Michelle & Doug’s Chicago Wedding at The Rookery

“Food, music, and the venue.” These were the three most important aspects for Michelle and Doug when planning their wedding.

“We are huge foodies, so having delicious food was important. A unique venue made our special day stand out and it sure helped that Doug already had that one figured out prior to even getting engaged. The band we chose was sensational and truly made the night one to remember!“

Their April wedding day started with a room full of close friends and family all beyond excited to see Michelle in her dress. And let me tell you, after walking in and hanging it up for photos, I was too! The detail was amazing. And then add in the colorful bridesmaid dresses and gorgeous flowers from Steve’s Flower Market and I knew this day would be so fun to capture.

I had first met Michelle way back before I was even a full time photographer. We worked together in downtown Chicago off Michigan Ave in Grant Park. Little did we both know that one day she would be contacting me for engagement and wedding photos. And I’m so glad she did! After meeting Doug and seeing these two together, it was more than apparent that they were each other’s perfect person. Add in Winston, aka Sir Winston Meatball, and this adorable family of 3 made for some of my favorite city engagement photos.

After a lot of excitement and then dodging multiple wedding parties also taking photos on LaSalle, we lined up Michelle and Doug in front of the Rookery building, stood back, and watched them see each other for the first time all dressed up. Doug’s reaction was the cutest! Nerves were calmed, gifts were exchanged, and after a few photos of just them, their amazing wedding party joined in. We finally had the entire street to ourselves!

My favorite part was climbing the famous Rookery building winding stairs to catch some iconic photos inside. According to Michelle, “Doug was a guest at a wedding at The Rookery Building a few years prior and talked about how incredible it was for a few years. The moment we got engaged, Doug asked me to go see it. We saw one other venue and there was no competition. We did not even look at any others!”

I had to agree! Those stairs are so cool and the building is gorgeous. After many, MANY photos inside the Rookery, Michelle and Doug and their friends and family hid away as the final details were set up for the ceremony at the bottom of the grand staircase. A short and sweet ceremony and quick reception room change up later, and we were cheering Mr. & Mrs. Andrew in down those very stairs to dance the night away.

Here are the highlights from their unforgettable wedding day.

Wedding Coordinator : @bustleandlace
Florist : @stevesflowermarket
Band : @maggiespeaksband
Hair : @tamaraholdenhair
Makeup : @emilywolfmua
Caterer : @jewelleventscatering
Shoes : @loefflerrandall
Dress : @bellabiancabridalcouture
Suit : @stitchandheartchi
Lighting/Design : @art_imagination

A little more about Michelle & Doug :

1.When did you meet? Where?
We connected on the dating app Hinge in 2018. Our first date was shortly after at The Bad Apple in Lincoln Square. Michelle was late, per usual.

2. When did you get engaged? Where? How did the proposal happen?

We got engaged in 2021 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico over Valentine’s Day weekend. Doug somehow made it through customs with the ring and surprised Michelle with a sweet proposal by the beach just a few short hours upon their arrival. We got to celebrate all weekend long and were just on cloud 9 the entire trip!

3. How did you start your wedding planning process? Through referrals, planner, own research, etc.?

Michelle is a planner at heart and took to her own research right away. Doug already had the venue picked out and the moment they saw it, they both knew it was perfect for them. As the date got closer, Michelle hired a day of planner, but she rocked out all of the details, big and small, on her own with a million spreadsheets and basically taking on a part time gig as wedding planner!

4. What was your favorite thing about your wedding day?

We both adored our first look and our first dance. These were two uniquely special and memorable moments we shared together that we will cherish forever. Having all of our family and friends in one space, celebrating our love, is also something we will never ever forget.

5. What were the first dance songs?

Michelle & Doug: “The Luckiest” – Ben Folds. This was also played with only instrumentals (violin and piano) during our ceremony as Michelle walked down the aisle and as well as post ceremony after we said our “I do’s!”

Michelle and her Dad, Allan: “My Girl” – The Temptations

Doug and his mom, Evelyn: “Close to You” – Carpenters

6. Where did you (or plan to) go for your honeymoon?

A few days after the wedding, we had the most breathtakingly beautiful honeymoon in Hawaii. We started off in Kauai and ended our trip in Maui. Our honeymoon was the perfect combination of adventure, activities, relaxation and romance and we loved every minute of it!

7. What is one thing about your spouse that many people might not know? Any funny, sweet, silly stories?

We are both are super goofy together and often break into song and dance over the most random things. Keeps us laughing and always entertained!

8. Can you give any advice for future couples planning a wedding?

Make a timeline and stick to it. It gets stressful as the date gets closer, so the more you can do spread out over time, the better. Also, enjoy every minute of your big day. The cliche “it goes by so fast” is SO true. Make sure you participate in your wedding- enjoy the band/DJ, dance your little face off, eat the food, enjoy your new wife/husband and make memories that will last a lifetime!

THANKS FOR SHARING!