A Textural, Timeless Ode to Chicago

A textural, timeless ode to Chicago. That was the vision cast by the vendor team behind the EV Photography x Walden Chicago styled shoot. It’s a dream that couldn’t come to fruition without an authentic Chicago venue and Walden’s century-old building and industrial history fit the bill perfectly. Walden’s ‘yes’ to the styled shoot inspired a flurry of vision. Color trends don’t come and go quite as fast as Chicago’s changing seasons, but the color palette needed to transcend the colors of the moment and unthawed February landscape. A tonal, white on white color palette was curated – the perfect backdrop to create elegance through the layering of diverse textures.

For timeless elegance to come through in the photos, color was meticulously dosed out in the details. A touch of gray blue in the invitations and coupe glasses echoes the same gray blue hues of the Chicago skyline. Lively green hues peeking out behind flower petals hold the promise of Chicago spring.

The textured details and minimal color palette worked in harmony to pay tribute to Chicago. Industrial rooftops and the hazy Chicago skyline are easily seen in the breezy photos captured on Walden’s rooftop. Other odes to Chicago were more subtle. The inside flap of the invitation envelope features a historic photo of Chicago’s Randolph Street. The breezy streets of downtown and untamed Lake Michigan shoreline inspired the wave pattern repeated in the hand painted plaster texture on the invitations, in the ethereal skirt folds of the wedding dress, and in the three dimensional wave detailing on the tiered cake.

For the reception look, the team wanted to transition from achieving elegance through layered textures to achieving elegance through classic contrast. The bridal model donned a vintage pair of black gloves. Black handled utensils, candlesticks, and menu cards adorned the dining table to contrast the white linens, florals, and servingware. And the models used the coupe glasses to plunge into a vintage inspired, ornate sweetheart cake to reveal layers of decadent chocolate cake.