My Favorite Wedding Vendors to Work with in Chicago

It’s no secret that wedding planning can be pretty exhausting at times. There are SO many moving parts, decisions to make, and preparations to take care of that can all lead to a ton of unneeded stress for what is meant to be one of THE best days of your lives! That’s why I’m constantly putting up resources on my blog to help couples navigate their way through some of wedding planning’s toughest challenges, which is what’s brought us here today! Some of the most important choices you’ll be making as you plan your wedding is deciding on the vendors that will make your dream day a reality. Luckily Chicago is home to some of the wedding industry’s most talented and amazing vendors, so let’s look at some of my favorites and how they affect a wedding day!

A bride and groom walk out of their Chicago church surrounded by bubbles blown by their guests after their summer wedding ceremony.

Wedding Venue

One of the first and most impactful vendors that you’ll book for your wedding is the actual venue you’ll be celebrating at, and Chicago is practically bursting at the seams with incredible venue options to choose from! Whether you’re looking for something glamorous, a mix of modern and industrial vibes, a luxurious space with a rich history, or something else entirely, I guarantee Chicago has the wedding venue for you! The look, feel, and size of your wedding venue greatly impacts your wedding day, so finding the right one is one of THE most important decisions you’ll make!

Some of My Favorite Wedding Venues in Chicago

A bride and groom stand outside the Stan mansion in the winter.  The mansion is decorated with holiday decor including holiday wreaths with red bows.
A bride and groom get married in the modern ceremony space in the Walden Chicago.

Wedding Planner

Booking a wedding planner for your Chicago wedding can be a legitimate life saver! There is SO much planning that goes into crafting the ideal wedding day, and with all that planning comes a LOT of stress. A wedding planner will help to alleviate a lot of that stress and ensure that your wedding day runs as smoothly as possible. From helping to create the most romantic and luxurious wedding possible, to specializing in making your planning process as simple as possible, wedding planners are an invaluable member of your vendor team. They’ll be able to handle all the planning details for you, and can even help you find the best vendors to fit your wedding vision, including your venue!

Some of My Favorite Wedding Planners in Chicago

A groom kisses his bride on the temple as they take wedding portraits inside Union Station in Chicago
A groom kisses his bride on the steps at Union station in Chicago.  The bride is wearing a wedding dress with a low cut back and a long train and is holding a colorful bouquet wrapped with a blue bow.

Wedding Photographer

Another crucial member of your wedding vendor team is your photographer! Am I a little biased here? Maybe, but honestly the importance of booking the right wedding photographer for your day cannot be overstated. We’re the ones that document one of the best days of your lives, photographing your favorite memories so that you can relive them for years and years to come. We do more than just take photos though. I help my couples through the planning process, the overall flow of the day, and do everything in my power to make sure they enjoy their wedding to the fullest! Read more about my package offerings and the experience of having me as your wedding photographer here!

My Favorite Wedding Photographer in Chicago

A bride and groom kiss on the dance floor at their wedding in Chicago.  They are standing on a checkerboard dance floor and the blue water kings band is setting up behind them for their wedding reception.
A bride and groom kiss on their black and white checkerboard dance floor at their black tie wedding venue in Chicago.

Wedding Videographer

Another wedding vendor who specializes in documenting your Chicago wedding so that you’re able to relive all the best moments is your videographer! While photographers and videographers both want to document your wedding day in a way that you’ll love, we go about it in completely different ways. This difference in approaches also varies from videographer to videographer as well! Some approach the wedding day with a more cinematic style, while others go for a more emotional and authentic look. Both are fantastic options, and it all comes down to where each couples’ preference lies!

Some of My Favorite Videographers in Chicago

A bride and groom celebrate as they walk into their wedding reception at their Chicago wedding venue.  The bride wears a floral dress and the groom is dressed in formal attire.
A bride and groom dance at their wedding reception at their Chicago wedding.  Behind them is their sweetheart table covered in blue and white hydrangeas and white candles.

Wedding Entertainment

It’s no secret that I LOVE wedding receptions! It’s one of my favorite times to document during a wedding day as there is just so much joy, energy, and excitement in the air that leads to unforgettable experiences! A key factor in how fun and engaging your wedding reception is comes down to the entertainment you book for your vendor team. Luckily for anyone planning a wedding in Chicago, there are a ton of endlessly talented options to choose from, so much so that it can be hard to actually make the choice!

The first thing you’ll need to decide is whether you want to book a DJ or a live band. Both are great as the right DJ knows exactly what the crowd needs at any given moment, while a live band is able to bring unmatched energy and keep the dance floor packed all night! Once you decide on the option that fits your vision best check out some of the options below to see some of the best Chicago has to offer!

Some of My Favorite Entertainment Companies in Chicago

A bride and groom dance to the music their live band, Bluewater Kings Band is playing for their dance floor.

Wedding Florist

The vendor that arguably has the most influence on the look and feel of your wedding, outside of your wedding venue that is, is your florist! The right florist can take a wedding day to the complete next level in terms of beauty, style, and experience. Each florist has their own approach to their work, and some even offer additional décor options such as candle displays, so be sure to pay close attention in your search to find the florist that will be able to bring your vision to life!

Some of My Favorite Florists in Chicago

A sweetheart table at a Chicago wedding venue is decorated in blue and white hydrangeas and white pillar candles in hurricanes, done by a Chicago wedding vendor.

Wedding Hair and Makeup Artist

I know I say this about every vendor, BUT having the right hair and makeup artist(s) for your wedding day is essential to making sure that you look and feel your best! No matter the style you’re going for, be it more natural and subdued or glammed out to the max, finding the right beauty artist to make that vision a reality is so important for your wedding day. I’ve had the pleasure of working with a ton of talented, experienced, and friendly beauty artists in the Chicago area that I am always recommending to my couples as I know they consistently provide a wonderful experience!

Some of My Favorite Hair and Makeup Artists in Chicago

A bride and her bridesmaids sit on a bed smiling for the camera after their makeup is finished by their Chicago wedding vendor.

Wedding Caterer

Many wedding venues in Chicago offer their own in house catering, or they may have a few catering companies they’re partnered with that you’re required to choose from. When that isn’t the case though, a catering company is a must book wedding vendor, and my favorite in the Windy City is The Caterist. Every wedding I’ve documented that has booked them has had phenomenal catering, something that every wedding needs! Subpar catering can put a serious damper on your reception, and after all the planning that you’ve put into this day you deserve to enjoy EVERY part of your wedding!

My Favorite Caterer in Chicago

Wedding Cake Bakery

The last vendor I want to talk about is the bakery that will be creating your wedding cake! A long standing wedding tradition that I love is the cake cutting. It’s such a fun moment to document, and with a beautiful and delicious cake to enjoy it is always a hit with your guests as well! The right bakery will make a cake that’s equally tasty as it is visually appealing, and both of the bakeries below excel at providing both!

Some of My Favorite Wedding Cake Bakeries in Chicago

A blurry late night image of drinks on a table.  The photo was taken artistically and has some light drags in the upper right hand corner.

What to Know when Choosing Vendors for Your Wedding in Chicago

It’s encouraging to know that there are so many incredibly talented wedding vendors throughout Chicago, but finding the right one for your wedding is where the real challenge begins. Each vendor has their own specialty, style, and approach to their work, and it’s up to you to find the ones that can provide the experience you’re after! 

Decide on Your Vision

First and foremost you and your partner are going to want to decide on the vision you have for your wedding day. What size celebration do you plan to have, a massive gathering or something more personal and intimate? Are you wanting your wedding to feel luxurious and high end, or charming and down to earth? Do you want to handle most of the planning and preparation yourselves, or are you looking to have your vendors take most everything off of your hands? Once you have a vision of what your wedding day is going to look and feel like you can start crafting your team of vendors to bring that vision to life!

Trust Your Team

Once you have the vision for your wedding day laid out, and you’ve booked the vendors that will make your dream wedding a reality, it’s SO important that you put your trust in your vendors! You booked them each for a reason, and with the common goal of making your wedding day the best it can be, it’s important then to give them space to do their best work. Trusting your vendors not only lets them do their best work on the day of your wedding, but it also lets you relax and actually enjoy the day without having to worry about every little detail! It’s a win win! 

For more wedding planning tips check out some of my other articles, and if you’re looking to have me document your wedding be sure to send me an inquiry ASAP so we can start planning your day together!

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About Jayde 

Docu-torial Photographer

I'm a Chicago wedding photographer with a passion for people, candid moments, authenticity, and golden hour. I document weddings with a ferocity for the real moments that matter on a wedding day: the moments you lived with the people you love. With 200+ weddings under my belt, I use my expertise to guide my clients to feel comfortable and confident so their images feel like them. 

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