Kristen & Sidd’s Lovely Royal Melbourne Wedding

Kristen and Sidd met in early 2019 when they were both living in NYC. Sidd talked nonstop on their first date, and they slowly fell in love on long walks together around the city and over lots of pancakes. Sidd proposed on a trip to Sevilla, Spain and the newly engaged couple moved to the Washington DC area last summer.

I loved spending time with Kristen and Sidd in downtown Chicago for their engagement session last Fall. Kristen is quiet but Sidd brings out her sweetness and warmth, it was a joy to see how they perfectly complement one another. When it came time for their Royal Melbourne wedding this June Christy and I were excited to head back to this gorgeous venue to celebrated Kristen and Sidd’s love. Kristen and Sidd chose an “Indian fusion” theme for their wedding to honor both of their cultural backgrounds – the bridesmaids wore gorgeous light blue saris while the groomsmen looked handsome in their custom gold suits. Kristen looked angelic in her beautiful dress from Volle’s, her gown looked like it was made just for her. After a sweet reveal with her bridesmaids and Dad Kristen went outside of the club to see Sidd for their First Look. Sidd lit up when he saw his stunning bride and couldn’t take his eyes off her for the rest of the day!

During Kristen and Sidd’s ceremony they incorporated some meaningful Indian traditions. We loved the moment when Sidd placed a beautiful necklace on his bride to signify their matrimonial bond and provide Kristen with blessings in their marriage. Adorned with flower garlands the newlyweds kissed and made their way to an unforgettable celebration at their reception. It was the perfect day, we were honored to be a part of it.

Congratulations, Kristen and Sidd, we love you and with you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Kristen and Sidd’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
Royal Melbourne

WEDDING COORDINATOR
Gina from One Fine Day Events

FLORIST
Ovation Decor and Events

HAIR AND MAKEUP
Total Image Bridal

DJ
HYPE Productions

WEDDING CAKE
Lovin’ Oven

BRIDAL BOUTIQUE
Volle’s Bridal

Stephanie & Will’s Sweet Metropolis Ballroom Wedding

Stephanie and Will met through mutual friends – her good friend from college is his good friend from high school. A few years after graduating college, Will moved to Chicago for work and they connected for their first date at Corridor Brewery.

As they grew closer Stephanie and Will soon moved in together, and Will proposed in their first apartment after coming home from landing his dream job. We first connected with Stephanie and Will during the pandemic, and got to know them better at their pretty engagement session at the Lincoln Park Nature Walk downtown. Stephanie’s sweetness and Will’s dry sense of humor made an impression on me, and we were really excited to celebrate their wedding at the Metropolis Ballroom in June!

Looking back, Stephanie and Will’s wedding day was truly perfect – but just as Stephanie was about to put on her gorgeous wedding gown she was told that their florist had flaked and they didn’t have wedding flowers. No bouquets, no boutonnieres, no centerpieces. In the ten years we have been shooting weddings we have NEVER experienced anything like this! We kept our composure and quietly worked with the amazing Metropolis team to mobilize a local florist to pull off something last-minute. But in the meantime, we really had to start taking wedding party photos before we ran out of time before the ceremony. Stephanie took all of the chaos in stride, it was amazing. She took a sip of champagne and pulled her shoulders back before striding outside for photos. Stephanie rocked her dress pockets and high leg slit and made the best of things, nothing was going to stop her from enjoying her wedding day! It was one of the most bad-ass things we have ever seen from a bride!

By the time we had finished with photos around downtown Arlington Heights there were bouquets and boutonnieres ready thanks to the amazing and kind team at Purple Rose Floral in Mount Prospect. Those personal floral items really do make a difference and it was amazing how beautiful everything looked from Purple Rose even though they had absolutely zero advanced warning, we were SO grateful that they stepped in to help out!!

At the start of their reception Stephanie and Will gave a speech to thank their guests, and Stephanie had already planned to talk about how all of the details that go into a wedding day don’t really matter. Her words hit even harder after what had transpired during their wedding day – but in the end, all that mattered was that Stephanie and Will said “I do” and became husband and wife. It was a beautiful and perfect celebration of their love, we were truly honored to be a part of it!!

Congratulations, Stephanie and Will, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Stephanie and Will’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
Metropolis Ballroom

HAIR AND MAKEUP
The Bridal Beauty Team

FLORIST
Purple Rose Floral

BRIDAL BOUTIQUE
Genevieve’s Bridal Couture

DJ
Music by Design

WEDDING RINGS
Stanley Brown Jewelist

Jackie & Brian’s Beautiful Rolling Green Country Club Wedding

Jackie and Brian were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend. They met for drinks and bonded over Aurelio’s pizza and things just kept going from there! When Conrad met Jackie and Brian at the museum campus downtown for their engagement session they made sure to bring along an Aurelio’s pizza to share! We just love when couples include those personal details in their engagement sessions!

Jackie and Brian are so cute together, he is totally smitten with her. Their wedding day was so beautiful and perfect – from the moment that Conrad and Lindsay arrived everything ran smoothly and everyone had such great energy. The bridesmaids looked SO good thanks to the talented Rosie Hunter Artistry, these girls rocked their rust colored bridesmaid dresses and were so supportive throughout the day. The florals by Blue Daisy Floral Design were stunning, absolutely perfect for this early-fall wedding. Our great friend Ken of Amp Event Professionals had the dance floor packed for the perfect party at the end of the night. It was such a great day, we are thankful to have been a part of it.

Congratulations, Jackie and Brian, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Jackie and Brian’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
Rolling Green Country Club

HAIR AND MAKEUP
Rosie Hunter Artistry

FLORIST
Blue Floral Daisy

DJ
Amp Event Professionals

WEDDING CAKE
Lovin Oven

Jackie & Ian’s Adorable Arlington Heights Wedding

We love our hometown of Arlington Heights. Every time with get to shoot a wedding here we feel comfortable and joyful, celebrating at home is one of our favorite things. Jackie grew up in Arlington Heights and her family loves it here, too.

Jackie met Ian in nursing school, and as they fell in love and it came time for Ian to propose he chose to do it right in downtown Arlington Heights on her family’s special bench in North School Park. When it came time to take Jackie and Ian’s engagement photos we stayed close to our homes and hearts and took their pictures in North School Park.

When Jackie and Ian’s wedding day finally arrived the sun was shining and there was so much excitement in the air. Christy and I had so much fun photographing this beautiful day! Jackie’s bridesmaids and Mom made her parents’ house extra pretty for their getting ready photos. We saw a number of fun paintings and art from New Orleans hanging in the house, we have SO much love for New Orleans (we could spend all of our time there, and were lucky enough to shoot a beautiful wedding in NOLA in the Spring!) Well, Jackie’s parents planned a SECOND LINE to walk her from their house to St. James, and can I just say this was one of the absolute highlights of our 2022 wedding season??! This brass band parade through my neighborhood was just the best thing, waving at neighbors while walking backwards taking pictures will be a memory I will always cherish. I already told my kids that we are doing a second line for their wedding when that day comes!!

Jackie looked so pretty in her grandma Pearl’s pearl tiara, what a sweet way to honor family with your “something old”! When she walked down the aisle to meet Ian at the alter he was visibly moved, it was such a perfect moment. After the ceremony we went back to North School Park for some photos, it was fun to be there and see friends taking pictures of their kids for homecoming!

When we arrived at The Metropolis Ballroom the space looked more gorgeous than ever thanks to the talented team at Eiffel Flowers. After some moving toasts we danced the night away to the AMAZING sounds of Standing Room Only, this band absolutely ROCKED! It was a day we will never forget.

Congratulations, Jackie and Ian, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Jackie and Ian’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

FLORIST
The Eiffel Flower

BRIDESMAID DRESSES
Birdy Grey

WEDDING BAND
Standing Room Only

WEDDING CAKE
Jarosch Bakery

WEDDING RINGS
Mitchell’s Jewelers

Jenna and AJ’s Happily Ever After

Jenna and AJ’s love story reads like a fairy tale. They are truly perfect together, a princess who found her prince in someone who shares her love of music. Jenna works at The Metropolis and met AJ through his Mom, once they connected there were instant sparks between them! They grew to love each other and on their two year anniversary AJ proposed to Jenna in New York City, her favorite place in the world.

As Jenna and AJ planned their wedding they imagined a beautiful storybook celebration. But when Covid descended and life became filled with uncertainty this sweet couple was forced to change their plans. Jenna and AJ chose to get married on their original wedding date and exchanged their vows in an intimate ceremony at Hey Nonny in front of their immediate families and closest friends. It was a perfect day. And this year, Jenna and AJ finally got their “happily ever after” when we all gathered together at Victoria in the Park for the most beautiful celebration. The atmosphere was so charged with love and joy we truly didn’t want it to end, from the first sparkly moments to the packed dance floor with our friend Ken from Amp Event Professionals we had such a wonderful time finally properly celebrating Jenna and AJ!

Congratulations, Jenna and AJ, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Jenna and AJ’s happily ever after photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue Photography

Videographer
Something Blue Photography

Venue
Victoria in the Park

Hair and Makeup
Rania and Silvana from Studiano's.

Bridesmaid Dresses
B2 by Jasmine Bridal

Wedding Shoes
Express

Menswear
Larr Brio

Florist
Budget Bride

Wedding Rings
Brilliant Earth

DJ
AMP Event Professionals

Something YOU – Liz

I have known Liz since high school, but through Something Blue I have gotten to know her better as we know both gracefully slide into our forties. Liz sent me a message a few days before our spring Something You event asking if she could join us – I was thrilled to hear from her and even happier to have the opportunity to reconnect at this session! While Elisa worked her magic pampering Liz, I loved being able to hear about her adventures abroad and the ways she has grown over the last few years. Liz, you inspired me that morning to be more confident, to take ownership and move forward with courage. Christy took some gorgeous photos of Liz that day, these are just a few of our favorites.

We hope to see you again soon, Liz, thank you for joining us at the studio for this Something You session!

Something YOU – Bravely Facing Cancer and Chemo Head-On

We first met Julie’s family at a sweet snowy session earlier this year. After sharing some of Nancy’s bad-ass wig-free photos on social media, Julie reached out asking if she could come to the studio for a special Something You session. Julie told us she had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, and that the chemotherapy treatments were causing her hair to fall out in clumps. It was time to shave her head, and seeing Nancy’s bold photos inspired Julie to have her head shaved at our studio. She bravely wanted have photographs of this incredibly difficult moment.

When Julie arrived with her family and sister, she was visibly and understandably tense. As a mother, she worried about what her daughters would think watching their Mom lose her hair. The lovely and talented Elisa did Julie’s makeup before we began, That time when a client is being pampered at our studio is usually joyful, but this time, the mood felt heavy. We all felt Julie’s grief and pain, and as we inched closer to the time to shave her head there were a lot of tears shed in that space.

We invited our friend and neighbor Denise to come to this session to shave Julie’s head. Denise is a cancer survivor, and having been down this road herself she brought wisdom and empathy and JOY to the studio when she arrived. She was an angel guiding Julie down a very difficult path.

After Julie’s sister braided a small section of Julie’s hair to keep, Denise started cutting off her auburn locks. We were all crying in that moment. But Julie bravely pushed forward, holding her daughters close as she showed them the true definition of courage. Once Denise got through most of her hair, Julie’s husband Kenny sweetly stepped in to finish cleaning up his wife’s head. He tenderly encouraged her throughout the morning, but watching him use the clippers on Julie was one of the most beautifully romantic things we have ever seen.

When it was over, Julie looked at herself in the mirror and her face lit up. She exclaimed, “I look like a badass!” And she really did. A badass who bravely faced into her fears in a very public way. A badass who modeled strength and courage for her daughters. A badass who will continue to fight no matter what. It was an incredibly honor to witness this transformation.

We love you, Julie, and we are cheering you on in this battle. Thank you for sharing this incredibly powerful moment with us.

To see all of Julie’s head shave photos, click here

Something YOU – Nancy’s Warrior Session

When we first envisioned our Something YOU sessions, we wanted to create a portrait experience that would empower women and help them feel beautiful regardless of their circumstances. It has been such a joy doing these sessions for a wide variety of women, women who all inspire us in different ways. This session was honestly one of the most inspiring and beautiful moments I have ever experienced as a photographer. Christy invited her amazing friend Nancy to join us at the studio, and it was an unforgettable morning.

Nancy was diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer last year – she underwent an 11 hour surgery to remove most of the cancer before starting chemotherapy in November. She is one of Christy’s closest friends, and Christy wanted to honor Nancy with this Something You session. She wasn’t sure if her friend would be up for doing something like this, after all it requires a ton of courage and vulnerability to get your photo taken ANY time, but at this particular time in her life Nancy was facing so much uncertainty.

With the help of the incredibly talented Elisa of Elisa Artistry, Nancy was pampered as she mentally prepared for her session. Christy is amazing at making everyone feel comfortable, and once she started shooting Nancy really began to open up and show her amazing personality. The narrative arc of these photos is so stunning to me; she started the session reserved and unsure of herself, and before long was owning every pose and absolutely KILLING it. She absolutely rocked both of her glamorous wigs (which her dear friend and cheerleader Stacy helped her fix and style throughout the shoot). One of our favorite moments was when Nancy started flicking off the camera while wearing the cancer awareness shirts that her incredible friends had made for her.

After Christy captured tons of gorgeous shots of Nancy in her wigs, we asked if she would feel comfortable taking off her wig for some photographs. Nancy bravely agreed, and we all cried along with her as she exposed her bald head. Her strength, courage and vulnerability is amazing, we are in awe of this beautiful woman.

The Monday after this session Nancy went to her doctor for a scan. The scan came back clear, meaning she is now showing no evidence of disease!! What awesome news to celebrate!

Thank you, Nancy, for being so amazing and sharing your story and journey with us. It was an honor to take these photographs for you.

To see all of Nancy’s Something You photos, click here

Something YOU – Donna Marie’s Warrior Session

Two weeks after she was released from the hospital, my dear friend Donna Marie agreed to come to our studio for a Something You session. From these photos you would never know that DM is someone who has fought many long and scary battles for her health. Over the past year DM experienced recurrent concussions and spent many long days recovering - time spent away from screens, in her room with the shades drawn, waiting for her brain to recover and hoping for life to go back to “normal.” But the nature of chronic concussions is unforgiving and unrelenting, and Donna Marie has lost a lot over the last year. Then early in March complications from a uterine disease Adenomyosis and a bad reaction to medication left DM hospitalized with blood clots in her legs and lungs. Told she could die from the clots, told she could die from bleeding from the fibroids. This woman is a F I G H T E R, fierce in every sense of the word and an inspiration to SO many. I was so happy when she agreed to come honor the strength and beauty of her body by doing these photos, and of course she simply SLAYED her session!

Donna Marie brought her amazing bestie Tajali along for moral support (or I should say, Taj drove DM because she’s an absolute gem and has been supporting DM through her ongoing crisis). Once DM finished with her sexy modeling moments Taj and I hopped in for a few quick pictures. But the palpable power of celebrating Donna Marie’s life and strength got the better of all of us and we ended the session in tears. What a beautiful thing it is when women empower women.

Sweet Snowy Session with the Weathers Family

This is a quiet time of year for us here at Something Blue. Photographer life has been even more quiet than usual as the pandemic wears on, but we are so thankful for the opportunities we have had to check in on our Something Blue families. We met the sweet Weathers family through our friend April (look for a blog post about her coming soon!) and Christy just LOVED spending a snowy afternoon with them for some updated family photos!! Ashleigh did an AMAZING job styling everyone (on short notice, no less!) and the kids braved the cold and showed off their smiles to earn pizza after they finished!! We love how these photos turned out and can’t wait to see this beautiful family again soon (hopefully in warmer weather!)

A Celebration of Life, Love and Rainbows –Kate’s Maternity Session

When we hear the good news that one of our Something Blue brides is expecting, we celebrate together by sending a little flurry of excited texts to each other. Inherent in this job is an ongoing celebration of love in the unfolding beauty of life. I first heard that Kate was expecting on Facebook, and when she reached out to schedule two maternity sessions I was humbled and honored and just SO excited! We have such beautiful memories of celebrating Kate and Adam’s wedding downtown at Hotel Allegro, a day that may well have been remembered as our rainiest wedding ever but yet was still unforgettably gorgeous. Because we found beauty in the rain, and at the end of the day we were able to reflect on that beauty and continue to celebrate LOVE. The only thing that matters.

As Kate and I worked together to schedule her sessions, I realized that she was expecting a rainbow baby. After experiencing the loss of her first child (a grief that I also navigated before my first was born), Kate wanted to properly celebrate this pregnancy. We did so in grand style – a studio session that started with our stunning new blush Odette dress against our freshly painted white walls. Kate was pampered by the talented Elisa before her session, and while her hair and makeup looked amazing it was her inner beauty, joy and connection with this new life that truly made these photographs so gorgeous.

As Kate told us the heartbreaking story of losing her first, she excitedly pulled out these stunning rainbow heels to celebrate this pregnancy. We were all truly impressed at how easily she transitioned from one pair of killer heels to the next!

Kate came prepared with a suitcase full of accessories and shoes to her studio session, but the best shoes she brought along were definitely these adorable cream floral baby booties!

Kate had one last request as her studio session drew to a close – she wanted to do some sexy shots in her amazing black boots, covered up only by a trench coat. This was such a fun way to end her session, what an amazing day!!

The next day, I met Kate and her husband Adam in the city for a couples’ maternity session. While the temperatures lingered below freezing we took a quick tour around the Riverwalk together. Adam was a trooper in the cold! It was wonderful to reconnect with both of them and get some sweet photos of this time in their lives together. The winter light was absolutely gorgeous near the river, it was a magical morning.

On her wedding day, Kate ROCKED a gorgeous dark blue velvet cape that she borrowed from her Aunt. It was so special that Kate brought the cape downtown again for her engagement session! Adam said she looked like Little Red Riding Hood, but Kate really does know how to work a cape (in heels while 30 weeks pregnant!!)

Thank you, Kate, for inviting us to share in another beautiful celebration of love in your life. We can’t wait to hear the good news of your baby girl’s safe arrival this spring!!