One Couple's Classic Lakefront Wedding at Chicago Cultural Center in Illinois

Although Nakisha and Antonio tied the knot in Chicago, Illinois, at the Chicago Cultural Center, the day was largely inspired by a Mediterranean vacation where Antonio proposed to Nakisha. "We’d gotten engaged at the start of our 2019 Mediterranean vacation. Subsequently, we had the chance to tour the Palace of Versailles and the Palace of Madrid, and I recall marveling at the opulent interiors and being inspired by the grandiosity of the architecture and stonework. I remember Antonio go to the gift shop to purchase postcards that displayed the interiors of each of my favorite rooms. I instantaneously knew that these images would form the mood board for our big day, and I wanted to remember every detail."

Nakisha goes on to explain that the couple was "lucky to spend the rest of our vacation touring through Italy and the South of France, and with the wedding twinkle in our eyes I think we definitely continued to draw bits of inspiration here and there. As such, there’s sort of a hybrid feel to our wedding, melding light and airy European vibes with our own modern stylistic preferences."

To bring the couple's European inspiration to life, Nakisha and Antonio settled on the Chicago Cultural Center as their ideal wedding venue. "We really wanted a space that our guests would be excited to visit, as well as one that could hold its own against the elaborateness of the wedding itself," says Nakisha. "We knew the Chicago Cultural Center was the right fit for us before we even walked the space. When we landed on our venue, our intention was for our decor merely to complement the beauty therein. In accordance, we opted for ethereal draping and soft up-lighting throughout the ceremony and reception space."

Given that the couple's travels abroad inspired much of the wedding, it was only fitting that they chose a globe to serve as their wedding guest book to bring the day full circle. "Anyone who knows us, knows that we love to travel," explains Nakisha. "So, we chose a miniature gold and ivory globe for our wedding guestbook. It was so fun to see our guests sign and make suggestions for our next adventure!"