Mike & Sarah's Wedding Blog

A Huge Thank You

2008-05-10T22:11:00.003-05:00

Sarah and I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who helped make our wedding the most special, memorable and amazing day of both of our lives. It meant the absolute world to us to share it with all of our family and friends. While some of you traveled far (from New York to Miami to Los Angeles to Seattle and all other corners of the country) and others of you were right at home, we are so grateful that we had so many of you with us. Our memories are etched with the conversations and interactions that we had -- whether it was on the dance floor, between bites of wedding cake and pizza or over cigars. Thank you for helping to make every moment one that will last a lifetime for us.

Official Wedding Photos

2008-05-10T18:31:00.005-05:00

A huge, huge thank you to Amanda Hein for being a wonderful wedding photographer and capturing all the fun we had that night. Check a slideshow with a few of them here -- and if you'd like to see the whole batch or order any, go here.

Honeymoon Photos

2008-05-09T21:29:00.003-05:00

Click here to see our photos from the honeymoon!

We're Back!

2008-05-08T17:41:00.006-05:00

While April 26 seems like a lifetime ago, Mike and I are having a great time looking through all the pictures you've sent us from the wedding. Here are a few to whet your appetite until our photographer posts hers online -- including a link to our engagement photos that were in the guest book.

From Mary Ellen Donohue (Mike's aunt)
From Abbe Graceffa (Sarah's high school friend)
From Amanda Hein's blog (wedding photographer)
Engagement Photos

Thank you so much to each and every one of you for being a part of what was nothing short of a dream come true for both of us. Please, please, please share your online photo albums and any favorite stories from the wedding weekend in the comments below!

April

2008-04-16T10:49:00.002-05:00

April has been a busy month for us. Okay fine, not a huge surprise, but I think it's been more of a whirlwind than Mike and I ever expected. Thanks to all of our family and friends for putting up with us. And Mike, thank you for putting up with me. I bet you never knew the girl you are marrying cared so much about the various weights and textures of paper or was capable of having a nervous breakdown over welcome bags. Well, you know what they say... for better or worse!

These last two days have been particularly significant for us. Yesterday we celebrated our three year anniversary and today Mike is officially done with finals and halfway done with chiropractic school. We may be stressed and crazed -- but those are both special accomplishments and something to be proud of. Looking forward to celebrating with you in ten days!

Ceremony Info

2008-04-15T15:00:00.004-05:00

Barring extreme cold or rain, the ceremony will be outside on the back terrace of the MCA. Don't worry, there will be signs directing you there -- but if you walk around to the either side of the building you will see the entrance. We're expecting nice weather (and hedging those bets with heat lamps), but women may want to bring a wrap or light jacket. There will be a coat check, so you won't need to worry about it once we're inside!

After Party at LuxBar

2008-04-10T21:04:00.009-05:00

These reunions tend to run into the wee hours of the morning, so we've got an area reserved at LuxBar for our late-night revelers. It's a fun bar and where Mike and I celebrated with friends the night we got engaged. It's near the MCA -- only a short walk or quick cab ride. Please see my bridesmaid/party planner Alya Adamany for details...
LuxBar
18 E Bellevue Place
Chicago, IL 60611

Directions & Getting Around

2008-04-08T10:50:00.006-05:00

So Google and the Chicago Transportation Authority (CTA) just announced a neat feature today that will come in handy for all our guests. If you click here, you can put in your beginning and end points and it will give you options for how to get from here to there on the CTA, which includes the "el" and buses. While cabs will cost you a little more, they are accessible and often the quickest way to get around. We posted a little more on that a few weeks ago. Here are a few addresses to keep handy over the weekend and a map of where they all are:

Seneca Hotel
200 East Chestnut Street
East of the Hancock building, at Chestnut Street & Mies Van Der Rohe Way

Fairfield Suites
216 East Ontario Street
Just south of Northwestern Medical Campus, at Ontario Street & St. Clair Street

Mike & Sarah's
1000 W. Washington Blvd., #320
Across from Harpo Studios, lobby entrance is at Randolph Street & Carpenter Street

Gibson's
1028 North Rush St.
Rehearsal dinner, at Rush Street & Bellevue Place

MCA
220 East Chicago Avenue
East of Water Tower, at Chicago Avenue & Mies Van Der Rohe Way

Home Stretch

2008-04-08T10:23:00.002-05:00

Well, the next few weeks are going to be a whirlwind! Mike started finals yesterday (yes, in addition to the boards he just finished) and I'm sitting down with our wedding planner this evening to get my head straight and nail down all the final details. And speaking of final details, please check back often over the next 18 days to get any updates or info you need for the wedding. There are a few loose ends and we'll use the blog to get the word out.

Miami Getaway

2008-04-01T09:43:00.004-05:00

This weekend Mike and I went to Miami for my cousin Anna's wedding. It was an absolutely beautiful day and we had a wonderful time seeing my dad's family down there. Anna and Danny are such a great couple and seeing them share their special day was really nice for Mike and me just a few weeks before our own wedding. Aunt Linda -- we will miss you at our wedding, but I thought it was so neat that you keep up on everything on our blog! And please tell Savana I miss her and can't wait to see her again so we can make more concoctions and do backbends.

40 days and 40 nights

2008-03-17T19:16:00.002-05:00

Hello to all, I would like to thank Sarah for maintaining this blog and keeping up her end of the bargain better than I have. It's been a pretty crazy couple of weeks, and by crazy I mean, the empty tank light went on about 3 weeks ago and I've been running on fumes. But now that this weekend has passed and with it my first round of board exams, I guess I can expel a sigh of relief. Glad that they're over and that I aced them.

Thank you to everyone who has responded and given us gifts already. The cardboard pile just keeps getting bigger. I'm actually thinking of starting a styrofoam popcorn company with all of it that we've acquired.

Just wanted to let all of you that we're very excited to see all you and can't wait for these next weeks to pass. Let's all hope for nice sunny Chicago weather.

Wish Mike Luck...

2008-03-15T11:50:00.000-05:00

Mike starts his boards today. He's been hitting the books hard for the last few weeks and has two days of tests ahead of him. The kicker is that he'll find out how he did the day before our wedding... which I know will juts be another reason to celebrate. Send good thoughts his way today and tomorrow!

Directions into the City

2008-03-15T11:31:00.006-05:00

Chicago is very easy to get around -- there's always a train, bus or cab to get you anywhere. For transportation from the airports, the blue line will take you from O'Hare to downtown and the orange line will take you from Midway to downtown (for both, you can only go towards downtown so no matter what you'll be going in the right direction).

From there, you can take a cheap cab ride to either hotel. For more specific directions to your destination, click here. If you'd like to get a cab, it will cost you about $30-40 to get downtown from either airport. When you're walking around the city, keep in mind the lake is to the east, shopping is all along Michigan and good restaurants are everywhere -- and you'll be in good shape. Also, Mike and I are happy to play tour guide for any of our guests.

One more thing to note -- unfortunately, the Cubs are away that weekend, but the White Sox are at home and you can get tickets here.

PARTY! Thursday, April 24

2008-03-03T22:12:00.009-06:00

Mike and I will be hosting a little "Welcome to Chicago" party at our condo on Thursday, April 24 for everyone who is in town -- weekend visitors and Chicago residents. Mike and I both love having people over, so this will be a great way to kick off the wedding weekend!

Click here for a map to our place. It's a quick cab ride from downtown. The main lobby for the building is on Randolph and Carpenter, right across from Harpo Studios. We'll have food and drinks ready around 7 p.m.

Bachelorette Party

2008-03-03T20:37:00.001-06:00

This weekend I am taking off for a weekend of warmer weather and wine! My bachelorette party is this weekend, out in San Francisco (home of my dear friend and bridesmaid, Natalia Wodecki). Even since Natalia moved out to San Francisco, I've fallen in love with the area -- especially the wineries. I am so excited to see my friends who are able to make it out for the weekend and am looking forward to what I know will be a memorable few days!

A big thanks to all my bridesmaids for planning the weekend, and to my parents who are generously helping us all get out there. This is seriously the bachelorette party of my dreams and I am so thankful to you all!

Photo Slideshow

2008-03-01T13:07:00.000-06:00

To see photos of Mike, me and our friends, click here.

The Final Countdown

2008-02-20T17:58:00.000-06:00

When I was little, I used to countdown to everything. Days 'til my birthday, days 'til school was over, days 'til a dentist appointment... no event was too little, too big or too ordinary for a countdown. So it's no wonder that my Outlook calendar is now adorned with notices that pop up every morning letting me know how many days are left 'til the wedding. At least Mike already knew I was a little crazy when he proposed.

And for those who are keeping track... 66 and counting.

Requests Anyone?

2008-02-18T21:21:00.004-06:00

One of the early things that Mike and I agreed on was that we had to have a band. In fact, before we were even engaged, we decided that whenever the day might come to make that decision, it was non-negotiable. So our meeting tonight with our band leader was something we'd been looking forward to for a while -- and Matt Reed of the Matt Reed Band did not disappoint. Better yet, he did not bat at eyelash at the list of additional songs that Mike and I came up with after we had combed through 13 pages of their typical fare.

The good news is, they are totally up for learning P.Y.T. by Michael Jackson -- and then some. So bring your dancing shoes -- and if there is something you are dying to hear, tell us in the comments!

Right Around the Corner!

2008-02-05T14:35:00.000-06:00

Well, it's been a while since we've posted anything on the blog. Life's been busy! As if the holidays, school and work is not enough, Mike and I added to the family at the end of the year. We adopted Sadie from the Anti Cruelty Society -- she's a year and half old beagle and the sweetest thing in the world (see photo for evidence of her adorable nature). She's been a great challenge, but an even greater joy. When we're not taking care of Sadie, we're tying up wedding plans. It's less than three months away! We hope that most of you have booked your hotels and airfare already -- and if you have any questions, please call Mike or me. We are very excited and can't wait to see you soon.

Update on Seneca Room Block

2007-11-30T11:54:00.000-06:00

If the room block is full when you call the Seneca, please let Mike or me know so we can extend it for you and get you a room there!

Same goes for the Fairfield, we just know that the Seneca's filling up quickly...

Honeymoon

2007-11-29T16:07:00.001-06:00

After learning that it's only about 70 degrees in Southern Italy in late April/early May, Mike and I are headed for warmer pastures. We're leaving for the Dominican Republic at 6am (no really, our flight leaves at 6am) Sunday morning after the wedding. Eleven days and ten nights should be plenty of time to unwind after all the wedding hoopla!

First Dance

2007-11-28T11:48:00.000-06:00

So, I've been driving my mother insane because I won't tell her what our first dance song is. She keeps guessing and guessing, and finds no comfort in the fact that we haven't told anyone else. Well, I feel kinda bad, so here's a hint -- this was our first choice, but we decided to go with something a little more fast paced.

Thanks to Bonnie-Bea for sending...

Flights & Rental Cars

2007-11-28T10:17:00.001-06:00

For those flying to Chicago for the wedding, we have a 5% discount for American Airlines -- just use promo code A4448AU. American flies into O'Hare and Southwest is a good option for Midway.

Getting around Chicago is easy via cabs and public transportation, but if you'd like to rent a car, we have a discounted rate through Avis. To receive the discount off Avis rental cars, please call 800-331-1600, and reference AWD - D003737.

Hotels

2007-11-28T10:05:00.000-06:00

We have blocks reserved at the Seneca Hotel and Fairfield Inn & Suites for discounted rates. The Seneca is literally steps away from the wedding site and Fairfield Inn is a very short walk away.

Seneca Hotel
$199/night for deluxe suite w/king bed
$219/night for deluxe suite w/2 queen beds
Please call (800) 800-6261 and reference Silva/Donohue wedding rate or SILVA/DO

Fairfield Inn & Suites
$179/night for king/queen bed
$189/night for 2 double beds
Please call (312) 787-3777 and reference Silve/Donohue wedding rate or DWSS

There are many other hotels in the downtown Chicago area and below are a few near the Museum of Contemporary Art. If you do stay at a hotel outside of the room blocks, please note it in the "comments" section below. Please call us if you need help making reservations.

Westin Michigan Avenue: (312) 943-7200
Hilton Suites Chicago: (312) 664-1100
Holiday Inn Express Mag Mile Hotel Cass: (312) 787-4030
Red Roof Inn: (312) 787-3580

Lexi Brilliant... Our Flower Girl

2007-11-01T17:32:00.000-05:00

I so excited to have Mike's cousin Lexi in our wedding. I know she'll be a great flower girl and is a wonderful addition to our wedding party.

The Wedding Dress

2007-10-28T20:43:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'll admit it. With all the condo hoopla, I mistakenly thought I was seven months away from our weddding -- not six. Oops! My big concern was that I'd waited too long to look for a dress and my procrastinating had finally caught up with me. While I learned a little lesson in calendar management, I did find a dress that I absolutely love. And as a first, I even got a discount for my decisiveness (of all things) by getting the dress on my first visit to the store. Now I have serious motivation to hit the gym and eat better too...

Bridesmaid Dresses: Progress!

2007-10-25T15:20:00.000-05:00

With my renewed dedication to all things wedding, I've chosen the bridesmaid dresses and got the each of the girls busy picking out the style they like best. The bridesmaids will be in different dresses from Lynn Lugo, all in different shades of light browns and golds -- specifically gold, almond, latte and ginger for those with discerning color palettes.

Don't Mess With the Hydrangeas...

2007-10-16T12:32:00.000-05:00

This is just funny...

In-Laws!

2007-10-14T15:15:00.000-05:00

Mike and I finally got our parents together this weekend. Thanks to both Mike's and my parents (and my sister Katy) for coming in -- it was great for us to have you all meet before the big day!

We're Homeowners!

2007-10-02T18:58:00.000-05:00

In an effort to knock out as many major life decisions as we can at once, Mike and I became homeowners yesterday. For all the bumps along the way, it is a great feeling and we are very excited to move in Thursday morning. We'll put some photos up soon! Our new address is:

1000 W. Washington Blvd.
Unit 320
Chicago, IL 60607

I really have to say thank you a million times over to my parents for all their help and guidance with the process. There are not enough thank yous in the world for them -- for condo help and the wedding and everything else they do.

So after we get the move completed, I'll be back in full wedding planning mode -- which means more blog posts and more communication to my dear bridesmaids who may be beginning to wonder if I'm ever going to get my act together. More soon...

Updates

2007-08-28T17:31:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the delay in letting people know what has been in the proverbial pipeline, but to say that we have been busy is a gross understatement. I actually am on break from school now until the day after Labor Day so we've been taking advantage of some down time to get a few things done, namely: subletting our place, deciding what condo we want to move in, selling my car, finish the guest list, decide on the bands, figure out the what/where/how of the rehearsal dinner and try to keep our sanity. We actually put in an offer yesterday on a condo, literally right across the street from Oprah's studio. Thus far, we're doing well, but it's draining...

Back to the wedding -- we are in the middle of picking bands right now, and by the middle I mean, our wedding planner sent us a list and I haven't even looked at it. If you are reading this Meghann, I'm doing it tonight.

Anyways, I am going to try and listen to some bands before the Red Sox slaughter the Yankees.

Meeting the Families, Round Two

2007-08-21T16:43:00.000-05:00

We just got back from a great trip to New Hampshire. It was so much fun to meet all of Mike's family. His parents had a great BBQ for us and I got to meet Mike's many aunts, uncles, cousins and more! There's no doubt that bringing together both of our big families and friends is going to make for a really, really fun wedding.

Thanks to Mike's parents for a wonderful party and to all Mike's family for making me feel so welcome!

All This For Back Cracking??!!?

2007-08-07T17:55:00.001-05:00

Not sure if everyone knows yet, but I am in Chiropractic school just outside of Chicago and it's a 5-day/week, all-day affair that lasts year round. I'll graduate in December of 2009, but right now we're in the midst of finals and the combination of wedding planning and studying is quite the adventure.

Thus far, I'm pleased to say that we are navigating this particulary dicey territory with relative ease, albeit with a few late nights and early mornings. I have to credit Sarah with being so very agreeable and helpful through all of it, and in a few days it will all be over and we can go ahead with the tasting of the food, which I think is next step. Pretty excited....

Decisions, Decisions

2007-08-05T20:45:00.000-05:00

Since the MCA uses an exclusive caterer, that decision was a no-brainer. But as anyone who's eaten at a restaurant with me knows, my indecisiveness is going to make choosing the food a big task. Probably as a cry for help, Mike thought it would be a good idea to ask our guests what they like. The poll on the left side of the page lets you choose which hors d'oeuvres sound the best to you. Vote for as many as you like...

UPDATE: The poll's not working yet, but stay tuned.

World's Best Honeymoons

2007-08-05T10:31:00.000-05:00

I saw a story yesterday that Italy was named the No. 1 honeymoon destination in Modern Bride magazine's annual "World's Best Honeymoons" survey, followed by Hawaii and Tahiti at Nos. 2 & 3. We haven't made any decisions yet, but I think I could get on board with any of those locations. The only problem is, who wants to sit on a plane for that long when you are headed to your honeymoon?

Bridesmaid Dresses

2007-08-01T21:31:00.000-05:00

As far as bridesmaid dresses go, it's a bit of a shot in the dark. It's hard enough to pick out something for someone else to wear, let alone EIGHT someone elses. My wedding planner, Meghann, recommended this site to me. Lynn Lugo Bridal lets you pick out your own dress style, color and fabric -- right down to the little details like what type of hem you want. I can let everyone pick the dress they want and still have everyone coordinated. It's like having your wedding cake and eating it too.

Photographer, Check!

2007-07-30T18:16:00.000-05:00

We crossed something else off the list today -- Amanda Hein is going to photograph our wedding. She has a photojournalism style that we both really liked. We weren't really planning on doing engagement photos (a little cheesy for our tastes), but we may reconsider because Amanda does a really nice job... and they're free!

Meeting the Families, Round One

2007-07-24T17:55:00.000-05:00

Mike and I went to Miami this weekend to meet my dad's side of the family. We had a great time -- relaxed, ate some Cuban food and met lots of uncles, aunts, cousins, my grandpa and many other far-flung relatives. Of course, they all loved Mike -- but I think my uncle Joe put it best when he told my mom, "if Sarah doesn't marry him, I might."

I'm excited for Round Two when Mike and I head to New Hampshire in August!

Maid of Honor & Bridesmaids

2007-07-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

My sister Amanda is someone that probably knows me better than I even know myself, so I am glad to have her as my maid of honor. I know she'll be the perfect balance of a voice of reason and partner in crime. I look forward to sharing my wedding day with these girls, and I solemnly swear to not dress them in anything poufy or plaid.

Amanda Silva, Maid of Honor, Sister of the Bride
Allison Silva, Bridesmaid, Sister of the Bride
Katy Silva, Junior Bridesmaid, Sister of the Bride
Stacia Sackmaster, Bridesmaid, Friend of the Bride
Alya Adamany, Bridesmaid, Friend of the Bride
Natalia Wodecki, Bridesmaid, Friend of the Bride
Betsy Beierle, Bridesmaid, Friend of the Bride
Bonnie-Bea Wells, Bridesmaid, Friend of the Bride

Best Man & Groomsmen

2007-07-01T12:00:00.000-05:00

We have started this little correspondence to keep everyone abreast of the happenings with our wedding and I have decided that today, it's time for the groomsmen of the wedding party to be recognized. Before I do that however, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you everyone for visiting our humble little site. So, back to the groomsmen:

Best Man -- Greg Donohue: My brother, 24, lives in New York and works at Deutsche Bank as an Investment Banker. As of now, we haven't decided exactly what being the best man entails, except for the fact that he will stand next to me at the wedding.

Groomsmen -- Adam Prisby, Kevin Mason, Jonathon Wells, Matt Rhyner and Tommy Newberg: The first four I have known since grade school and the last groomsman, Tommy, is a friend from Chicago that I have got to know since I moved here. I am very happy and grateful for their help.

Wedding Planner

2007-06-25T12:00:00.000-05:00

On the advice of a friend of ours (thank you, Elizabeth!), I met with a wedding planner to see whether or not we could use some help with pulling everything together for the big day. Meghann from Blush + Bashful has been a huge help from Day One -- almost as huge as the collective sighs of relief from Mike and my mom when I told them I hired her. Since we've been working with Meghann, planning has been much more fun and much less stressful for all of those involved.

See You in Chicago!

2007-06-13T12:00:00.001-05:00

We have lived in Chicago together since March 2006 and we wanted all of our out-of-town guests to be able to see the city we call home. We decided on a downtown Chicago wedding and will have our ceremony and reception at the Museum of Contemporary Art. It's a beautiful location with an amazing outside terrace, which we really hope to use. However, as our Midwestern guests know, we're taking a gamble with Chicago weather in April -- so some collective finger crossing is appreciated!

Our Engagement Party

2007-05-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

Our friends Alya Adamany & Kate Brennan threw us a wonderful engagement party at Trace in Chicago. It was so fun to bring together our friends and see all of the old photos that Alya & Kate literally papered the walls with. These were a couple of our personal favorites...

A big thank you to Alya & Kate! Mike and I are lucky to have great friends like you.

San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

2007-05-04T16:50:00.000-05:00

Our trip to Los Cabos was planned ahead of time, but turned out to be a a great way to celebrate our engagement. We started talking about wedding plans, but only a little. It was great to spend most of our time together at the pool, enjoying great food, watching the Cubs on Mexican TV and walking on the beach.

The Date

2007-04-26T12:00:00.001-05:00

With chiropractic school year round, there are only few times during the year when we could have the wedding and take our honeymoon immediately afterwards. The end of April gives us a chance to put the memories of finals behind us before the wedding... and the promise of a honeymoon ahead of us after the wedding. Save the date for Saturday, April 26, 2008!

We're Engaged!

2007-04-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

A few days shy of our two-year anniversary, Mike proposed yesterday! I thought for sure I'd see it coming, but it was a huge surprise.

We spent the night celebrating -- starting with dinner at Park Grill in Millennium Park (our first Chicago date) and meeting up with friends. Right now, we're looking forward to laying low before we start making any wedding plans.