Liz Schrenk Liz Schrenk

Allie & Brandon’s Beautiful Royal Melbourne Fall Wedding

Allie and Brandon met their Freshman year of college in Brooklyn on the robotics team. They didn’t really talk until one day when Brandon wiped out on his bike and Allie let him borrow her . . .

Allie and Brandon met their Freshman year of college in Brooklyn on the robotics team. They didn’t really talk until one day when Brandon wiped out on his bike and Allie let him borrow her brother’s sweatpants that she had “borrowed” to take with her to college. They became friends and started dating at the end of that school year – within a month they had booked a trip to Iceland together.

Conrad connected with Allie and Brandon when they were in town from Vermont over the Summer for a sweet engagement session on the campus of Northwestern University. He loved exploring with Allie and Brandon, they were up for adventure and so adorable together! He was really excited to photography Allie and Brandon’s wedding with Lindsay the last weekend of October at Royal Melbourne Country Club, it was an absolutely gorgeous day!!

Allie got ready with her bridesmaids at Royal Melbourne and looked radiant when she slipped into her beautiful gown with sweet bow details. Brandon tied his own bowtie, which honestly impressed us, we have never seen a groom pull that off before! Allie and Brandon chose to share private vows with one another after their first look, it was just the most romantic moment to witness. They quietly shared their vows together while wiping away plenty of tears. After their private vows we explored the pretty grounds of Royal Melbourne in the Fall sunshine with their supportive and fun wedding party. It was just such a gorgeous day!

After their emotional ceremony and Allie and Brandon were officially married the cerebration truly began. During their reception guests were treated to a delicious meal and some thoughtful toasts in honor of the newlyweds. We snuck outside with Allie and Brandon to take a few more photos during the gorgeous Fall sunset, this truly was the perfect day! We are so grateful to have been part of this joyful celebration and hope that Allie and Brandon have an amazing adventure together in Italy for their honeymoon early next year!

Congratulations, Allie and Brandon, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Allie and Brandon’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
Royal Melbourne

FLORIST
Larkin Floral

HAIR & MAKEUP
Anomalie Beauty Agency

DJ
DJ One Chance

WEDDING DRESS BOUTIQUE
Madeleine's Daughter Bridal

BRIDAL SHOES
Lulu’s

BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES
Birdy Grey
Azazie

MENSWEAR
The Black Tux

WEDDING RINGS
Pearce Jewelers

WEDDING CAKE
The Baking Institute

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Liz Schrenk Liz Schrenk

Elizabeth & Matt’s Stunning Metropolis Ballroom Wedding

Elizabeth and Matt first met in high school where they both had study hall in the library at the same time. Elizabeth had an unrequited crush on Matt in high school; a few years later they bumped into each other at a concert . . .

Elizabeth and Matt first met in high school where they both had study hall in the library at the same time. Elizabeth had an unrequited crush on Matt in high school; a few years later they bumped into each other at a concert and started catching up from there. They hung out a few times that Summer before Elizabeth went back to Kentucky for her Senior year of college. They made it “official” over Winter break that year and the rest is history! 

When Elizabeth and Matt’s wedding day rolled around we were blessed with the most gorgeous Fall weather, Christy and Ryan and I were all so excited to capture this beautiful day! Elizabeth and her girls were all wearing the cutest cozy cardigans while they got ready together, we love the idea of having something cute AND practical to gift your bridesmaids that they can wear over and over again!

Elizabeth was understandably nervous at the beginning of her wedding day but sweetly said early on “I trust you” when we were doing her “getting ready” photos, which was just honestly the best thing a bride could say to us. Once Elizabeth was dressed and saw her Dad she became a bit less nervous and before long we were on our way to St. James in Arlington Heights for their traditional Catholic wedding ceremony.

Matt was fighting back tears as Elizabeth walked down the aisle, she looked radiant and once her Dad hugged her Matt didn’t take his eyes off his bride the entire day. Once they were pronounced husband and wife we had so much fun taking pictures of the newlyweds with their family and friends! We made our way to Busse Woods and found the prettiest pocket of yellow leaves and streaming sunshine. Elizabeth and her bridesmaids all looked gorgeous against the Fall colors, and Matt and his guys (including his identical twin!) looked great as well.

Once we finished with photos we made our way to The Metropolis Ballroom where we were greeting by a sign that said “Let’s Get this Party Started” which was just perfect given the reception that Elizabeth and Matt threw for their guests. Elizabeth and Matt are perfect together, and their wedding celebration reflected their love for one another in such a fun way. We were honored to be a part of this unforgettable day!!

Congratulations, Elizabeth and Matt, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Elizabeth and Matt’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue

FLORIST
Busse's Flowers & Gifts

HAIR & MAKEUP
Hairs 2 The Bride

DJ
Green Line Talent

WEDDING CAKE
Jarosch Bakery

ENGAGEMENT RING
Tacori Bride

WEDDING GOWN
Essense of Australia

WEDDING GOWN BOUTIQUE
Genevieve's Bridal Couture

MENSWEAR
Vera Wang
Calvin Klein

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Liz Schrenk Liz Schrenk

Megan & Steve’s Sweet Elk Grove Pavilion Wedding

Megan and Steve met the “old-fashioned” way – on Bumble – and had their first date at Dave and Busters. They fell for each other because of shared interests and hobbies like Lego and found joy and love in being their nerdy . . .

Megan and Steve met the “old-fashioned” way – on Bumble – and had their first date at Dave and Busters. They fell for each other because of shared interests and hobbies like Lego and found joy and love in being their nerdy selves together. When the time came Steve proposed to Megan while playing the song “Kiss the Girl” in the background as a nod to her love of The Little Mermaid and their fairytale adventure truly began!

I first became friends with Megan when we attended Meadows Christian Fellowship together, and I was always struck by her creativity and loyalty to her friends. When I heard the good news that Megan was getting married I was so happy for her, and then truly honored to be asked to be a part of this wedding. It was so great getting to know Steve at their engagement session last Spring, as Megan has said he “loves her well” and it filled my heart seeing my friend with someone who is attentive, kind and deeply caring.

When Megan and Steve’s wedding day arrived I was excited to work with Conrad and Ryan to capture all of the unforgettable moments. We arrived at Megan’s childhood home and loved discovering cute pics of little Megan all over, and I had a lot of fun photographing their wedding details – my favorite was Steve’s cool wedding band that GLOWS in the dark! When Megan got dressed into her gorgeous Avery Austin gown she transformed into the most beautiful bride, she looked like she was floating all day in her stunning lacy ivory dress.

Once we arrived at Meadows Christian Fellowship Megan and Steve chose to do a “First Touch” before their ceremony. She snuggled behind him and they quietly exchanged letters they had written for one another before praying together, it was such a sweet and meaningful moment. Before Megan walked down the aisle she was preceded by her “Flower Aunts” (who later made an epic appearance on the dance floor!) Steve stood in awe as Megan made her entrance and walked arm-in-arm with her Dad towards her groom. It was really special to have one of our former grooms and Megan’s close friend John officiate the wedding, he did a great job with the traditional ceremony (and also made sure to land a few jokes at Megan’s expense!)

After taking some pictures of the newlyweds with their families we made our way to the Elk Grove Pavilion for photos with Megan and Steve’s wonderfully kind and supportive wedding party. When we finished with the group we loved making a little faux-sunshine on this gloomy day with the help of our off-camera flashes and the early Fall colors before heading inside for the reception.

Megan is incredibly creative and hand-made a lot of the beautiful details for their wedding day. She took months to hand-dye and arrange wooden Sola flowers for their bouquets, boutonnieres and arrangements. She embroidered sweet flowers on the edge of her veil reminiscent of her gorgeous sleeve tattoo. She hand-painted the striking signs showing guests where to sit during the reception. She baked their wedding cake. She assembled the coolest impromptu Lego sculpture in the room during dinner. It was remarkable to see the work that Megan put in to make her wedding extra special and memorable!!

During dinner we were thrilled to have the opportunity to sneak away with Megan and Steve for pictures in the carousel room, we can’t think of a prettier or more romantic spot for some photos after dark! When we returned the dance floor soon opened for one of the most unforgettable nights of dancing that we have ever experienced – let’s just say that dance-screaming to “Come Sail Away” with Megan’s family was one of the highlights of our 2024 wedding season! This was just the best day, we are so grateful to have been a part of it!

Congratulations, Megan and Steve, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Megan and Steve’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
Garden Terrace at The Pavilion

DAY-OF COORDINATOR
Beka Hull

WOOD FLOWERS
Luv Sola Flowers

WEDDING GOWN
Avery Austin

BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES
Azazie

BRIDES’ RING
Oak Park Jewelers

GROOMS’ RING
VentureCustomShop

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Liz Schrenk Liz Schrenk

Shea & Matt’s Sweet Heritage Prairie Farm Wedding

Shea and Matt met their sophomore year of college – they had mutual friends and both played volleyball. They started dating that December and have been together ever since. . .

Shea and Matt met their sophomore year of college – they had mutual friends and both played volleyball. They started dating that December and have been together ever since.

Conrad and I were so excited to photograph Shea and Matt’s wedding at our favorite venue, Heritage Prairie Farm. We would shoot there every weekend if we could, it’s truly the perfect venue!! Endless gorgeous spots for photos, plenty of sweet farm kitties roaming the grounds AND the most amazing wedding food ever, it’s our favorite place for SO many reasons! Our Something Blue team had gotten to know Shea a bit earlier this year when she came by the Studio for a special bridal boudoir session to gift to Matt on their wedding day. Christy photographed her and then I put together an album of her favorite photos – she looked absolutely stunning and when Matt opened the album after their “First Look” you could tell he knew he is a lucky man!!

Shea and Matt have two cats and were drawn to Heritage Prairie Farm in part because of their many friendly farm kitties. It was a somewhat cat-centric wedding – Matt wore “Cat Dad” socks, their two signature drinks were inspired by their cats and the Heritage Prairie farm cats photo-bombed plenty of moments with the wedding party before the ceremony.

Shea is close with her Dad and Grandpa and set aside time to do a “First Look” with each of them before her ceremony. Her and her Dad have an inside connection with hedgehogs and both gifted each other with sweet little hedgehog pins for the big day. Shea also did a first look with her Grandpa on the front porch of the pretty farmhouse, it was one of the most special moments of the day. Her Grandpa then officiated Shea and Matt’s romantic ceremony in the barn while her Grandma did a reading.

It was a chilly last weekend in October and we were thankful for the cozy greenhouse where we could take wedding party photos and get a break from the cold wind. The team at Garvin Gardens created gorgeous florals and the team at Heritage Prairie Farm was amazing as always taking care of every detail. After cocktail hour we snuck away with Shea and Matt to take pictures on the grounds before sundown. We were then all treated to an amazing family-style dinner before dancing the night away. It was the perfect wedding, we were so honored and grateful to be there to celebrate with Shea and Matt!

Congratulations, Shea and Matt, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Shea and Matt’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
Heritage Prairie Farm

FLORIST
Garvin Gardens

HAIR & MAKEUP
Montage Salon and Spa

DJ
Music in Motion

WEDDING CAKE
ECBG Cake Studio

WEDDING DRESS BOUTIQUE
Eva’s Bridal

BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES
Birdy Grey

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Liz Schrenk Liz Schrenk

Hollie & Kyle’s Romantic Seville Wedding

Hollie and Kyle met through mutual friends in Milwaukee and fell in love over trips together in Lake Geneva. Kyle proposed to Hollie in Lake Geneva and they started planning their happily ever after together. . .

Hollie and Kyle met through mutual friends in Milwaukee and fell in love over trips together in Lake Geneva. Kyle proposed to Hollie in Lake Geneva and they started planning their happily ever after together.

Conrad loved getting to know Hollie and Kyle at their fall engagement session last year at Cantigny, These two are truly perfect together, it was such a treat to spend a beautiful fall evening with them. Fast-forward one year and Conrad and Lindsay were so excited to celebrate Hollie and Kyle’s wedding with them! Hollie is a die-hard Disney fan and planned a “classy Disney wedding” (as she described it) filled with thoughtful and pretty details throughout the day.

When Conrad and Lindsay arrived the girls were listening to “hard rock music so she wouldn’t cry;” Hollie and her fun squad of bridesmaids definitely set the stage for an amazing day! Hollie chose to rock a white pair of Nike Air Force Ones so she could be comfortable and trek anywhere for pictures. When Hollie saw her Dad for the first time in her wedding dress he told her “you can’t play soccer in that!” which was just about the cutest thing he could have told his little girl.

Kyle was emotional as Hollie walked down the aisle at St. Hubert’s to “You Got a Friend in Me.” After their beautiful traditional ceremony we went to Prairie Center for the Arts for photos – the Fall colors were at their peak and we took SO many gorgeous pictures there! From Prairie Center we landed at The Seville for the best party to celebrate this amazing couple. Our friend Ken from Amp Event Professionals set the stage for an unforgettable night – from the putt-putt setup to get the newlyweds to kiss to their emotional first dance and dances with their parents to Hollie and Kyle guest DJ-ing during dancing – it was a night we will never forget, what an honor to be alongside these two as they began their married lives together!

Congratulations, Hollie and Kyle, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Hollie and Kyle’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
The Seville

FLORIST
Busy B’s Floral

HAIR & MAKEUP
Rosie Hunter

DJ
Amp Event Professionals

WEDDING CAKE
Baking Institute

WEDDING RINGS
Kessler Diamonds

BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES
David’s Bridal

MENSWEAR
Men’s Wearhouse

BRIDAL BOUTIQUE
Here Comes the Bride

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Liz Schrenk Liz Schrenk

Bridget & Conor’s Sweet Chevy Chase Country Club Wedding

Bridget and Conor met after being set-up by his sister and her sister-in-law. Ann and Katie are best friends and neighbors and thought that Bridget and Conor would make a perfect match. They first connected at a backyard party . . .

Bridget and Conor met after being set-up by his sister and her sister-in-law. Ann and Katie are best friends and neighbors and thought that Bridget and Conor would make a perfect match. They first connected at a backyard party hosted by Bridget’s brother and started dating the Summer of 2020. They were engaged two years later at the gorgeous Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool in Lincoln Park and started their journey to becoming husband and wife.

Leading up to Bridget and Conor’s wedding I had only connected with them over Zoom, I was excited to meet them in person on the big day! I arrived at the Westin North Shore for getting ready photos and was excited to finally spend time with Bridget! She looked absolutely gorgeous in her Martina Liana gown, and after the sweetest reveal with her bridesmaids we made time for portraits of Bridget on the balcony. The sun was shining and the Fall color was at it’s peak, it was a beautiful day!

When we arrived at St. James for Bridget and Conor’s traditional Catholic ceremony the excitement was palpable amongst their friends and family. Conor was a bit nervous but that surely melted away when he saw his gorgeous bride coming down the aisle. Following the ceremony we took family photos on the front steps of St. James – both Bridget and Conor have big families and it was such fun to see everyone together celebrating! From there we went to Lake Arlington for photos before landing at Chevy Chase for the evening.

Throughout the day Conor would joyfully sweep Bridget up in his arms, it was so sweet to see him carry her with the biggest smile on his face. These two were meant to be, they complement one another and truly make the perfect pair. One of our favorite moments from the day was Bridget and Conor’s beautiful choreographed first dance, it may have been one of the best first dances we have ever seen. Their wedding was an amazing day that we were truly honored to be a part of!

Congratulations, Bridget and Conor, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Bridget and Conor’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
Chevy Chase Country Club

DAY-OF COORDINATOR
Lisa Enriquez with Simply Elegant

VIDEOGRAPHY
Rhys Video

FLORIST
Soiree

HAIR & MAKEUP
Appease

WEDDING BAND
Final Say

WEDDING CAKE
Lovin’ Oven

WEDDING DRESS BOUTIQUE
Diana’s Bridal

BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES
Azazie

MENSWEAR
The Black Tux

WEDDING RINGS
Monson Jewelers

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Liz Schrenk Liz Schrenk

Grace & Ian’s Perfect Glen Club Wedding

Grace and Ian met at their residence hall during their Freshman year at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. They quickly became friends and spent a lot of time together throughout their first two years of college. Grace and Ian officially started dating Junior year when Grace took the leap . . .

Grace and Ian met at their residence hall during their Freshman year at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. They quickly became friends and spent a lot of time together throughout their first two years of college. Grace and Ian officially started dating Junior year when Grace took the leap and grabbed Ian's hand during a football game. They walked home to Grace's apartment and spent the whole day laughing and talking and have been inseparable since. Ian chose to propose at the Terrace in Madison to honor where their love story first began.

When I first met Grace and Ian I was struck by how beautiful and joyful Grace is. She is truly a treasure, and her and Ian fit together perfectly. I loved getting to know this sweet couple (and their incredibly cute puppy!) at their engagement session last Fall. We had so much fun exploring together in spite of the unpleasant Chicago Fall weather! Fast-forward to their wedding day this October and sadly the midwest weather was not on our side again. But Grace, in her awesomeness, was up for anything and wanted to power through and still take photos outside at the Chicago Botanic Garden as planned!! After Grace and Ian did their first look at The Glen Club we made our way to the Botanic Garden – it was raining on the drive there but thankfully it let up just as we were parking. Grace bounded out of the party bus with a broad smile on her face, she was ready for anything and happy to drag Ian and the rest of their wedding party along for photos : ) It was blustery but so beautiful at the Botanic Garden, we would joyfully photograph there every weekend if we could! Grace looked radiant and Ian was so happy to be alongside his gorgeous bride, it was such a special afternoon.

After we finished photos at the Botanic Garden we went back to the Glen Club for Grace and Ian’s ceremony. Everything looked so beautiful thanks to the talented team at Flowers by Stem, these were some of the most gorgeous wedding florals we saw all year. Grace and Ian exchanged their vows under a magnificent chuppah that was later transformed into the prettiest head table for their reception. We snuck outside for a few more pictures of Grace and Ian once they were officially husband and wife, the grounds at the Glen Club are beautiful and we had a really dramatic sky thanks to that unpleasant midwest weather from earlier.

When it was time for the reception we were treated to emotional toasts from Grace’s Dad and sister. After a delicious meal and amazing cake from The Baking Institute (with THE most intricate sugar flowers!) we were surprised by an adorable choreographed first dance. Grace and Ian are just magical together, we loved being part of this unforgettable day!

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

To see all of Grace and Ian’s gorgeous wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue

WEDDING VENUE
The Glen Club

FLORIST
Flowers by Stem

DAY-OF COORDINATOR
Valerie Burian

HAIR & MAKEUP
Beauty by Anne Krause

DJ
Yazz Events

WEDDING CAKE
The Baking Institute

WEDDING RINGS
I Gorman Jewelers

BRIDAL GOWN BOUTIQUE
Diana’s Bridal

BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES
Azazie

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Liz Schrenk Liz Schrenk

Emma & Alex’s Picture-Perfect Fishermen’s Inn Wedding

Emma and Alex met in high school and their friendship continued to grow as they both moved on to the same college. They started dating and after seven years together they decided to make things official . . .

Emma and Alex met in high school and their friendship continued to grow as they both moved on to the same college. They started dating and after seven years together they decided to make things official and get married at the beautiful Fishermen’s Inn.

Conrad had the best time getting to know Emma and Alex at their engagement session this Summer, he came home raving about how much fun these two are together. We are still totally obsessed with their cool matching “Til Death” bomber jackets! These two are giggly and charming together, spending time with them is such a joy!

When the day arrived for Emma and Alex to tie the knot the weather and all the details were absolutely perfect at Fishermen’s Inn. Emma looked amazing in her gorgeous gown (with pockets!), and Alex cleaned up nicely complete with his grandfather’s cuff links and a Gucci bowtie that she gave him as a wedding gift. Alex was so happy to see her at their First Look that he slipped into using a funny “cowboy” voice. After their first look Emma and Alex’s adorable dogs Bella and Hazel stopped in for some photos, we just love when your fur babies come along to your wedding!! Emma and Alex then said “I do” with her uncle officiating before kicking off the most epic celebration, it truly was the perfect day!!

Congratulations, Emma and Alex, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Emma and Alex’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

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