This wedding day started with meeting the women at Hotel Blake in downtown Chicago. What a beautiful day, and filled with lots of love and laughter. I love the images of her getting dressed as she is surrounded by her sister, mom and grandmother. All the generations of women helping out Shawn as she embarked on her new venture in life.

The ceremony was held at La Salle Street Church, and afterwards we headed to Millennium Park for portraits with just the two of them. Finally we headed to Little Italy for the reception at Francesca’s on Taylor. Fun story about them-they both are from around here and both went to the same well known out of state university. They had the same major, mutual friends and never met until after they moved back home after graduation. How’s that for a small world!

We wish them all the best!

We started in the early afternoon on a beautiful fall day at the Marriott Downtown on the Magnificent Mile.
There were so many wonderful moments while she was getting ready, the laughter and high energy were contagious!

Once they were all ready we hopped into their transport bus, and headed to St. James Chapel for the ceremony. On the way she was serenaded by her friends with a rousing version of ‘Going to the Chapel’.

After the ceremony we went to Millennium Park. While we were taking the photos of Kristen and her bridesmaids a guy walked up to congratulate her, and asked to have his picture taken with the pretty bride. This request happens all the time, and I usually steer them away from the bystanders, but they agreed to take a photo with this guy. It was a hoot, and the women all had varying reactions to the request- as you can see in their faces and body language : )

We hopped back onto the bus for a quick trip to the Kinzie street bridge for a few more photos. Then it was party time! The reception was held at the Carpenters Union Ballroom on Erie Street. What a very fun night!

A New Years Eve Wedding!

It was a blast shooting their wedding on this particular holiday. Not only were the guests excited to witness the nuptials, but they also got to attend a fabulous party with a big countdown at midnight. Sometimes at evening receptions, the excitement wears down, and the crowd thins out as it gets closer to midnight-but not at this reception. Everyone, I mean everyone was crowded on the dance floor moments before midnight-even a handful a wedding crashers!!

The balloons dropped down at midnight and the crowd went wild!

We started the day at the Countryside Unitarian Universalist Church in Palatine just before dusk. We had a wee bit of time for some outdoor portraits of the two of them before the start of the ceremony.

The ceremony was candlelit only. This was hands down the darkest ceremony we have ever photographed. They wanted the photos to reflect the mood, and look of the actual ceremony-hence no flash unless absolutely necessary.
That’s why there is movement, grain and warmer tones in the images of the ceremony. One of my favorites is the second one down. I just love the combo of the stillness-especially her dad, and the movement of the people around him. Just love it.

The reception was held in Palatine at Hotel Indigo. It was a perfect place for the last party of the decade!

We wish them all the best.

This wedding took place on a beautiful day in the late spring last year. I was so excited when I learned the ceremony & reception would be taking place on a boat traveling along both the Chicago River, and Lake Michigan.

It would be a first for me. Having lived, and photographed many, many weddings in Colorado- I’ve been in many a gondola, ski lift and mountain resort towns with awe inspiring views, but never had a wedding on a boat.

The boat stayed docked during the ceremony, then went up and down the Chicago River during the cocktail hour. It was so awesome, and fun! Once we moved downstairs for dinner, the boat headed out to Lake Michigan for the rest of the evening.

The first dance was held on the top deck, with a view of The Chicago skyline as a backdrop. Magical.

It was an amazing day, and I look forward to my next wedding on a boat!

We wish them all the best.

Theresa and the women got ready at the new Trump International Hotel in the River North part of Chicago. We Ropers had been watching and reading about the Trump Tower all during the various building stages. Pretty much as soon as the building was opened to the public we went inside to check it out, and it is just as gorgeous and luxurious as one would imagine. But we hadn’t yet seen what the rooms looked like in person. So imagine my happiness when I found out the Theresa would be getting ready there.

I was like a kid in a candy store that morning at the Hotel : ) The huge floor to ceiling windows are a photographers dream. The light coming into the room & lobby from those huge light sources was sweet.

Their ceremony was also in Chicago at The Queen Of Angels Catholic Church. During the full mass ceremony (which means it was about an hour long) I was going back and forth from one side to another via the rooms behind the altar. During one of my many treks through those hidden rooms I spotted the light coming through the stained glass windows and falling in a beautiful pattern across the cross. It was inspiring, and I just had to capture that fleeting moment. I love that image!

The reception was held at Maggiano’s in Chicago, close to the Trump Tower. Theresa and Daniel were so wonderful, and open to letting me play and have fun with their portraits. The whole day was filled with fun, love & laughter!

We wish them all the best!

Brittany & Adam were married in the late fall on a sunny but colder, and slightly windy day. The ceremony was held in Downers Grove at St. Joseph’s Church. The reception was at White Pines Golf Course in Bensenville.

I knew from the moment I walked into the house where the women were getting ready that it was going to be an awesome day! There were already lots of tears, hugs and laughter from all.

As you can see from the photos the tears, hugs and laughter extended all throughout the entire day.

Even when we spent time outside photographing them and the bridal party before the reception. It was so coooold by that time, and the women all braved through it even though they were freezing. They were troopers!

We wish them all the best!!

Not only was this my first wedding in Michigan-it was my first time in the state. Granted it wasn’t too far past the border, but since I love to travel and see/experience new things-it was perfect. As was the day.

All the events took place on or near the Grand Beach Social Center in Grand Beach Michigan. These two and their friends were alot of fun, and laid back.

After the ceremony, there were several limos and shuttles that took the guests back to the reception site. All that was left was Katie, Michael, the best man, matron of honor and me. We finished up the photos and headed back to the last limo that had been waiting for us. Just as they were getting into the car, the driver realized that she had left the lights on the whole time, and ran down the battery.

The car was dead. We were about 2-3 miles from the reception, in an area that had no cell phone reception, and no one left to give us a ride back. Just as the Michael and his best man (brother) were pushing the limo out of the way-the matron of honor spotted an SUV down the road. She ran out into the middle of the street and flagged it down. The driver was only too happy to take all of us back to the reception.

The best part of this story is the way Katie and Michael handled the situation. They laughed, thought it was a hoot and a good story. They knew in the end that it would all work out and all they really cared about was that they were now married.

Their first dance song was one of our favorite songs, and one that we have sung to Oliver since he was born.
Three Little Birds-sung by Bob Marley.

We wish them all the best.

Mai & Vinh were married in a small Laotian ceremony in his parents home the day before these images were taken.

The day after the ceremony was the reception at the European Crystal Banquet venue in Arlington Heights. Since they had alot of time before the reception we had planned on going to multiple urban locations for an extended portrait session.

But as luck would have it-the rain fell hard and lasted most of the day. They were game for anything, and even were fine with being in the drizzle for a little bit.

First we started outside their old high school, and when the skies opened up we decided to head up to an overpass on the north side of the city. Luckily for us-the graffiti artist was really good. And some of the words fit perfectly for them.

The reception was steeped with Laotian tradition, and was beautiful.

It was a blast, and we ended up with incredible images.

We wish them all the best!

Sarah and Josh planned their wedding day in Oswego, Illinois from their home over 1700 miles away, a daunting task that they pulled off with what seemed like the greatest of ease. The day was a joyful blend of celebration and reunion.

The ceremony was at St. Anne’s Church in Oswego followed by the reception at Fox Bend Golf Course, just down the road. The bridal party and I took a little detour in between to head to the downtown area for some photos.

The best man provided one of the highlights of the evening in the form of 5 pages of the most entertaining and revealing toast I’ve ever heard at a reception. Let’s just say there was a little something for everyone.

Best wishes for a wonderful life together!

Kelly & Matt are getting married in late fall in the Chicagoland area. The day should be alot of fun!

We met in front of the Lincoln Park Zoo, and found some fabulous gritty, urban places as backdrops. As well as fun spots like the carousel.

In the top photo I was amazed when the those birds floated right into the perfect area of the frame!! Had I been on a commercial shoot, there would have been bird wranglers just out of frame on either side. But this was not staged, just very appreciated!