At a Christmas party in 2010, Chicago resident Andrew Roberts received an extra special gift: a tip from his pal Ali that he needed to meet her friend Danielle (Dani) Rosen. Andrew obliged, a blind date was booked, and four years later he was on bended knee, proposing to Dani in their Windy City home. Following an exuberant “Yes!” from his new bride-to-be, he led her to the restaurant where they had gone on their first date—there, both families joined for a celebratory brunch.
For the real-deal celebration and the ceremony itself, the couple turned toward the warmer climes of the Lowcountry (where Andrew grew up vacationing) and the talents of Lauren Fox and her team at Fox Events: a referral from another helpful friend. The pair visited eight venues before one historic gem ended the search. “When we saw the Legare Waring House and its pristine, organic beauty, it was game over,” says Dani, who locked down the site nearly a year and a half in advance. From there, they “tackled all the large decisions first, like booking a photographer, videographer, band, and caterer,” she says of their order of operations.
With their team in place, Dani worked with Lauren to pull together the day’s soft aesthetic. Armed with a palette anchored by the seafoam green found in a few of the bridesmaids’ dresses, Lauren added complementary pink hues and enhanced the venue’s ethereal grounds with buckets of florals and greenery. “The look was natural, wild, and free-spirited—just like Dani and Andrew,” says Lauren.
Beyond the good looks, though, personal touches and a fun-for-all sensibility punctuated the pair’s day. The mothers of the bride and groom contributed their skills—Andrew’s mom tackled invitation calligraphy while Dani’s orchestrated the welcome bags—and Ali, their friend who kick-started the romance years ago, officiated the ceremony. “There was no one else better for the role!” says Dani. After getting their fill of Cru Catering’s fun take on homegrown dishes (hello, s’mores skillets), the 125-strong party hit the dance floor and later killed late-night cravings with a Chicago-style hotdog stand. “I am so beyond happy with how smoothly and perfectly everything went,” says Dani. “Lauren and her team made sure I had no worries in the world on our Big Day, which was priceless.”
Vendor List
Wedding design, florals, and hot dog stand: Fox Events, www.AFoxEvent.com
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