Enchanted, Immersive Florals for an Intimate Wedding in Chicago’s Charcoal Factory

If you’re the kind of person who loves the idea of an intimate celebration or who seeks out unforgettable wedding day style or who can’t stop fantasizing about fabulous florals—brace yourself for Bianca + Elizabeth’s Chicago wedding.

With a guest list of only 50 people, the bespoke wedding day at Charcoal Factory (the very first wedding to take place in the space!) assembled with the help of planners from Anticipation Events was an up-close experience of what makes Bianca + Elizabeth who they are. 

“Every bit of our day represented us and what/who is truly important to each of us,” say the brides. “We did nothing that felt like a “‘supposed to.’”

We simply cannot get over this day’s immersive, modern florals, and there’s a reason why: Elizabeth is the floral design mind behind asrai garden and has been doing spectacularly creative things with flowers for years. “The florals were meant to mimic the Illinois wildflower and grass prairies near our Chicago home along the lake,” says Elizabeth. And as for the earth tones and bright blues of the color palette? Bianca’s killer two-tone wedding suit inspired it all. 

We are SO glad that Paul Octavious of Eye Eaters was there behind the lens and that we get to share these gorgeous photos with you because this one is not to be missed.

We can’t get enough of Bianca’s blue + brown wedding suit.

“Bianca found her look quite quickly,” remembers Elizabeth. “She didn’t know exactly what she wanted but was manifesting a cool, Lenny Kravitz 70s vibe, so she struck gold when she found that look from Mia Vesper.”

Absolutely loving this half up half down top knot look.

Bianca’s pointed toe leather wedding boots completed her rockstar look.

“I was looking for something very me and not at all traditional and when I found that Taller Marmo dress,” Elizabeth says of her journey to this fringey show-stopper. “I just felt like Stevie Nicks and knew that was exactly what I wanted.”

And those amazing Maison Margiela boots!? “I had tried on the tapestry Tabi’s months before when shopping with a friend but had no reason to buy them.” What better reason than your wedding day to “add to cart!”

We are beyond obsessed with Elizabeth’s gold-edged stiletto wedding nails.

PSA: our collection of nail guides is here for all your nail inspo needs.

We love the idea of keeping the guest head count low and absolutely transforming a smaller space like Bianca + Elizabeth did. Check out our guide to how to plan an intimate wedding for even more ideas.

The wedding guest fashion on Bianca + Elizabeth’s big day? Absolutely untouchable. That floral trench coat!

The Ceremony

Here’s where we get to see Elizabeth + her team at asrai garden shine. This romantic enchanted ruins floral design totally transported Bianca + Elizabeth and their guests.

Snag a set of the Leanna Candlesticks from Pottery Barn and some colorful taper candles to recreate this glowy candlelit ceremony feel.

Jasolyn Harris officiated Bianca + Elizabeth’s intimate ceremony (in a knockout brown leather jumpsuit, we might add).

Our Favorite Memory
The moment we turned the corner to walk down the aisle. our wedding was extremely intimate and the venue was small so we were physically close to all our loved ones. There was an immediate gasp when we turned the corner. Everyone was so hyped to see us and our looks. we felt the same! Not only was it emotional to see everyone's faces full of joy and love, they looked good too! The chicago queers never disappoint. We all looked stunning. 

One of our fave details? When Bianca + Elizabeth entered, they danced their way down the aisle!

The FRINGE! 😍

Our Advice
Keep it about you, your relationship and the things you love most as a couple. You do not HAVE to do anything for others that day, it is about you and your person. 

Very into Elizabeth’s textured high bun wedding day updo and the way it shows off her dress’s higher neckline.

Our Musical Choices
Processional
"My Love Is Your Love" by Whitney Houston
Recessional
"LOVE" by Kendrick Lamar
First Dance
No first dance, but we played Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You) by UGK before our thank you and welcome remarks!

Explore our collection of the best high neck wedding dresses if you’re loving Elizabeth’s bridal silhouette.

Can we get another round of applause for the wedding NAILS!

The Reception

Bianca + Elizabeth’s reception was a who’s who of their favorite Chicago spots. These tasty tacos came from Taylor’s Tacos. There was also an epic charcuterie spread from Immortal Milk and late night snacks from Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream.

Wedding cocktail-wise, guests sipped on selections from the bar, batch cocktails from Dove’s, and wine from All Together Now!

Tablescapes were behind the reception’s romantic table decor, and DJ Tess kept the tunes coming.

Congratulations, Bianca + Elizabeth! Your intimate Chicago wedding was total bespoke brilliance. We’ll be over here daydreaming about those gorgeous flowers. All the very best from GWS!