An Industrial, Candlelit Wedding at The Brix on the Fox in Carpentersville, Illinois

Weddings

Hi there! Welcome to the blog, a journal featuring our weddings & engagements. Stay a while and say hello!

Hi, I'm danielle.

How a TikTok video led Ilse and Daniel to The Brix on the Fox in Carpentersville, IL — plus the vendor team behind their candlelit industrial wedding.

Ilse and Daniel’s love story started with a swipe — and ended up printed on their cocktail napkins.

They met on Hinge in 2023. Daniel had a few dates under his belt; Ilse was a first-timer. After a couple of weeks of messaging around separate travel plans, they met for drinks and appetizers, then followed up the next weekend with dinner at Tzuco in Chicago. “From there, things just clicked.” Six months later they were living together, and not long after, Daniel proposed at Pandan atop the Viceroy Chicago — with family and friends waiting back home to celebrate.

From Courthouse to Celebration

Ilse didn’t want a wedding at first. “I was perfectly happy with the idea of simply going to the courthouse, but Daniel really wanted to celebrate.”

Then TikTok served her a video of The Brix on the Fox in Carpentersville. She showed Daniel, who said, “Ooo, yeah, that looks nice. Let’s go look at it!” They booked a tour that same day.

Why The Brix on the Fox

The industrial character sold them instantly — the tour sealed it. Owner Rob shared how he and his wife built the venue from the ground up. “We could immediately tell how much love and passion they’ve put into the space.”

Three things made it the right fit:

Space for everyone. Both come from large families with big friend groups.
Vendor freedom. No preferred-vendor restrictions or upcharges, so they built their own team.
Flexibility from day one. “It really felt like we could make the wedding ours.”

The Look: Black Tuxedos, White Florals, Candlelight

Groomsmen in classic black tuxedos, bridesmaids in soft satin from Birdy Grey, and almost entirely white florals from Alexa at Bunches of Honey, Co. What transformed the room was candlelight — taper candles down the length of every reception table, glowing against brick and steel. “It felt romantic and elegant while still being fun.”

The Dress

Ilse wanted a clean, minimal look and had already toured several Chicago shops when her matron of honor suggested The Crystal Bride in Geneva. Katie texted ahead for inspiration photos and had gowns pulled and waiting.

The first dress Ilse tried on was the one: the Maggie Sottero Willow (#25PK947A01) — a minimalist sheath in stretch satin with a scoop cat-eye strapless neckline and asymmetrical pleating. “I loved how it looked on me, but even better, I loved how comfortable it felt.”

Daniel and the groomsmen wore SuitShop; rings came from Gage Diamonds and Blue Nile.

The Vendor Team

DJ Don Carlo came from a friend’s recommendation — the couple wanted a bilingual DJ, and he and his wife delivered, building the timeline, cutting the first-dance song, and running the rehearsal. “The best hype people to have by our side!”

Margaux Rafii of I Do Weddings Best already knew the venue inside and out. “Margaux became my safe space throughout the entire planning process. She was always calm, reassuring, and ready to help.”

Paige McNally (hair) and Veronica Hernandez (makeup) kept the morning fun and relaxed.

Danielle Schury was an Instagram find booked the moment her date opened up. She co-built the timeline and kept the day on track. “She was great at directing us while still making everything feel fun and relaxed.”

Isabel at La Novia Creations sent all the footage the next morning and posted clips the night of the wedding. “It was so fun getting to relive the day almost instantly!”

Luna’s Catering served the Mexican menu the couple knew they wanted. “The food was a huge hit — we received so many compliments.”

The Personal Touches

Hinge screenshot cocktail napkins — the message where Daniel handed over his number.
A wedding-photo table at the entrance with family and friends’ own wedding portraits, under the sign “To those who walked before us, remember that feeling?”
“You’re next!” cards and Ring Pops for engaged guests, an idea borrowed from friends.
McDonald’s as the late-night snack — their go-to after a night out, and one of the details guests talked about most.

Ilse’s Advice

“My biggest piece of advice is just do it! If there’s something you’re considering and you keep thinking, ‘Do we really need this?’ — if it makes you happy and you can make it work, I say do it. Your wedding is the perfect excuse to include the little things that feel like you.”