Emily and Anthony had such a beautiful summer wedding at Chicago History Museum!

Emily and Anthony were so excited to finally tie the knot after all the years they’ve been dating, living together, and to start their next chapter together. We were there as their day-of coordinators and were so happy to make sure they could really enjoy their cool, elegant wedding in the nice weather we got for their day. The week leading up to their June wedding date had actual tornado weather enough where the rehearsal had to be indoors, but we were so grateful that not only did they have perfect weather but also the day itself ran smoothly! Emily and Anthony were most excited about their first look and to see the vision come to life in their reception in the museum and thankfully they were able to enjoy themselves to the fullest.

The couple got ready separately at Residence Inn in Chicago - things were running a little behind, but we were able to get things back on track during the photo timing and with all of our buffer time we added in the timeline.

Emily and Anthony had their first look and all of their photos at the museum inside and outside - it was the perfect backdrop for their first look, vows, ceremony, and reception all-in-one and we couldn’t have asked for a better day! They were really so sweet and happy soaking up their vows and time together as well as with their wedding party.

The ceremony was out on the museum’s plaza courtyard and it was absolutely beautiful. Cresco Stems did a lovely job and the space is so grand that it really speaks for itself!

It was a tad windy but thankfully Emily’s maid of honor thought to hold Emily’s veil and they could focus on the ceremony. It was beautiful and then it was time for cocktail hour to continue on the plaza while wrapping up the main photos of the couple and their family outside the museum!

The details of this wedding were truly all magical - the museum is the most stunning space for the reception and we absolutely love the black Chiavari chairs, the black and white tile for a dance floor, and the personalized touch with the cake plate - we have never seen that before this wedding but that was such a cute way to make it something that they can keep and cherish forever!

Emily and Anthony got right to the formalities with a grand entrance, cake cutting, right into their first dance. We were falling behind again with getting everything ready, but after their parents spoke and it was time for dinner, things were right on track with all that buffer time we spread throughout the day. We really couldn’t help but love how cool it was to have such iconic moments from a wedding in such a beautiful museum!

After the rest of their speeches and sunset photos, Emily and Anthony really wanted to spend some extra time visiting tables to chat with their guests.

Even though it was technically a setback in the timeline, they wanted to spend a little extra time in their day showing their appreciation for their guests that made it to their wedding in Chicago. We were able to keep an eye on the timeline enough where it didn’t create any problems for the vendors or the couple, and they were able to spend some quality time with their favorite people. They did also find a fun part of the museum with the Chicago-style hot dog that they took photos with!

Once it was time to hit the dance floor, everyone was there to have a good time. The best part was when we pulled out the massive fat heads of their cats - everyone loved it for sure! It was also so fun to see their late night snacks as the mini hot dogs to really bring the Chicago museum all together!

Overall, Emily and Anthony were one of the sweetest couples and they had one of the most beautiful weddings in the Chicago History Museum. We are so happy to have made sure that they could really enjoy themselves from start to finish and not have to worry about if the photographer’s end time was coming up or how to pivot the timeline and create it so they were never stressed about the time. It was such a pleasure to be a part of their wedding day and we loved seeing their love story play out in such a romantic setting!

A sweet review from Emily and Anthony:

“We hired Firmly Rooted Events for our June 2026 wedding for Day-of Coordination/Event Management, and if I had to do it all over again I would choose them 100 times over! Rachel and her team were nothing short of amazing- from months before our wedding until the very end of our event, and even checking in with us afterwards. We were considering a few other options for day-of coordination, but after our first meeting with Rachel we knew FRE was perfect for us! The entire team is so down to earth, knowledgeable, and passionate about what they do- and it shows in every detail. THANK YOU Firmly Rooted for making our day run perfectly!”