As a daughter of Dominican immigrants, Adriana Diaz found our work when looking for options to do her wedding in the Dominican Republic. Early on, plans shifted focused to having the events in Chicago, but she still wanted to work with us and that meant the absolute world. We couldn’t wait!!!

Adriana and Bryan were set up by their older siblings (respectively), who already knew each other. At the beginning it was tricky as Adriana was then living in New York and Bryan in Chicago. But then months later, CBS News—where Adriana is a national reporter—transferred her to the network’s Chicago headquarters. She finally met Bryan, a cardiologist at the University of Chicago Medical Center, at a rooftop party downtown. And as faith would have (and their siblings predicted), the rest was history!

After years and a bit of temporary long distance (when Adriana was posted in China), Bryan proposed (telling you how that went on would take me a whole new post; it was amazing!). Subsequently, plans for the wedding commenced. Adriana always loved the feel of European countryside weddings, and Bryan always envisioned having an open air party with his family and friends under the stars. After having attended a couple of large weddings of friends from India, they knew they wanted that experience of having as many friends and family as possible. Thus, plans were on for a high headcount celebration. Woohoo!

Their aesthetic vision, and layout needs, paired amazingly well with he Rose Garden space at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. This venue allowed us to make this night one for the books.

A few of the things we loved about planning this wedding:

-Their conscious effort to hire POC vendors

-Their desire to give back (all flowers were donated to patient’s at Bryan’s hospital)

-Their decisions to embed the event with multiple layers of their cultures, through many Dominican and Jamaican references in different details of the day.

-Their unapologetic requirement to make this a fun, and long dance party!

These two deserved a perfect day to celebrate their love and we are so fortunate to have been a part of it.

This wedding was also featured in Vogue.

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Credits: 
Featured in: Vogue
Planning and Design: Claire Duran Weddings & Events 
Photography: Chi Chi Ari Love
Venue: Chicago Botanic Gardens
Ceremony: St. Mary of the Angels Church
Videography: Mirar Weddings
Flowers: Pollen Floral Design
Production: Luxe Productions
Rentals: BBJ Linen, Bowery and Bash, Halls Rentals 
Bride's Gown: Marchesa
Bridal Shop: Dimitras Bridal Couture
Hair and Make Up: Nika Vaughan Bridal Artists
Tux: ESQ Clothing
Cake: Isabel by the Park
Stationary: Heather Stead
Band: Cherise Coaches
DJ: DJ KEL-WIN!
Steel Drummer: Terry Lester
Transport: Pontarelli Companies
Hotel: The Hoxton