Ice Castles Dream Engagement Session

Winter engagement sessions are some of our favorites. While we really don’t love being cold, we do love snowy ethereal landscapes and find they can be the perfect backdrop for true love. I have always wanted to photograph a couple at Ice Castles in Lake Geneva, and was thrilled to have the opportunity this January. Conrad and I met Sarah and Hung at the Geneva National Resort for this dreamy engagement session, and it was such a perfect afternoon. As we marveled at the ice formations together Hung could not keep his eyes off his beautiful fiancé, Sarah looked absolutely radiant in her stunning red Betsy and Adam gown. Together these two helped us make the most gorgeous photos and video, we loved having this opportunity!!

Sweet Snowy Session with the Weathers Family

This is a quiet time of year for us here at Something Blue. Photographer life has been even more quiet than usual as the pandemic wears on, but we are so thankful for the opportunities we have had to check in on our Something Blue families. We met the sweet Weathers family through our friend April (look for a blog post about her coming soon!) and Christy just LOVED spending a snowy afternoon with them for some updated family photos!! Ashleigh did an AMAZING job styling everyone (on short notice, no less!) and the kids braved the cold and showed off their smiles to earn pizza after they finished!! We love how these photos turned out and can’t wait to see this beautiful family again soon (hopefully in warmer weather!)

A Celebration of Life, Love and Rainbows –Kate’s Maternity Session

When we hear the good news that one of our Something Blue brides is expecting, we celebrate together by sending a little flurry of excited texts to each other. Inherent in this job is an ongoing celebration of love in the unfolding beauty of life. I first heard that Kate was expecting on Facebook, and when she reached out to schedule two maternity sessions I was humbled and honored and just SO excited! We have such beautiful memories of celebrating Kate and Adam’s wedding downtown at Hotel Allegro, a day that may well have been remembered as our rainiest wedding ever but yet was still unforgettably gorgeous. Because we found beauty in the rain, and at the end of the day we were able to reflect on that beauty and continue to celebrate LOVE. The only thing that matters.

As Kate and I worked together to schedule her sessions, I realized that she was expecting a rainbow baby. After experiencing the loss of her first child (a grief that I also navigated before my first was born), Kate wanted to properly celebrate this pregnancy. We did so in grand style – a studio session that started with our stunning new blush Odette dress against our freshly painted white walls. Kate was pampered by the talented Elisa before her session, and while her hair and makeup looked amazing it was her inner beauty, joy and connection with this new life that truly made these photographs so gorgeous.

As Kate told us the heartbreaking story of losing her first, she excitedly pulled out these stunning rainbow heels to celebrate this pregnancy. We were all truly impressed at how easily she transitioned from one pair of killer heels to the next!

Kate came prepared with a suitcase full of accessories and shoes to her studio session, but the best shoes she brought along were definitely these adorable cream floral baby booties!

Kate had one last request as her studio session drew to a close – she wanted to do some sexy shots in her amazing black boots, covered up only by a trench coat. This was such a fun way to end her session, what an amazing day!!

The next day, I met Kate and her husband Adam in the city for a couples’ maternity session. While the temperatures lingered below freezing we took a quick tour around the Riverwalk together. Adam was a trooper in the cold! It was wonderful to reconnect with both of them and get some sweet photos of this time in their lives together. The winter light was absolutely gorgeous near the river, it was a magical morning.

On her wedding day, Kate ROCKED a gorgeous dark blue velvet cape that she borrowed from her Aunt. It was so special that Kate brought the cape downtown again for her engagement session! Adam said she looked like Little Red Riding Hood, but Kate really does know how to work a cape (in heels while 30 weeks pregnant!!)

Thank you, Kate, for inviting us to share in another beautiful celebration of love in your life. We can’t wait to hear the good news of your baby girl’s safe arrival this spring!!

Welcoming Baby Lucas’ to our Something Blue Family

We talk a lot about family around here, because through thick and thin nothing matters more. When Christy joined our Something Blue family in 2019 we were thankful and excited to have another talented photographer on our team. But what we didn’t realize then was that she would become such an integral part of our family. She continuously challenges herself to grow as an artist, and in doing so inspires all of us to do the same.

Christy’s sister Joanna welcomed her second son in December, and Christy took SO many gorgeous photographs of this handsome baby boy. It was inspiring to see Christy work so hard to not only give her sister (who looks JUST like her!) a beautiful gallery but to improve as a newborn photographer at the same time. With her new nephew as a model Christy tried out poses, props and lighting set-ups that will serve her (and our Something Blue families!) so well in the New Year. Each picture from Lucas’ gallery is so beautiful, I can’t wait to hear which ones Joanna chooses to print and frame for her home.

We love this baby boy (and his incredibly talented Aunt!) and can’t wait to watch him grow!!

To see all of Baby Lucas’ newborn photos, click here

Heather and Daniel’s Covid-Style Anniversary Session

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.

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. While it wasn’t the epic New Year’s celebration we are used to, it was still a perfect way to quietly celebrate the love these two share.

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!!

Thank you for ringing in the New Year with us, Heather and Daniel!! Here’s hoping that 2021 brings you much love and many more adventures together!

To see Heather and Daniel’s New Year’s Eve wedding photos, click here

Tessa and Piotr’s Loyola Engagement Session

Tessa and Piotr met their first week at Loyola University and have been inseparable since. They both lived at the Simpson Center and fell in love while studying – she became a teacher and he is now in his residency. I was so happy to meet these two at the place where they fell in love for their engagement session. It’s always so beautiful to take engagement photos at a location that means something to a couple – I love imagining that someday they can show their grandchildren these photos and retell their love story through them. We had such a lovely time exploring Loyola’s campus together before heading to Lincoln Park for more photos. Tessa and Piotr are a wonderful couple and I can’t wait to celebrate their wedding with them this summer!!

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

Vintage VW Bus Family Mini Sessions

If you have visited our studio in Scarsdale, you know that we are business neighbors with ProCoat, a home painting and deck restoration company. We love working next door to ProCoat, Dave and his team are all so friendly! It’s good to have good neighbors : ) Dave’s assistant Mary is married to Jeff, a local vintage car enthusiast who has THE cutest vintage red VW bus. We were thrilled this year to offer festive VW Bus mini sessions for our Something Blue family VIPs, Jeff’s bus made the most picturesque backdrop!! And we were so thankful to our host families for letting us camp out in their beautiful yards during these long days of shooting!

We spread out the holiday magic over three days, Lindsay and Christy were absolute rockstars styling the bus, working with the unpredictable weather, and photographing THIRTY-FIVE of our favorite Something Blue families!! These photographs put us all in the holiday spirit, we wish all of our Something Blue families a happy and healthy holiday season!

Susan and Zach’s Love is Essential Engagement Session

Susan and Zach applied for Love is Essential after hearing about it from a family friend. They didn’t think it was legit at first, and I suppose that makes sense. In what has been a negative and heavy year it does seem unlikely that something like this could be possible. Love is Essential is an act of radical generosity to gift a FREE wedding to a deserving couple, to two essential workers who are serving our community and had to put their plans on hold during the pandemic. We fell in love with Susan and Zach from their application video and Zoom interview and we knew they were our perfect Love is Essential couple. Susan and Zach both serve our community, veterans and the homeless population at James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago. We surprised them with the big news at their sweet new home and then continued the surprise at her sister’s with their closest family for the “engagement party they couldn’t have.” We love this couple and are so excited to share their story with you as we plan their dream wedding!

The last weekend of October we scheduled an engagement session with Susan and Zach. It was THE most fun day, a chance for us to get to know each other better while exploring their favorite spots in the city. Our amazing planner Jenny of JPB Designs arranged for us to use a tandem bike from the cool guys at Bobby’s Bike Hike for a day of adventure and romance. Conrad and I met Susan and Zach at one of their favorite coffee shops, Ipsento 606. It was a beautiful fall day and these two had so much fun learning to ride the tandem bike together, an adorable visual for any relationship.

After some fun at the 606 we quickly stopped on the rooftop at the Robey to take in the amazing city views. From there we headed to the lakefront where Susan and Zach seemed to really hit their stride with the tandem bike, and soon they were talking about wanting to get one for themselves!!

After dark we met back up with Susan and Zach at Metro Chicago, the venue where they got engaged last year at a Kishi Bashi concert. We loved ending their romantic day in the city in front of Metro, reminiscing about that romantic night when they got engaged and dreaming of the day when they will celebrate their wedding in the heart of our beautiful city.

Susan and Zach, we love you and are SO excited for your wedding in 2022! We can’t wait to get to know you better as we continue to plan your dream wedding through Love is Essential!!!

To see all of Susan and Zach’s adorable engagement 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

Baby Bode’s Beautiful Lifestyle Newborn Session

Lindsay first met the Phillippi family for their daughter Frankie’s 1 birthday session, an adorable fall shoot at one of our favorite locations, Volkening Heritage Farm.

We were so excited when they announced they were expecting a little boy in 2020! Over the summer Lindsay ran into Holly at a play date at North School Park, it was so fun to catch up with her and hear how her pregnancy was going!

The Phillippi family lives near downtown AH and have completely remodeled their 1920’s bungalow into the most gorgeous home. Holly sent Lindsay a photo of the front porch asking if they could do a few photos on it and she thought it looked like it was straight out of a magazine!

Holly hoped for for candid and authentic images that she could later look back on to see how little her babies were and how helpful Frankie was. Bode was an amazing baby and slept through most of the session. Frankie was full of energy and adorable. Joe was helpful in keeping Frankie occupied while Bode was nursing or being changed. We love this family and it was such a joy to photograph them at home, they are truly gorgeous inside and out.

Thank you for the opportunity to take these photos, Holly, we love your family and look forward to watching your babies grow in the years to come!

To see all of Baby Bode’s sweet lifestyle newborn 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

Meredith and Okoye’s Lincoln Park Fall Engagement Session

I first met Meredith and Okoye at her friend Catherine’s wedding years ago. I remember snapping this picture during the cocktail hour and telling them that I wanted to shoot their wedding one day!! Because, COME ON, HOW ADORABLE ARE THESE TWO?!

Fast-forward a year later and we needed to find two beautiful people to model for a styled shoot we were putting together in honor of Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding. Meredith and Okoye generously came and modeled for us and our dream team of vendors for this gorgeous Royal Tea Party styled shoot at Room 1520. And we all officially fell in love with Meredith and Okoye that day, these two are just the kindest most generous people and so truly in love with one another. I remember when Meredith came out in the beautiful tea-length dress that Concetta of Cettina Bridal and Okoye became emotional seeing her as a bride. He told me later that he was glad that the “look” of this styled shoot was so different from their personal style and that it didn’t spoil the idea of what Meredith would look like on their real wedding day. SWOON . . .

Fast-forward another couple of years and Okoye FINALLY popped the question to Meredith in July and I squealed with excitement when I saw the news on social media. I was even happier when Meredith reached out and they asked if we would photograph their wedding on New Year’s Eve next year, what a truly bright spot for me in this otherwise difficult year!

I met Meredith and Okoye at the Lincoln Park Nature Conservatory for their engagement photos at the end of October. It was a perfect fall day, and we had so much fun together exploring the boardwalk and taking these beautiful pictures. I truly can’t wait to be there when these two exchange their vows and become husband and wife, it will have been SO worth the wait!!

Congratulations, Meredith and Okoye, I am so honored to be a part of your love story and can’t wait to celebrate your wedding next New Year’s Eve!!

To see all of Meredith and Okoye’s gorgeous engagement 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

Nada and Rami’s Romantic Lincoln Park Proposal

We first got a call at the studio from Rami’s cousin, she was helping him plan the PERFECT surprise proposal for his girlfriend, Nada. From that first conversation with his sweet cousin to the moment he dropped to one knee we had butterflies for this beautiful couple! Rami worked SO hard to make sure every detail was perfect before proposing to his gorgeous girlfriend. He enlisted friends from work to set up a romantic boho-backdrop overlooking the water and skyline at the Lincoln Park Nature Conservatory. While his coworkers scrambled to set the stunning scene, Rami and Nada walked the boardwalk hand in hand and saw several other couples get engaged. Nada wondered to herself if Rami might be ready to ask too, but figured that their moment had not yet come.

As the sun started to set and his squad put the finishing touches on the vignette, Rami asked Nada if she wanted to take a selfie by the pretty backdrop. In that moment he dropped to one knee and asked the love of his life to be his wife. It was a happy blur of tears and laughter and hugs, and in the chaos Rami mistakenly slid the gorgeous solitaire by European Jewelry Inc. onto Nada’s right hand instead of her left. Of course she said yes and was completely blown away by her new fiancé’s thoughtfulness in pulling off the perfect surprise. They could not stop smiling as they popped open a bottle of champagne, high-fived his coworkers and snuggled together against their beautiful backdrop. It was just magical, the most romantic proposal, Conrad and I were completely honored and overjoyed to be there to witness this new chapter in Nada and Rami’s life together. We can’t wait to follow their love story as they now excitedly plan to become husband and wife!!

Congratulations, Nada and Rami, and thank you for letting us be a part of this unforgettable moment!! We wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Nada and Rami’s romantic proposal pictures, 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

Sara and Pat’s Sweet and Simple Backyard Wedding

Sara and Pat chose to turn their large wedding plans into a sweet and simple celebration in his parents’ backyard. Over the summer they bought their first home together across the street, so celebrating their wedding in the same cul-de-sac made perfect sense. They only invited immediate family and their closest friends, and it was truly the most perfect and beautiful day.

Sara looked radiant as she got ready along with her bridesmaids at her sister-in-law’s beautiful home. When we arrived at Pat’s mom’s house he was anxious for his first look with Sara, and they were both surprised to see him cry when he saw his bride. It was a rainy afternoon but we managed to squeeze in some beautiful bridal portraits before their ceremony. Under the little white tent, Sara and Pat exchanged vows in the most emotional and beautiful ceremony officiated by the amazing Melissa Wall. Melissa filled the ceremony with personal stories and meaningful moments, we all thought that she was close friends with Sara and Pat, I would absolutely recommend her to ANYONE looking for a caring officiant!

After the ceremony ended we heard honking coming from the street, when we ran to the front of the house we saw dozens of cars parading by to wish Sara and Pat well on their wedding day!! Joyful Covid parades have to be one of the best things to come out of 2020, right?! It was so sweet to see their friends and family drive by with signs, balloons and cards all while honking and cheering for the newlyweds.

Congratulations, Sara and Pat, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Sara and Pat’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

Caitlin and Griffin’s Moving Makray Wedding

Caitlin and Griffin planned their dream wedding at Makray Memorial Golf Club well before the craziness of 2020 settled in. As their wedding day drew closer they knew they would have to limit their guest list to 50 people to stay within the acceptable range of events held in Illinois. Being both very laid back and chill people, Caitlin and Griffin were able to scale back their celebration but still have a wedding that was completely centered on the love they share.

Choosing to follow tradition Caitlin and Griffin waited until their ceremony to see each other. But Caitlin did get in a sweet moment with her Dad when he saw his little girl for the first time as a bride. It was so moving when they saw each other, and just as sweet then when Caitlin’s Dad walked her down the long aisle to Griffin. After their emotional ceremony Caitlin and Griffin let loose toasting a beer together before heading out on the golf course for photos with just the two of them. They loved that time they had together, just exploring and being present in the first moments after they officially became husband and wife. This was a beautiful day that we were so thankful to be a part of.

Congratulations, Caitlin and Griffin, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Caitlin and Griffin’s beautiful wedding photos, click here