Dear readers, it can be tough to choose a venue. Once you have your venue locked in, the style of your wedding is also limited. We booked a historic mansion for our wedding because we wanted a wedding that is formal and elegant with a bit of vintage flair. I'm really happy about our decision but I can easily imagine us getting married other places too.
One such place is
Carnivale in the West Loop. I l-o-v-e the bright colors and creative lighting. And their
private dining menu seriously makes my mouth water! Ropa vieja with crispy plantains? Yes please!
 |
| The Samba Room, one of several rooms you can rent for your reception or rehearsal dinner. Photo via carnivalechicago.com |
Of course we would
have to have a salsa band. Because the venue is so colorful and lively, I would wear sassy little number to match:
As you already know, I'm a serious shoe addict. And a short dress calls for a show-stopping pair of shoes. I'd wear heels in Valentino red:
 |
At $695, these Valentino babies are a little out of my price range. But a girl can dream, right?
Photo via http://store.valentino.com. |
My lovely bridesmaids would wear short dresses in a variety of brilliant colors that coordinate with the venue. I'm imagining bright blue, red, pink, green, yellow...
 |
Priscilla of Boston, style no. PB401. If ever there was a "wear again"
bridesmaids dress, this is definitely it. |
Our champagne toast would be a mojito toast and we would have pictures of sangria on each table for dinner. For dessert, I'd have either classic flan or Caribbean fruit cake soaked in rum.
As for my
groom, he would wear a black, slim-fitting one-button suit. I like this one by Armani:
 |
He'd wear a skinny tie and would skip the boutonniere in favor of a square-folded pocket handkerchief.
I say "he," but let's be real--he usually just wears what I want him to wear. Photo via emporioarmani.com.
|
Since I'm half Aruban, our favors would be cigars made from Aruban tobacco for the gentlemen and cocadas (coconut candies) to the ladies.
 |
| Yum! Cocadas, cocadas with cloves and brown sugar, and cocadas with condensed milk. Photo via maria-brazil.org. |
Sounds like a pretty great party to me! If you could have a wedding re-do, what kind of venue would you choose? Would you go for a totally different style of wedding?
