If the winter blues have got you dreaming of a little greenery and sunshine, this gorgeous Arlington Heights wedding in the light and airy Metropolis Ballroom will do the trick. Martina and Grahm tied the knot at the beginning of October, just as the trees started to change. However, their style is beautifully timeless and elegant, offering the perfect wedding design inspiration for any time of year.

Besides being two of the warmest and kindest people I have ever met, Martina and Grahm were also surrounded by the very best people. Everyone from their families and my new favorite bridal party to the other wedding vendors they hired—this was a wedding dream team! (Be sure to check out their wedding vendors below for recommendations!)

Metropolis Ballroom of Arlington Heights Wedding Venue

The Metropolis Ballroom of Arlington Heights was a perfect fit for Martina and Grahm’s wedding aesthetic. Their style featured a beautiful mix of traditional, earthy, rustic elements, reflecting a warm, intimate feel. Swaths of greenery, loose white floral arrangements, and taper candles created a garden-like ambiance. As a finishing touch, the string lights between the exposed wooden beams made this ballroom shine as the sun went down! With an emphasis on the people and connection, Martina and Grahm stuck to neutrals and greenery without additional color, and I’m in love with the look! 

So many components came together to make this one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever had the pleasure of capturing. It was as if Illinois said, “Hey, Fall, let’s do this today, eh?” The trees started to pop with color, and it was cool, but the sun’s warmth made it perfect. The venue was stunning, Martina and Grahm are basically models, and every little detail was perfectly executed. (Martina even got to see her sweet furbaby Melrose when their trainers made a surprise appearance to wish them a happy wedding day before her pup-cation!)

It’s All in the (Personalized) Details

I especially love the pieces of them that showed up in the details. Martina is an architect, and her attention to detail is just incredible. Every part of the design was simply divine—and of course, she picked a venue with unique windows and rafters! Martina is also Bulgarian, so they incorporated the most fun and festive traditional dances into their reception. And since Grahm is a fireman and paramedic, their dancefloor got pretty “lit” with his whole crew there (sorry, not sorry ‘bout the pun 😉). This was definitely a celebration no one would want to miss—including some random wedding crashers—and I couldn’t help by laugh when Martina got after them and kicked them out! Get ‘em, girl!

Martina and Grahm nailed this organically elegant design with a neutral color palette. Here’s how you can, too!

4 Ways to Pull Off an Elegant Organic Wedding Style

Add extra greenery.

Greenery tends to run a bit cheaper than flowers, so go heavy on the greenery if you want a full earthy, floral look. Try adding different types of greenery to add variety, and you can sprinkle a few neutral-toned florals into the bouquets, arches, and centerpieces. 

Play with texture.

Adding a variety of textiles, layering, and playing with materials (like wood, metal, glass, and fabrics) can help to elevate the design even more. I love that Martina went with these deep-green, velvet wrap dresses by Baltic Born for her bridesmaids. Not only are they flattering, but they photograph well and play into her wedding design beautifully!

Choose an aesthetic venue.

Don’t want to spend tons of time and money transforming your venue? Look for a venue with a built-in aesthetic instead. A “blank canvas” venue sounds nice in theory, but sometimes an aesthetically designed venue means less work for you. The Metropolis features framed full-length windows, wood beams and dancefloor, an elegant baby grand piano, exposed brick walls, and more. Add a few touches of greenery, florals, drapery, and candles, and the design is complete!

Add warm light.

It’s amazing how a bit of warm light can completely change the ambiance of a room. Candlelight and string lights, lamps, or Edison bulbs work well with a green, earthy design.
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Need More IL Venue Recommendations for Your Style?

I’d love to help steer you in the right direction! Get in touch here.

Arlington Heights, IL Wedding Vendor Team

Hair + Makeup // Mario Tricoci
Flowers // Blooming Flowers
Photography // Meg Adamik Creative
Dress // Eva Lendel
Shoes // Converse
Bridesmaid Dresses // Baltic Born
Suit // Joesph Aboud
Catering // Elegante Cuisine
Venue // Metropolis Ballroom
Bakery // Jorsch Bakery
DJ // Amplified Events
Rings // Mitchell’s Jewelers
Invitations // Minted
Table Numbers // Etsy