BRIDGET BRENDZA & JOHNNY WINGELS
July 22, 2023 Ceremony: Saint Clement Reception: Union League Club of Chicago Photographed by Natalie Probst
Bridget accessorized each of her three looks with a headpiece, including Jennifer Behr’s Marjeta pearl headband with the first gown.
THE COUPLE After meeting in the summer of 2020 amid the COVID-19 lockdown, Bridget Brendza and Johnny Wingels got to know each other over a series of outdoor dinners, one of their only date options at the time. “We became quite the foodies, trying new restaurants every weekend,” Bridget remembers. “It showed us that we didn’t need extravagance to enjoy each other’s company.”
THE DETAILS They said “I do” three years later at the same Lincoln Park church where the bride’s parents were married, then hosted 175 guests at the Union League Club. “My vision was a dreamy, elevated garden party, with blue hydrangeas, touches of pink and chinoiserie and a lot of candles,” Bridget says. “The Lincoln Ballroom provided a perfect foundation with its royal blue walls and dark wood.”
THE PARTY After dinner, the newlyweds made a second grand entrance in sparkly reception looks and poured Champagne down a tower of coupes before hitting the dance floor. Post-nuptials, they returned to their foodie roots on an Italian honeymoon, where they took an authentic cooking class and toured a 200- year-old lemon farm.
The couple poured Champagne down a tower of coupes.
The bride’s vision was “a dreamy, elevated garden party,” she says.
“For our head table, we sourced white linen dinner napkins from Etsy and had them monogrammed with our initials at Monograms on Webster in Lincoln Park,” Bridget says.
THE LIST
Wedding Planner Arin Busch, Big City Bride, bigcitybride.com
Bride’s Gowns Ceremony: Carolina Herrera; Reception: Berta; Both: Ultimate Bride, ultimatebride.com; Afterparty: Staud, Saks Fifth Avenue, saks.com
Bride’s Headband Jennifer Behr, jenniferbehr.com
Bride’s Hair & Makeup Rare Bird Beauties, rarebirdbeauties.com
Groom’s Tux Nicholas Joseph, customsuitsyou.com
Rings Brilliant Earth, brilliantearth.com
Bridesmaids’ Dresses Jenny Yoo, Bella Bridesmaids, bellabridesmaids.com
Groomsmen’s Tuxes The Black Tux, theblacktux.com
Florals& Decor Northern Greenhouses, ngfloral.com
Invitations Mag Milestones, magnificentmilestones. com; Stamps: GubbaGumma, vintagepostagestamps.com
Monogram Blue Harbor Paperie, etsy.com/shop/ blueharborpaperie
Cake & Sweets Bittersweet Pastry Shop, bittersweetpastry.com
Entertainment BeatMix Music Band: Time Chicago, beatmixmusic.com
Linens BBJ La Tavola, bbjlatavola.com
Transportation Signature Transportation Group, signaturetg.com
Videographer Old North Film Company, oldnorthfilmcompany.com
