Danielle and Eddie’s High School Romance Engagement Session
Danielle and Eddie met at Hersey High School – granted, she was older – but as their paths continued to cross through athletics and mutual friends they grew closer together. They started dating in college and the rest is history, now they are excitedly planning to get married in May of 2022.
Danielle and Eddie met at Hersey High School – granted, she was older – but as their paths continued to cross through athletics and mutual friends they grew closer together. They started dating in college and the rest is history, now they are excitedly planning to get married in May of 2022. They both ran track (and Eddie played football) and thought it would be sweet to do some of their engagement session at the field at Hersey. We met their former coach there who hugged them before unlocking the gates for us so that we could explore together. From the very first photo Danielle and Eddie had each other laughing (and me too!), these two are absolutely perfect together! Scroll through these cute shots to find my favorite – I told them to walk and act like they were helping each other home after a night at the bars and Eddie got REAL dramatic on me!! I am laughing still looking back on this sweet session!
After wrapping at Hersey we drove south to Busse Woods where Danielle and Eddie (very quickly!) changed outfits before we did some more romantic photos near the water. Honestly, by the end of this session my face hurt from smiling so much, I absolutely LOVE these two and can’t wait to celebrate their wedding next year!!
Thank you, Danielle and Eddie, for being such great sports and keeping me laughing throughout your entire engagement session. I can’t wait to celebrate your wedding with you next year!!
To see all of Danielle and Eddie’s sweet engagement photos, click here
Heather and Daniel’s Covid-Style Anniversary Session
Conrad and I were super bummed when we realized that we weren’t going to be shooting a wedding this New Year’s Eve. We have two weddings to look forward to on New Year’s Eve in 2021, but thought it would be really nice to end 2020 on a positive note by hanging out with one of our favorite couples. Heather and Daniel agreed to do a sweet New Year’s Eve anniversary session with us; we started by photographing a slice of life inside their beautiful home and ended with a quiet celebration at their wedding venue.
On New Year’s Eve 2019 we celebrated Heather and Daniel’s elegant wedding at The Metropolis Ballroom in downtown Arlington Heights. We had the most amazing time at their wedding, and as we rang in 2020 with confetti and sparklers we had NO idea what the coming year would look like.
As 2020 unfolded and Heather and Daniel enjoyed their first year of marriage together, life wasn’t quite what any of us expected it to look like. But watching Heather from afar on social media showed that her and Daniel still found ways to find fun even in quarantine. They went to outdoor restaurants, took a little trip or two, and always managed to look VERY in love along the way.
Conrad and I were super bummed when we realized that we weren’t going to be shooting a wedding this New Year’s Eve. We have two weddings to look forward to on New Year’s Eve in 2021, but thought it would be really nice to end 2020 on a positive note by hanging out with one of our favorite couples. Heather and Daniel agreed to do a sweet New Year’s Eve anniversary session with us; we started by photographing a slice of life inside their beautiful home and ended with a quiet celebration at their wedding venue. While it wasn’t the epic New Year’s celebration we are used to, it was still a perfect way to quietly celebrate the love these two share.
After some Netflix and snuggles, Heather and Daniel tucked into an authentic Chicago deep dish pizza before a quick game of cards together (the deck has one of their favorite wedding photos on it!!)
The amazing team at Two Sisters Events created the florals for Heather and Daniel’s wedding last year, and they generously gifted them a fresh new bouquet and boutonnière for their anniversary session. We loved the dark and moody vibe of the flowers for this session, it perfectly fit the atmosphere of finding quiet ways to celebrate in the midst of a pandemic.
After playing dress-up in their wedding clothes at home, Heather changed into her sister’s beautiful Maid of Honor dress and we ventured outside for our NYE celebration. We played with sparklers and confetti (Daniel is president of their homeowner’s association so we had the green light!) before heading to The Metropolis Ballroom for our nightcap. Shawna, the amazing Director of Weddings at the Metropolis, kindly came and let us in, it was so great to see her and to be back at one of our favorite venues!!
Thank you for ringing in the New Year with us, Heather and Daniel!! Here’s hoping that 2021 brings you much love and many more adventures together!
To see Heather and Daniel’s New Year’s Eve wedding photos, click here
Nada and Rami’s Romantic Lincoln Park Proposal
We first got a call at the studio from Rami’s cousin, she was helping him plan the PERFECT surprise proposal for his girlfriend, Nada. From that first conversation with his sweet cousin to the moment he dropped to one knee we had butterflies for this beautiful couple!
We first got a call at the studio from Rami’s cousin, she was helping him plan the PERFECT surprise proposal for his girlfriend, Nada. From that first conversation with his sweet cousin to the moment he dropped to one knee we had butterflies for this beautiful couple! Rami worked SO hard to make sure every detail was perfect before proposing to his gorgeous girlfriend. He enlisted friends from work to set up a romantic boho-backdrop overlooking the water and skyline at the Lincoln Park Nature Conservatory. While his coworkers scrambled to set the stunning scene, Rami and Nada walked the boardwalk hand in hand and saw several other couples get engaged. Nada wondered to herself if Rami might be ready to ask too, but figured that their moment had not yet come.
As the sun started to set and his squad put the finishing touches on the vignette, Rami asked Nada if she wanted to take a selfie by the pretty backdrop. In that moment he dropped to one knee and asked the love of his life to be his wife. It was a happy blur of tears and laughter and hugs, and in the chaos Rami mistakenly slid the gorgeous solitaire by European Jewelry Inc. onto Nada’s right hand instead of her left. Of course she said yes and was completely blown away by her new fiancé’s thoughtfulness in pulling off the perfect surprise. They could not stop smiling as they popped open a bottle of champagne, high-fived his coworkers and snuggled together against their beautiful backdrop. It was just magical, the most romantic proposal, Conrad and I were completely honored and overjoyed to be there to witness this new chapter in Nada and Rami’s life together. We can’t wait to follow their love story as they now excitedly plan to become husband and wife!!
Congratulations, Nada and Rami, and thank you for letting us be a part of this unforgettable moment!! We wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Nada and Rami’s romantic proposal pictures, click here
Courtney + Elliott's Whirlwind Chicago Wedding Weekend
Courtney and Elliott originally planned to marry in May, but of course the pandemic forced them to change their plans. They moved their celebration to December, and snuck away to Valparaiso and became husband and wife with only a government official with a polaroid camera to snap a quick and unflattering shot of the newlyweds. After they were legally married their thinking shifted to planning a winter wedding at Rockwell on the River, but Courtney’s mom felt uneasy in early August about the likelihood of a large celebration being possible this winter as Covid-19 continued to grind the events industry to a halt. With only a week to plan, Courtney’s mom Wendy put together a whirlwind wedding weekend for her daughter that was truly amazing.
We met downtown that Friday morning for a day of bridal portraits at some of Courtney and Elliott’s favorite Chicago landmarks - Millennium Park, The Art Institute of Chicago, River North and Wrigley Field. We had so much fun exploring together - at one point Courtney boldly hiked up her wedding dress to scale a fence at Millennium Park for the perfect shot! It was such a perfect way to get lots of gorgeous photos of the two of them in their wedding clothes!
On Saturday we convened at Rockwell on the River for their micro wedding. I was expecting the venue to feel empty only set for 20 guests, but I was truly amazed at how beautiful it was inside. The chuppah was the center of attention and looked so elegant, while off to the right tables were set for their ketubah signing, cocktail hour and dinner. It was truly the perfect backdrop for their traditional wedding ceremonies. While Courtney and Elliott’s marriage story was anything but traditional, their love shone through the celebrations. The star of the show was their adorable rescue puppy MJ, she made the most adorable ring bearer!! It was truly a beautiful weekend and I am so thankful I had the opportunity to be a part of it.
Congratulations, Courtney and Elliot, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Courtney and Elliot’s beautiful wedding photos, click here