The Workheiser Wedding:
A Gold Coast Celebration
I know what you might be thinking—her wedding in her own portfolio? Yes. Planning our wedding was easily one of my favorite, most ambitious projects to date, and not a single detail slipped through the cracks.
Our goal was simple: create an unapologetically us weekend anchored in our favorite neighborhood spots, ensuring every single guest had the time of their lives.
The Strategy & Spatial Storytelling
We intentionally kept everything local to Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood so our out-of-town families could truly experience our neck of the woods:
The Ceremony: Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue—our regular place of worship and a cinematic Chicago staple (the venue featured in My Best Friend’s Wedding).
The Welcome Party: Francesca’s on Chestnut, our go-to neighborhood Italian spot. We reserved the private cellar room for an intimate family-style dinner across two long 20-person tables. Guests were greeted with house-made limoncello shots, flowing wine, and custom citrus-and-oxblood Italian-themed menus and place cards.
The Reception: Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House, our absolute favorite restaurant in the city, located just a three-minute walk from the church.
The Guest Experience & Thoughtful Logistics
A great event relies on flawless guest flow and zero friction. From start to finish, the weekend was engineered with total intention:
Curated Room Blocks & Gifts: Upon checking into The Drake Hotel, guests were welcomed with champagne, truffle chocolates, and a handwritten note from Drew and I.
Seamless Organization: Three weeks prior, every parent, bridesmaid, and groomsman received a bespoke stationery packet in the mail with detailed timelines and assigned responsibilities. On the wedding morning, catered breakfast and lunch logistics were systematically managed so everyone stayed relaxed.
Neighborhood Guide Bulletin: Inside our ceremony bulletins, we included hand-drawn map inserts created by one of my best friends. It guided guests on the 3-minute walk to the reception, highlighted where to grab the best pre-reception espresso martini, and recommended local window shopping during the photo intermission.
The After-Party: We wrapped the night down the street at Butch McGuire’s—a return to where Drew and I first met organically. We arranged line-skipping privileges for 40 guests so everyone could walk right in, mingle with the local crowd, and keep the dance floor going into the early hours.
Custom Branding & Unique Touchpoints
To give the reception a cohesive, unforgettable identity, I created a custom logo featuring Hugo’s classic frog alongside a newly designed lady frog partner:
Cohesive Stationery & Favors: The frog couple logo anchored everything—from custom matchbooks and playing cards to temporary tattoos (including classic heart tattoos reading “The Workheisers”).
Handcrafted Stained-Glass Signage: I hand-built a custom stained-glass welcome sign featuring our frog logo, positioned perfectly in front of the balcony windows to catch the natural evening light.
Playful Seating Chart: Our seating chart read "Find your lily pad” and “Welcome to the Workheiser pond," elevated with red water-lily florals mixed into our white lily and orchid arrangements.
High-Energy Entertainment & Culinary Details
Traditional Meets Experiential: I walked down the aisle in a cathedral veil with a blusher, accompanied by scripture read by a close friend and a congregational hymn featured in Saltburn ("O Lord of All Hopefulness").
Cocktail Hour & Grand Entrance: Guests were greeted at Hugo's with prosecco, oysters, lamb lollipops, and beef carpaccio. A live saxophonist backed our grand entrance to "Sir Duke," transitioning straight into dueling pianos from Felix & Fingers to play feel-good classics across all generations.
A Night of Surprises: During dinner, guests ordered directly from a live steakhouse menu (New York strip, Chilean sea bass, or heritage pork chops) with carrot cake and tiramisu for dessert—a nod to our cross-eyed Siamese cat, Tiramisu. As dancing kicked off, passed Wisconsin Old Fashioneds revitalized the dance floor, followed by late-night Chicago hot dogs and bang-bang popcorn shrimp.
Planning this wedding proved that when high-end precision meets authentic warmth, an event becomes completely unforgettable. It is that exact level of detail, care, and experiential flow that I bring to every client's celebration.
