Love & Joy | May 2020 | Issue 2

love and joy

Issue 2

May 2020

Triumphant. Delightful. Timeless.

Photography by Alice Alinari

Contributors

ASHLEY DAHL PHOTOGRAPHY BOOM ISLAND STRING QUARTET BRANCATO’S CATERING LITTLE MAC DESIGN WEDDINGS OFFICIANT AMBER OLSON TDT BEAUTY, LLC

Founder/Handler - Tamara D. Tillery Photographer - Ashley Dahl For more content and exclusive downloads, visit www.thelovejoymag.com

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From the Founder

A quick note and thank you from the founder

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Tips for picking a getting ready location

Some guidance from a photographer

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Little MAc Design

Get to know a little about Little Mac Design

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Keep your artist of choice

Why the MN bridal beauty Freelancer is in jeopardy

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The Tasty Truth of Selecting your Caterer

Hear it from a Pro

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How to relax during wedding planning

Tips & Tricks P. 2

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FOUNDERS NOTE

from the founder Wow! I am overwhelmed by the reach our first issue

This magazine is also proof that even in the midst of

was able to achieve.

something chaotic, uncontrollable and truly uncharted,

Thank you to all the April contributors and our readers!

something beautiful can flourish.

Love & Joy came out of it's name sake, the love & joy

This stands as true as ever for you the reader, the

that weddings bring me. I never dreamed of creating a

couples continuing to surge forward, amidst this

magazine, but, the more I journey into the wedding

pandemic, with one goal in mind...

industry, as a vendor, the more my heart swells!

To share Love & Joy with family and friends as two I felt it was important to share the contacts I have

become one! Congratulations!

made and the wealth of knowledge that comes from so many of the amazing vendors I have met and have

We at The Love Joy Mag only hope that our magazine

yet to meet.

can help to educate, motivate and inspire you.

TAMARA D. TILLERY FOUNDER OF THE LOVE JOY MAG

Host: Styled Shoots Across America Planning & Creative Direction: Heather Benge Events Venue: The Hutton House | Florals: Nalias Events Stationery: West Bloom Paper Co. Hair: Danielle's Hair Studio | Makeup: Faces by Laura Gown Salon: The White Room | Shoes: Bella Belle Tux: Generation Tux Linens & Rentals: Apres Event Decor & Tent Rental Cake: INK Sweets Photography: Ashley Dahl Photography

Tips for picking a getting ready location the morning of your wedding day Written by Ashley Dahl So much thought goes into planning a wedding, whether it’s deciding on the centerpieces for each table to what florals you want in your bridal bouquet. Some of the details seem obvious, while others can slip through the cracks. One of the not so obvious details is deciding where you want to get ready the morning of your wedding. Here are a few tips to consider when picking your getting ready location for your wedding day!

Lighting matters A space with lots of natural light is your best bet when it comes to a great getting ready space. This will really make your photos look and feel natural, clean, bright and timeless. Even on an overcast or rainy day, having some window light fill the space can make such a big difference. Your photographer can use window light to create beautifully lit portraits of you getting ready with your girls. Your makeup artist will also love this!

Gravitate toward neutral, light colored walls Similar to lighting, when a space has light and neutral colored walls, your portraits will turn out looking true to color and you won’t have any weird color casting messing with your skin tone. Avoid dark spaces or rooms with weird colored walls such as orange, red and green.

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TIPS

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TIPS

Consider who will be getting ready with you When picking a location to get ready the morning of your wedding day, consider who all will be there in the space with you. Your mom? Aunt? Grandma? Seven of your bridesmaids? Think about the number of people and how they will all fit into the space. Will it be crowded? Or is there enough space for everyone to spread out a bit and not be on top of each other when getting ready?

Travel time One of the most overlooked aspects to creating a wedding timeline is travel time, so when deciding on a getting ready location, it’s also important to consider this. If your ceremony and your reception is at your venue, see if they have a bridal suite or a getting ready space you can utilize. This can really cut back on the amount of time it takes to pack up at a hotel and travel to another location. Not only does considering travel time make it less work for you and your wedding party, but also your photographer and videographer because you can really maximize the time you have coverage with them for.

Nearby to the groom’s getting ready location I usually recommend my couples each pick a getting ready location nearby to each other. More often than not, there've been cases on wedding days where couples need to hand things off to the other, whether the boutineers showed up to the bride’s getting ready location, or a letter/gift was forgotten behind. If you are getting ready in a hotel, this is easy because you can simply be in the same building. If your venue has a groom’s suite and a bridal suite, this is perfect! Things get tricky if you are each getting ready at a home that isn’t in the same neighborhood. If this is the case, consider adding a little bit of wiggle room time in your wedding day timeline to account for anything that might not go as planned.

Whether it’s a hotel, your parents’ home or the bridal suite at your venue, I hope these pieces of advice help ease your mind when considering where you want to have you and your wedding party get ready the morning of your wedding!

Contact Information: Ashley Dahl Photography www.ashleydahlphotography.com Email: ashley@ashleydahlphotography.com Instagram: @ashleydahlphotography

Hi! I'm Nicole and I LOVE my job!

Working with fantastic clients,capturing your moments and sharing in your day is what I love!

I have always loved photography from a very young age and my artistic style continues to flourish and grow every year. I have a strong graphic design background and went back to school for a second degree....actually attaining my Multimedia Web Design Degree and upon completing that degree realized I loved photography and graphic design much better.

I am a single mom who has a pretty amazingly, talented 8 1/2 year old daughter who is a gymnast & a musician(and as you can imagine has a mommy who takes whole lot of pictures of her haha.) She is the apple of my eye,and the inspiration behind the name,"Little Mac Design."

When I am not working the wedding scene I love to sing, workout, play volleyball, and enjoy time with my daughter.

I would really love to help couples during this trying time of trying to plan a wedding or rescheduling a wedding during Covid-19. I am offering a discount of $400 off all wedding packages through this year as a way of saying thank you and also to let couples know that I am here for them and would love to help!

Feel free to reach out to me and I would love to help you out! Â ~ Â Thanks, Nicole nicolestrinity@gmail.com 612.281.7199 littlemacdesignweddings.com littlemacdesign.com P. 8

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LITTLE MAC DESIGN

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KEEP YOUR ARTIST OF CHOICE

Keep your artist of choice Freeing the Minnesota Freelancer

Preparing and seeking advice for your wedding day can be overwhelming and often misleading, especially when it comes to one of the most important facets of the day: your hair and makeup. These key factors can often make or break you entire wedding day look. For this reason, many brides depend on a professional makeup and hairstylist to execute their vision.

Photography: Ashley Dahl Photography | Hair: Danielle's Hair Studio | Makeup: Faces by Laura

Brides currently have the luxury and convenience of picking from a multitude of talented artists. Most of these artists are able to provide these services on-site at the location of the brides choice. As a bridal consumer you can search WeddingWire, The Knot, Forever Bride, Thumbtack, Google , Instagram and even Facebook to find an array of artists to choose from. You have, in essence, a catalog of an exceptionally talented bunch. But what if that catalog turned into a small pamphlet?

What if instead of having the ability to select an artist you could personally connect you just had to pick whoever was available on your date and hope for the best?

What if you could only select from 38 artists in the state of Minnesota?

Well, in the state of Minnesota, this might just be the case. For years, bridal hair and makeup artists worked safely in Minnesota without any license or permit under an exemption from cosmetology licensing that the Minnesota Cosmetology Board created for beauty services “for photography,” which is the exact reason brides hire an artist for the big day. After all, a bride’s photos are the keepsake from that day that will last forever! But in 2018, the cosmetology board changed its interpretation of its rules regarding hair

and makeup services for weddings and special events. Under the board’s new policy, if an artist wants to do a bride’s hair and makeup before her wedding, they first needs two licenses and a special event services permit.

To get these licenses, artists need to complete hundreds of hours of education and training. Although education can be important and valuable, the education the board requires is not directly related to bridal hair and makeup. Most cosmetology courses require 1,550 hours of training that covers hair, skin and nails, and the training is geared toward working in a salon.

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KEEP YOUR ARTIST OF CHOICE

To become licensed, the board wants to require bridal hair and makeup artists to complete this course, take three tests, acquire a cosmetology license, and take another test for a salon manager’s license. Again, more training that is not directly related to bridal work. To make matters worse, once an artist gets both licenses, the board also requires the artist to apply for a special event permit for each wedding and to register YOUR wedding with the cosmetology board. And here is the kicker: The board is imposing these requirements on bridal hair and makeup artists but continues to exempt simple hair styling and makeup services in a variety of other settings, including photo shoots and retail makeup counters.

The truth is that simple hair styling and makeup artistry are safe practices that many people do every day. Most bridal hair and makeup artists in the state are not licensed and never have been. There are hundreds of artists who have built successful businesses under the cosmetology board's former interpretation of the rule that exempted these services, and now their once successful businesses are in jeopardy all because the board wants to capture a profitable segment of the beauty industry.

So what does this mean for you as the bridal consumer? These new requirements mean that on your special day, you have to worry about the "makeup and hair police" showing up to audit your artist and interrupt your event. Who wants to have their wedding day interrupted by a spontaneous board investigation that could delay your event? This also means that if this bill does not pass, there may suddenly be a shortage of artists who can legally provide onsite hair and makeup services in the state. Of course, brides can always choose to hire licensed artists if that's their preference, but they shouldn't be limited to working with only one of 38 licensed artists in the state. That’s just not right.

So what can you to do to ensure you can continue to choose the artist who best suits your needs on your wedding day? Simple!

There are currently two bills pending in the Minnesota Senate and House: HF 3202/SF 2898. These bills exempt simple hair styling and makeup application from the board’s burdensome licensing requirements and protect consumer choice. The bills are still under consideration, and you can help support the bills by reaching out to your state representative and senator. (Note: you can find your state legislators at this link: www.gis.leg.mn/iMaps/districts Be sure to reach out to only your state legislators and not your U.S. congressman or senators.) To support the bill, you can simply call your state legislators’ offices or send them an email and ask them to support HF 3202/ SF 2898. Please be sure to give them the bill numbers and to tell them why the bill matters to you as a consumer.

Your support for the bill will help make sure that you, as the bridal consumer, will continue to have the ability to work with someone you have personally selected and feel comfortable with on your wedding day. It will also help hundreds of artists who have worked hard to build their businesses and simply want to be able to continue what they’ve always done.

Written by Tamara D. Tillery, TDT Beauty LLC

Joy IS A REMEDY

Photography: Ashley Dahl Photography Florist: Moss & Found DJ: Green Line Talent Hair and Makeup: Elana Darrus Catering: Calihan Catering Limo: M&M Limo Dress: BHLDN Groom’s Attire: The Black Tux

A small family operated business by a mother daughter duo. We offer beautiful silk wedding florals and wedding decor at a reasonable price. We even have many various wedding decor items available for rent! We work with couples every step of the way to ensure their dream wedding floral vision becomes a reality. We keep in contact every step of the way and provide pictures throughout the process to ensure every details fits into that vision. We take pride in our work and the results show in the finished arrangements.

Check out our page to see some previous work! If you are interested in learning more please feel free to contact us. Have questions, no problem we would love to chat.

Come see the difference with a small family based business today!

(920) 766-4955 www.facebook.com/LoveableCreationsbyLindy

D&S Party Tents and Prevailing Winds Lodge (Blue Mounds, WI) are working together to offer greatly discounted wedding packages for the months of June and July of 2020. These packages also include free planning and coordination. Contact Steve at 608-437-2195.

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THE TASTY TRUTH

The Tasty Truth of Selecting your Caterer!

My name is Brian Ingalls and I am the Director of Sales and Business Development for Brancato’s Catering. I have been in the catering business for 22 years and I am here to take you through the steps of selecting a caterer for your big day!

Finding your venue: (hey I thought this was about catering?)

Selecting your venue for the big day is paramount to guiding the details of your event. Some venues have catering and alcohol services in house and some allow you to bring in outside vendors for everything. Selecting your venue will help you to navigate which services you need to secure and which services are provided. Additionally, several venues have a preferred list of vendors for services. These lists are often composed of vendors that have worked in the space and have a wonderful track record of successful events. As a caterer being on this list means you are aware of restrictions in a space as well as needs you may have to provide outside of the venue's capability. For example if the venue does not have access to water you will be responsible for bringing water to the event site. Something as simple as this can have a drastic affect on your caterer’s success or failure . Venues will often present you with a preferred vendor's pricing and information so that you have the information you need to book them directly.. They will also share new booking information with these vendors so that they can reach out to you, easing the burden of you having to track them down!

Getting bids from catering vendors Upon doing your research by reading reviews and consulting with friends and family, narrow your catering search down to no more than three professionals in the area. Make sure those vendors are licensed and insured, and are able to cater at the event space you have selected. When asking those caters for a bid make sure you know the following information and have it handy…

Venue Estimated guest count (figure this on 70-80% of your invite list) Service level (buffet vs plated vs apps ; china plates vs disposable plates) Budget per person (typically a range will work $15-$20 ; $35-40; or any that work for your budget) Additional items or services needed (i.e. beverage service at your tables;/ passed appetizers during a cocktail hour; cake cutting and plating; linens; etc.)

Menus you are considering or type of cuisine you would like to see (i.e. American, BBQ, Italian, etc.)

These are critical questions virtually every caterer will need to know and are vital to building you the proposal that fulfills all of your needs.

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THE TASTY TRUTH

Receiving multiple proposals: What do I do now?

Now that you have all of your proposals a critical step is comparing them. As a catering company we have always believed in placing all possible fees into our cost per person. Some companies will line item each individual fee for their services from food, to labor, to linens, etc. While these companies may present you with a lower food cost per person, the additional line item fees have a way of adding up to more than what our per person cost is with all fees included. Additionally, there are some companies that will add additional gratuities or service fees to your event as last minute line items in your proposal. You will want to ensure that all proposals are including the same items to allow you to compare apples to apples. I strongly suggest that you take your total cost reflected and divide it by the estimated number of people to receive your true cost per person. You might be surprised when your bids are closer than they appear.

Setting up your tasting: The best part When you have narrowed your list of catering contenders you should reach out to each company and set up a tasting. You should clarify if there is a fee for tastings, or if they are complimentary. My company, Brancato’s Catering provides complimentary tastings to our potential customers. Typically a tasting can have up to six guests in attendance and will be scheduled some time Monday through Thursday. The day of the week is important as most companies and kitchens are working on events already booked and being executed over the weekend. As with any rule exceptions can always be made. I recommend you select items for your tasting that are unusual to you, or can have many adaptations of a recipe. If you are choosing a dinner menu looking at entrees, starches and unique vegetable offerings are usually going to provide the most insight into a caterer’s quality. We all have a pretty good idea of what a caesar salad tastes like and there are not a lot of adaptations. When you attend your tasting DO NOT go hungry. Most of you have gone to the grocery store on an empty stomach and realized you bought way more than you need.

When we are hungry everything tastes and sounds good. Make sure and have a light meal or snack prior to tasting to ensure that your taste buds are sensing the quality of the food and not just your ravenous stomach choosing everything because it is hungry.

Be sure to discuss terms of payment, guest count and deposit at the end as well.

Finalizing your selection After receiving your proposals and executing all of the tastings it is now time for you to make your selection. Look at all of the factors including price, services, food quality, professionalism and hospitality to ensure that you are making the best selection for your event. Once you have made your final selection and secured your catering vendor with your deposit, don’t feel like communication stops there. Make sure to keep them updated with timeline changes, dietary restrictions as RSVPs come in, overall questions and concerns. They are there to make sure all of the details are executed to perfection to bring your vision to life. Don’t forget to use them as a resource if you are in need of any additional vendors; the event community is very close knit and you will get great, trustworthy recommendations of people who come vetted by industry professionals and who will help to make your event a success.

Brian Ingalls Director of Sales and Business Development Brancato's Catering 5050 Kansas Ave. | Kansas City, KS 66106 P: 816.765.4707 | F: 913.735.2752 BrancatosCatering.com

How to relax during wedding planning

Wedding planning can be super stressful, but it should also be a time of joy and excitement. Finding ways to relax during the planning process is super important for your sanity! Here are a few ways to help relieve a bit of that stress during wedding planning.

Prioritize!

You have a lot to plan for your wedding, it can be very overwhelming for some. So it is super important to prioritize your list.

Find a checklist that breaks down your wedding planning into a timeline to ease some of your stress. There isn't a need to do everything at one time. Break it down and put the most important things to you at the top of the list. Of course, the easiest way to relieve some stress is to hire a wedding planner. I mean they are experts at planning weddings! Make the time to take a walk, or just sit with your future spouse a few times a week. Let this time serve as an opportunity to discuss decisions that need to be made. But try not to let the wedding talk dominate all ofÂ

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your conversations outside of this designated time.Your relationship will be better for it!

You will most definitely be hit with a ton of ideas from family and friends about how, when, where, what, etc for your wedding. Guess what though, it is YOUR wedding! Do not stress yourself out trying to make everyone else happy. This is your special day and no matter what your family and friends will enjoy and celebrate with you.

Side note - delegate, delegate, delegate.

You may be superwoman and wonder woman rolled into one, but even those lovely ladies had people to help them.

You are not alone. Put your family and friends to work for you. They will love being a part of this journey.

they could potentially not communicate at all. It's important to have vendors that can work together! This can create a rock star lineup that has your back and will work cohesively to make your wedding day legendary!

And our last little note for you is - Plan early & use a realistic budget!

The couples that are the least stressed during wedding planning are the ones that allow themselves plenty of time and set a realistic budget. Trying to plan a wedding last minute or without setting a solid budget can create a stress storm. Take your time, don't rush it, stick to your budget, and be ok with saying no and making adjustments as you go. Your wedding will be amazing, we promise!

Choosing the right vendor team is key!

The right team of professionals can either work extremely well together or

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HOW TO RELAX

Now & Forever

Photography: Ashley Dahl Photography Planning: Events By Bridgitte: Brigitte Bagdady Church: St. Joseph Catholic Church Reception Venue: Ravisloe Country Club Florals: Kloeckner Preferred Flowers Ice Cream Bar: Cook's Ice Cream Signage: Mon Amor Event Design Studio DJ: Dream House Productions Limousine: Top Fleet Inc. and Windy City Limo Hair: Eugenija's Hair Design Rentals: Marquee Event Rental

Amber Olsen, a local Midwest wedding officiant located on the border of North Dakota and Minnesota. Her book, "Navigating Your Wedding Ceremony" was just published on Amazon as an e-book and in paperback. Filled with top notch, local event businesses along with real couples and real wedding photos.

The book is an amazing guide for couples planning their wedding, with tips on writing vows, questions to ask vendors before hiring them, ways to create a ceremony that has all the “feels", and of course, why having a professional officiant is important. Grab your copy on amazon or visit www.officiantamber.com/navigatingyourceremony

Why consider TDT Beauty for your Bridal Beauty Team?

We care that you are happy. We do not stop a trial until you are genuinely happy with the look that we have decided on. We know how important nailing your beauty vision is during your trial.

We are perfectionists. Bridal makeup and hair is not a side hustle to us. We don't just do it just to do it. We do this because we have a passion for it and we value the importance of it. Your hair and makeup will be in every picture of your wedding for the rest of your life! That is so important to us!

We stay calm under pressure. Wedding mornings can sometime be filled with interruptions but we thrive to make sure that the time we say we will finish IS always the time that we do finish whilst remaining relaxed. We want to make it feel effortless having us as a part of your day.

We are always very grateful to be a part of your wedding morning, and as such we see part of our job as fitting in and bring a bit of extra joy. We would love to do that for you on your special day! Want to get to know us more?

We'd be honored to get to know you too!

TDT Beauty, LLC 612.284.1458 www.tdtbeauty.com Tamara@tdtbeauty.com

Vendor Appreciation CAKE/BAKED GOODS Vanille Patisserie www.vanillepatisserie.com 773.868.4574 (Chicago)

DJ/MUSIC Boom Island String Quartet www.boomislandstringquartet.com Booking@BoomIslandStringQuartet.com (Twin Cities)

Central Continental Bakery www.centralcontinentalbakery.com 847-870-9500 (Illinois)

Backthird Entertainment www.backthird.com (630) 264-2366 (Chicago)

Ink Sweets www.inksweets.com info@inksweets.com (Twin Cities)

John Grammatis www.johngrammatis.com 847.640.1153 (Chicago)

CATERING Brancato’s Catering www.brancatoscatering.com 816-765-4707 (Kansas City) Calihan Catering www.calihancatering.com 312-587-3553 (Chicago) Cooks Ice Cream www.cooksicecream.com/weddings 847-915-5034 (Illinois)

Dream House Productions www.dreamhouseprod.com (312) 841-1081 Green Line Talent www.greenlinetalent.com 312.248.3505 (Chicago | Austin, TX) DRESS Wolsfelt's Bridal www.wolsfelts.com (630) 896-7166 (Chicago)

Vendor Appreciation DRESS cont.

Volles Bridal www.vollesbridal.com (847)438-7603 (Chicago) BHLDN www.bhldn.com 1-888-942-4536 (Nationwide) The White Room www.thewhiteroom.us lebanon@thewhiteroom.us (Tennessee) FLORAL Loveable Creations by Lindy www.facebook.com/LoveableCreationsbyLindy (920) 766-4955 (Wisconsin) Little Shop on the Prairie www.prairiehoneyfloralstudio.com 630.613.9553 (Illinois) Kloeckner Preferred Flowers www.chicagolandflorist.com 800-244-6357 (Chicago)

FLORAL cont, Moss & Found www.instagram.com/mossandfound mossandfound@gmail.com Nalias Events www.naliasevents.com (Twin Cities) The Flower Girl Company www.theflowergirlcompany.com 773-706-7297 (Chicago) HAIR/MAKEUP TDT Beauty, LLC www.tdtbeauty.com 612-284-1458 (Minnesota | Wisconson) Total Image Bridal www.totalimagebridal.com 630.963.2442 (Illinois | Indiana) Eugenija's Hair Design www.eugenijashairdesign.com 630.548.0100 (Illinois)

Vendor Appreciation HAIR/MAKEUP cont.

Danielle's Hair Studio www.danielleshairstudio.net (630) 862-4836 (Chicago)

RENTALS D&S Tent Rentals www.dandspartytents.com 608-678-0033 (Wisconsin)

Faces by Laura www.facesbylaurae.com (701)595-6763 (North Dakota)

Marquee Event Rental www.marqueerents.com 630-871-9999 (Chicago | Kansas City)

MENSWEAR The Black Tux www.theblacktux.com (Nationwide)

Apres Event Decor & Tent Rental www.apresparty.com 952.942.3399 (Twin Cities)

GQ Formalwear www.gqtux.com (Illinois)

STATIONARY Minted www.minted.com/wedding (Nationwide)

Generation Tux www.generationtux.com 844.726.4889 (Nationwide)

West Bloom Paper Co. www.facebook.com/westbloompaperco (Chicago)

OFFICIANT Amber Olson www.officiantamber.com 701-330-1563 (North Dakota | Minnesota

TRANSPORTATION Windy Cindy Limo www.windycitylimos.com 1-866-94- WINDY (Chicago)

Vendor Appreciation TRANSPORTATION cont.

M&M Limousine Services www.mmlimo.com 847.257.2111 (Chicago)

VENUES cont.

Prevailing Winds Lodge www.prevailingwindslodge.com 608-437-2195 (Wisconsin)

Top Fleet Inc. www.topfleetchicago.com (877) 317-3201 (Chicago)

VIDEOGRAPHER Modern Weddings Film www.modernweddingsfilm.com 312.952.4885 (Chicago)

VENUES Warwick Allerton www.warwickhotels.com (Nationwide) Concorde Banquets www.concordebanquets.com (847) 438-0025 (Illinois) Ravisloe Country Club www.ravisloe.com 708.798.5600 (Illinois) The Hutton House www.thehuttonhousemn.com 952.470.0788 (Twin Cities)

Photo by Matt Reiter Love & Joy brought to you by The Love Joy Mag www.thelovejoymag.com ©2020. All Rights Reserved. Shakopee, MN. The Love Joy Mag, LLC