Liz Schrenk 6/22/23 Liz Schrenk 6/22/23

Jessica & Elie’s Romantic Bridge Lemont Wedding

Jessica and Elie met on Hinge and had their first date the day after Christmas in Wrigleyville. They quickly grew close as the COVID pandemic started and decided to quarantine together. . .

Jessica and Elie met on Hinge and had their first date the day after Christmas in Wrigleyville. They quickly grew close as the COVID pandemic started and decided to quarantine together. Jessica and Elie spent a lot of time trying to find ways to “date” despite being stuck at home.. They did at home sushi nights, movies at home, concerts at home, wine tastings at home, etc. They learned so much about each other during this time and fell in love quickly and deeply! Elie proposed 2 years after our first date and that night they celebrated with all of our family and friends at the Irish Oak bar where they had their first date.

We first met Jessica and Elie over Zoom, which made sense given the circumstances of their courtship. We were so happy when the day came for these two to make things official, it was a perfect Spring day filled with many beautiful moments. Jessica looked radiant as she slipped into her slim lace gown from Jasmine Bridal just before a sweet reveal with her bridesmaids. Once the girls were ready we traveled to Elie’s home church for their traditional Lebanese ceremony. Elie was beaming as Jessica came down the aisle to meet him at the altar, and from that moment the two were inseparable for the rest of the day.

After the ceremony we went with the wedding party to Lilacia Park in Lombard for photos. The park was quite crowded as it was a beautiful Spring day and the tulips and lilacs were in full bloom, but we found plenty of beautiful spots for photos with Jessica and Elie’s wonderful wedding party. One of our favorite moments of the day came when Jessica and Elie “Iced” their bridesmaids and groomsmen on the party bus after we finished photos, they disguised the drinks in gift packaging and had a great laugh as everyone chugged together on the party bus.

When we arrived at The Bridge in Lemont we took time for pictures of Jessica and Elie together. He works for the railway so we made sure to get a few (safely!) near the train tracks before everyone settled in for cocktail hour. The room at The Bridge looked absolutely gorgeous, we loved the aesthetic of the dark linens with tons of pretty candles and florals. Once the guests were seated we were treated to several thoughtful toasts and one of the most epic and romantic first dances we have ever seen. It was truly an unforgettable day, what an honor it was to be a part of Jessica and Elie’s wedding!

Congratulations, Jessica and Elie, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Jessica and Elie’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
The Bridge

DAY-OF COORDINATOR
Liza Loret

FLORIST
Blush Blooms

VIDEOGRAPHER
Up the Ante Productions

DJ
Signature Entertainment

BRIDAL HAIR
The Bridal Collective

BRIDAL MAKEUP
Kylie Jordan Artistry

WEDDING RINGS
Windy City Diamonds

WEDDING GOWN & BRIDESMAID DRESSES
Jasmine Bridal

MENSWEAR
Michael Kors

Liz Schrenk 9/23/22 Liz Schrenk 9/23/22

Vicki & Brien’s Intimate Wednesday Wedding

We met Vicki years ago when she married her first husband, for all the love stories we share here sadly not all of them end in happily ever after. As we heard about the trauma that Vicki endured in that relationship we longed for her to find love again. We were overjoyed to hear that she found her soulmate in Brien and would be getting married again. When Vicki asked me and Conrad to come out on a Wednesday evening to photograph their traditional wedding ceremony at the beautiful Church of St. Patrick in Wadsworth we were honored to be there. It was the most peaceful and love-filled evening, the perfect start to new love and a lifetime of happiness together.

Congratulations, Vicki and Brien, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Vicki and Brien’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

Liz Schrenk 11/23/21 Liz Schrenk 11/23/21

Jess & James’ Gorgeous Independence Grove Wedding

Jess and James met on the first day of their Freshman year at Stevenson High School. They were introduced by a mutual friend while riding the bus to school – little did they know that bus ride was the beginning of an epic journey. Over the next several years, they maintained their friendship and were completely oblivious to the signs of compatibility between them. Friends pointed out the chemistry often, but James and Jess always insisted they were just close friends.

That all changed their senior year of high school. They officially began dating, much to the excitement of their families and close friends, and attended their senior Prom together. They were eager to begin their futures at Texas Christian University and Indiana University for college, but were unsure of what that meant for their newfound relationship.

Thousands of video calls, visits when possible, phone calls, love letters, care packages, and text messages later... college graduation was upon them. James had accepted an offer in Mansfield, Texas and Jess had accepted an offer in Chicago. They were not thrilled about the ongoing long distance, but they were confident they would find the best solution together.

After 8 months of being apart, Jess quit her job, packed up her belongings, and drove to Texas to move in with James. Since moving in together, their journey together has blossomed and grown in ways they could not have imagined. Conrad was on hand to photograph James’ romantic and snowy proposal to Jess, she was completely surprised by the thoughtful moment that he had planned for her.

They got married on the hottest day of the summer, but it was the most perfect day to celebrate their love. After their “first look” Jess and James exchanged private vows (our FAVORITE wedding “trend”). James showed Jess that he carries a picture of her from when she was little, it was the sweetest moment. From that emotional first look to their ceremony (officiated by our friend Brad of Love Story Weddings) to their amazing Independence Grove reception this was a wedding we won’t forget.