Blue & Gold Wedding in Chicago: Raphael + Chevonne

It all began for Raphael and Chevonne in the summer of 2002, during a summer research program at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. This was right before their senior year and became the start of their love story. After dating for 2 and half years, the couple decided to be apart when they both moved away to different cities to complete graduate school. Fast forward to 2010, they both were back living in Chicago and soon thereafter they rekindled their relationship.

As their relationship progressed Raphael decided to surprise his bride-to-be with a romantic proposal in November of 2013. Chevonne shares,  He was not feeling well the night before, so even though I saw the proposal coming, I definitely didn’t see it coming that day. He woke me up at the crack of dawn that morning, got on his knee and read a poem he wrote for me and then asked me to marry him. It was very intimate and special and so “us.” I just wish I didn’t have a zit spot treatment on my face at the time. Lol

Andrew Thomas Clifton captured all the details of this lovely wedding.

Quick Facts:

Wedding flowers
Roses, hydrangeas and mini cala lillies
Favorite item on wedding menu
Salmon
First dance song
“Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” by Stevie Wonder

Wedding Style:
I wore an ivory trumpet style Demetrios Bridal gown with a sweetheart neckline, tulle skirt, corset back, lace appliques and beaded belt. I did just one day of dress shopping with my mom and sister. We went to about four salons. This was the last dress I tried on at our last stop for the day and as soon as I put it on, I knew it was my dress. My favorite accessory was the feathered birdcage veil.

Incorporation of Culture:
Paying homage to our families and ancestors was very important to us, so we incorporated libations into the ceremony as a tribute to our ancestors, known and unknown. Our family and friends played a large part in our wedding plans. My grandfather was the officiant, Raphael’s niece sang for us, a close friend of the family did libations for us, the owner of the wedding venue is a friend of my family, our videographer, photographer, florist and make-up artists were all close friends of ours or someone in our family. And lastly, of course, we jumped the broom.

Bridesmaids/Groomsmen Gifts:
Bridesmaids – floral kimono robes in different colors, bracelets and earrings. Groomsmen – gold tie clips engraved with their last name
  Memories:
This is such a hard question! It was such a great day overall and there was so much love and hugs from every direction. I think I’d say my favorite moment was the ceremony recessional. There was so much joy in the room.

Help a bride-to-be out!
I would say to stay in tune with each other as your plans evolve so that you’re both happy with the end result. Be open to suggestions, but also be clear on what you both want (you will get lots of unsolicited advice from people, but they mean well). If you’re open to premarital counseling, I would also recommend that. Marriage is work and it gives you some great tools. I didn’t have a wedding planner, so I would definitely advise brides who are planning their own weddings to stay organized, make lists and keep an eye on the budget. There are lots of useful wedding budget templates online. Use Pinterest and bridal magazines (like MunaLuchi) for inspiration. Hire a great photographer. You simply can’t invite everybody. Don’t feel guilty about it – they’ll get over it. Create an itinerary for the bridal party so that everybody has all the details they need. And take it all in. After months of planning, the wedding day will go by so fast. Enjoy it!

Vendors
Wedding Dress Designer – Demitrios Bride
Wedding Dress Salon – Macy’s Bridal Salon, Chicago
Bridesmaids Dresses – Bella Bridesmaid
Makeup – Laurie Lane (bridesmaids) and Brandy Lewis-Davis (bride)
Hair – The Abyss Salon
Shoes – Aldo
Ceremony, Reception and Cake – Crystal Sky Banquets
Photography – Andrew Thomas Clifton
Videography – Digital Cafe, LLC
DJ – DJ JayIlla
Florist – Belmonte’s Florist
Save the Dates & Thank You Cards – Minted
Wedding Invitations – Brad and Erica Neal
Photobooth – Saycheezebooth
Transportation – Trolley Car
Hotel – Hotel Allegro