Karen & Carlos at Ravenswood Event Center Wedding

K&C had the most mindful wedding at Ravenswood Event Center, complete with guided meditation, poetry readings, and a group-made tapestry!

8.5.22

When you hear “90 minute ceremony”, what’s your first thought? A lot of people would think of a Catholic mass, or a ceremony with a lot of traditional elements and classic moments. Some people might even say “oh boy, that’s too long…” But, for Karen and Carlos, their 90-minute ceremony was one of the most inspiring, thoughtful, and powerful ceremonies I’ve ever photographed. Karen and Carlos chose Ravenswood Event Center for the third floor atrium, which bathed the couple in light the entire afternoon.

Karen rented a vintage-style Airbnb to get ready with her mom, sister, and wedding party. She wore a summery wedding dress, coupled with sustainable accessories, custom perfume, and silk flowers. Being a professor of theology and women’s studies, Karen alluded an air of confidence of warmth throughout the day. Carlos and his wedding party had their portraits taken off the 606 in Humboldt Park, an area that meant a lot to him as a runner in the area. The couple had their first look in the Ravenswood Event Center atrium, and they took time to truly enjoy the moment with each other.

The couple value their beliefs and ideals over everything else, and their wedding had to include the most important tenets of these beliefs. To start, the chairs were arranged to look like a lotus flower, which is considered a sacred symbol in many cultures. In the center of the ceremony space, a table held photos of Karen and Carlos’ family members and trinkets that held meaning for them. The couple sat amongst their guests as their officiant led the guests through the ceremony. A member of the wedding party guided everyone in mindful meditation, and several guests read monologues and poetry readings. Then, Carlos then invited guests to talk amongst themselves about the meaning of the readings. I’ve never seen a moment like this in a ceremony before! Friends, remember this: your wedding day is about you ad your partner. Add those moments that truly show your personality!

Karen and Carlos stood to recite the vows they’d written themselves. After their first kiss (complete with a big smear of lipstick!), the guests went downstairs for cocktail hour and dinner. At Ravenswood Event Center, guests are invited out onto the second floor terrace to enjoy their cocktails and appetizers. The warm, balmy weather was a nice break from the air conditioning! During dinner, a few members of the wedding party gave speeches that made everyone laugh. After dinner, everyone headed back upstairs for dancing and dessert from Bang Bang Pie. Karen and Carlos opted not to have a first dance, instead joining their friends on the dance floor throughout the night. The entire day was a perfect homage to the couple’s philosophies on life and love, and their ceremony was one of the most unique I’ve ever had the pleasure to be a part of!