Something Blue: Grace & Andrew’s Romantic Lake Bluff Wedding

Grace Eberflus & Andrew Lewis, July 5, 2025, Lake Bluff

Grace Eberflus and Andrew Lewis’ story began just ten houses apart. In the summer of 2020, both Grace and Andrew found themselves home from college—she from Chapman University, he from Purdue University—in a neighborhood that, until then, felt unfamiliar to Grace. A casual invitation to a neighbor’s backyard bonfire brought them together, and the spark was both immediate and effortless. “Andrew and I started talking and spent every day together for the rest of the summer,” Grace recalls.

Three and a half years later, a December evening at the Chicago Botanic Garden became the start of their forever. Beneath the glow of Lightscape’s illuminated paths, Andrew led Grace through a tunnel of sparkling lights, where he dropped to one knee. Later, the couple headed to Grace’s family’s home for a surprise engagement party. “It was the most beautiful and thoughtful surprise and the easiest ‘yes!’” Grace adds.

On July 5, 2025, the couple exchanged vows at Grace’s family estate in Lake Bluff. After years of moving for her father’s career as an NFL coach—including roles with the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers—hosting their wedding at a place that finally felt permanent brought a sense of grounding to the celebration.

Guests arrived to a scene that was both welcoming and transportive. Parasols in hand, they followed a floral-lined aisle beneath a canopy of towering trees, where ivory arches and lush blue-and-white blooms by Kehoe Designs blended seamlessly into the landscape. “As a little girl, I always knew I wanted my wedding to have ice blue accents to tie in my love for Cinderella,” says the bride. “Our goal for the day was for it to feel opulent, yet intimate.”

Inside this natural cathedral, Grace made her entrance in a Vera Wang Haute Couture ballgown, walking to “At Last” by Etta James played by a string quartet and piano. Opting to forgo a first look, the couple’s first glance down the aisle became one of the day’s most unforgettable moments. Officiated by Eric Simpson, a close family friend and the team chaplain for the Indianapolis Colts, the ceremony paid tribute to their families and honored their shared Christian faith. Grandmothers offered readings, parents joined for a private prayer at the altar and communion offered a quiet pause.

As the celebration shifted to cocktail hour overlooking Lake Michigan, guests enjoyed signature drinks and passed hors d’oeuvres as the string quartet and piano continued to play. The reveal of the custom-built, glass-enclosed atrium that followed was nothing short of breathtaking, complete with cascading florals, large drum shades crafted in-house by Kehoe Designs, clear chandeliers, layered textures and soft ambient light.

The couple’s dramatic entrance set to “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC signaled the start of a celebration that never lost momentum. Grace’s three bridal looks marked the transitions of the night, from ceremony to celebration to after-hours. Meanwhile, personalized touches, from Champagne towers to late-night bites and custom welcome gifts, ensured guests felt both surprised and considered.

The newlyweds and their guests enjoyed a lavish three-course dinner prepared by Food For Thought, featuring standouts such as watermelon and field greens salad, pepper-crusted beef tenderloin and ricotta-stuffed gnocchi—all followed by a four-tiered chocolate and vanilla cake adorned with cascading white and ivory florals to match the bride’s gown. After dinner, they took to the dance floor, moving from Michael Jackson to John Summit while enjoying late-night snacks including crispy chicken sliders and hand-cut steak fries.

As midnight approached, the celebration moved poolside in a seamless, high-energy transition led by live horns and percussion, beneath a neon glow reading “The Lewis’ After Dark.” In a moment that perfectly captured the spirit of the night, Grace and Andrew joined their guests in the pool, closing the celebration in unforgettable fashion. “The day was absolutely perfect and ended with all of our closest friends and family members enjoying great music and great vibes into the wee hours of the morning,” Grace says.

Choosing to extend the magic of their wedding summer, the couple delayed their honeymoon until November, escaping to Sugar Beach in Saint Lucia. There, they embraced both adventure and stillness, from hiking to hidden waterfalls to swimming beneath cascading falls—the perfect start to their next chapter.

THE LIST

Wedding Venue Eberflus Family Estate

Wedding Planner Lauren Bowles, Stunning & Brilliant Events, chicagostunningandbrilliantevents.com

Bride’s Dresses First Dress: Vera Wang, verawang.com; Bella Bianca Bridal Couture, bellabianca.com; Second Dress: Nicole + Felicia Couture, nicoleandfelicia.com; Bella Bianca Bridal Couture, bellabianca.com; Third Dress: Brandon Maxwell, brandonmaxwellonline.com; Saks Fifth Avenue, saksfifthavenue.com; Rehearsal Dinner Dress: Zimmermann, zimmermann.com

Wardrobe Stylist Kristin Dodson Smith, instagram.com/kristindodsonsmith

Bride’s Veils First Veil: Vera Wang, verawang.com; Bella Bianca Bridal Couture, bellabianca.com; Second Veil: Wedding Vogue Craft, etsy.com/shop/weddingvoguecraft

Bride’s Shoes Jimmy Choo, jimmychoo.com; Harrods, harrods.com

Bride’s Jewelry Rahaminov Diamonds, rahaminov.com; Moyer Fine Jewelers, moyerfinejewelers.com

Bride’s Hair & Makeup Hair: Alex Brown and Annie Hartoonian, Alex Brown Hair Studio, alexbrownhair.com; Makeup: Teresa Guzman, AERIS Artists, instagram.com/byaeris; Teresa Marie, Teresa Marie Artistry, instagram.com/itstmarieg

Groom’s Tux Mr Porter, mrporter.com

Groom’s Dinner Jacket Lardini, lardini.com; Saks Fifth Avenue, saksfifthavenue.com

Groom’s Shoes Saks Fifth Avenue, saksfifthavenue.com

Groom’s Hair Nikko Guzman, AERIS Artists, instagram.com/byaeris

Groomsmen’s Tuxes Generation Tux, generationtux.com

Bridesmaids’ Dresses Amsale, amsale.com

Mother-of-the-Bride Dress LaQuan Smith, laquansmith.com

Rings Bride’s Rings: Noam Carver, noamcarver.com; Malakan, malakan.com; Moyer Fine Jewelers, moyerfinejewelers.com; Groom’s Ring: David Yurman, davidyurman.com; Moyer Fine Jewelers, moyerfinejewelers.com

Invitations & Day-Of Stationery Bree Moore Design, breemooredesign.com

Catering Food For Thought, foodforthoughtchicago.com

Cake The Purple Tulip Cakery, instagram.com/thepurpletulipcakery; Kristen Budzynski, Cake Art by Kristen, instagram.com/cake_art_by_kristen

Florals, Decor, Linens & Seating Chart Kehoe Designs, kehoedesigns.com

Getaway Car Garland & Rehearsal Dinner Florals Twigs Flower Shop, twigsflowershop.com

Entertainment Becca Kaufman, BeatMix Music, beatmixmusic.com

Custom Atrium Blue Peak Tents, bluepeaktents.com

Lighting BlackOak Technical Productions, blackoak.tech

Accommodations Deer Path Inn, thedeerpathinn.com; The Forester Hotel, theforesterhotel.com

Transportation Windy City Limousine & Bus, windycitylimos.com; CelebLux Limos, celebluxlimos.com

Videographer Wholehearted Wedding Films, wholeheartedweddingfilms.com

Content Creator Devynn Dominguez, Social Brides Collective, socialbridescollective.com

Illustrator Kristine Steiner, kristinesteiner.bigcartel.com

Afterparty The Tiny Bar Company, thetinybarcompany.com

Morning-Of & Farewell Brunch Now Boarding, instagram.com/nowboardingfoods