wedding Chicago| Raleigh + Andrew | Chicago Wedding Photographer | BIRCH DESIGN STUDIO | REVEL DECOR | KIM KASSAs COUTure
Truly, Raleigh and Andrew were one of the most energetic couples that I’ve photographed, in the best way possible. From the getting ready to the partying at the end of the night at Wildman BT, these two really had endless joy, incredible personalities and all of the dance moves on top! They both started their mornings at The Hoxton Hotel in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago. The Hoxton has a perfect apartment suite that include a kitchen, living room and different combined rooms, which are perfect for a morning spread of food and drinks and plenty of space for all of the hair and makeup artist teams. Raleigh had a larger bridal party, and it felt like a proper movie production or runway set up. I love it! Emily Katz, of Goldust Woman was the team lead on the hair and the makeup team was from Dani Garcia. They did such an amazing job on all of the bridal party, as always! When I lived in Chicago full time, I always trusted Emily to do my hair at Goldust Studios. She’s so incredibly talented with all styles of hair. Anyways, back to the wedding. Raleigh gave each of her bridesmaids Air Force Ones, which was what she also changed into later in the day during the late night dancing! Raleigh’s dress was Kim Kassas Couture and her shoes were the Amora Bridal Pump from Sophia Webster! All in all, this bridal prep morning at The Hoxton was a beautiful one!
Raleigh and Andrew had their first look on one of the outdoor balcony’s of The Hoxton Hotel, overlooking the Chicago skyline. We took a few portraits of them and then headed over to Wildman BT, where both their ceremony and reception were going to take place! I love that Raleigh and Andrew wanted to arrive at the venue early, because they were able to have drinks with their bridal party, take family and group photos before the ceremony even started and just hang out together in a lounge area before the guests started arriving. Wildman BT was the perfect blank slate for Birch Design Studio and Revel Decor to create an immaculately designed and custom space for Raleigh and Andrew’s wedding day. The entrance was one of the most unique doorways I’ve ever seen. They had a lovely vibrant blue color as a focus and it mesmerized me. It was such a consistent color in the floral arrangements, the lighting, the entrance and the table setting settings. I loved that they choose this vibrant color, as it stood out so well against the natural toned palette of the stunning renovated warehouse style venue that is Wildman BT.
Since they did all of the portraits before the ceremony, as soon as they said “I Do” they walk off the center stage into the crowd and went straight into their first dance! The party started right away! Everyone did a bit of dancing, hugging and congratulating before sitting down to have a formal dinner, by Limelight Catering, and to listen to their loved ones give the most heartwarming speeches. Swiftly after the dinner everyone was right back to the dance floor to start the epic late night of dancing! They had an incredibly talented full live band, called The Chicago Players, who are a part of Gold Coast Events. They were on point with every song and no one left the dance floor! Also, Frost Chicago did an amazing job with the professional lighting! It genuinely felt like a club! And it was such a joy to work alongside our friends Aaron and Mike who filmed the wedding day as well, Aaron Bean! Raleigh also quickly changed into her Air Force Ones and they continued to dance the night away. In the end, Wildman BT provided the perfect party atmosphere for Raleigh and Andrew to celebrate becoming husband and wife with all of their friends on the dance floor! x
Wedding Venue - Wildman BT Chicago | Wedding Planning and Design - Birch Design Studio and Revel Decor | Wedding Hotel - The Hoxton Hotel Chicago | Wedding Florist - Revel Decor | Make-up Artist - Dani Garcia MUA | Hair Stylist - Emily Katz of Goldust Studios / Goldust Woman | Wedding Shoes - Sophia Webster Amora Bridal Pump, second pair were Air Force Ones | Wedding Dress - Kim Kassas Couture | Groom Outfit - Custom Suits You | Groom Shoes - Common Projects | Bride & Groom Rings - Alson Jewelers | Live Wedding Band - The Chicago Players from the Gold Coast All Stars (They are so freaking talented and The All Stars are one of the best full live wedding bands in Chicago) | Wedding Filmmaker - Aaron Bean | After-Party DJ - Chapman | Lighting & Production - Frost Chicago | Paper - Erin Quinn & Smitten Boutique Shop | Chicago Wedding Catering - Limelight Catering
A Design-Led Museum Wedding | Asrai Garden | Chicago Wedding Photographer | Savannah Miller Bridal | Varca Bridal | Destination Wedding Photographer
A Beautiful Design-Led Museum Wedding | Asrai Garden | Savannah Miller Bridal | Varca Bridal | Destination Wedding Photographer| Chicago Wedding Photographer
This design-led wedding day was full of so much love and endless style! Alex chose to get her outfit from the most unique bridal shop, Belle Atelier Bridal, and have the most unique designers to help her create her custom wedding look. The base of her wedding dress was designed by Savannah Miller Bridal and the custom cape and sheer gloves that flowed down to the floor were designed by the incredibly talented Varca Bridal. Sarah Varca is one of my personal favorites, and not just because she designed my custom wedding dress, but I’ve first hand seen how passionate she is about each bride and client she works and it’s so inspiring.
After Alex finished drinking champagne with her best friends in a suite at the Sofitel Hotel, she headed downstairs to see Alex (the groom) for the first time. They wanted to meet casually in the lobby (although, it was still so sweet to see his face in awe of her!) and we roamed around downtown with their best friends before we all headed over to the International Museum of Surgical Science. Once we arrived at the museum we were greeted by the team of Asrai Garden, who had been working for hours on the floral installations on the stairs and floral arrangements in multiple rooms where the ceremony, dessert bar and dancing would be. They are so skilled with transforming a space and their design-led arrangements are always so thoughtful and unique.
Their sweet ceremony took place in a stunning hall filled with marble statues, candlelit light, flowers and loved ones. They also had a beautiful three tiered wedding cake designed and made by Emily from Bon Vivant Cakes. The setting for this wedding allowed for the guests to roam the halls of the surgical museum, and it felt like we were in a noir film. They ended the evening by dancing the night away to her favorite DJ and her dad’s live band. Truly, it was a unforgettable wedding night in a museum! x
Dress Boutique - Belle Bridal Atelier | Wedding Dress Designer - Savannah Miller Bridal | Wedding Dress Custom Pieces - Varca Bridal | Wedding Coordinator & Vintage Rentals - Chicago Vintage Weddings | Museum Wedding Venue - International Museum of Surgical Science | Caterer & Bar - Hearty Boys | Wedding Cake and Desserts - Bon Vivant Cakes | Modern Wedding Florist - Asrai Garden | Hair - Tiffany Evans | Makeup - Gold Dust Woman | Live Band (Father of the Bride’s Band)- Night Crawlers | DJ - Greg Corner | Hotel Suite - Sofitel Magnificent Mile
Varca Bridal | Chicago Wedding Dress Designer | Melody Joy Co.
Varca Bridal | Chicago Wedding Dress Designer | Melody Joy Co.
I’m always amazed at the detail that Sarah puts into her gown collections. Varca’s latest bridal collection has so many interesting sleeves, cuts, fabrics and even removable extensions! So anyone from the more minimal to the more extra bride has something they can relate to! Varca names all of her gowns after names of women who has inspired them and her! Go check out Varca’s Instagram to see the names for each individual gown. Below are a few of my favorite images of each wedding dress, taken in her new studio space.
Sarah, of Varca Bridal, designed and is making me a custom wedding dress! I could not be more excited about having one of her custom pieces. Ever since she reached out to me about a shoot a few years ago, I instantly fell in love with her style and her as a person! If you’re looking for someone to make you a custom gown that will feel 100 percent like you mixed with Sarah’s creative energy, then definitely reach out to be one of her few custom brides that she takes on each year. I feel so honored to be one of them for this year!
Let me know if you all have any favorites, my favorite from her collection is definitely the VERONICA, and not just because I grew up collecting and ready Archie Comics endlessly. The sleeves are just amazing and totally give the dress that 19th century glam. The earrings that Sarah paired with each dress for this shoot were handmade by Ashley Jordan, of the Fashion Collective. Her earring line is called Akin Studio. Ashley’s statement earrings are all made of polymer clay and compliment Varca’s wedding gowns beautifully.
The hair for this shoot was done by Juan José of Hair by Juan José. His personality is exactly what you want on your wedding day, smiley, fun, just a joy to be around! And of course he created the perfect relaxed updo’s to compliment these beautifully detailed and structured gowns. All of the makeup for this collection shoot was done by the lovely Alyssa of Makeup by Alyssa Cruz. Her soft smokey eyes and natural tones are exactly what a bride should want on their wedding day so they feel a bit done up, but also feel like themselves. These soft hair and makeup I believe are the perfect way to feature your Varca dress or any wedding dress on a wedding day. I’m just all about the natural hair and makeup look for any occasion, personally.
Well enough of my words and badly written sentences, enjoy scrolling through all of the beauty that Varca has created for her brides this year. Truly honored to capture such beautiful works of art, as that is exactly what they are. x
Wedding Dress Collection - Varca Bridal / Makeup - Alyssa Cruz / Hair - Juan José / Photography - Melody Joy Co. / Wedding Jewelry - Ashley Jordan of Akin Studio, Fashion Collective / Models - Vinithra + Leilani
VARCA | A Bridal Atelier
Chicago Wedding Dress Designer | Varca Bridal | Chicago Wedding Photographer
Sarah Varca is the boss lady behind the Bridal Atelier, Varca Bridal! She designs all of her gowns in her Chicago studio, in Logan Square, providing dresses for “the woman on her own level'“ all over this lovely planet. Sarah Varca’s bubbly yet sassy spirit really comes out in all of her gorgeous gowns. If you want to have fun and be seen feeling your best, go set up a consultation for an original gown by Varca or visit one of her stockists around the world! If you are ever in Chicago trying on wedding dresses, you can try on her beautiful wedding gowns over at Honey Bridal!
The two Varca wedding dresses below are called “The Nikki”, where the lace neck and puffy sleeved cape is removable, and the “Arabella Gown”, the one with all of the fluffy layers and white leather! These are part of Varca’s latest collection and I’m just amazed at the detail that went into them!
I’m just so grateful to photograph entrepreneurs, like Varca Bridal, who are doing amazing things, and creating beautiful masterpieces by hand and businesses from the ground up. So enjoy these beautiful bridal looks below and be on the lookout for future features on creative entrepreneurs that I am inspired by, coming to my website soon!
If you are ever in need of someone to help you plan your Chicago wedding day, I will happily refer my favorite Chicago wedding planners in the city! Chicago has such a good range of wedding dress boutiques, but Varca Bridal is one of my favorite designers in Chicago, and you must look at her gowns at Honey Bridal while you are dress shopping! You won’t be disappointed! Varca Bridal also designs custom wedding gowns for anyone who has shopped around and hasn’t quite found what they are looking for! You can find the store stockists on Varca Bridal’s website to see where you can try on her fabulous wedding dresses! And if you need any other Chicago vendor referrals, from Chicago wedding florists to Chicago wedding venues to Chicago wedding videographers, I’m more than happy to send over my referral list! Cheers to wedding planning and the start of a beautiful new beginning with the one you love! And make sure to go visit Varca Bridal’s website above to browse her gorgeous wedding dresses!