Darragh + Jim at Ruth Lake Country Club

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Darragh and Jim’s gorgeous summer wedding at Ruth Lake Country Club was a highlight of our early season: there was just so much joy radiating through the entire day, from the smiles on their faces to the palpable gratitude in the room that these many people were able to be together, on a packed dance floor no less! We couldn’t stop smiling ourselves while reliving the day through Angela Renee‘s photos, and are so excited to share them here.



One Goal: Create the “Best Day Ever”

Darragh was a colleague of another A Fresh Event bride, and reached out right after she and Jim got engaged to plan their beautiful country club wedding. For them, the priority of their wedding day planning was always to make sure their friends and family had “THE BEST DAY EVER”. So, that’s exactly what we set out to plan. A few months out from their wedding day, we made the difficult decision to move their best day ever to 2021, with the hope and promise that double the wait would mean double the fun — and that’s exactly what happened. Darragh, Jim and their guests took that pent-up celebratory energy and left it all on the dance floor. They ended up being one of A Fresh Event’s first 2021 weddings, and as planners we were so happy to finally be in a room of people who were just so grateful to be together.



Kind Words from the Groom

“…I was a skeptical groom early on. I went into our meeting with Jen thinking that a wedding planner was not money well spent, and that we could do everything ourselves. I will be the first to admit that I was wrong. Other than the decision to marry my wife that day, the second best wedding decision we made was hiring A Fresh Event Co. Worth every penny, and so much more. We refer to our wedding as the Best Day Ever, and to make that possible you need the best vendors ever. After our experience working with Jen and A Fresh Event Co., we believe that they are the best help you can find. We are so grateful for the effort and energy they put into making our wedding day so special, and we cannot thank their team enough.” (Read Jim’s full review and more on The Knot!)



Four Things We Loved About This Wedding:

  1. Jim is a HUGE whiskey fan and Darragh surprised him with a toast for just the two of them at the venue once they arrived post ceremony.
  2. The bagpipe recessional! A gift from one of their family friends, the newlyweds walked down the aisle led by a bagpiper.
  3. Darragh’s smile never left her face once, from getting ready through their last dance. (We can only imagine her cheeks hurt quite a bit the next day!)
  4. The couple’s gratitude. This couple was just so beyond grateful that their family and friends could celebrate together safely, and you could see that in their faces the entire day.


Congratulations, Darragh and Jim! We were so happy that you finally got your Best Day Ever!


Vendor Team:

Church: St. Francis Xavier // Venue: Ruth Lake Country Club // Photography: Angela Renee Photography // Videography: This Charming Heart // Floral: Flowers For Dreams // Music: Yazz Jazz // Calligraphy: AP Calligraphy // Getting-Ready Hotel: Chicago Marriott Southwest // Hair + Makeup: Bianca Sansosti Artistry // Cake: Toni Patisserie // Transportation: Signature // Dress: Anne Barge via Bella Bianca Bridal Couture // Bridesmaids: Jenny Yoo // Menswear: Formally Modern