Music Was Front and Center at this Wedding at The Gwen Hotel in Chicago, Illinois

Rachel and Fangzhi put music front and center on the rooftop of The Gwen hotel. A string quartet of friends played for the ceremony, while a beloved music professor officiated. “I walked down the aisle to a sonata by J.S. Bach, played by my violin teacher from high school,” Rachel says. “Seeing her play with such emotion, surrounded by my closest friends and family, I felt overwhelmingly grateful.” Fangzhi, who hails from China, also got a special processional: A Chinese pop song that Rachel arranged for string quartet. 
“I grew up on a farm, so I wanted to feel surrounded by the nature of the countryside even though we were on a rooftop in the middle of the city,” Rachel says.
A customary tea ceremony followed the Western vows. “It is an essential part of traditional Chinese weddings,” Fangzhi says. “The couple takes turns offering a cup of tea to the parents and grandparents, who give the couple their best wishes in return.” Fangzhi designed the stationery suite, inspired by the art deco motifs from The Gwen’s historic interiors.