The Wedding Word

by Cathy Demetropoulos Editor-at-Large, Chicago Bride Are you ready to experience a unique, relaxing and intimate experience with your spouse-to-be? Or perhaps you're planning a pre-honeymoon excursion or looking for a weekend getaway before the big day? Welcome to the AIRE Ancient Baths experience. Chicago recently became the host recipient of AIRE Ancient Baths, a European bath house experience, and I couldn't be more excited. So, I booked a visit with my significant other and off we went to experience the allure of ancient bath houses. Here's what to expect if you go... The entrance to AIRE Ancient Baths Chicago ...BUT FIRST, SOME HISTORY: AIRE Ancient Baths began in Spain with locations in Barcelona, Sevilla and Almeria and has now moved into New York, Chicago and London with upcoming locations planned for 2019 in Paris and Copenhagen. Since bath houses are more of a thing of yesteryear, the intrigue here is that you are going back in time and experiencin

by Cathy Demetropoulos Last month, I had the pleasure of attending a grand fête at the "new" Ritz Carlton Chicago that only the Ritz Carlton could host. Among live art models, musicians and a grand champagne toast, guests enjoyed an oyster and caviar station, various food stations peppered throughout and a beautiful cart presentation of gourmet pastries and desserts to top off the night.  Over 2,000 media personnel and industry notables attended the lavish unveiling of the updated luxury hotel that boasted a stark contrast to its previous, understated look and feel. Upon arriving to the 12th floor lobby, the first thing I looked for - and a design decision that was kept under wraps until the unveiling - was to see if the signature lobby fountain was kept intact. As you can see, the decision was made to remove it to make way for a more open layout with a contemporary design that still stays true to the classic feel that Ritz Carlton is known for. The Lobby In

Cointreau & The Everygirl Celebrate Classic Cocktails and The Art of La Soirée Danielle Moss and  Alaina Kaczmarski of The Everygirl  (Photo credit: Jon Stars) by Cathy Demetropoulos, Editor-at-Large, Chicago Bride Magazine Aside from preparing for "the big day", brides-to-be, it seems, are constantly busy planning and hosting several other related celebrations, such as engagement parties, bridal showers and swanky bachelorette gatherings. We know this can be overwhelming, so we're here to offer some help! At a recent event hosted on the stylish rooftop terrace of Celeste ( www.celestechicago.com ) premium orange liqueur brand, Cointreau teamed up with women lifestyle experts Danielle Moss and Alaina Kaczmarski of The Everygirl ( www.theeverygirl.com ) to showcase some classic handcrafted cocktails and "The Art of La Soirée". The decor theme of the evening evoked  the spirit of the roaring 1920’s meets modern day glamour. Beauti

Hello and welcome to The Wedding Word! My name is Cathy Demetropoulos and I am the Editor-at-Large for Chicago Bride magazine. My job is to bring you all things relevant to your big day and beyond from all across Chicago and the outlying suburbs. I will attend events, openings, renovations, review products and check out places both near and far so you don't have to. You have enough on your plate! New venues? We got you covered. Honeymoon spots? We'll check them out for you. Latest trends and happenings in Chicagoland? We will bring them to you straight. In this blog, I'll cover what's new, exciting and relevant to the Chicagoland bridal scene just for you. Consider us your "other wedding planner"! How do I know what you're looking for as a bride/groom preparing for one of the biggest days of your life? I was Editor-in-Chief for Chicago Bride for several years before leaving to pursue my other dream of working in media relations. I've got my fi