Love in Color: The Real Wedding of Caitlin Keenum & Van Gallik in Chicago

Inspired by the character and charm of their venue, Caitlin and Van embraced a rich, vibrant color palette that brought a bold, almost maximalist feel to their wedding day. Shades of red, pink and purple—the perfect representation of love—popped beautifully against crisp black-and-white details, while elegant touches like gold-rimmed glassware, scalloped dinnerware and textured linens added sophistication and depth. The result was a design that felt both playful and refined. The venue itself added a distinctive flair to the celebration, offering guests plenty of space to mingle along with stunning views of Chicago, including fireworks over Navy Pier. Although the couple now lives in Nashville, they chose Chicago so most of their loved ones could celebrate close to home. With guidance from their planner and Caitlin's mother—a Michigan wedding venue owner—they assembled a trusted vendor team that flawlessly brought their colorful vision to life!

 

Advice from the Couple

Caitlin and Van advise, “Our biggest advice to other couples would be to let the guest experience guide as many decisions as possible. We tried to approach the weekend by asking how we could make it easy, joyful and memorable for the people coming to celebrate with us, whether that meant choosing a venue with nearby hotel options, making sure food and drinks were always available or creating an atmosphere that felt formal, but not overly rigid. That mindset also helped us prioritize the elements that would truly shape the experience, like having live music, which kept the dance floor full all night and brought such great energy to the celebration.”

 

 

 

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