Holli Volkert, Adorn Events

Holli Volkert is the founder and creative director of Adorn Events, a planning studio for luxury weddings and celebrations in Chicago and the North Shore. We had the pleasure of working with Holli when she was the lead planner for Katherine and Andrew’s wedding at St. James Chapel and 167 Events, during her time with The Creative Planners.

Holli’s Background

Holli has been producing special events across the United States since 2000. She started in luxury hotels, moved into venue management and catering, and then spent years with a large pharmaceutical company, traveling the country to create complex multi-day events and build challenging event environments from the ground up.

She later stepped back to raise her four children, while still keeping a hand in the business with social soirées, birthday celebrations and even a once-in-a-lifetime hospital grand opening. When she returned to the industry full time, she found her niche in luxury weddings and events. For Holli, the best part is the people: in her words, relationships with her couples and their families continue “long after the band packs up.”

She was recently featured in Modern Luxury, sharing what it really takes to plan a dream wedding.

Katherine & Andrew at St. James Chapel and 167 Events

Katherine and Andrew met sitting two cubicles apart at work, just as Katherine’s parents had 35 years earlier. Their ceremony at St. James Chapel brought together more than 250 family and friends, and the reception at 167 Events turned into a garden party, with hanging florals by HMR Designs, a margarita wall in honor of a family tradition, and Andrew taking the microphone for “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” before a Taylor Swift duet with Katherine under cold sparklers. With Holli leading the planning, a day with two venues and a guest list that size flowed from the first look to the last song.

Katherine and Andrew’s wedding teaser

Katherine and Andrew seeing the reception space at 167 Events for the first time — Their first look at the reception at 167 Events.

Katherine and Andrew's grand entrance through bubbles at 167 Events — A grand entrance through a shower of bubbles.

Katherine and Andrew by Lake Michigan with the Chicago skyline — Portraits by Lake Michigan with the skyline behind them.

Katherine and Andrew with their wedding party on a Chicago street — With their wedding party in the city.

Watch Their Wedding Film

Katherine and Andrew’s wedding film at St. James Chapel and 167 Events

Contact Holli

Adorn Events
Holli Volkert, Founder & Creative Director
Website: adorn-events.com
Phone: 847-207-1140
Instagram: @adorneventsandco

Planning your wedding with Holli? We would love to hear about it. Check your date, or see more of the Chicago wedding planners we work with.