Kathryn & Zach, Harold Washington Library

I had the pleasure of coordinating a friend’s wedding this past May. The groom, Zach, and I have known each other since the 6th grade and when his fiancé called me about their wedding, I was ecstatic. When Kathryn and I met to discuss her wedding I knew immediately we would become friends. We had a blast chatting about her ideas and visions for her wedding day.

The planning began immediately and Kathryn and Zach selected Harold Washington Library for their venue. We then booked Deja Vu Band, Tammy Leathem of Leathem Photography and Fleur Couture to handle their floral and décor. Although we knew the G8-NATO Summit was taking place in Chicago that weekend, we weren’t informed until February that the Library would be used for Federal Government purposes. Our invitations were printed, Save the Dates had been sent and all vendors were booked, so I knew we had a challenge ahead of us. I immediately contacted everyone in my network, the City of Chicago and all of our vendors to inform them of the situation and prepare them for a back up plan. Nothing was going to stop this wedding from happening – not even NATO!

We ended up having a fantastic wedding weekend! We started at Osteria Via Stato for their rehearsal dinner with family and close friends (and an awesome groom’s cake – thanks to Amy Beck Cake Design). On Saturday, Kathryn and Zach had their first look at the park outside the Sofitel. After photos around Chicago and staying clear of the protests, Kathryn and Zach were married at St. James in Lincoln Park. The reception at Harold Washington Library was stunning! Deja Vu kept the dance floor packed all night long and Blue Plate catered an exquisite meal for the guests. We are so fortunate to Harold Washington Library for their support and all the vendors involved given the circumstances with NATO. Kathryn and Zach had an unforgettable wedding weekend!