AnitaWeds - Anita Vaughan, Life-Cycle Celebrant

07/22/2023

Angie & Melvin's ceremony at the gorgeous Wandering Tree Estate. What a fun couple!! And, as you can see, this venue is absolutely stunning.

06/25/2022

Happy Wedding Dat to Kerrin and Doug!!

10/30/2021

As this wedding season draws to an end, I am so grateful that I had last night's wedding as one of my last of the year. I'm still basking in the warm, fuzzy feelings because of these two. I fell in love with Emily and Danielle when we had our first meeting via Zoom over a year ago. They are so full of love and joy!!

I am also grateful for the amazing team I worked with last night, including Nicole from The Haight, my bestie, Jaysin Osterkamp and his team from For Love Films, Nicole of The Still Life Photography, and Gary from Sounds Abound Entertainment

Finally, I appreciate a wedding where the team and guests abide by safety protocols. It feels good to be around folks who we know are all vaxxed and safe!!

10/29/2021

Happy Wedding Day to Danielle and Emily!!! I am so excited for this ceremony today, I can hardly stand it!

And, if marrying one of the best couples ever isn't amazing enough - I get to work with Jaysin Osterkamp. YAY!!!

10/10/2021

Congratulations to Casey & Jonny! I had such a blast working on their ceremony. How could I not? It was chock full of movie references and even lyrics an Eminem song. Happy to report that The Exorcist quote went over well. These two have so much fun together - I know they'll keep each other laughing throughout the years!

08/28/2021

Great tips for having a wedding that will give back.

It is quite possible for your wedding to both be the best day of your life and also benefit those in need.

08/25/2021

So grateful for the wonderful couples I have the honor of serving!

I am beyond grateful that we had Anita as our wedding celebrant. She is truly an amazing, kind, compassionate, understanding person and also an incredible story-teller & speaker. My fiancé and I had been together for over a decade before we got married and in that time we created a lot of memories....

08/20/2021

Chicago couples! The city's mask mandate includes weddings, regardless of the venue. Masks are required for everyone indoors. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/coronavirus/chicago-to-announce-indoor-mask-mandate-for-all-regardless-of-vaccination-status-source-says/2592312/?fbclid=IwAR0gJEOTyxfDojS6S8foA4KkxLCoRZZTwLs0DyO2OO7lD21cvbd8VRmaMOw

The city of Chicago announced Tuesday an indoor mask mandate for all individuals 2 years and older, regardless of vaccination status.

07/12/2021

Look at these two! Could they be any cuter??

They went from the 8th grade dance to Prom... all the way to their long-overdue wedding day at The Haight. Congratulations, Brett and Emily!

07/11/2021

Happy Wedding Day to Danny and Kristina! After a long wait, they were finally able to share their special day with friends and family at the Metropolis Ballroom.

A few raindrops didn't stop the celebration - or the smiles!

06/19/2021

Congrats to Justin & Allyson! After postponing because of the pandemic, they were finally able to enjoy their wedding day!

06/19/2021

Happy Wedding Day to Allyson & Justin!!

06/13/2021

"Loving Day" celebrates the historic ruling in Loving v. Virginia, which declared unconstitutional a Virginia law prohibiting mixed-race marriage — and legalized in*******al marriage in every state.

06/01/2021

Happy Pride Month!

05/16/2021

Congrats to Sara and Saravana! Have I mentioned that I'm terrible at selfies?

05/15/2021

Happy Wedding Day to Sara & Saravana!

04/25/2021

I had so much fun with Andy & Phil! They are such a great couple with a beautiful family.

Their wedding was a small gathering with an outdoor ceremony at Redfield Estate. From their sweet and funny love story to their incredible vows, they had everyone laughing and crying throughout. Being Schitt's Creek fans, Andy didn't miss the chance to boop Phil during the vows. They also celebrated their blended family with a sand ceremony.

Andy & Phil, congratulations!! I know you'll keep each other laughing throughout the years.

04/24/2021

So excited for my first in-person wedding of the year, especially because this is one of the most fun couples ever! Plus, they appreciate sarcasm - what's not to love?

Happy Wedding Day to Andy & Phil!

04/07/2021

Let your voice be heard! Nominate your favorite LGBTQ+ inclusive wedding pros here: https://equallywed.com/Awards/

Be sure to include name, location, website & why they are being nominated.

04/06/2021

I've posted this before, but it's still one of my favorites.

Wondering what the ceremony is really like? Here's the scoop from a bunch of us who have been a part of hundreds of weddings.

Hint - I may be biased, but the ceremony is pretty great.

Check out the full conversation in our podcast - https://vendorspodcast.podbean.com/e/vendors-ep-34-special-topic-what-to-expect-during-your-ceremony/It can ...

03/27/2021

Great ideas to celebrate your PRIDE! 🏳️‍🌈

https://equallywed.com/8-ways-to-infuse-lgbtq-pride-into-your-wedding/?mc_cid=8241966246&mc_eid=a5a7379021

Whether you’re looking for a little bit of pride or a whole lot of it, here are eight ways to show off your love of being part of the LGBTQ+ community at your wedding.

03/15/2021

Some helpful info for planning a zero-waste wedding.
https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-ideas/zero-waste-wedding

A zero-waste wedding. Sounds impossible, right? Turns out it's pretty doable. Here are some ways to minimize impact as you plan your nuptials.

01/23/2021

First wedding of the year - officiated remotely from my home office.

Congratulations to Tory and Joe!!

11/22/2020

How fun is this?!?!

This new wedding trend is way more fun than the traditional cake slicing

11/18/2020

Want to get a great wedding deal with an incredible videographer? NightOwls Media is offering this amazingness for Small Business Weekend!

11/18/2020

Luis & Dan are famous - again!

St. Pete’s Luis Balaguer and Dan Casper met while they were still living in the Windy City. Balaguer moved to Chicago in 1976 from Puerto Rico while Casper, a self-described “good Midwestern boy,” relocated from Indiana in 1990. Though they were both active in the local LGBTQ scene, it took mo...

11/16/2020

Even when your loved ones aren't in the same room, they can still have a meaningful role in your ceremony. This article has some beautiful ideas for involving your guests - including suggestions from the always amazing Kate Reavey of Chicago Vintage Weddings. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/fashion/weddings/how-to-give-guests-an-active-role-in-your-virtual-wedding.html?referringSource=articleShare&fbclid=IwAR1_cIKLCRDbGQ-XarZa2XAl79_I1EH0746uzx_8ubXhlxKmZE6m8h8vVdY

Here are a few creative ways to connect with your remote guests and integrate them into your celebration during the pandemic.

11/13/2020

Super behind on posting pictures of my lovely couples! So... let's start with my most recent duo - Taylor and Brian.

Their ceremony included a handfasting (with a beautiful cord made by Brian) and family vows to honor their blended family. Since they couldn't have all of their loved ones present, their family and friends joined in via Zoom. You can't stop True Love. Or in the words of Buttercup, "you cannot track that, not with a thousand bloodhounds, and you cannot break it, not with a thousand swords.”

Congratulations, Brian & Taylor - enjoy your Happily Ever After.