The grooms worked with Knot Standard stylist Emily Blumberh to curate their custom looks. “Our jackets had the date of our wedding embroidered in the collar and our dog Scout’s face stenciled in the inside pocket,” they share.
THE COUPLE It’s been said that you cross paths with the love of your life before you meet them, and that’s exactly how John Lee and Alex Przybelski’s love story unfolds. They first formally met on Hinge in 2016, but a year and a half prior, John had gone on a date with Alex’s former roommate (Alex had even helped his roommate craft intricate responses to get out of dates with John!). This time, though, it was a perfect match. Six years after they connected, John proposed with rose petals, candles—and moving boxes surrounding them in their new home in Washington, D.C.
THE DETAILS Lush greenery, dark tones and ample candlelight set an intimate scene despite the 300-person guest list. “Our hope was to thoughtfully and tastefully bring the Wisconsin outdoors to downtown Chicago,” John says. They exchanged vows in an interfaith ceremony beneath a chuppah made from four 15-foot trees and fresh emerald foliage.
THE PARTY During the East Coast-style reception, The Gold Coast All Stars kept the energy on the packed dance floor alive. After dinner, speeches, and a quick Lou Malnati’s intermission, the grooms and guests kept on dancing at an afterparty until 2 a.m. –DAAR
The grooms changed into white dinner jackets for the reception and sipped espresso martinis.
The black-and-white paper suite had an elegant four-ply invitation card.
The three-tier wedding cake
John’s day-of accessories inlcuded an IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 40 mm in rose gold and a Gucci horsebit wallet.
“We wanted the ceremony and reception space to feel intimate and lush with greenery, but with elevated, contemporary details.”
THE LIST
Wedding Planner Alison Ross, alisonrossevents.com
Grooms’ Attire Knot Standard, knotstandard.com; Tuxedo Shirts: Proper Cloth, propercloth.com; Dinner Jackets: Ralph Lauren, ralphlauren.com; Bow Ties: R. Hanauer, bowties.com
Grooms’ Shoes Del Toro, deltoroshoes.com
Attendants’ Hair & Makeup Hair: Nicci Loiacono, luxebridesbynicci.com; Makeup: Elise Brill, instagram.com/leesib Rings Cartier, cartier.com
Florals & Decor HMR Designs, hmrdesigns.com
Cake Alliance Bakery, alliancebakery.com
Invitations Ellen Fiely, Invitation Creations Guest Book Voast, raiseavoast.com
Entertainment Reception: The Gold Coast All Stars, Gold Coast Events, goldcoasteventschicago.com; Afterparty: DJ Chicago, dj-chicago.com
Videographer Emma Mullins Photography, emullinsphoto.com
Photography by: Emma Mullins Photography
