Casablanca Themed Styled Shoot
The iconic love story of Casablanca is the inspiration behind this wedding styled shoot. This feature is a little regal and a lot of romance! Rich, vibrant hues make the decor stand out. With planning and design by Event Shoppe Chicago, this moroccan style came together and was perfectly captured by Grey Matter Photography! See some of our favorites and learn more about the inspiration for this shoot below!
Written by Jennifer of Event Shoppe Chicago:
The movie Casablanca debuted in 1942 and has often been referred to as one of the most iconic love stories of our time. While this classic love story served as the primary inspiration, our goal at the Event Shoppe, was to create a romantic Moroccan themed Chicago wedding that our brides and grooms would dream of while simultaneously paying homage to this timeless love story. We curated every detail, every piece of décor, every piece of fabric, of this shoot to re imagine Rick & Ilysa in Chicago today.
“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine” – Rick Rick’s Americana Café served as the primary backdrop of Casablanca and it was important to find a venue that matched its reputation. The Four Seasons Hotel Chicago served as the perfect venue as it is iconic in its own right to the history and of Chicago, it is the intersection where class and luxury meet.
We chose to work with a nontraditional pattern of bright and vibrant colors. Mixing oranges, purples, pinks and gold was risky, but a gorgeous take on the Moroccan style you would see in Casablanca, Morocco. The high-quality linens and napkins provided by F & S Linens and BBJ linen added the perfect mix of texture to the table setting. Vibrant pattern plates mixed with classic white served as the perfect backdrop to hand drawn Moroccan tile place cards provided by NB Modern Calligraphy. This romantic tablescape embodies the love in Rick’s eyes as he looked upon IIya and uttered the most famous quote of the movie. “Here’s looking at you kid” – Rick to Ilya.
Tea time was an important piece when putting this styled shoot together. Very often the ceremony and reception are the main attraction, but I wanted to highlight my favorite part of the wedding, the private 5 minutes the bride and groom get directly after the ceremony. When their wedding planner whisk them away from 200 of their closest family and friends and reminds them exactly why we are all here, the most romantic part of the wedding. You are now one, and this time represents the many private moments you will soon spend together in the coming future. When designing this shoot the Event Shoppe wanted to show the many emotions exhibited in this short amount of time. Love, laughter, pride, honor, and happiness. Set as an intimate Moroccan tea for two, this is arguable the most important time of the entire day. “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” – Rick to Louis at the closing scene
Wedding Pro’s:
Photography: Grey Matter Photography
Event Planning & Design: Event Shoppe Chicago
Venue: Four Seasons Hotel Chicago
Floral Design: Flower Firm Chicago
Chair Rentals: Satin Chair
Linens, Chargers, & Blush Napkins: F&S Linens
Napkins: BBJ Linen
Calligraphy: Nerissa B. Modern Calligraphy
Beauty: Danielle Rochon Makeup
Cake: Sugar Fixe Oak Park
Desserts: Catering by Gerald Scott
Dress: Jenny Yoo
Grooms Attire: JoJayden & Agriculture Chicago
Grooms Styling: Three Hangers
Models: Jordan & Dionna Sallis