Jillian + Kyle were married in September at The Hyatt in downtown Cincinnati under the building’s 22 foot atrium ceiling. The modern glass roof diffused the late summer light beautifully for their intimate ceremony. Jillian was absolutely gorgeous in her intricate lace gown surrounded by her bridesmaids in flowing blush and blue dresses.

A little bit of rain only added to the intimate and romantic mood of the day. Photography by Samantha's Studio Photography.

How did you and Kyle meet?

Kyle and I met at a wedding shower that I was hosting for a mutual friend. With the chaos of hosting a party, neither of us really got a chance to sit down and chat. I was living out of town at the time, so when I came back for that same friends wedding- we hit it off :) I am so grateful that two of our best friends married one another!

How were your personal styles reflected in your wedding day?

Kyle and I wanted the wedding to be all about our guests! We wanted to make sure that everyone at the wedding knew how important they were, not only us individually, but to the relationship that we have built. We wanted the overall feel to be relaxed, yet elegant and romantic. We decided to have the ceremony and the reception all at the same location. Looking back now, that is so typical of Kyle and I - we are always trying to do as much as we can in the time we have allotted.

The cocktail hour and reception was an amazing party and, that too, was exactly what Kyle and I wanted. A cocktail hour on the 2nd floor terrace followed the ceremony, which overlooked 5th street and the rainy weather. Despite the rain, we were able to have a beautiful cocktail hour and ceremony while staying dry and letting the natural light in- the best of both worlds in my opinion. The reception followed and was stunning!

The ceremony itself was very intimate- and probably my favorite part of the entire night! Kyle's Uncle Tim was ordained and married us in a short ceremony on the 3rd floor balcony of the Hyatt. The glass ceiling allowed for the daylight to shine through and it was high enough and far enough away from the lobby that it was quiet and private. We had a violinist and the wedding party stood in an arc’d circle around us.

We had candelabra’s full of greenery and roses and gold chiavari chairs- it was so romantic and I was so in awe of how it all came together! It was exactly what Kyle and I had dreamed of and somehow all came together!

The DJ was hands down the very best, our photobus was amazing and the food and bar could not have been better. The party started that minute that we said I do and didn’t stop until midnight- which is all that Kyle and I ever wanted…an amazing party celebrating our new beginning. It still makes me smile from ear to ear just thinking of the day! It was everything that we dreamed of!

How did you decide on your venue? Why was it the perfect choice?

I think I looked at every venue in the area! We wanted somewhere that was original and accessible, a place that our guests could go out after the wedding easily or have a hotel close by to stay at and not have to drive. The Hyatt offered all of those perks and then some. One solidifying factor was Melissa, the event coordinator. After seeing so many venues, it felt like many were more focused on what “they had to offer” and less on what they could do to help us have the perfect day. Melissa and the Hyatt were the opposite! From the first meeting it was all about what WE wanted and throughout it all they really made anything happen for Kyle and I.

In addition to Melissa, the ceremony area had natural light which was important to me. It also was somewhere that many of our guests had never been to for a wedding- so it was more original as well. The reception hall was stunning and the chandeliers really grabbed my attention too. Last, we wanted to make sure the venue provided the best “bang for our buck” as well. The Hyatt offered a competitive pricing package and offered a team of individuals to help throughout the process (like I said, Melissa was great and so was the entire staff!). In addition, they offered Hyatt points for not only having the wedding there, but also for the amount spent and the guests who booked rooms. When we sat down to plan the honeymoon, these points really came to use.

What were your favorite details?

The flowers were stunning and the DJ was perfect! DJ Toad kept the party going all night and the flowers really brought everything together. I loved our photobus, photographer and videographer as well!

Best thing about being married?

Having a partner to enjoy all of the highs and lows in life with. I never imagined I would find someone who truly completed me and I have found that with Kyle. We really balance one another and life is just more fun being together!

Best advice you received on wedding planning?

Get a wedding planner or at least a “Day Of” planner. Thank the lord we did! Elisa McKenzie and Sally Slack were game changers!

Jillian’s Gown: Whoo by Watters from Bridal and Formal | Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Grooms Attire: Joseph A. Banks (navy suits) | Flowers: Fort Thomas Florist | Event Planner: Elisa McKenzie with Elegant Events by Elisa ( my FAIRY GODMOTHER! Cannot rave about her and Sally enough) | Cake and other Sweets: The BonBonnerie | Catering: Hyatt (Everyone still talks about how good the food was) | Music: DJ Toad - Toad Productions | Venue + Linens: Hyatt Cincinnati | Lighting: Clear Lighting (pinspots and monogram) and DJ Toad (uplighting) Photography: Samatha Meister - Samantha's Studio and Dan Shallenberger- Poetic Cinema (video) | Stationery: Poeme did it all! | Photo Booth: Cincinnati Photobus - they brought their bus to the ballroom on the third floor of the Hyatt -So much fun! | Hair and Makeup: Megan Morgan - Megan Morgan Salon Hyde Park - Hair: Helen Tropiejko - English Rose Makeup Artistry (makeup)

Special Note from the bride: Elisa McKenzie and Sally Slack- I cannot thank these two enough- they made my wedding dreams come to life and I am eternally grateful for it! They are the ABSOLUTE best and I am forever thankful!