When you're lucky enough to not only photograph the wedding of one of your favorite couples but also have an invite to join the rehearsal dinner, it sets the stage for an amazing and unforgettable weekend. Steven and I joined Lauren & Adam for their stunning rehearsal dinner at Saranello's, a beautiful rustic Italian restaurant in Wheeling, IL. 

The Sobol family made this rehearsal dinner as exquisite as a wedding itself. With fine banquet dining, Godiva chocolates, and even a live skit, poem reading, and speeches in tow, this was one of the most well planned and elegant rehearsals we've ever experienced.

The beautiful banquet hall had floor to ceiling windows that opened up to a lovely outdoor patio to mingle as the sun went down. Every detail had a thoughtful touch with photos of the happy couple as table centerpieces, specialty desserts all the way from Dayton, OH, and an incredible selection of Italian cuisine from truffle pizza to gnocchi, artisanal salads and more!

Both sides of the family prepared special performances to make Adam & Lauren feel loved throughout the night. Their parents both made speeches and then Adam's mom performed a beautiful poem she wrote on behalf of the couple. Lauren's siblings, Adam & Carly prepared a hilarious skit re-enacting how the couple met on the Jewish dating app, JSwipe. Jody, Lauren's mom, pulled out a personalized banner she'd been saving all these years from past Bar Mitzvah's and taught everyone how to distinguish between her son, Adam Sobol and Adam Koenig (which means king in German) by crowing Adam K with his very own crown.

We had such a wonderful time getting to know all of Adam & Lauren's friends and family at this dinner. There's no way not to feel right at home with this amazing community and we had the best time. 

Can't get enough of Lauren & Adam? We can't either. Check out their beautiful Renaissance North Shore wedding here!