Chicago Wedding Planner & Creative Director
The planner who starts where others don't — with who you are.
I don't think of weddings as events to be planned. I think of them as experiences to be architected — and how they're meant to feel from beginning to end.
I’m Alyson - the planner and creative director behind Birdcage & Blushers.
I'm personable, down to earth, and genuinely fun to plan with — but when it comes to your wedding, I don't play. I'm a fierce advocate for your vision, your experience, and every decision that shapes your day.
My eye for design isn't something I learned — it's something I've always had. From age seven I was drawing, painting, rearranging furniture, and obsessing over color, composition, and how spaces feel. Fashion, interiors, the written word — if it had aesthetic intention behind it, I was paying attention. I apply those same instincts to every wedding I plan and design.
My approach is strategic and deeply personal. I'll ask the right questions, tell you the truth about design decisions, and make sure every choice connects back to who you are. Not what's trending. Not what everyone else is doing. You.
On the day itself, I'm the steady presence behind the scenes — making sure every detail lands exactly as it should, so you don't have to think about a single thing except being there.
My Approach
Most planners start with vendors. I start with you.
My approach to wedding planning is structured and inside-out — designed to establish who you are as a couple before a single decision is made. From there, everything builds on top of that foundation: your vendors, your design, your timeline, your day.
It moves through four phases — Clarity, Alignment, Direction, and Experience — each one building on the last, so nothing feels arbitrary and nothing feels disconnected.
The result is a wedding that couldn't belong to anyone else. Because it was built from the root of who you are.
What Working With Me Feels Like
Care
You won't have to say it twice. I pay attention to what you say, what you don't say, and what matters most — and I fight for it at every stage. You'll feel it before you can name it.
Creative
Your vision will be heard, understood, and elevated. I bring a genuine design eye to every decision — not trends, not templates, but something that connects back to who you actually are. Every detail has a reason.
Calm
From your first planning conversation to the last moment of your wedding night, you'll always know what's happening, what's next, and that someone has it completely handled. You move through the process feeling steady — not scrambling.
“From our very first conversation, Alyson put us completely at ease. Every detail was handled with care and intention, and the day itself felt effortless and joyful. We were able to be fully present and enjoy every moment — which is the greatest gift any couple can receive.” —Edeline
You’re welcome here
Birdcage & Blushers is proudly a Black-owned, woman-owned studio. I celebrate couples of all identities, backgrounds, and stories.
Kindness, respect, and inclusivity aren’t marketing language here. They are foundational to how I work and who I serve.
You deserve a planner who gets it before you have to explain it.
If that sounds like what you’ve been looking fro, I’d love to hear about your wedding.