A Personalized Garden-Themed Wedding in Chicago (2024)

When Kimberly “Kim” Liu and John Coukos met in the lobby of their apartment on July 1, 2017, they literally crossed paths. Kim, who had been living in the north tower for about a month, walked into the room at the same time as John, who entered from the south tower, where he had just moved into the day prior. John also happened to be with his roommate, whom Kim has known since high school. Once Kim and John made their introductions, the rest was history.

Three years later, on the anniversary of the day they started dating, John popped the question. He arranged a picnic at the Ida Noyes Hall on the University of Chicago’s campus, which was the spot they were supposed to have their first date as an official couple (John invited Kim to a formal there, but she never made it due to flight delays) and their eventual alma mater for graduate school. For the proposal, John made sure the spread he curated was stocked with their favorite cuisine and dishes that represented their relationship.

A week after their engagement, without a second thought, the couple booked Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois, for their wedding venue. “It’s one of our favorite places in Chicago, as well as one of our family’s favorite places—and it’s just absolutely beautiful,” Kim gushed. Plus, they always imagined saying “I do” in the great outdoors, and the botanical garden provided a picturesque backdrop that they knew would achieve their vision.

Since the bride and groom wanted to be involved in every step of the planning process, it ate up a big chunk of their free time—which was limited anyway since they were both juggling grad school course loads on top of it. Despite the stress that came with a jam-packed schedule, the experience had its bright spots, too. “It was worth it in the end because it resulted in the wedding of our dreams, one that felt incredibly special and custom-tailored to us,” Kim summarized.

Read on to see how their big day, which took place on July 23, 2022, with planning by Lola Event Productions and photography by Kristin La Voie Photography, came to life.

Three words sum up the couple’s vision: lush, romantic, and timeless. “We hoped our friends and family would feel like they had wandered into a fairy-tale garden,” Kim explains. Their invitations, adorned with floral illustrations, foreshadowed this aesthetic.

Kim aimed for a romantic makeup look with a luminous complexion and defined eyes, which she did herself. She relied on a few staple products, like Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Shadow, Merit Flush Balm Cream Blush, and Lashify eyelash extensions to create her intended glam.

For her hairstyle, Kim chose a soft updo, accented with a crystal hairpiece, to coordinate with the garden theme and to provide relief during the hot summer day. Plus, she knew a twist wouldn’t detract from her dress, which was the main moment.

Since the bride started shopping for her wedding attire during the pandemic, she resorted to online browsing. That’s how she came across the Chantilly lace Pronovias gown with an A-line silhouette and an illusion neckline, which she eventually wore. However, tracking down that piece was a journey since there were supposedly only four stores in the United States that carried the frock. While visiting two of her bridesmaids in Los Angeles, the opportunity finally presented itself: A boutique an hour away had the design in stock. “I knew it was the one the moment I tried it on,” she reveals. A diamond necklace, diamond drop earrings, and Loeffler Randall heels tied the look together.

Kim’s bouquet of ivory, pink, and mauve flowers, wrapped in an ivory satin ribbon, channeled the lush vicinity.

The duo wanted to be with one another for a majority of the day, so they arranged a first look. It also helped alleviate some of their pre-wedding jitters. “I was a little stressed the morning of the wedding with all of the hustle and bustle and not having John there,” Kim recounts. “The moment I saw John, everything felt better. It felt like anything could happen that day, and I would still be happy just to be with John.”

John, who was clad in a bespoke blue-gray suit by Daniel George, echoed that statement. “When I turned around and saw Kim, smiling and beautiful, any last bit of anxiousness was replaced by an overwhelming sense of joy and excitement at being together with the love of my life on this day that we had looked forward to for so long,” he expresses.

While the women in the wedding party wore blue Jenny Yoo gowns, the men dressed themselves in pale gray suits. “Overall, the look we went for was light and airy, colorful yet subtle, perfect for an elegant summer garden wedding.” Kim reflects.

The couple kept their ceremony décor to a minimum, careful not to outshine the surrounding nature. The central decoration was a floral arch, suspended with a crystal chandelier, which added a glamorous flair to the garden venue.

The bride tapped both of her parents to lead her toward the altar, while a string quartet from Northwestern University Bienen School of Music—a nod to their undergraduate school—played the classic “Canon in D.”

The couple infused their ceremony with personal touches that reflected their upbringing. They began the service by lighting Greek lambadas from John’s father as a nod to his Greek culture. They also included a Chinese tea ceremony in honor of Kim’s Chinese heritage. To reflect John’s religious backgrounds, they exchanged rings to a Jewish verse and hired a Unitarian Universalist minister as their officiant.

For the ultimate personal flair, the duo wrote their own vows, which elicited tears and laughs from one another and their guests. “Our vows are the best written reflection of us and our love for each other that exists,” Kim says. “And getting to speak them and hear them for the first time, surrounded by our loved ones, is truly the crux of what our wedding was all about.” They concluded the ceremony with a first kiss and the string quartet’s rendition of “Home” by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros.

The couple’s garden theme was embedded in every accent. While colorful blooms framed a velvet couch that was positioned in front of a pond, the guest book was stamped with embroidered plants. Even the escort cards were packets of wildflower seeds, encouraging everyone to grow their own garden.

Of course, the reception was the culmination of their vision. Hanging greenery outlined the draping on the ceiling, which floated above tables, dressed in floral or solid blue linens and topped with arrangements of fresh flowers. Taper candles, glassware, and napkins in a blue shade provided a sense of cohesion, while lucite chargers with a gold beaded edge and gold flatware added an upscale feel. The table numbers, named after items meaningful to the pair, represented their relationship.

After toasts and speeches, the couple’s caterers served a multi-course meal: roasted pear salad or acorn squash soup for their starter and beef filet, seared scallops, or pappardelle for the entrée. Everyone polished off their meal with a medley of pastries, from macarons to fruit tarts, boozy floats in three different flavors, and a slice of butter cake with passion fruit crème.

For their first dance, the newlyweds spun to “Everlong” by the Foo Fighters, which was the song that John played for Kim the first time they said “I love you.” “He told me the lyrics captured the way he felt that night,” Kim remembers.

After they warmed up the dance floor, their guests joined them for the rest of the evening until the last song, “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol. As Kim and John swayed to the tune together, their guests spontaneously formed a circle around them. “We didn’t even realize it had happened at first, but slow dancing together as newlyweds, to one of our favorite songs, in the middle of a circle of our favorite people, all singing along to the words and moving as one, is such a surreal memory,” the couple reminisces. “When the song ended, it culminated in a giant group hug—it was the perfect ending to the night.”