The Co-Owners of a Menswear Shop Said “I Do” in Style at Their Fashionable Estate Wedding

Kip Helverson and Trey Gonzales III first met in 2014 at a fundraiser, but the timing wasn’t quite right. “There was an instant attraction, but life got in the way,” they share. “Then we crossed paths again in 2015 and took it as a sign. On July 10, 2015, we had a great first date—and feel like we’re still on it today.”

Throughout their relationship, the couple discussed marriage many times, so the idea of a proposal was no surprise. The timing, however, most certainly was. On a trip to Lake Geneva—just north of the couple’s hometown on the north shore of Chicago—Kip took Trey and a few family members out on a vintage yacht. “The families were in on it, so at the appropriate moment they began to play ‘Simply the Best’ by Tina Turner,” the couple shares. “When Trey turned around to comment on the song, Kip was on one knee.”

The timing of the proposal in 2021 made finding a venue difficult. “Due to COVID, many locations had a backlog of events already booked,” the couple shares. “We went back and forth on many options across the city, and suburban locations; we considered having a tent party at our home, but it wasn’t optimal due to the layout.”

Then their friends Craig and Paul made a generous gesture, offering up their own historic home and sprawling property in Lake Forest, Illinois, for a tented affair. “Craig is a landscape designer and Paul is an interior designer, so their home is exquisite. The cocktail reception was in their gardens, followed by dinner and dancing under a tent in the forecourt of their estate. Once we found the venue, the planning felt seamless with [planner] Stephanie Cook's guidance. She took our vision and style and introduced us to wonderful vendors that came together to create an exceptional day."

The vibe was elegant and sophisticated—a black and ivory palette set the tone—with a healthy dose of fun. Read on to see all the exquisite details of the October 1, 2022, big day, planned by Stephanie Cook at The Creative Planners and photographed by Tamara Grüner.

“Our friend, Miles Underwood, is a graphic designer, and he helped us create a logo combining the initials of our last names, G and H,” the couple shares. “We had the monogram on our invitations, gift bags, napkins, dance floor—and even our custom-made tuxedo slippers from Stubbs & Wootton."

In their time together, Kip and Trey have become more than just life partners; they’re also business partners and co-owners of Smith’s Men’s Store, a Lake Forest clothier. So naturally, they outfitted themselves: Each groom began in a bespoke black tuxedo with peak lapels and matching mother-of-pearl and gold cufflinks. 

The couple are active members of the Church of the Holy Spirit, and decided on a traditional ceremony there. “We love the ministry and music, and our priority was to have a faith-based marriage ceremony,” they share. Décor-wise, “we kept it simple at the church with two beautiful sprays of flowers at the altar.”

Music is a big part of the couple’s lives, so they worked closely with the church’s choirmaster to select songs for the ceremony, opting for classical music and opera tunes. “The recessional was Jean-Joseph Mouret’s ‘Rondeau’;  people may remember this as the theme from PBS’s Masterpiece Theater," they say.

Post-ceremony, their 170 guests moved to the private estate venue and began the evening with a cocktail hour in the gardens and around the pool. 

The couple’s vision truly came to life beneath the clear-topped tent. “We went with a classic, elegant style with a soft and romantic vibe,” they share. “The florals were soft white, with anemone to bring in a touch of black. We had an overabundance of candles since it was dark by the time guests came into the reception.”

The focal point was an enormous living tree in the center of the tent. “We accentuated the tree by adding crystals and hanging candles to complete the soft ambience. It was stunning," they say. Black details—chairs, flatware, and napkins—popped against ivory linens, and a custom dance floor featured the couple’s monogram.

For the reception, Kip and Trey changed into ivory dinner jackets with shawl collars and black velvet bow ties. Freshly outfitted, “the couple’s first look of the reception tent was jaw-dropping,” shares their planner, Stephanie. “The year of planning, curating, and finalizing every detail culminated in a venue more beautiful than they had ever imagined.”

“We added some whimsical elements to the event,” Kip and Trey share. "We’re both Disney fans, so we had the band play ‘Be Our Guest’ from Beauty and the Beast when guests walked into the tent for dinner.”

Upon making their grand entrance, the grooms cut into a traditional four-tier almond cake with Champagne mousse, apricot jam, and buttercream frosting. 

They took their first dance to the same song Kip proposed to—Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best”—then had a special surprise in store for guests. “Kip is president of the board of Giordano Dance Chicago, and the full company performed Tina Turner’s ‘Proud Mary,’” they say. “Everyone rushed to the dance floor with their phones and cameras to video the performance, and at the end the dancers had people join them on the dance floor. It was great way to kick off the evening.”

The 16-piece band took it from there, “and the dance floor was full all the way through their encore,” reminisce the grooms, who advise other to-be-weds to use a wedding planner. “That way you can enjoy the process—and feel like a guest at your own wedding.”