Kristin & Alex’s Wedding at Saint James Chapel and The Langham

Kristin and Alex were married in June 2017 with a Catholic Mass at Saint James Chapel and celebrated at The Langham until midnight. Kristin planned the whole day herself, and it showed in the details: a full afternoon of portraits across the city, a quiet moment alone in the ballroom before anyone else saw it, and a dinner built around the people they love. We were both there all day, from the morning preparations to the last dance.

Getting ready

Hair and makeup started before eight and ran through the late morning. By one o’clock the bouquets and boutonnieres had arrived and the photographers were in the room. The limo made two trips to the chapel, one for Alex and his groomsmen and one for Kristin and her bridesmaids, so the two of them stayed apart until the ceremony.

Mass at Saint James Chapel

At three o’clock Kristin and Alex were married in a full Catholic Mass at Saint James Chapel, one of the most beautiful rooms in the city for a wedding.

A trolley tour of Chicago

After Mass the wedding party boarded a trolley for two hours of photos around the city. Kristin and Alex decided early that they would rather take their time with the portraits than hurry back for cocktail hour, and that choice gave the film some of its best moments.

The reception at The Langham

Just before seven, while guests finished cocktails, Kristin and Alex walked into the empty ballroom together to see it for the first time. Then the doors opened. They made their grand entrance and went straight into their first dance, followed by a blessing and dinner.

The toasts were spread through the meal: a welcome between the first and second courses, the best man before the entrees, and the maid of honor after. Kristin and Alex then thanked their guests themselves, cut the cake, and opened the dance floor, and the party went until midnight.

The teaser

Filming at Saint James Chapel and The Langham

Saint James Chapel is one of the most striking rooms in Chicago for a wedding, and its stained glass does much of the work on film. A three o’clock Mass in June meant the chapel was full of afternoon light, so we could film the ceremony naturally, without adding lights that would distract from the Mass. A full Catholic service is also longer and quieter than most ceremonies, so we plan our positions before it begins and stay put, keeping the focus on the couple and the altar rather than on the cameras.

The trolley tour was the right choice for a June wedding. Two hours between the ceremony and the reception gave Kristin and Alex time to enjoy the city with their wedding party, and it gave us time to film them without rushing from one stop to the next. Their private look at the ballroom just before seven was the perfect bridge between the two halves of the day: a quiet moment in the finished room before the doors opened and the party began.

Wedding team

• Ceremony: Saint James Chapel, Chicago
• Reception: The Langham Chicago
• Videography: Anna and Artem, 312FILMS

More weddings at The Langham: Amanda & Dan’s interfaith wedding and Kristine & Matthew at The Langham and St. James Chapel.

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