Michelle & Jarrett’s Emotional Vault 232 Wedding

Through our Something Blue families we have been continually blessed to build connections and relationships with some truly amazing people. Lindsay has always talked about how much she loves the Phillippi / Nadeau family, every session she has shot for Holly has brought her a lot of joy. We were heartbroken to hear the news when Holly’s Dad’s health took a sharp turn for the worse.

Holly’s sister Michelle and her long-time love Jarrett decided to get married so that her Dad could be there with them. They only had a few days to pull together all the details and bring their friends and family together to celebrate. But sadly, the universe had other plans and Michelle’s Dad passed away just days before his youngest daughter became a bride.

Lindsay and I were honestly a bit shocked when we found out that Michelle and Jarrett were still going ahead with their wedding plans. We met them in a blizzard in downtown Lake Zurich not fully knowing what to expect, and what unfolded was something we will never forget. Michelle looked amazing in her sparkly silver Anthropologie dress and Jarrett looked sharp in his blue suit and borrowed dress shoes (which got fully soaked in the wet snow!) After just moments with these two we were struck by their shared love for life and one another, being in Michelle and Jarrett’s presence filled us with light and joy.

There were many tears shed during Michelle and Jarrett’s wedding, it was truly one of the most emotional days we have ever been privileged to be a part of. Happiness mixed with grief, laughter and sorrow, we caught a glimpse of the full beauty of love and life through these two as they became husband and wife. It was an amazing day that we will never forget.

Congratulations, Michelle and Jarrett, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Michelle and Jarrett’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

Alicia and Aaron’s Perfect Micro Wedding

Alicia and Aaron are both essential workers who met while working on the same floor at Amita Health Mercy Medical Center in Aurora. As they worked together they grew closer and found they had a lot in common, and soon those shared experiences blossomed into love. When the pandemic hit their jobs shifted but they were still working in the same hospital. And when they decided to get married they both felt that a small wedding would suit them quite nicely.

I was honored to be asked to photograph Alicia and Aaron’s micro wedding at the Batavia Riverwalk on the Fox River. It was an absolutely GORGEOUS fall day, the weather could not have been more perfect for this wonderful couple. After exchanging their vows over the water Alicia and Aaron shared their first dance as husband and wife in front of their closest family and friends. We explored the Riverwalk a bit for photos before heading for a quick photo op at their hospital. Afterwards we settled in at the Turf Room in Aurora. It was the most intimate and beautiful celebration, I was so thankful to be a part of it.

LaNece and Ben’s Magical Micro Wedding

LaNece and Ben fell into the swirling chaos and uncertainty of 2020 like so many of our Something Blue couples. Their wedding was originally scheduled for June, but of course the pandemic had other plans. They rescheduled for 2021 but decided that they couldn’t wait to get married. LaNece and Ben eventually settled on a small, intimate wedding planned for their 8th dating anniversary.

They chose a beautiful Airbnb in Wrigleyville for their wedding, an airy and modern brownstone with a gorgeous rooftop that made for the perfect ceremony backdrop. Apple Creek Flowers created stunning fall florals to help decorate the brownstone and made LaNece the most dramatic bouquet. LaNece pinned two meaningful charms to her bouquet - a “Something Blue” charm with a photo of her younger brother who passed away in 2014 and a “Something Old” charm handed down from her great-grandmother. The pin represented the goddess Athena and was worn on her great-grandmother’s uniform in the Women’s Army Corps.

I met LaNece at the brownstone, I was taking photos outside of her dress and details when she arrived with her mom. Her makeup looked flawless thanks to Maria of BeauteLuxe and her Hair by Carrieann was just perfect. After LaNece slipped into her gorgeous Madison James gown her mom helped her put on the finishing touches out front before the ceremony began.

LaNece’s grandpa built a lovely arch for their ceremony, and Ben nervously waited there for his bride to arrive. Their ceremony was filled with thoughtful and personal touches, thanks in large part to their officiant, Debra of Vista Events, who took great care to ensure that LaNece and Ben’s wedding was unforgettable. With their mothers and grandparents looking on LaNece and Ben finally became husband and wife, it was an honor to be a part of this beautiful day.

Congratulations, LaNece and Ben, you are so loved! We wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of LaNece and Ben’s beautiful micro wedding photos, click here

Stefanie and Paul’s Elegant Micro Wedding Ceremony

I have so much love for the Madison family, my dear friend Catherine is one of TWELVE siblings and it’s been an honor to get to know them over the years. Conrad and I loved being part of her sister Mary Jo’s wedding a couple years ago, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to photograph another Madison wedding this October when Stefanie married her little brother Paul in an intimate ceremony at St. James in Arlington Heights. Stefanie was the kindest and most beautiful bride, her laid-back demeanor perfectly suited the quiet and unassuming vibe of their micro wedding. I met her at her childhood home in Arlington Heights, took a few pictures while she finished getting ready before she slipped into her awesome Michael Kors white wedding jumpsuit. I secretly hope that jumpsuits become more of a thing for our 2021 brides!!

After Stefanie was ready we stepped outside for a few quick family photos. Stefanie’s childhood friend and neighbor was also planning her own pandemic micro wedding, and she stepped in for a quick hug and a couple pictures before we left for St. James. It was THE sweetest moment!!

When we arrived at St. James I loved catching up with some of the Madisons, with twelve children and many grandchildren their family made this micro wedding ceremony feel pretty big!! Paul had tears in his eyes as Stefanie walked down the aisle, and after they were pronounced husband and wife these two were beaming from ear to ear. After a few more pictures at the church we went to my neighbors stunning backyard to take advantage of the fall colors and a cozy bonfire, it was the perfect day!

Congratulations, Stefanie and Paul, thank you for inviting me to share in this beautiful day! I wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Stefanie and Paul’s gorgeous micro wedding photos, click here

Joanne and Jake’s Intimate Fox River Micro Wedding

Joanne never wanted a big wedding, so planning an intimate celebration in the midst of the pandemic actually suited her quite nicely. I met her and Jake (and their adorable daughter Olive!) for the first time on their wedding day, and it was such a joy to be alongside them as they exchanged their vows above the Fox River at an Airbnb in Cary. It was WINDY on their wedding day, but their ceremony was so still beautiful. After they made things official we took a short drive to Trout Valley, a hidden gem where my grandparents lived and I spent a lot of time exploring as a young girl. I have always wanted to photograph a wedding in Trout Valley so I was thrilled that Joanne and Jake were up for a little adventure! We had a wonderful time exploring together and watching sweet Olive have fun crunching leaves and finding sticks. It was a perfectly simple and beautiful afternoon, I was honored to be a part of it.

Congratulations, Joanne and Jake, thank you for sharing this beautiful day with me!

To see all of Joanne and Jake’s pretty micro wedding photos, click here

Nora and Alex’s Stunning Seven Bridges Country Club Wedding

Nora and Alex feel like family to us. I first met Nora years ago, when she was still single, at a boudoir session. I admired her strength and beauty then, she boldly did that session for herself but joked during and after that the photos would one day be a gift to her husband.

Fast forward to 2017 and Alex reached out to let us know he would be proposing to Nora and wanted to do it during a couple’s session we had planned for that Spring. Conrad and I had the most fun at their proposal and were so honored to be a part of that beautiful moment in their lives.

Nora and Alex had planned to get married in the fall of 2019 but decided to hold off because they bought their first house together. But they could have never realized what was to come in 2020, and when the time came for their fall wedding they had to dramatically change their plans. When their wedding day finally arrived, Nora and Alex managed to limit their guest list to comply with regulations regarding the pandemic. They changed venues and chose Seven Bridges Golf Club in Woodridge because Alex’s grandma’s home backs up to the course. Nora and her girlfriends got ready at Alex’s grandma’s house, they all looked amazing thanks to the team at Windy City Glam. One of my favorite moments was when Nora’s niece Emma saw her aunt in her gorgeous gown from Volle’s and said she looked just like a princess.

After Nora finished getting ready, she had a special plan in place for her first look with Alex. She had her Mom, his Aunt, Mom and Grandma come out to give him special “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” gifts. It was so sweet to watch Alex receive all of these thoughtful gifts before he finally saw his bride!! Of course when Nora came out then we were all emotional, it was just the sweetest moment.

When we arrived at Seven Bridges the scene was set for a gorgeous ceremony. Walden Floral in Downers Grove did an amazing job decorating the ceremony space and creating the most beautiful bouquet and boutonniere. Nora’s cousin officiated the socially-distant ceremony, it was so sweet to see him emotional as he talked about having the honor of serving as the officiant for his cousin’s wedding.

After the ceremony, we took some family photos before heading inside for Nora and Alex’s lunch reception. They had the most DELICIOUS chocolate peanut butter cake from Molly’s Cupcakes in Naperville. Nora had given up carbs for a while before the wedding, it was hilarious to watch her sneak the entire cake away to their sweetheart table after getting a taste! As lunch wound down we snuck out onto the golf course for some beautiful photos with Nora and Alex, including an epic drone moment on one of the seven bridges. It was just the perfect day and we were so honored to be a part of it!!

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

To see all of Nora and Alex’s gorgeous wedding photos, click here

Liz and Mike’s Classic Chicago Celebration

Liz and Mike, like so many of our 2020 Something Blue couples, had to dramatically reconsider their wedding plans in the wake of the coronavirus. They changed venues and landed on the truly gorgeous Kimpton Gray Chicago and Boleo. Their intimate micro wedding was as beautiful as we could have imagined, it was truly a gorgeous and unforgettable day!

We have always loved photographing weddings at the Kimpton Gray, the symmetrical marble staircase is a photographer’s dream for beautiful photo opportunities. As Liz got ready with her bridesmaids and mom, Mike hung out with his guys in the billiards room downstairs. Then the time arrived for Liz and Mike’s first look, and it was so joyful when they connected, from that moment the two of them didn’t take their eyes off one another for the rest of the day.

After some wedding party photos in the Kimpton Gray’s gorgeous lobby, we walked to the Chicago Board of Trade for some classic Chicago portraits. From there Conrad and I ventured with Liz and Mike to the Chicago Theatre and the riverfront together. One of our favorite parts of every wedding day is when we have time with the couple alone; in those quiet moments focused on the love shared between two people we find we make our most beautiful photographs.

When we returned Liz shared THE sweetest moment with her grandmother in her hotel room before walking down the aisle to marry her best friend. Liz and Mike’s emotional ceremony was officiated by our friend Brad Hughes of Love Story Weddings, and as always he created the perfect wedding ceremony for this couple. Once things were official, Liz and Mike relaxed and enjoyed cocktails and appetizers with their closest family and friends at Boleo, the stunning rooftop bar nestled inside the Kimpton Gray. Then they moved onto dinner and toasts with a stop at their gorgeous cake adorned with hand-made sugar flowers from Alliance Bakery. The room looked amazing thanks in part to the florals and day-of coordination by Anthony Gowder Designs. And after the meal we returned to Boleo for an evening of (socially-distant) dancing and drinks, it was truly the most perfect and unforgettable day.

Congratulations, Liz and Mike, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Liz and Mike’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

Taylor and Alex’s Moving Micro Wedding Ceremony

We have been looking forward to Taylor and Alex’s wedding for almost as long as they have - Taylor is the sister-in=law of one of our best “friendors,” the amazing Ken Murphy of Amp Event Professionals. While they had planned a big wedding this fall at Chevy Chase Country Club, Taylor and Alex were forced to change their plans along with so many of our other 2020 Something Blue couples. The decision wasn’t easy, but in their hearts Taylor and Alex still knew they wanted to be married and chose to hold a small ceremony in the courtyard of Christus Victor Lutheran Church in Elk Grove Village.

The day of their wedding it had been raining a LOT, but the rain clouds left just in time for Taylor and Alex’s ceremony to begin. Surrounded by their immediate families and closest friends, Taylor and Alex exchanged their vows in the sunshine. There wasn’t a dry eye in that courtyard, it was such a beautiful ceremony. Their pastor delivered the most beautiful message about love using the sunflower as an illustration - he said that sunflowers turn their faces to the sun, and that by choosing to marry in the pandemic Taylor and Alex were showing their love was strong and hopeful much like a sunflower. It was such a beautiful message that I will always carry with me when I think about the trials of 2020, what a joy and honor it has been for us to be alongside our couples who have still chosen to get married in spite of all the challenges stacked up against them. I can’t wait to celebrate Taylor and Alex’s anniversary at their big celebration next year!!

Congratulations, Taylor and Alex, we love you and can’t wait for your big celebration in 2020!

To see all of Taylor and Alex’s micro-wedding ceremony photos, click here

Nicole and Jesse’s Beautiful Micro Wedding

Nicole and Jesse had grand plans for their wedding celebration, but like so many were forced to scale back and reconsider when the pandemic settled in. They shifted gears and decided to celebrate in their front yard, and it truly was the sweetest and most intimate ceremony.

Conrad loved working with this laid-back in love couple when he shot their engagement photos last fall, and was so excited to see them again on their wedding day. In their kindness, they trusted Conrad to lead them to Wildwood Nature Center to take their wedding photos. Wildwood happens to be across the street from where Nicole went to elementary school! After their sweet first look at home with their adorable dog, Nicole and Jesse were up for anything as they adventured off the path at Wildwood to get the perfect shots. Punctuated by their beautiful florals created by Romance in Blooms this was THE perfect backdrop for their wedding photos!

After finishing at Wildwood Nature Center they returned to their home for an emotional wedding ceremony in their front yard. There wasn’t a dry eye present as Nicole and Jesse exchanged their vows in front of their (socially distant) guests. It was a beautiful day that Conrad was so thankful to be a part of.

Congratulations, Nicole and Jesse, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Nicole and Jesse’s beautiful backyard wedding photos, click here