Mapping It Out

During my frequent perusings of wedding blogs and shops I couldn't help but notice the adorableness that are hand-drawn wedding maps. Just look at this amazing map by Stephannie Barba of Couture Maps:

Or this one by the aptly named "Hand Drawn Maps":

But by far the cutest maps come from the studio of Laura Condouris: Trial by Cupcakes:

I mean come on! The Adirondack chairs? The light house? The happy little whale?! Friggen adorable.

Now, few people know this, but I actually aspired to be an art teacher once upon a time. I took art lessons for years and years from a painter the street over, and have lots of good memories of mid-summer sketch fests in gardens around Lincoln. So when I saw the hand-drawn maps, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to use all of those art skillz that have been lying dormant all these years. 

It seemed easy enough to begin with; all I had to do was print off some google maps, trace them, and voila! There's a map! But I realized very quickly that things were not so simple. To begin with, google maps were never in the dimensions I need (11" x 5.5") and, duh, you can't trace a map through nice watercolor paper. So how did I manage? First I printed off a map of the Chicagoland area and cut out the shoreline and traced that onto my pre-cut watercolor paper. Then I simply started free-hand sketching the major roadways into/around Chicagoland, being careful to include both airports. 

Since our church and reception are so near to each other, it made perfect sense to include a close-up of the neighborhood as well to give people a rough guide of where the venues sit in the city. Drawing out the streets took a little while, but the biggest challenge was drawing the venues themselves. It took several tries for me to remember all the tricks to nailing dimension properly, but in the end I think I succeeded. Once the essential info was there, I started adding little embellishments (the loop, the train, etc), and then traced all of my pencil lines in ink. Finally came the fun part: painting! I ultimately decided to use watercolor, which is the medium used by Trial by Cupcakes, and I'm so glad I did. I finished the map tonight and I'm really pleased with the results! Check it out:

Click the picture for a larger image.

I now have my very own personalized, hand-drawn wedding map. It certainly isn't anything overly fancy, but that suits me and my non-fancy wedding just fine. :)

My Kind of Town

When Austin and I decided to get married in Chicago, we knew it would more-or-less be a destination wedding for the majority of our guests. While I'm sure I will touch on do's and don't's at a later date for those of you traveling from out of town, I wanted to pass along this great article I found with 10 tips on touring the Windy City.

Ten tips for Chicago tourists

By Elaine Glusac, special for USA TODAY

Whether you're coming to Chicago for the first time or you're a veteran visitor, take heed of the following tips to make the most of your trip.

1. Take the el. It's not only picturesque — as those lumbering elevated mass transit trains ring the Loop at second-story height — it's convenient, and cheap too. Three el or L lines are especially important to consider. From a transportation point of view the Orange Line and the Blue Line link downtown with Midway and O'Hare International Airports, respectively. For sightseeing, loop the Loop aboard the Brown Line, ride it over the Chicago River (digital camera alert: great bridge views) and as far north as you have time for, peering into the backyards, patios and porches en route. Overhead stairways cross the tracks and allow you to return without paying the fare twice. For train buffs, voyeurs, nostalgics or anyone who needs to get off their feet, the el is a great tour.

2. Mind the seasons, but don't let them stop you. Chicagoans regard February as the telling month, the one that keeps the wimps from moving to town for our glorious springs, summers and falls. But life in the heart of winter darkness goes on in every other way unchanged. Bad weather also means good deals at hotels, open tables at restaurants, better theater tickets and cheaper flights to town. Pack for it and consider an offseason trip.

3. Get out into the neighborhoods. The city officially lists 198 neighborhoods. In practice there are thousands of mini-communities around town that make Chicago dynamic. Downtown may employ many of them, but the outlying corner taverns, street-front shops and local restaurants are where they live. From gentrified-bohemian (Andersonville, Wicker Park, Bucktown) to ethnic pockets where English is a second language (Devon Avenue, Chinatown, Argyle Street), there is a great variety from which to experience a lively day the local way. For a guided outing, check out the city-sponsored Chicago Neighborhood Tours.

4. Beware Navy Pier. Navy Pier, the former shipping-dock-turned-amusement-pier is the biggest tourist attraction in the city, drawing 8.6 million visitors annually. That's 5.6 million more than its closest competitor, the Lincoln Park Zoo. So while I wouldn't advise any visitor to avoid Navy Pier, you should know what you're getting into: crowds, of course. But also lots and lots of families, especially in summer and during school breaks, so if you don't like kids, go somewhere else. Finally, it's very expensive, from the parking (rarely less than $20) to the food (which, compounding the price problem, is not very good). But there are ways to enjoy the Pier and avoid the crunch: take the free trolley or go early in the day or early in the week.

5. Bring the kids. Chicago's biggest attractions – Navy Pier, Lincoln Park Zoo, Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Alder Planetarium — are truly all-ages friendly. Even the Art Institute of Chicago offers innovative kid's tours. Combine the sights with el train and boat rides, Lake Michigan beaches, romps in the Millennium Park Crown Fountain and warm-hearted Midwestern hospitality and there's nothing to prevent a child from enjoying the best of the city.

6. Pack mindfully. The seasonal range in Chicago runs from bone-chilling winters to sweltering summers. Other than maybe the mildest of transitional spring and fall days, packing for Chicago is not a no-brainer. In winter, hat and boots are a must. Ditto sunhat and sun block in summer. Complicating generalizations, the vast Lake Michigan holds sway over the local climate in ways visitors don't expect, often producing days cooler near the lake in summer and warmer in winter. You can't predict a 60-degree August afternoon, but the best way to plan for it is to pack layers.

7. Show-go. Chicago's renowned for its sports and restaurants and music. But I'd argue the liveliest entertainment quarter is in the theater. Chicago sends hits to Broadway (Steppenwolf Theater's August: Osage County this year) and keeps Broadway playing here indefinitely (Wicked and Jersey Boys will stay as long as demand holds). And it's not just the big stages (Goodman, Court, Chicago Shakespeare, Lookingglass, Victory Gardens, Second City and Steppenwolf), but the little ones – the off-Loop storefront theaters with a coupla dozen seats – where creativity is nurtured as in few other cities. Top choices include Actor's Workshop Theatre, House Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, Profiles Theatre, Redmoon Theater, Steep Theatre, Timelineand dozens of others whose artistic directors will now flame me for not including them.

8. Plan ahead. Anything worth doing in Chicago is worth booking ahead. That goes for hot tables – give Alinea and Charlie Trotter's a call a month in advance of your visit; others like Blackbird and Sepia aren't as punishing but reservations are an unspoken essential, especially on weekends. This advice also applies to popular activities such as the Chicago Architecture Foundation's architectural boat tours, which allow you to book ahead (tip: avoid Sunday post-hotel-checkout noon-hour tours in summer which are the Foundation says are the most crowded). Even the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry allow you to pre-order tickets online, which can save you the aggravation of standing on line with the crowds.

9. Ask directions. Downtown Chicago is laid out on a grid, with the epicenter being Madison St., which runs east-west, and State St., which runs north-south. Street numbers then escalate in any direction 100 per block (10 N. State St., for example, would be on the block just north of Madison, 300 S. Dearborn would be three blocks south of Madison, and 215 W. Randolph St. would be two blocks west of State). Still confused? Ask a local. Chances are if you stand on a street corner with a map and a perplexed look someone will offer their help. It's that kinda town, Chicago is.

10. The great urban outdoors. Now that I've made a great argument for culture and dining, let me switch tracks and recommend that you spend at least part of your time in Chicago recreating. One of the things that makes Chicago such a livable city is its parks, beaches and its all-around regard for the outdoors. Many of my Chicago friends won't take vacations in summer because they consider it so perfect here then (these are the folks you meet in the Caribbean in February). Hit the lakefront and rent bikes or skates, take a walk, watch birds (fall and spring are particularly good for migrating birds along the Lake Michigan flyway), swim or join a sand volleyball game at North Avenue Beach (the last two are summer only, of course). Even in winter the ice shard stacks along Lake Michigan make pretty scenery, provided you're well-bundled.

CITY GUIDE: More attractions in Chicago

READ MORE: A year in Chicago

Elaine Glusac is the author of USA TODAY's Chicago City Guide

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/cityguides/chicago/2008-01-29-10-tourist-tips_N.htm

The Search for Reception

Many apologies for the radio silence! Needless to say lots of plans have been solidified, vendors contracted, and deposits paid. Slowly but surely our (read: my) vision is coming together!

The biggest accomplishment by far was getting the reception space nailed down. We are SO SO happy that things worked out with Revolution Brewing. Austin is beloved by the entire staff and we both absolutely love their food and beer. Ever since Austin was privy to a private tour of the 2nd floor during Rev's soft opening last year, we knew it was a perfect place for a reception. As soon as we knew we were having a wedding, we called to reserve the space. Problem was, we were a little ahead of them. Like, 6 months ahead. So after months of waiting and hand wringing (on my part) and wildly different capacity estimates and city inspections, we FINALLY got things ironed out with them last week. We went to visit the newly finished space last week during their opening and it looks amazing. I think it will be a great spot for us all to celebrate.

The Brewers' Lounge at Revolution Brewing, Chicago, IL

With the big things out of the way, I am now learning the joys of attempting to plan wedding reception decorations in a venue with wood-paneled walls and freshly-painted ceilings. No matter, I am crafty and resourceful and every time I get told "no tapers!" or "no outlets!" or "no you cannot hang 150,000 lighted lanterns from the ceiling!" it's a challenge to my creative side. After all, there really are no end to wedding decoration options. At times it really feels like everything that could ever be done at a wedding has already been done, but in a way that's pretty freeing. It means I don't have to waste time reinventing the wheel and spend more time having fun and enjoying this process. 

Now THAT'S a good old-fashioned wedding!

I don't want to give TOO much away, but at this point I'm still very hopeful that my vision of a vintage-flavored/subtly Japanese-inspired/beer/bikes reception will be a reality. Because at the end of the day, I just want a wedding that is us, and integrating his passion (beer) with my passion (Japan) and our passion (bikes) is the perfect marriage of who we are and what we're all about.