There is a moment in every wedding planning process when the abstract becomes concrete, when a mood board full of clipped images and Pinterest saves transforms into something a couple can actually feel. For the team at Elegante Weddings and Events, that moment is what they build toward from the very first conversation.
Founded by Lisa Jaroscak Chin and based in Chicago with reach into New York and destination markets worldwide, Elegante has spent more than a decade crafting weddings that resist the generic. Before founding Elegante, Lisa built her career in the music and outdoor festival industry, working alongside the NFL, Forbes 500 brand sponsors and celebrity talent before channeling that same expertise into intimate, one-of-a-kind celebrations. The result is a studio capable of producing celebrations close to home or halfway around the world with the same level of care and attention to detail.
After spending time living in Italy, Lisa deepened her appreciation for Old European design, deliberate ceremony, and the kind of hospitality that makes guests feel cared for before they realize it is happening. The result is a studio capable of producing celebrations close to home or halfway around the world with the same level of care and attention to detail. That sensibility runs through Elegante's portfolio, from intimate lakeside gatherings to multi-day destination weddings across Europe and beyond.
Gianluca Adovasio
The Team Behind the Day
What sets Elegante apart in a crowded market is the depth of its planning team. Lisa is joined by lead planners Joni Taylor, Paige Friess, and Adrianna Valdez, each bringing more than a decade of hospitality and event experience, along with coordinators and European destination specialists based in Italy.
Joni Taylor's approach captures something essential about the team's philosophy. Her couples would describe working with her as having a best friend who happens to know every vendor, every floor plan, and every contingency in the region. Adrianna Valdez brings fifteen-plus years of corporate event production in the Midwest, a background that makes large-scale logistics feel effortless on even the most ambitious wedding weekends. Paige Friess brings an intentional, design-forward perspective to every celebration, ensuring each event feels cohesive, personal, and thoughtfully executed from beginning to end.
Ratta Studios
Planning with Purpose
The Elegante process begins by getting to know each couple. Before the planning truly begins, they invest time in learning who the couple is as individuals and what they want their guests to experience at the end of the night. That information becomes the north star for every decision that follows.
Their work has earned widespread editorial recognition, a testament to both the breadth of their client base and the quality of their vendor relationships. That network is another layer of the Elegante experience: the team's curated connections mean couples gain access to photographers, florists, caterers, and entertainment professionals they might not have found on their own.
Perry Vaile
For couples with their sights set on a Chicago venue, a destination weekend, or anywhere in between, Elegante Weddings and Events offers something genuinely rare: a team that treats every celebration as a once-in-a-lifetime event, because it is. Learn more and begin the conversation at eleganteweddingsandevents.com, or reach Lisa and the team directly at [email protected].
Main photo by Wild Roam & Co.
