Liz Schrenk 10/15/24 Liz Schrenk 10/15/24

Laura & Zach’s Picture-Perfect Metropolis Ballroom Wedding

Laura and Zach met while working at the same office in Atlanta in November 2018. They bonded over a shared love of the Chicago Bears (she is from Libertyville and he is from outside of Peoria . . .

Laura and Zach met while working at the same office in Atlanta in November 2018. They bonded over a shared love of the Chicago Bears (she is from Libertyville and he is from outside of Peoria) and started dating shortly thereafter but kept it secret from their coworkers for years! In November 2021, Zach was transferred to Charlotte while Laura was transferred back home to Chicago. After a year of dating long distance Laura finally wore Zach down enough and convinced him to move home as well. After living together in her condo in the West Loop for nine months Zach proposed over Labor Day weekend at Devil’s Lake State Park. Not long after that they moved into their first home together in our hometown of Arlington Heights and began earnestly planning the wedding of their dreams!

Laura carefully planned every detail for their perfect wedding at The Metropolis Ballroom. She had a sweet little brigade of flower girls and ring bearers because she told her friends and family that “if they wanted their kids to come to the wedding then their kids would be IN the wedding,” which led to some absolutely adorable moments throughout the day! When Conrad and I arrived everyone was in great spirits and the little girls were loving twirling in their fancy white dresses, it was so cute! After pampering by the talented team at Hairs 2 The Bride Laura slipped into her beautiful Maggie Sotero gown, she looked absolutely gorgeous. Then it was time for Laura and Zach to have their First Look on the Metropolis veranda, it was such a romantic moment. After spending a little time admiring one another and exchanging letters Laura and Zach took Polaroid photos of each other on the veranda to use later as their cake topper.

It was a pleasure getting to know their wedding planner Amber from Peony Events throughout the day, Amber helped to make sure every detail was executed to fit Laura’s vision for their perfect wedding day. Laura had printed a photograph of every married couple who was coming as a guest to the wedding and everyone received those pictures as their parting favor, it was SO thoughtful and sweet! Laura and Zach each had their own disposable cameras that they used throughout the day to snap pictures of each other, honestly we would LOVE to see those shots once the film gets developed! One last memorable detail was that Laura had hired a “live painter” to forever capture their ceremony in paint, Jennifer from Dihel Art did a wonderful job capturing the essence of this beautiful day! As the live band played to celebrate the newlyweds we snuck outside to the Arlington Alfresco for some epic paparazzi-style photos of Laura and Zach, it was awesome to hear the roaring crowd cheering for these two as we worked our way through the streets snapping pictures! It truly was a picture-perfect day that we will always be thankful to have been a part of!

Congratulations, Laura and Zach, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Laura and Zach’s beautiful wedding photos click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

WEDDING VENUE
The Metropolis Ballroom

WEDDING PLANNER
Amber with Peony Events

FLORIST
Wild Haven Flower Farm

HAIR + MAKEUP
Hairs 2 The Bride

WEDDING DRESS BOUTIQUE
Atelier Igar

BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES
Azazie
Abercrombie

MENSWEAR
Men's Warehouse

ENGAGEMENT RING
Rolland's Jewelers

WEDDING BAND
Sorry for Partying

LIVE PAINTER
Dihel Art

Liz Schrenk 9/27/24 Liz Schrenk 9/27/24

Claire & Jesus’ Sweet Rolling Green Country Club Wedding

Claire and Jesus met in 2017 while working at the same restaurant downtown. They worked the same shifts and would go out after work, and the more they hung out and got to know each other they realized. . .

Claire and Jesus met in 2017 while working at the same restaurant downtown. They worked the same shifts and would go out after work, as they hung out more and got to know each other they realized how much they wanted to be together. In 2021 they welcomed their first baby, the sweetest little boy named Julian. In November 2022, Claire and Jesus got engaged at Harmony Park in downtown Arlington Heights and had a party right after at La Tasca with their friends and family. Then in 2023 Claire and Jesus welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Sophia – we were so excited to come alongside this beautiful family for their wedding celebration!

Conrad spent some time with Claire and Jesus and their kids at a pretty family / engagement session earlier this Summer. Claire’s amazing Mom came along to help with Julian and Sophia, it was wonderful to see them all again once Claire and Jesus’ wedding day rolled along! Due to a last-minute change of plans the celebration was moved to the gorgeous Rolling Green Country Club, but first we met with the girls for some “getting ready” photos at the hotel. Claire’s friends and close female relatives were gathered together to get ready and were SO supportive of the beautiful bride – their reaction to seeing Claire in her perfect dress from Vanessa’s Modern Bride was one of the best we have seen! The girls kept their hype-energy high throughout the day and it was just so much fun to be with them to celebrate!

Claire’s Mom lovingly served as her florist and created all of the centerpieces along with Claire’s bouquet and Jesus’ boutonniere. We always appreciate a DIY effort on a wedding day but this was particularly impressive! After Claire and Jesus’ emotional first look together we explored the course and took some photos out on the bridge, we could have spent all day photographing this sweet and loving couple together. Later Julian and Sophia arrived and looked absolutely adorable in their fancy wedding clothes! Julian is a man on the move and spent a lot of the day getting his little boy energy out, while sweet Sophia wanted to be close to her Momma.

After capturing some family photos it was time for the ceremony under the shade of the oaks near the clubhouse. Claire’s friend and maid of honor Maddy officiated their wedding, she said she was nervous but absolutely crushed it and the ceremony was filled with beautiful and emotional moments. Once Claire and Jesus exchanged vows and rings the party really began! Lively music played on the back porch during cocktail hour before guests were treated to a delicious dinner thanks to the wonderful staff at Rolling Green. During their first dance Claire and Jesus had their kids join them for the sweetest moment as a family, we can only imagine how special those photos will be to Julian and Sophia when they are older! We snuck outside during golden hour for some stunning sunset pictures of the newlyweds before dancing the night away. It was the most perfect day, we were truly thankful to be a part of Claire and Jesus’ wedding!

Congratulations, Claire and Jesus, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Claire and Jesus’ beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
Rolling Green Country Club

HAIR + MAKEUP
Ivy & Opal Salon

BRIDAL GOWN BOUTIQUE
Vanessa’s Modern Bride

WEDDING RINGS
Mitchell’s Jewelers

WEDDING CAKE
Deerfields Bakery

Liz Schrenk 8/29/24 Liz Schrenk 8/29/24

Erin & Joe’s Perfect Victoria in the Park Wedding

Erin and Joe's love story began in college at the University of Illinois, where they were both involved in club sports — Erin in volleyball and Joey in soccer. Their paths crossed at a charity soccer game organized by Joey, and they soon found themselves spending a lot of time together in group settings thanks to their shared circle of friends. As the spring semester of their junior year rolled around, Joey decided to take the next step and asked Erin out on a date. Their connection grew stronger over the months and soon they officially became a couple.

Fast forward six years – after a long day of teaching and coaching, Erin was looking forward to celebrating their 6th anniversary at one of their favorite restaurants. Little did she know that Joey had something extraordinary in store. He surprised her with six dozen roses to mark their six years together. And then, in a moment filled with happiness and tears (by Erin, of course), Joey got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. Overwhelmed with emotion, Erin joyfully said yes!

Conrad loved getting to know Erin and Joe at their beautiful engagement session at The Botanic Garden last Fall. Erin and Joe share a sweet connection – he brings out her playful side and it was a joy to be in the presence of their love. When their wedding day arrived we were all so excited to celebrate with this wonderful couple! It was a HOT day in late June and we were thankful for the air conditioning and natural light from the big beautiful windows at Victoria in the Park, we had the opportunity to take most of our photos inside that day!!

When we arrived the girls were in great spirits as they were glammed up by Sophia DeFrancesco’s amazing hair and makeup team. Erin looked radiant and it was SO cute to see her bridesmaids reactions when she first put on her gorgeous wedding dress! Then Erin walked down Victoria in the Park’s beautiful curved staircase to see Joey for the first time as a bride, their first look was such a sweet and special moment. We took lots of fun photos of Erin and Joe and their friends and family on those stairs before sneaking outside for just a few (hot!) shots before their ceremony.

After Erin and Joe’s emotional wedding ceremony we were ready to start the celebration, it was great fun being a part of this big Italian family party! Once everyone took their seats we were treated to some heartfelt toasts and Erin and Joe’s adorable first dance. Looking out the windows we could see the light changing and took the newlyweds outside for some gorgeous sunset photos. From there the party amped up thanks to Okyne Medialab, be sure to scroll all the way through to see some hilarious shots that Christy got of the flower girl and ring bearer with “fat head” cutouts of Joey on the dance floor! We love this couple and had the most amazing time celebrating with them!!

Congratulations, Erin and Joe, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Erin and Joe’s beautiful wedding photos click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY + VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
Victoria in the Park

FLORIST
Carousel Flowers by Shamrock

HAIR + MAKEUP
Sophia DeFrancesco

DJ
Okyne Medialab

WEDDING CAKE + DESSERTS
Central Continental Bakery

WEDDING DRESS BOUTIQUE
Diana’s Bridal

WEDDING DRESS
Stella York

WEDDING RINGS
Luo M Jewelers

BRIDESMAID DRESSES
Azazie

MENSWEAR
Formally Modern Tuxedo

Liz Schrenk 8/3/23 Liz Schrenk 8/3/23

Stephanie & Will’s Sweet Metropolis Ballroom Wedding

Stephanie and Will met through mutual friends – her good friend from college is his good friend from high school. A few years after graduating college, Will moved to Chicago for work and they connected for their first date at Corridor Brewery. . .

As they grew closer Stephanie and Will soon moved in together, and Will proposed in their first apartment after coming home from landing his dream job. We first connected with Stephanie and Will during the pandemic, and got to know them better at their pretty engagement session at the Lincoln Park Nature Walk downtown. Stephanie’s sweetness and Will’s dry sense of humor made an impression on me, and we were really excited to celebrate their wedding at the Metropolis Ballroom in June!

Looking back, Stephanie and Will’s wedding day was truly perfect – but just as Stephanie was about to put on her gorgeous wedding gown she was told that their florist had flaked and they didn’t have wedding flowers. No bouquets, no boutonnieres, no centerpieces. In the ten years we have been shooting weddings we have NEVER experienced anything like this! We kept our composure and quietly worked with the amazing Metropolis team to mobilize a local florist to pull off something last-minute. But in the meantime, we really had to start taking wedding party photos before we ran out of time before the ceremony. Stephanie took all of the chaos in stride, it was amazing. She took a sip of champagne and pulled her shoulders back before striding outside for photos. Stephanie rocked her dress pockets and high leg slit and made the best of things, nothing was going to stop her from enjoying her wedding day! It was one of the most bad-ass things we have ever seen from a bride!

By the time we had finished with photos around downtown Arlington Heights there were bouquets and boutonnieres ready thanks to the amazing and kind team at Purple Rose Floral in Mount Prospect. Those personal floral items really do make a difference and it was amazing how beautiful everything looked from Purple Rose even though they had absolutely zero advanced warning, we were SO grateful that they stepped in to help out!!

At the start of their reception Stephanie and Will gave a speech to thank their guests, and Stephanie had already planned to talk about how all of the details that go into a wedding day don’t really matter. Her words hit even harder after what had transpired during their wedding day – but in the end, all that mattered was that Stephanie and Will said “I do” and became husband and wife. It was a beautiful and perfect celebration of their love, we were truly honored to be a part of it!!

Congratulations, Stephanie and Will, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Stephanie and Will’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
Metropolis Ballroom

HAIR AND MAKEUP
The Bridal Beauty Team

FLORIST
Purple Rose Floral

BRIDAL BOUTIQUE
Genevieve’s Bridal Couture

DJ
Music by Design

WEDDING RINGS
Stanley Brown Jewelist

Liz Schrenk 7/30/23 Liz Schrenk 7/30/23

Clare & Christian’s Unforgettable Rolling Green Wedding

Clare and Christian met playing pickup indoor volleyball in Chicago. They were both interested in each other right away. Their first date was axe throwing in West Loop on March 13, 2020, just before the “shelter-in-place” order went into effect. The date went well but Clare decided Christian was "too young" for her (he is 3 years younger). So she quickly “friendzoned” him thinking that the pandemic came at a great time (i.e. she wouldn't run into him). But Clare was sneaky and kept Christian in her back pocket. During the pandemic, she Snapchatted him almost every day and followed him on Instagram. Christian thought "what is this girl doing?". July had arrived and Clare asked Christian if he wanted to play on her beach volleyball team (since she didn't know a lot of other people who played volleyball in the city). The 2 of them started playing outdoor volleyball during the summer of 2020 and the flame of love was rekindled. After 2 weeks of late night post-volleyball Taco Bell runs and a couple of dates here and there, they officially started dating on August 15, 2020 when Christian asked Clare to be his girlfriend amidst the backdrop of a Lake Michigan sunset. After almost 2 years of dating, they were ready to commit their lives to each other officially before God. Christian wanted to surprise Clare with the proposal but she was ALWAYS looking out for it. For some reason she didn't suspect that he would propose to her in her hometown in Ohio, which worked out well for Christian. On May 30, 2022, with the help of Clare's siblings, Christian surprised Clare at Dawes Arboretum by getting down on one knee on a little bridge in the garden and asking her to be his wife. Clare's whole family was waiting for them at a winery nearby and they finished the night by playing a little pickup volleyball at Clare's brother's house, coming full circle. It was a beautiful day.

We knew that Clare and Christian shared a special bond after our first Zoom call with them. When their wedding day arrived, it was the perfect June weather to celebrate their love at our hometown country club Rolling Green. Clare was radiant thanks to the glam squad from Hairs 2 The Bride, and when she slipped into her gorgeous Martin Thornburg gown (with an epic overskirt!) Clare was beaming for the rest of the day.

When we arrived at Rolling Green the guys were having a great time getting ready in the clubhouse, but it wasn’t hard to pull Christian away for his “First Look” with his beautiful bride. Christian’s reaction to seeing Clare was so sweet, he loves her deeply and was by her side for the rest of the day. After some fun wedding party photos on the course it was time for Clare and Christian to exchange their wedding vows in front of their closest friends and family. They included a moving foot washing ceremony to display their commitment to one another and their love for Jesus. It was a beautiful and moving ceremony punctuated by newlywed bliss once they were pronounced husband and wife!

Following the ceremony Clare and Christian mingled with their guests and danced to some amazing live music (including Star Wars adaptions!) The energy was buzzing with joy throughout Clare and Christian’s reception, and once the dance floor opened the party didn’t stop. As the sun started to set we stole Clare and Christian away for a few golden hour photos of the newlyweds before saying goodbye, it was truly the perfect day!

Congratulations, Clare and Christian, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Clare and Christian’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
Rolling Green Country Club

FLORIST
Town and Country Gardens

HAIR & MAKEUP
Hairs 2 The Bride

WEDDING GOWN
Martin Thornburg

WEDDING DRESS BOUTIQUE
Annabella’s Chicago

WEDDING CAKE
Lovin’ Oven Cakery

DJ
Momentz Productions

BRIDESMAID DRESSES
David’s Bridal

MENSWEAR
Suit Shop

BRIDAL SHOES
Kailee P

Liz Schrenk 11/21/22 Liz Schrenk 11/21/22

Jackie & Ian’s Adorable Arlington Heights Wedding

We love our hometown of Arlington Heights. Every time with get to shoot a wedding here we feel comfortable and joyful, celebrating at home is one of our favorite things. Jackie grew up in Arlington Heights . . .

Jackie met Ian in nursing school, and as they fell in love and it came time for Ian to propose he chose to do it right in downtown Arlington Heights on her family’s special bench in North School Park. When it came time to take Jackie and Ian’s engagement photos we stayed close to our homes and hearts and took their pictures in North School Park.

When Jackie and Ian’s wedding day finally arrived the sun was shining and there was so much excitement in the air. Christy and I had so much fun photographing this beautiful day! Jackie’s bridesmaids and Mom made her parents’ house extra pretty for their getting ready photos. We saw a number of fun paintings and art from New Orleans hanging in the house, we have SO much love for New Orleans (we could spend all of our time there, and were lucky enough to shoot a beautiful wedding in NOLA in the Spring!) Well, Jackie’s parents planned a SECOND LINE to walk her from their house to St. James, and can I just say this was one of the absolute highlights of our 2022 wedding season??! This brass band parade through my neighborhood was just the best thing, waving at neighbors while walking backwards taking pictures will be a memory I will always cherish. I already told my kids that we are doing a second line for their wedding when that day comes!!

Jackie looked so pretty in her grandma Pearl’s pearl tiara, what a sweet way to honor family with your “something old”! When she walked down the aisle to meet Ian at the alter he was visibly moved, it was such a perfect moment. After the ceremony we went back to North School Park for some photos, it was fun to be there and see friends taking pictures of their kids for homecoming!

When we arrived at The Metropolis Ballroom the space looked more gorgeous than ever thanks to the talented team at Eiffel Flowers. After some moving toasts we danced the night away to the AMAZING sounds of Standing Room Only, this band absolutely ROCKED! It was a day we will never forget.

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

To see all of Jackie and Ian’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

FLORIST
The Eiffel Flower

BRIDESMAID DRESSES
Birdy Grey

WEDDING BAND
Standing Room Only

WEDDING CAKE
Jarosch Bakery

WEDDING RINGS
Mitchell’s Jewelers

Liz Schrenk 7/22/22 Liz Schrenk 7/22/22

Liz & Mike’s Glamorous Morgan’s On Fulton Wedding

For Liz and Mike, Orlando is the spot where their friendship grew into a romance. In Orlando Liz and Mike developed a group of close-knit friends, but the two of them, using the guise of researching the local bar/cocktail scene, began a series of informal meetings that soon morphed into dates. The relationship magically continued to grow when just after 3 months of dating, Liz moved to Seattle and a distance of 3,000 miles separated them.

For the next year Mike and Liz managed to spend one weekend per month together. They enjoyed hiking through the northwest woods and exploring the cuisine (oysters) of Seattle. Liz would fly to Orlando for some needed sunshine and a chance to kayak and explore the beaches with Mike. After the year of red-eye flights, Liz moved to Chicago where Mike and she reveled in the one hour time difference.

After almost two years of a long-distance relationship, Mike moved to Chicago, purchased a down coat, and began to fall in love with the city and life as a Midwesterner again. Long-distance became a thing of the past and the two couldn't be happier to share time together again. Mike and Liz found endless adventure in the many neighborhoods of Chicago and can often be found biking to a new spot for a bite to eat or a sight to see.

On a snowy day in Humboldt Park, just two blocks from their condo, Liz and Mike affirmed their compatibility by becoming engaged in January 2021.

Then this is where we come in – I first met Liz and Mike in Humboldt Park for their engagement session last fall. We explored the area where Mike proposed before ending up at Parson’s for some adorable photos AND a delicious chicken dinner. I remember talking to Conrad afterwards trying to explain just how much I LOVED spending that time with Liz and Mike – they are down to earth, relatable, fun, and just SO in love, I was truly so excited to celebrate their wedding with them.

When the day finally arrived for Liz and Mike’s wedding, Conrad and I were so happy to be there alongside Liz and Mike’s closest friends and families to celebrate their love. Liz looked absolutely STUNNING in her chic Alice and Ivory gown. After she finished getting ready at the Emily Hotel, we met with Mike in the gorgeous alleyway behind Trivoli Tavern. Liz and Mike’s First Look was one for the ages – they both wiped away happy tears when they saw each other for the first time on their wedding day. From there their wedding day was a big happy blur – we did photos in the alleyway with their favorite people before heading to the river for some beautiful shots near the Wrigley Building.

After we finished with photos we settled in at Morgan’s on Fulton for the most beautiful and moving candlelit ceremony. Liz’s sister-in-law officiated the ceremony which ended with a joyful pop of champagne. At last Liz and Mike were husband and wife and danced the night away on the rooftop to the sounds of the Bluewater Kings Band. It was one of our favorite weddings ever, our only hope is that these photographs fully convey just how beautiful this day truly was.