What do you get when you mix a sweet and beautiful couple, a moody morning along the Chicago River and a photographer with a brand new camera? Magic, my friends. That’s what!
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Alex & Tom - A Chicago Shoreline Engagement Session
Let’s be honest, having a chick crawling around in the bushes (oh yes, literally!) with a camera focusing solely on you is……not your average Thursday night’s activity (or maybe it is? If so it’s probably best you keep that to yourself ;-).
Alex and Tom were so natural in front of the camera. And it doesn’t hurt that they’re gorgeous, obviously. These people are basically Good Humans for a living (she being a nurse and he being a fireman/first responder) and that force of good definitely shines when you see them interact together.
Read MoreSarah & Chris - A Row 24 Chicago Wedding
When push comes to shove, I think the absolute most rewarding part of being a wedding and portrait photographer are the relationships I develop with my amazing clients.
I first met Sarah on a breezy autumn day in Old Town to discuss her wedding day plans and we hit it off immediately.
Read MoreClaudia & Izzy - A Downtown Chicago Engagement Session
Claudia and Izzy have one of those sweet stories that everyone dreams of: high school sweethearts introduced via family and mutual friends who have been together through thick and thin for years.
Read MoreKelsey & Brian - A Montrose Beach and Bird Sanctuary Engagement Session
Every now and again I’ll get to a shoot location and be completely bowled over by how perfect everything is: the lighting, the way the gray sky seems to melt into a pale lake as fresh pools reflect the seagulls overhead. A calm, dark forest that is straight out of an enchanted Grimms Fairy Tale (minus all of the awful stuff, obviously!).
The morning of Brian and Kelsey’s engagement session was definitely such an occasion.
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Baylie & Conner - A Shedd Aquarium and Wrigleyville Chicago Engagement Session
Baylie and Conner are perfect together.
I met this lovely young couple on the shores of Lake Michigan just outside of Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium on a perfect day in May. What had started out as a gray, foggy morning suddenly transformed into a glorious, cerulean and golden morning that couldn’t help but put you in a cuh-razy good mood. ..
Read MoreMariella & Andy - A St. Stanislaus and Downtown Chicago Wedding
These two just flat out stole my heart. When we met last summer during their engagement session, it was clear to see how head-over-heels in love they were from the get-go. Mariella, an absolutely gorgeous gal from Peru and Andy, a dapper native Chicagoan, make the perfect pair. Kind, funny and bright, they are the poster children for “Young Couple in Love”.
Read MoreAllison & Matt - A Spring Engagement Session at "The Grove" in Glenview
I knew I was going to love Allison and Matt from the get-go.
These two are truly the definition of lovely. Kind, funny, sweet and thoughtful, I am 1000% positive that they have a very bright future ahead of them and am so honored and excited to be capturing the beginning of the rest of their lives together next winter!
Read MoreEngagement Session Wardrobe Guide
Engagement sessions are so much fun. Besides creating heirloom images that will forever capture this exciting time in your lives, they’re a wonderful way to get to know your wedding photographer on a more personal level before the Big Day.
One of the top questions I get asked by engaged couples is “what in the world do you recommend we wear?!”. That’s where this handy little guide comes in. While these are by no means “rules”, they can be helpful suggestions when it comes to wardrobe selections. So with that being said, read on!
Read MoreCamera shy? Here are a few helpful tips!
It’s natural to feel a little (or more than a little!) uncomfortable in front of the camera at first if it’s something you’re not accustomed to. But never fear! I’ve got you ;-)! Once the initial weirdness wares off, the fun, creativity and laughter starts to creep in and before you know it your session has flown by and you’re anxiously awaiting your session’s sneak peek.
Read on to reach Giselle-level confidence!
Read MoreKelsey & Miles - A University of Chicago and Signature Room Wedding
Holy guacamole.
Kelsey and Miles have officially begun their life together as a married couple and I was lucky enough to be there and capture the action.
Not only was their wedding breathtaking (featuring the incredible Bond Chapel on the grounds of UChicago (this lovely couple’s alma matter) and the Signature Room of Hancock Building fame) but it was also so far beyond sweet it would give even the most hardened of us a toothache (of the best variety, of course!).
Read MoreDana & Matt - A Lilacia Park Engagement Session
I have two words for you: Baby. Beagle. How’s that for click bait?! Read on if you dare (because this little lady is so cute you may just lose consciousness). But I’ve gotta say, Dana and Matt truly held their own during their engagement session earlier this month. And that is truly saying something. Because again, Baby. Beagle!
Read MoreLucy & Andy - A Downtown Chicago Engagement Session
I met this wonderful pair on St. Paddy’s day downtown (one day post parade so it wasn’t the green apocalypse you may be imagining) and the sun seemed to be shining just for them. Having both grown up in the Chicago area, they wanted their engagement session backdrop to be representative of the backdrop to their love story. Sweeping skylines, dazzlingly blue skies and the shimmering waves of Lake Michigan lent even more beauty to this shoot. Scroll on down to check out some of the magic!
Read MoreFAQ: HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD I ALLOW FOR MY WEDDING DAY PORTRAITS?
You hear this piece of advice so often that it is basically a cliche at this point: Your wedding day flies by in the blink of an eye. Like most overused phrases, it’s a cliche because this is so very true, my dear brides!
Trying to predict the future and nail down a timeline months in advance can be tricky. If you’re looking for some tips to make the planning process easier, you’re in the right place!
Read MoreKatie & John - A Winter Engagement Session at Montrose Beach Chicago
Katie and John are the kind of couple who radiate positive energy and, luckily for me, it’s definitely contagious. I had so much fun running around Montrose Beach with them earlier this month. This was only about two days post Polar Vortex fun (bye, Felicia!) and we took full advantage of the empty beach, the stunning skyline and the dramatic ice that created an almost alien landscape…
Read MoreKatie & Jake - An Elegant New Year’s Eve Wedding at Barrington’s White House
Everybody who knows me knows that I’m a total sucker for a good love story. I love learning about the couples I’m lucky enough to work with (how they met, how they popped the question, etc) and let me tell ya, Kate and Jake’s story is just so. darn. SWEET. It checks all of the boxes…
Read More2018 - A Year In Review.
in Personal
Looking back at this past year, I am absolutely floored by how fortunate I have been to work with so many incredible couples on some of the happiest days of their lives. Witnessing soo much love, laughter, tears of joy and top-notch dance moves amidst some of the most beautiful venues Chicagoland has to offer has been an amazing thing to behold.
Read MoreBrittaney & Marcus - A Floating World Gallery Lincoln Park Wedding
in Weddings
“Non-stop side-splitting laughter”.
Those are the five words that Brittaney and Marcus used to describe their relationship when asked, and let me tell ya, a description so apt there never was!
These two are truly the embodiment of class: they’re kind, they’re incredible dressers (a skill I have yet to master so I have the utmost respect for those who do!), they’re super beautiful (I mean, obviously) and are so full of love for one another that the typical pre-ceremony nerves couldn’t touch ‘em. The beautiful Brittaney was incredibly cool, calm and brimming over with quiet grace before exchanging vows with her handsome groom.
Read MoreTaylor & Dylan - A Common Ground Chicago Wedding
in Weddings
“Oh Agnes, won’t you go with me? We’ll be married in style. And we’ll cross Lake Michigan so blue and so wild”. - lyrics from the song“Lovely Agnes”
My dad used to sing that song to my little sister and I when we were little (and it was every bit as agonizing and mortifying as you would imagine), but for some reason that beautiful (when not performed by my father (sorry, Dad!)) song kept trilling through my mind throughout the duration of Taylor and Dylan’s beautiful wedding day.
Read MoreMegan & Billy - A Lake Katherine Engagement Session
Take me back to that gorgeous October day when Megan, Billy and I ran around Lake Katherine capturing not only this beautiful engaged-to-be-wed couple but also all of the glorious autumn colors. …
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