Here are some images from my latest wedding. We started off at the Hyatt in Deerfield where Suzie was getting ready. Check out some of the details:

It is so much fun photographing a bride getting ready for the big day. There is such an amazing energy in the room here!

We had plenty of time to get some gorgeous portraits.

So pretty!

Here she is, just hanging out looking fabulous. It’s a tough job…

We hopped in the limo and made our way over to St. Patrick’s Church in Wadsworth. Ren had a little help from his best man Al with some music to calm the nerves right before the ceremony:

I loved this sweet moment between Suzie and her mom:

There was a beautiful forest right behind the church so we  went outside for a few shots. I fed an entire mosquito population while taking this photo. I think it was worth it though!

I love how in love they are.

We had a few more minutes to enjoy the delicious lighting outside just before the reception.

They had such cute place settings, and beautiful flowers:

And desserts! Yes, please!

 Thank you SO much Suzie and Renmar for letting me document this day. I wish you so much love!

If you’d like to contact me to inquire about weddings click here.

I love people. As corny as it sounds, it couldn’t be more true. I love that what I do allows me to meet and interact with people I may never have spoken to otherwise. I love seeing what makes people tick, watching how families interact and how they laugh together. Because in the midst of all the newness of the family I’m working with, I find myself reminded of my own home and family and remember that at the end of it we are all very much the same. Today I spent the morning with a beautiful family…

…who were gathered in celebration of Jack’s baptism… (You knew I had to sneak in a cute baby photo. I simply can’t help myself when one is so readily available!) But really, who could resist this amount of chub? Not me.

And I was assisted by my good friend Chris. Thanks Chris!

After a quick stop at home, I met up with some fellow photographers for a ‘trash the dress’ session, organized by the lovely and insanely talented Melissa Diep.

I had a great day filled with all sorts of people – clients, models, peers, friends, family- they all put a smile on my face keep me going!  Two very different shoots to culminate in one perfect day. More photos coming soon!

You can wait an eternity for everything to be perfect, while the rest of your life passes you by. When I watched them commit their lives to each other yesterday, it was hard to believe that only a month ago, none of this might have happened. A fraction of an inch, another split second, and the world could have been so vastly different today. Last month, Cicily and Alec were struck by a hit and run driver as they crossed the street, which landed them both in the hospital and with some pretty serious injuries.

They didn’t have immediate plans to be wed at the beginning of the year. They knew they loved each other, and they thought they’d wait for that perfect moment for things to fall into place for their wedding. But almost dying changed all that. They realized they had this second chance at life, and love was too important to wait for perfection.

And so, on Saturday, February 13, 2010 at 11AM they wed. In front of their family and a handful of close friends, they spoke their vows in a very intimate ceremony at the Chicago Cultural Center. And in that moment, their not-so-perfect life became completely right.

Thank you Cicily and Alec for letting us share this day with you, and for letting me document your story. And without further ado, here are my favorite images of your amazing day!

I started off meeting Cicily at Roots Salon, where she works as an esthetician. They did an amazing job on her hair!

A couple shots of her getting ready:

I was floored by how magnificent this room was at the Chicago Cultural Center.

Loved this silhouette:

I think I could have shot in this building the entire day, there were so many amazing details!

This might be my favorite:

Stunning, isn’t she?

I almost got arrested for taking this photo. Well, no not really, but security came up to me to inform me I needed  a permit… well better to ask for forgiveness than permission right?

We spent some time at Cicily’s favorite place ever, the Art Institute. The lighting in there is incredible.

We found a really cool looking phone for an interesting ring shot.

Another favorite:

To see more photos, click here.

If you’d like to contact me to inquire about weddings click here.

I had an incredible time today photographing the wedding of a close friend who has been around for almost all my life… There are so many images I want to share, but for right now, here’s the one that sums it up for me. Love you Cicily and Alec!

The charm of any wedding has so much to do with the details, and in Becky and Phil’s wedding there was no shortage of that! When I walked in to the Wesleyan Community Church in Oak Lawn and everyone setting up, I was immediately in love with this wedding.

Becky was still at the salon when I got to the church, so I had lots of time to document all the delicious details:

Kim at Blooming Creations did a fabulous job with the flowers, didn’t she?

Loved this shot of the bouquets!

Becky’s dress:

Becky had her hair done at a nearby salon and slipped her dress on literally 10 minutes before the ceremony started! Wow, I thought she was brave. I love her practicality and she pulled it all off so effortlessly and gracefully.

The mother of the bride:

The rings:

Phil seeing his bride for the first time:

A quick moment together right after the ceremony and then we were off to the reception!

I love the feeling of this one:

They held their reception at Francesca’s, a cozy Italian restaurant:

Her dad started off the speeches:

Becky gave an impromptu and very heartfelt speech:

Becky & Phil – I wish you two so much love! Thank you so much for letting us share your day with you!

To see more photos click here.

And thanks Scott Nolen for second shooting with me!!

If you’d like to contact me to inquire about weddings click here.

Jaime and Dan were married at the end of October on a sunny beach in Florida. They had a beautiful Chicago celebration reception in November at the Wilder Mansion in Elmhurst. I had never been to this location before, but here is what it looked like when I pulled into the parking lot that evening…

When I stepped into this room, I knew it was going to be a good night. I loved the vibe of this location!

I loved this shot of the two of them. One of the things I love best about this couple is the fact that they are so easy-going. Jaime had a minor incident with her dress earlier that day, when the tie for her corset style dress went missing. She got creative and borrowed a red sash from her sister’s dress – adding a unique detail to her gown. Problem solved!

This shot was set up with the help of my lovely assistant and great friend Annalisa (check her blog here), who is holding a video light off to the side of them. It was pitch black out there!

They had the most delicious food there, catered by Food For the Soul in Chicago.

Jaime’s sister started crying as soon as she began her toast. She was so sweet and well spoken.

Dan’s mom decided to give an impromptu toast of her own, never having had the chance to toast at her other children’s weddings. I think she did a great job… Well she got everyone laughing

Their first dance:

And finally back to that room I adored so much. Don’t they look amazing?

Congratulations Jaime and Dan! Wishing you all the best!

Scott and Anna were married almost a month ago. It’s amazing how fast time is passing by! There were so many special moments and it was terribly hard to pare it down into just a few to put into this slideshow but here it is.

Congratulations again you two! Thank you for trusting me with your memories!

To view their slideshow click here.

Scott and Anna… what can I say about them? Their intense love for one another is one of the most immediate things that strikes me about them, and their wedding yesterday reminded me of what it’s all about. There were tears, and laughter, and more importantly, two people who bring out the absolute best in one other and who have been lucky enough to find each other. Anna and Scott, thank you so much for letting me share these moments with you!

These first 2 shots are my favorites of the day:

Isn’t she beautiful?

I loved this moment right before Scott arrived and Anna was getting her veil on… somehow putting that veil on made it feel official to her and she just started tearing up…

Anna and Scott opted to see one another prior to the ceremony which was very cool! She was waiting for him in the backyard garden of his mother’s house when he walked in. This is their first moment seeing each other.

We hopped into the limo and headed downtown for some group shots…

The guys were just too cool for school…

Some of the details. I loved her bracelet!

It was just a bit humid out and Scott’s finger was a little swollen. Anna started cracking up when she tried putting that ring on and it got stuck! It took a moment, but it finally went all the way on

Their first dance:

I’m in such a black and white mood lately!

Of course, the color ones are always lovely (see below)… but I am just digging black and white for a lot of these beach photos.

Oh, B&W how I love thee…

Just taking a quick break from my vacation in Key West to share a few of the photos from Kati and Mike’s wedding yesterday. It was just beautiful!

Justin and Mike have been best friends for more than half their lives, and in all the time he’s known Mike he has never seen him as happy as he is with Kati. When we found out that they were getting married, we knew Mike was making THE best decision in his life.

I was lucky enough to witness one of the most important milestones of their lives, and watching my husband stand up as the best man for his best friend couldn’t have been more perfect.  It was a simple ceremony, an intimate gathering of their closest friends and family. I couldn’t have pictured it any other way for these two.

On such an important day, I felt blessed. Blessed that I was entrusted to honor their memories through these photographs, blessed to be one of the handful of people in the whole world who were able to witness this moment in person, and blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people and wonderful friends. 

Mike and Kati, we wish you a long and happy life together. I think you’ve found your happily ever after! We love you! 

These guys heart one another.

One final fun shot…

Till next time!