Venue: Sarabande
Photographer: Tawny Ballard Photography

Greg and Kevin go in for a kiss in front of their gorgeous altar made from three tropical, bold floral arrangements on white stands.

A Modern Chicago Wedding Venue with Blank-Canvas Potential

Greg and Kevin’s wedding took place at Sarabande Chicago, a striking new event space located in the Avondale / Roscoe Village area. With over 13,000 sq ft of clean, flexible modern space, Sarabande offers indoor/outdoor flow, a sleek warehouse aesthetic, and plenty of opportunity for bold floral statements, like the ones Greg and Kevin chose for their May wedding.

A Sculptural & Dynamic Floral Palette with a Tropical Twist

For their wedding celebration, Greg and Kevin wanted a fun collection of flowers that stood out—something modern, editorial, and floral-forward. Their palette leaned into vivid contrasts: rich reds and oranges paired with lime green and bright white. Statement flowers included tropical anthurium & orchids, protea, blown white peonies, artichokes, burgundy ranunculus, and green viburnum.

A Dramatic Entrance to Set the Space

At the venue entryway, we designed a tall statement arrangement in a purple/brown designer container filled with orchids, eremerus, tulips, and amaranthus. It was perfect for photos with the grooms and complemented the ceremony pieces.

A crisp, structural altar made from three white stands, three lush whimsical garden floral arrangements, and floating candles made up Greg and Kevin's wedding altar.

Greg and Kevin said their vows in Sarabande's minimalist Scandinavian style space in front of three meadows of orange, red, lime green, and white flowers.

An Elevated, Minimalist Wedding Ceremony Setup

To set the tone for the ceremony, we placed three staggered-height elevated arrangements atop tall white pedestals. These were bold, sculptural focal points that played off the venue’s sleek white and wood interior.

We also created two aisle “meadows” composed of green viburnum, trailing ferns, white larkspur, and white allium, echoing the venue’s lush green house plants for a bespoke, organic feel. Under the guest welcome sign was another floral meadow, combining artichokes, dark textural foliage, and pods—for a wow factor right from arrival.

Greg and Kevin's sweetheart table was framed by three centerpieces and two floral meadows.

Floating candles made Greg and Kevin's gay wedding glow with charm.

Fun and Funky Editorial Wedding Reception Flowers in Chicago

During Greg and Kevin’s reception, we layered height, texture, and visual interest: tall floating candles, bud vases, and florals like irises, roses, ranunculus, pitcher plants, amaranthus, astilbe, thistle, and orchids. Each table felt bespoke and dynamic—part editorial shoot, part celebration.

We also repurposed the ceremony stands and floral meadows to create a showstopping sweetheart table floralscape. This was perfect for showcasing their super-adorable wedding cake and allowing a beautiful space beside the grooms’ table for guests to come up and give speeches.

Unique, Understated Boutonnières

Greg and Kevin’s boutonnières carried fun personality, too. Each groom’s boutonniere included ranunculus, bunny’s tail grass, hellebores, and dried accents. They were more subtle in color than the rest of their flowers so their unique suits and sunglasses could really shine!

Even from far away, the peonies, tropicals, and amaranthus shone through in Kevin and Greg's wedding photos.

A Unforgettable LGBTQ+ Chicago Wedding Story of Contrast, Texture & Personality

From the modern architecture of Sarabande Chicago to the fuzzy, trailing, and sculptural tropical blooms, this was a wedding that embraced bold contrasts and artistic floral design. Greg and Kevin’s day shows how wedding florals can be more than décor—they can make a statement about style, identity, and joy.