We love an outdoor chuppah – and Julia and Richard’s was really something special. Chicago couple Julia, who works with hospitals to improve maternal health outcomes, and Richard, a construction litigation lawyer, dreamed of an outdoor wedding that felt natural, warm, and close to home, and Independence Grove — a forest preserve and event space just outside the city — was the perfect match.
Keeping things simple to honor the natural beauty of their surroundings, the couple went for a birch chuppah covered with the most incredibly special handmade canopy needlepointed by Richard’s mom. Don’t miss it in the beautiful photos by Henington Studios.
Equally special was the duo’s ketubah, which Julia calls “a complete dream.” She and Richard worked with Elena Berlo of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Once Upon a Paper to create a bespoke design that felt uniquely them, blending Julia’s love of nature with Richard’s love of music. Elena surprised the couple by adding singing birds to the willow tree on the ketubah, and the final result is absolutely gorgeous.
Now over to Julia, who looked radiant in her elegant gown by Essense of Australia…
How We Met
Julia, the bride: Our story began long before we ever met. I first met Richard’s sister back in 2008, when we were both part of a year-long volunteer program in Israel. Despite that connection — and the fact that we grew up near each other, studied the same subject at neighboring New England colleges, and somehow shared overlapping social circles — our paths never crossed.
Fast forward to 2019, when we finally met at a Shabbat dinner in Chicago hosted by Richard’s sister. During the pandemic, we’d occasionally see each other at outdoor gatherings and became friendly, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2021 that we realized there was a spark. A few dates in, we both knew this was something special. Two years to the day after our first date, we were under the chuppah.
Venue
We dreamed of an outdoor wedding that felt natural, warm, and close to home for our mostly Chicago-area guests. Independence Grove — a forest preserve and event space just outside the city — was the perfect match. We were blessed with a gorgeous August day as 200 of our family and friends gathered from across the country and around the world. Having everyone together in one place felt like the biggest gift of all.
Theme
Julia used to plan conferences for work, so she happily channeled those organizational muscles into wedding planning. Since we were getting married in a forest preserve, we chose décor that would enhance the natural surroundings rather than compete with them. Julia’s mom was her partner-in-design, lending her impeccable eye for floral details and aesthetics.
We added a few playful touches — cocktail napkins with illustrations of our dogs, and a custom cocktail menu sign lovingly designed by a close friend.
For vendor coordination and day-of support, we worked with Stephanie Hickey from Shh Events. Having her there meant we were able to relax completely and simply enjoy the day.
An Essense of Australia Dress
The dress Julia thought she wanted ended up being the exact opposite of the dress she chose. The moment she tried on “the one,” by Essense of Australia, with its modern, unique lace pattern and beautiful train, she fell instantly in love.
Accessories
Julia carried pieces of her grandmothers with her down the aisle. The diamond in her engagement ring belonged to her paternal grandmother, and the earrings and purse she wore on the day were treasures from both of her grandmothers. Though they have long since passed, incorporating these heirlooms made their presence feel tangible, comforting, and deeply special.
Ceremony & Chuppah
Planning our ceremony was one of the most meaningful parts of the entire process. We worked closely with our rabbi to blend beloved Jewish traditions with touches personal to us.
We also wanted our friends and family members who were less familiar with Jewish weddings to feel connected to the rituals. We created a wedding program explaining the significance of each component — and in doing that research ourselves, we found the traditional practices felt even more meaningful. Variations of that program have now appeared at several friends’ weddings, which makes us so happy.
Rabbi Daniel Bogard from St. Louis officiated — someone Julia grew up with (he even officiated her “first wedding” as kids… to his brother!). Having him stand under the chuppah with us as adults felt incredibly full-circle.
Our chuppah was deeply sentimental: Richard’s mom needlepointed the chuppah cover by hand and inscribed it with “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li.” It hung beautifully over a birch structure. In addition to the traditional sheva brachot, several of Julia’s friends read contemporary interpretations of the blessings.
We were especially thoughtful about honoring the memory of Richard’s dad, who passed away several years ago. His cousin and sisters sang a soulful rendition of The Beatles’ “I Will” in his honor, and we were wrapped in his tallit before breaking the glass.
Ketubah
Our ketubah was a complete dream. We worked with Elena Berlo of Once Upon a Paper — artists Julia had admired on Etsy for years — to create a design that felt uniquely us. We asked them to blend Julia’s love of nature with Richard’s love of music. Elena surprised us by adding singing birds to the willow tree, and the final result is absolutely gorgeous.
It’s hard to put into words how special the ketubah ceremony itself was. Surrounded by only our closest family and friends, we felt completely held by the people who know us best. Watching our dearest friends sign as witnesses brought both of us to tears — it was one of the most intimate and emotional moments of the day.
Our music choice
We chose the Bluewater Kings Band, and they kept the energy high from the first dance to the final song. We took lessons for our first dance to Sam Cooke’s “Nothing Can Change This Love,” which transitioned seamlessly into a joyful, exuberant hora. The band ended the night with a Ramones song — a surprise for Richard and the perfect finale.
Flowers
Polly’s Petals brought our floral vision to life. We wanted everything to feel natural, seasonal, and softly romantic — eucalyptus, hydrangea, dusty miller, blue thistles, and peach roses. Polly also built the birch-bark chuppah frame that displayed our handmade chuppah cover so beautifully.
Photographer and videographer
We were looking for a documentary-style photographer and immediately connected with Henington Studios. They were warm, unobtrusive, and somehow everywhere at once — capturing both tiny moments and big emotions.
Our videographer, Old North Film Company, created a film that makes us tear up every time we watch it. We’ve already made it a tradition to watch our wedding video on our anniversary.
Honeymoon
A few weeks after the wedding, we headed to the Azores for our honeymoon — the perfect blend of beauty, adventure, and relaxation. Highly recommended.
Advice to couples currently planning their wedding
People always say “don’t sweat the small stuff.” Julia’s version: sweat the small stuff early. Plan ahead, assemble a team you trust, and then hand everything off so you can be fully present on the day. It goes by in a heartbeat — soak in the love, the faces, the joy. Let it wash over you.
JULIA & RICHARD’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK
Photography – Henington Studios
Videography – Old North Film Company
Ketubah – Once Upon a Paper {offers 10% discount to all members of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club}
Venue – Independence Grove
Coordinator – Shh Events
Bride’s dress – Essense of Australia
Flowers – Polly’s Petals
DJ – Bluewater Kings Band
If you’re a Jewish or Jew-ish bride-to-be, you’ll want to join Smashing The Glass’ Brides Club. Guided by the world’s number 1 Jewish wedding expert, Karen Cinnamon, Brides Club is the private community for Jewish and Jew-ish brides that removes wedstress and indecision and gives you what you need to plan with confidence during these uncertain times. Join our Brides Club here.
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