Chicago Services

Ode à la Rose founders Olivier Plusquellec and Louis Brunet are Parisian. And to be Parisian means to know beauty—and in this case, flowers. When they moved to NYC, they were disappointed to see all the dehydrated, wilted, sad arrangements on offer. So disappointed, they decided to start their own floral delivery service: Ode à la Rose. Plusquellec and Brunet started small, working with a few florists who trained in the specific style of hand-tied bouquets that the French have mastered—and they've only grown since. The team creates incredible arrangements with accents straight from Plusquellec and Brunet's home country: gigantic, plump fuchsia roses delivered with French macarons; lilies, wildflowers, and lavender accented with eucalyptus and wrapped in raffia. No detail is too small—the packaging, the richness of the hue of the flower, you name it—and they’re experts in keeping the flowers hydrated during transit. The team delivers in Chicago, as well as throughout the Northeast and New York City (where they have their premiere location above the Chelsea Flower Market). We're just hoping a West Coast outpost isn’t far behind.

Yes, the flowers are the main event, but honestly, half the pleasure of visiting Hyde Park's Cornell Florist is the store itself. In the same location since 1939, the latest owners, Lindsay Levita and Steven Lucy, have retained all of the original features of the space, including the antique cash register. Known for their earthy, natural-looking arrangements of foliage and seasonal blooms, Levita and Lucy benefit from a Rolodex of regulars stretching back three decades. Nothing fazes these two, and both are especially skilled at walking through a venue and easily dreaming up an original vision—a godsend to indecisive couples. And should this be on your wish list: Cornell Florist also makes especially beautiful flower crowns.

What started as a simple design studio back in 1998 has grown into a fully-fledged digital company more than adept at handling the stationery demands of the modern, time-starved customer. Snow & Graham's predesigned lines are perfect for those wanting to send out invites, announcements, or save-the-dates in a pinch. And clients wanting to design bespoke stationery are also well taken care of. All custom pieces are handmade on the softest double-thick 100 percent cotton-pulp paper—pasted by hand with nontoxic adhesive.

Nancy Chase started out on a creative, nonfloral trajectory. A fine art graduate, Chase pursued a career in corporate art sales for years, then entered the interior design arena, before finally landing on flowers. The beauty and benefit of a career such as Chase's is that she has an unlimited pool of inspiration to draw on for her lush, colorful arrangements. Chase excels at weddings, and with the inclusion of one of her large-scale installations, little other decoration is necessary.

This adorably named DJ company specializes in weddings, and folks on their team of (mostly women) DJs are equipped with all of the highly specific skills that weddings entail. They have a “never” list of cheesy, eye-roll songs, and a reputation for being professional and efficient, and great at reading the crowd.

There’s no substitute for experience, and with more than 200 weddings under his belt, that's something Rob Krueger has in spades. When he's not shooting weddings, he's teaching photography classes or hosting his podcast, Take and Talk Pics. Fair warning to grooms: He’s a huge fan of the “dip and kiss” pose.

They’re obviously famous for their cupcakes, but Magnolia also puts that amazing buttercream to good use on wedding cakes. Their bakers are especially adept at creating beautiful textures on their layered cakes, creating soft, flower petal effects and even taking on the challenge of intricate frosting.

Larkspur owner Beth Barnett had a retail space in Bucktown for many years, but business has gotten so busy that she now fills her orders from a private studio (though you can still visit on open studio nights). Her arrangements are gorgeous year-round but particularly special come summer, when she uses flowers from Larkspur's organic flower farm in Michigan. The farm specializes in peonies—be still our swiftly beating hearts—in May and other local perennials for the rest of the summer. With one to two days' notice, they can deliver flowers anywhere in Chicago proper and to almost every suburb.

Located in Chicago's River North district, Fleur de Lis is run by two women—one with a background in fashion and window displays and the other in graphic arts. They deliver Monday through Friday, offer floral design classes, and host events in the shop's great atrium space. Fleur de Lis has a few packages that make for a pretty great gift (that gives more than once): a year in flowers (an arrangement delivered each month) and a season in flowers (four times a year). This is also a nice option for corporate events.

With a client list that includes Chanel, Prada, and Louis Vuitton, you can be sure that Truffleberry Market (now merged with Paramount Cantering) has been properly vetted. Their events are known for adventurous menus and presentation, with dishes like mini lobster corn dogs, cucumber sandwiches wrapped in a delicate bow, and goat cheese cones. The team here is always up for a challenge, making them a great option if you have an ambitious theme.