Chicago Wedding Planner & Creative Director
Your wedding, more fully realized than you imagined.
For couples with a distinct point of view — and the taste to know the difference.
Birdcage & Blushers is a Chicago wedding planning and creative direction house for couples with taste, a point of view, and a wedding that couldn’t belong to anyone else. I bring the aesthetic intelligence, the strategic depth, and the warmth to build something that exceeds what you imagined — and lets you be fully present to live it.
Where Vision Meets Direction
Most couples come in knowing the kind of wedding they want — they just don’t always know how to get there. “We don’t know what we don’t know” is something I hear all the time.They’re organized, have great taste, and high standards — but wedding planning is its own world. They want expert guidance. They want to save their time and energy for what matters. And more than anything, they don’t want to have to guess.That’s exactly where I come in.I start where most planners don’t — with your foundation. Your values, your non-negotiables, the experience you actually want to have. From there, every decision has a clear answer. Nothing arbitrary. Nothing disconnected. Just a planning process that builds confidence at every step — so when the day arrives, you’re not managing it. You’re living it.
“She absolutely nailed our somewhat unique vision for the event, and the result was even better than what I had imagined in my wildest dreams.” - Carey
Who I Work With
They know what they want and how they want their wedding to feel-they just need the right person to build it.
They value depth over excess, experience over expectation, and want their decisions to reflect that.
They’re not looking for more options—they’re looking for clarity, direction, and someone who can lead them there.
They want guidance, but not guesswork. Structure, but not rigidity. A process that feels considered, not overwhelming.
Most of all, they want to move through planning with confidence, knowing each decision connects back to something real.
What working together actually feels like
Calm, instead of constant overwhelm
Clarity, without the second-guessing
Guidance that supports your voice—not replaces it
A wedding day you get to fully experience-not manage
“Alyson is an incredible wedding planner. She is patient, fun, and knows exactly the right time to push so everything turns out perfect. I travel a lot for work and Alyson stepped in time and time again to ensure decisions were made in my absence.” - Nicole
Wedding planning and creative direction, built around who you are from the very first decision.
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Full-Service Wedding Planning & Design
End-to-end creative leadership and architectural oversight.
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Wedding Planning Strategy & Direction
A focused, high-level planning intensive designed to establish your wedding’s structure before major decisions are made.
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Partial Wedding Planning
A structured partnership for couples who’ve already begun planning and want professional direction.
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Destination Wedding Planning
Strategic destination wedding planning and creative direction for celebrations beyond Chicago.
Meet Alyson
Alyson Thompson | Founder & Wedding Creative Director
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 approach is strategic and deeply personal. Because a wedding that feels like you doesn't happen by accident — it's built that way from the start.
Where Thoughtful Direction Becomes Design
Every wedding is shaped from the inside out—where each decision builds toward a wedding that couldn’t belong to anyone else but you.
As seen in: Rock n Roll Bride and Handled: A Wedding Planning Podcast
You already know what you want. Let’s build it.
If you're ready for a planning experience that starts with who you are — and ends with a day you actually get to live — I'd love to hear about your wedding.