Chicago Botanic Garden Wedding

Colorful Outdoor Wedding at the Chicago Botanic Garden

Melanie and Jonathan’s wedding was originally planned for the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago. When COVID forced a venue change, they moved the celebration outdoors to the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, and the new setting ended up reshaping the vision entirely.

The original palette of classic white and green gave way to saturated color. Surrounded by the Garden’s own blooms, the shift made complete sense on its own terms. The ceremony arch established the design direction early, and after the vows, it was repositioned to span the head table, giving the reception its strongest focal point and putting what we’d already built to good use.

The tent at the Chicago Botanic Garden is a solid structure, and we approached it accordingly. Antique chandeliers draped in greenery and florals replaced the existing lighting, bringing warmth and softness to the space. Layered starter plates in antique blue and white patterns introduced an heirloom quality to the table that tied back to the florals without duplicating them.

The result was a wedding that felt specific to its surroundings, and in the end, the venue change opened more possibilities than it took away.