Caroline & Michael
LM STUDIO | CHICAGO IL
Caroline tried on more than 30 wedding gowns and none of them were right. Some had the drama and lost the polish. Others were refined and forgettable. So she stopped shopping and started designing. Over eight months, she worked with Ruth Milliam of Millia London on a custom ballgown built from layer after layer of soft ruffled tulle, finished with an extra-long veil. By the time the gown was done, the rest of the wedding had its direction: fashion first, and every other decision measured against it.
Caroline and Michael married in May 2024 at LM Studio, a clean, modern space in the Chicago Loop that can go romantic or editorial depending on what you bring into it. For a couple whose wedding was built around a gown, that neutrality was the point. The room stayed out of the way and let the tulle, the florals, and the people carry the day.
Before the ceremony, the wedding party took to the Chicago Riverwalk for portraits. Caroline's bridesmaids wore mixed silhouettes in blush, rose, and soft pink — tiered ruffled tulle, a floral print, sleek satin — tied together with white paper parasols. Michael wore a white dinner jacket. Caroline carried a bouquet of lilac, blush, and cream. The palette was tight on purpose, so the variety in the dresses read as styling rather than noise.
Wedicity planner Giovanna D'Anno managed the full scope, from the vendor team to the timeline that moved the couple from the river back to the studio.
The ceremony was set with ghost chairs, which kept the room clear and put every eye on the aisle. Michaela Mantarian designed the florals to soften the studio without covering it. Inside, LM Catering ran the menu and Garfield's Beverage stocked the bar, and Vanille Patisserie made the cake. Cage and Aquarium handled the music, and the couple's first dance came from lessons with Windy City Wedding Dance — the same studio that choreographed Krystle and Sean's first dance at Venue SIX10.
For the reception, Caroline changed into a short white dress with three-dimensional floral appliqués and soft tulle shoulder ties, carrying a tiny white purse with pearl handles and a tulle ruffle. It was a second look that belonged to the same wardrobe as the first. (We broke down all three of the day's looks in our bridal fashion spotlight on Caroline and Mike's wedding, and for more on changing into something shorter for the party, see our guide to after-party dresses and bridal sneakers.)
The fashion thread ran all the way to the favors. Instead of the usual take-home gift, guests received fashion sketches from KDornbier Illustrations. And the most personal detail of the day went to the two women closest to Caroline: she gave her mother and her sister custom purses made from her mother's own wedding dress. A gown from one generation, carried into the next.
The wedding was later featured in Modern Luxury Weddings Chicago, and we revisited the details that made it memorable on the Wedicity Gazette. The lesson we took from it holds for any couple: pick one signature thread and let it make the decisions. For Caroline and Michael, that thread was fashion. If you have a thread of your own and want a Chicago wedding planner who will hold it through every choice, start a conversation with us.
VENDOR CREDITS
Planner & Design: Wedicity (Giovanna D'Anno) | Venue: LM Studio | Photography: Jaymi Nichole | Videography: Hitched Creative | Bride's Attire: Millia London | Hair & Makeup: Glam Atelier | Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Catering: LM Catering & Events | Bar: Garfield's Beverage | Cake: Vanille Patisserie | Florals: Michaela Mantarian | Entertainment: Cage and Aquarium | First Dance Choreography: Windy City Wedding Dance | Fashion Sketch Illustrator: KDornbier Illustrations | Accommodations: Le Méridien Essex Chicago | Transportation: The 312 Limo
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