Liz Schrenk 2/7/24 Liz Schrenk 2/7/24

Holly & Mike’s Amazing Allure on the Lake NYE Wedding

New Year’s Eve weddings are some of our favorites, we truly love ending our year and kicking off a new one with our Something Blue couples!! We knew that Holly and Mike’s NYE wedding would be extra special after their amazing engagement session at the Lyric Theater in Blue Island. Holly and Mike have a special connection and are the kind of people who make you can immediately make you feel like close friends; we are so grateful for their genuine warmth and kindness!

Holly and Mike were introduced by their mutual friend who thought they would be a good match. They had their first date at Dog Haus in Lincoln Park and spent the evening talking and getting along splendidly. After that night they quickly became inseparable and soon had a shared catchphrase "well.. just one more…." Holly and Mike share a love of sports, travel and Taco Bell, and before long they both knew that they would be together forever.

Leading up to New Year’s Eve it had been painfully brown in the Chicago area, but that day flurries started to fall leading up to Holly and Mike’s wedding. The snow made our drive to Indiana that much more picturesque, and the beautiful Allure on the Lake looked so pretty as we arrived. Holly and her girls were cozy inside getting ready, Holly looked SO amazing thanks to the glam squad at Primp Studio. After a few fun shots with the girls and their cute disco ball champagne glasses Holly slipped into her gorgeous gown from Here Comes the Bride.

While Holly and her bridesmaids were getting ready, Mike and his guys were waiting across the way with their elderly dog (who was just THE sweetest!) Holly and Mike had their first look near the chic and spacious bar inside the reception space, with the snow falling and wind blowing we were really thankful for that beautiful area to take photos! After their sweet first look (where Holly playfully grabbed Mike’s butt!) they exchanged private vows near the windows, it was a beautiful and tender moment. From there we ventured outside so that Holly and Mike could add their “love lock” to the fence outside near the water. We love when both old and new traditions are incorporated into a wedding day!

We didn’t last long outside in the blowing snow while taking pictures, but we are happy to have taken some in the flurries. After coming inside we finished near the beautiful bar before heading in to the ceremony. Holly and Mike’s wedding ceremony was filled with touching moments, and before long they were officially husband and wife! Right after the ceremony a guest approached me to tell me to take a picture of the gift she had brought for Holly and Mike – it was a bottle of champagne from the “Condom” region in France. We both got a good laugh and I was delighted to later see this same guest up front for the New Year’s countdown, sipping champagne with her festive sunglasses on! It’s so much fun for us to celebrate with you and your guests, and this amazing wedding was one we will never forget!

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

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

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue

FLORIST
Town & Country Florist

HAIR & MAKEUP
Primp Studio

DJ
Sonic Sounds Entertainment

BRIDAL DRESS BOUTIQUE
Here Comes the Bride

MENSWEAR
Formally Modern Tuxedo

Liz Schrenk 1/31/23 Liz Schrenk 1/31/23

Nicolle & Billy’s Picture-Perfect NYE Wedding

Nicolle and Billy are beautiful both inside and out, two souls destined to be together forever. They first met in college but took some time getting to know one another. Once they officially connected they became inseparable, they moved in together in the Fall of 2019 and welcomed the cutest little Covid puppy in the Spring of 2020. Billy proposed to Nicolle at the stunning London House Chicago on their third anniversary.

I had the best time with Nicolle and Billy when we met downtown for their chilly and romantic engagement session. They are both so kind and easy to be with (not to mention incredibly photogenic!) I loved spending that time with them and was so excited to end our 2022 wedding season by celebrating with Nicolle and Billy on New Year’s Eve!

Nicolle had always dreamed of a New Year’s Eve wedding, and with the help of the amazing Rosanna & Co. Nicolle put together the most perfect day. The weather was gorgeous, plenty of sunshine and just enough warmth to make it possible for us to take plenty of pictures outside. Nicolle looked absolutely stunning in her chic Madi Lane gown, but for us the real star was her insane Jimmy Choo pearl wedding heels. After the sweetest reveals with her bridesmaids and Dad we went outside with Nicolle so she could have her First Look with Billy. From that moment these two were inseparable for the full 13 hours that we were at their wedding. After their First Look at the Westin Chicago Lombard we made our way to Visitation Catholic Church in Elmhurst for their traditional Catholic ceremony.

After the ceremony we traveled to the Wilder Mansion for wedding party photos. Nicolle and Billy have the absolute nicest friends and family, they were such good sports posing in the cold (even with the sun it was still December in Chicago!) Billy and his groomsmen made a quick dash for the nearby playground when they finished with their formal photos, we love a group of guys who are still kids at heart!!

When we returned to the Westin the Junior Ballroom was gorgeously decorated and ready for one of the most EPIC wedding receptions we have ever been a part of. Nicolle had thought of every detail to make the party perfect – we celebrated all night long with sparklers, a live wedding painter, cigar rollers, a CO2 cannon, a stylish outfit change and epic NYE countdown. It was the amazing way to usher in the New Year, an absolutely unforgettable night!!

Congratulations, Nicolle and Billy, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Nicolle and Billy’s gorgeous wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VIDEOGRAPHY
Weddings With Motion

WEDDING COORDINATOR
Rosanna & Co.

RECEPTION VENUE
Westin Chicago Lombard

FLORALS
Carousel Flowers

WEDDING CAKE
The Baking Institute

DJ
After Hours Music

LIVE PAINTER
Rosemary Fanti

MAKEUP
Artistry by Francesca

HAIR
VonKarl Bridal

WEDDING GOWN
Madi Lane

BRIDAL BOUTIQUE
Weddings 826

WEDDING SHOES
Jimmy Choo

BRIDESMAID DRESSES
JJ’s House

MENSWEAR
Mens Wearhouse

Liz Schrenk 1/31/22 Liz Schrenk 1/31/22

Julie and Michael’s Perfect New Year’s Eve Wedding

Life is full of choices. Taking the second chance is harder than taking the first. Julie and Michael met on the dating app Hinge – they hit it off and planned to meet for sushi. But Julie let her overthinking get the best of her and cancelled the date. Michael was bummed but took it gracefully by responding “let me know if you change your mind.” As fate would have it, almost a year later Julie and Michael matched on Tinder. This time around they actually made that first date happen. Something about Michael immediately felt familiar to Julie, and from the very beginning he gave her a sense of peace and comfort. The feeling was mutual, and soon the two became inseparable, bonding over music, nights out, great food, family, friends and travel. Michael helps Julie not take life too seriously, and is always looking for his next way to make her laugh. He appreciates her attention to detail and never-ending planning, and describes her as “beautiful inside and out.”

Julie’s attention to detail really paid off for their beautiful and unforgettable wedding day. She thought of everything for her and her bridesmaids to make their New Year’s Eve wedding extra special.. We had so much fun with this crew at the lovely Hyatt Lodge in Oakbrook – as the girls got ready they made time to sip champagne and pop plenty of confetti, the New Year’s Eve party started early and went strong all day and night!

We took Julie and Michael outside for their sweet and emotional first look on the bridge outside the Hyatt Lodge. After they saw each other they read beautiful letters to one another (one of our favorite “trends”) before connecting with their wedding party for photos. Julie and Michael and their friends were up for anything, they even let Conrad convince them to climb on some rocks for an epic wedding party photo reflecting over the water! Scroll all the way to the end to see how they rang in the New Year, it was truly the most perfect day!!

Congratulations, Julie and Michael, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Julie and Michael’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
Hyatt Lodge Oakbrook

FLORALS
The bride’s Mom, Patricia Goosetree!! SO impressed!

HAIR AND MAKEUP
Tamara Makeup and Hair Artistry

WEDDING GOWN
Pronovias Kimba

WEDDING DRESS BOUTIQUE
Bridal Boutique of Naperville

BRIDAL SHOES
Keds

BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES
Azazie

MENSWEAR
Gentlemen’s Quarters

WEDDING RINGS
Azar

WEDDING CAKE
Creative Cakes

WEDDING BAND
One Night Band

Liz Schrenk 1/28/22 Liz Schrenk 1/28/22

Meredith and Okoye’s Romantic New Year’s Eve Wedding

I vividly remember the first picture I ever took of Meredith and Okoye. I was photographing the cocktail hour at her friend Catherine’s wedding at Chevy Chase Country Club and snapped this quick picture of Meredith and her boyfriend Okoye . . .

After I shot this I joked that they needed to call me when they got engaged. We got to know Meredith and Okoye over the years through mutual friends, and they kindly once modeled for a special styled shoot we did at Room 1520 in 2018. When Okoye popped the question last summer I was SO excited when Meredith reached out to ask if I would photograph their wedding!!

Meredith and Okoye chose the beautiful Hyatt Lodge in Oakbrook for their New Year’s Eve wedding. When we arrived it was SO great to reconnect with Meredith and her bridesmaids, anyone would envy this incredibly supportive girl-squad! I absolutely LOVED their reactions when they saw their gorgeous friend as a bride! First looks will always have a special place in our hearts, and the moment when Okoye saw Meredith on their wedding day was so incredibly sweet. After some quick (and chilly!) pictures outside of the Hyatt Lodge we traveled to Visitation Parish in Elmhurst for their traditional and emotional ceremony.

After making things official then the party kicked off, I can’t think of a better way to ring in the New Year than celebrating a wedding with friends!! We settled back in at the Hyatt Lodge for a night of delicious food, drinks and dancing, it was the perfect night!

Congratulations, Meredith and Okoye, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Meredith and Okoye’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VIDEOGRAPHER
Vanilla Video

WEDDING COORDINATOR
Danielle Kolb Events

VENUE
Hyatt Lodge Oakbrook Chicago

FLORALS
Pesche’s

HAIR AND MAKEUP
Pin Me Up Chicago

WEDDING GOWN
Van Der Velde

WEDDING SHOES
Loeffler Randall

WEDDING RINGS
Ed Schmelzle & Sons

WEDDING CAKE
Creative Cakes

BRIDESMAID DRESSES
Hayley Paige

MENSWEAR
Emanuele Tuxedo Elmhurst

DJ
DJ Chris Kidd

Liz Schrenk 3/13/21 Liz Schrenk 3/13/21

Celebrating Kayden’s First Birthday

This last year hasn’t been easy on any of us. It’s hard to believe that one year ago we were all hearing the news that the governor ordered a shelter-in-place, that non-essential businesses and schools were closing indefinitely. How has a year already passed?! In the shock and confusion of last spring one thing hit us especially hard here at Something Blue – not being able to work would mean missing out on weddings, families, corporate photography jobs. But the hardest was knowing we couldn’t take newborn photographs. Because as moms we know how FAST those first few days, weeks and months fly by, and there is such a small window of opportunity to capture those precious first moments of your new baby.

The first baby born into our Something Blue family during the shelter-in-place was to our dear friends Valerie and Jason. Their wedding will always be one of our favorites, we have one of their wedding photographs as the biggest one on display at our studio. Valerie and Jason were expecting their baby boy at the end of March 2020, and knowing we couldn’t meet him like we had originally planned was really devastating.

Once things settled out a bit Lindsay was finally able to meet Kayden in May, she did a couple sweet sessions with his grandparents who were helping to care for him. His big blue eyes and cute red hair won us over from the beginning, and in some ways these sessions with his grandparents were possibly just as meaningful as the newborn photos could have been. The events of 2020 forced so many of us to change plans, but one thing stayed the same – babies were born into families filled with love, and we were so honored to be able to photograph some beautiful milestones for Kayden over his first year of life.

Lindsay went to Valerie and Jason’s home to take some lifestyle birthday photographs for sweet Kayden, he loved playing with his balloons and fully face-planting into his birthday cake. These photos are as much a celebration of Kayden’s first year as they are a beautiful record of the love in Valerie and Jason’s home, what a joy and an honor to be welcomed into this family’s life.

Happy birthday, sweet boy! Watching you grow over the last year was such a joy, we can’t wait to see you again soon!!

Liz Schrenk 1/25/21 Liz Schrenk 1/25/21

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.

New Year's Eve Anniversary Session Chicago Wedding Photographer Covid Lifestyle Photography

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!!