Intimate Church Ceremony & Chicago Rooftop Dinner for Two

An intimate ceremony and a rooftop dinner for two? Yes please! That’s exactly how Bonnie and Danny chose to celebrate their day after the COVID pandemic forced them to pivot their plans. We love that they put their love first and still had such a picture perfect day! Thanks to The Simply Elegant Group and photos by Artbelka Photography, we’re able to share it with you below!

Written by Emily of The Simply Elegant Group:

Bonnie + Peter were planning on getting married originally on the same date (september 19, 2020) in Chicago at the same church but a different venue. However when we got closer to September (around July), COVID-19 restrictions Chicago had in place did not favor having a wedding that they had dreamed of. So after taking some time to discuss their options with one another, reaching out to their venue/vendors about rescheduling and possible cancellations policies, and talking to their nearest and dearest, Bonnie and Danny just could not imagine delaying becoming husband and wife, and decided to keep their original date.

With keeping their date, they however decided to change the plans a bit. They still wanted to do a very intimate ceremony at their church of 25 people, but they wanted to find a hotel where they could do a beautiful outdoor dinner for two in downtown Chicago with a view. After looking into options for their dinner + stay for two, they fell in love & found the perfect choice with The Gwen Hotel Chicago! The wedding day could not have been more perfect! From the weather, to timing, to the details, it truly was a day these two deserved! The Bride started her day getting ready in the gorgeous suite and we were off to meet the groom at the Church!

Their nearest and dearest watched the couple say "I Do" and become Husband and Wife. When I was getting their Grand Exit ready for the couple, I opened the doors and the street was full of their loved ones with signs, ready to congratulate the new Mr. & Mrs. DeCicco and be a part of their big day! The couple was blown away and was thrilled to see those that were originally supposed to be a part of their special day. After saying hello and taking some photos, the couple got into their private car and headed back to the hotel for photos! While they were taking photos in Gwen's gorgeous lobby & lavish outdoor terrace, I ran upstairs to assist the hotel to decorate the couple's suite with floral, a surprise cake from the bride's mother, and made sure their dinner was as romantic and intimate as they had wished.

The couple came up to their room after photos, cut their cake, and then fully enjoyed their plated dinner with wine pairings for the remainder of the evening! After their big day, I asked the couple what they thought of their day, and the Bride said "that it was absolutely perfect, and they feel like they didn't miss out on anything from not having a bigger wedding". It was a perfect day and that is exactly what these two deserved!