With a sweet and sentimental tale.

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Not a typical girly girl, Lauren never dreamt of a fairytale wedding or had a Pinterest board waiting to be filled with dreamy dresses. But things changed when she got engaged and learnt her mum was ill, so she decided to have a proper elegant wedding celebration for not just her and husband Dave to enjoy but also her mum and family. Sticking true to herself Lauren kept things dark and dreamy with rich flowers and elegant gold décor details. Barnhart Weddings documented the day while Lauren and Dave so kindly shared their real wedding story with us...
Glam DownTown Chicago Wedding by Barnhart Weddings | onefabday.com

Lauren tells us how she and Dave met..."Dave and I met working at a bar. He was a bouncer and I was a hostess. We worked together for a few months before we started dating and have been together ever since. We have been together for what is going on 8 years now. We have grown a lot individually and as a couple. The tumultuous time in your 20’s when you’re “finding yourself” we did together. We just fit. There is no one in the world we would rather love or fight with than each other."

Glam DownTown Chicago Wedding by Barnhart Weddings | onefabday.com

Having decided to buy a house together Dave seized the celebratory moment and proposed. Lauren remembers..."We had just wrapped up an inspection and had made the decision to move ahead and purchase our first home. When I was out of the room Dave dropped the ring in the bottom of a glass of champagne, we were already celebrating but he made it even more memorable!"

Having chosen the epic InterContinental Chicago as their wedding venue Lauren and Dave had very little décor additions to make. Lauren recalls..."We wanted to have an elevated version of a dinner party. The room was beautiful on its own so to overcast it with pink or purple up lighting would take away from the craftsmanship. We let the room shine and inserted florals that were beautiful without taking away from the masculine richness. That’s why we decided on saturated tones of burgundy and berry."

As Lauren's mum was ill at the time of the wedding Lauren made a big effort to ensure she had the best day. Lauren sweetly told us..."A few months before our wedding day my mother was diagnosed with cancer so this big wedding was for her, she always wanted to dress up her tomboy daughter. It was a chance for her to dress up, cut loose and be with her friends and family. It gave her something to work on and look forward to when her life revolved around treatment."

Lauren also made sure her mum felt wonderful, and looked beautiful on the day. She told us..."I cannot say enough about our vendors. Nika our makeup artist was amazing. She spent so much time with my mom, working with her sensitive skin to make her feel beautiful. My mom said that she felt like herself again that day. It was the greatest gift someone could have given me."

After their wedding Lauren and Dave took a well deserved honeymoon to Maui. Huge congratulations guys and thanks so much for sharing your heartfelt and beautiful wedding with us all.