“I always had a crush on him,” remembers Sarah Brennan of her future husband, Ryan O’Halloran, who she met first met while interning at his company before she went off to college. After graduation, she was hired at the company and became good friends with Ryan for nearly five years before they started dating. It didn’t take long for the couple to make things official, and Ryan proposed while they were on vacation in Croatia. 

The Chicago-based couple knew they wanted a city wedding and chose a site they both admired. “When I saw the gorgeous interior of the Great Hall at Union Station, I was sold,” Sarah confirms of their venue choice. The ceremony space was decorated with hundreds of florals in shades of white and light blue accented with fresh greenery, and guests found their seats atop Ghost chairs facing the spot for the vow exchange beneath sparkling crystal chandeliers. 

Sarah was gorgeous in a sleek V-neck gown, while her groom was dapper in a formal tuxedo. Bridesmaids and groomsmen were seated in the first row of chairs, so all eyes were on the couple and their officiant on stage. “We just wanted the ceremony to be intimate, and we involved the audience several times,” remembers the bride of her favorite moment of the day. “There was a lot of cheering and clapping at the ceremony, which made it exciting and fun for everyone!” 

“There was a lot of cheering and clapping at the ceremony, which made it exciting and fun for everyone!”

After the “I dos,” friends and family enjoyed a lively cocktail hour featuring custom libations highlighting the pair’s dog, Tinker. “This was a great way to be able to incorporate him when he couldn’t be there,” smiles Sarah. Guests were also offered flutes of champagne by black- and white-gloved hands that presented the drinks through peep holes cut into the chic black-and-white seating chart display. “It was unique and whimsical!” Sarah describes of the interactive addition that reflected their personalities and set the tone for a night of revelry. 

“We wanted it to be sexy and modern, while also being chic and timeless,” the bride notes of the reception design. Attendees were seated at tables covered with white or ebony linens topped with taper candles and centerpieces of billowing blue and white blooms. The head table showcased blue hydrangeas as well as white roses, ranunculus, and additional garden florals that ran the length of the tablescape and cascaded to the floor. Clear glass vessels held pillar candles to create a warm glow, and smoke-glass votives added a slight edge, as did the black velvet seating. 

After a sit-down dinner service showcasing a duet of the pair’s favorite entrées – steak and truffle-roasted chicken, the newlyweds shared their first dance to “Baby It’s You” by London Grammar before friends and family hit the dance floor for the rest of the night. When the clock struck midnight, a traditional hot-dog cart provided mini Chicago dogs for a welcome late-night snack that ended the night on yet another high note. The only thing the couple would change? Hiring a videographer so they could relive the memories of the magical day over and over.

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