Jenna and AJ’s Happily Ever After
Jenna and AJ’s love story reads like a fairy tale. They are truly perfect together, a princess who found her prince in someone who shares her love of music. Jenna works at The Metropolis and met AJ through his Mom…
Jenna and AJ’s love story reads like a fairy tale. They are truly perfect together, a princess who found her prince in someone who shares her love of music. Jenna works at The Metropolis and met AJ through his Mom, once they connected there were instant sparks between them! They grew to love each other and on their two year anniversary AJ proposed to Jenna in New York City, her favorite place in the world.
As Jenna and AJ planned their wedding they imagined a beautiful storybook celebration. But when Covid descended and life became filled with uncertainty this sweet couple was forced to change their plans. Jenna and AJ chose to get married on their original wedding date and exchanged their vows in an intimate ceremony at Hey Nonny in front of their immediate families and closest friends. It was a perfect day. And this year, Jenna and AJ finally got their “happily ever after” when we all gathered together at Victoria in the Park for the most beautiful celebration. The atmosphere was so charged with love and joy we truly didn’t want it to end, from the first sparkly moments to the packed dance floor with our friend Ken from Amp Event Professionals we had such a wonderful time finally properly celebrating Jenna and AJ!
Congratulations, Jenna and AJ, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Jenna and AJ’s happily ever after photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue Photography
Videographer
Something Blue Photography
Venue
Victoria in the Park
Hair and Makeup
Rania and Silvana from Studiano's.
Bridesmaid Dresses
B2 by Jasmine Bridal
Wedding Shoes
Express
Menswear
Larr Brio
Florist
Budget Bride
Wedding Rings
Brilliant Earth
Caitlin & PJ’s Romantic Bolingbrook Country Club Wedding
Caitlin and PJ met with a little prompting from some mutual friends, PJ’s retelling of their love story is too sweet for us not to share:
“When I was running the gym, we had members who worked at the same school Caitlin did. I wasn't looking for a relationship at the time but they told me they had a girl for me…
Caitlin and PJ met with a little prompting from some mutual friends, PJ’s retelling of their love story is too sweet for us not to share:
“When I was running the gym, we had members who worked at the same school Caitlin did. I wasn't looking for a relationship at the time but they told me they had a girl for me. They described her and said she is a special ed teacher and cheerleading coach. I said, "absolutely not" because I had been to hundreds of cheerleading competitions from when my sister Jess cheered in high school so I knew a weird amount about competitive cheer. My family also has family members with diagnosis of autism and down syndrome whom we love unconditionally. I said "we would have too much to talk about and I know I'm going to like her." We connected and had our first date that upcoming weekend. As romantic as we are, we went to Chili's and when we sat down, she immediately put in her rewards code for free chips and salsa. Those who know Caitlin know she has a coupon for EVERYTHING. We couldn't stop talking and I'm not even sure if we ate. From that day on, we've been working together to be the best versions of ourselves and remind ourselves that "when I found you, I found me." One day I took her Dad, John, golfing on the 15th hole, I asked for his blessing to marry his daughter. I couldn't risk asking before we teed off in case he said no, well that would be an awkward 18 holes. He graciously gave me his blessing and I began planning right away. In July 2020, we came back from a family trip in Hilton Head and I invited both her immediate family and mine over for dinner. Caitlin's best friend Erin and sister-in-law Cassie helped me coordinate that she would dress nice and distract her enough to bring her to the front yard while we all snuck to the back. After 5 minutes but felt like an hour, we surprised her and I proposed surrounded by our loved ones. She did a happy dance as I fumbled through my speech and she said yes without hesitation.”
Last fall Conrad had the opportunity to get to know Caitlin and PJ a bit at their Cantigny engagement session. When the day came for Caitlin and PJ’s wedding at the beautiful Bolingbrook Country Club we were both so excited to celebrate with this awesome couple. Their day was really perfect – we loved Caitlin’s sweet first look with her Dad (where she loudly and hilariously told off some boneheads who drove their golf cart right through our photo opportunity). Their ceremony was filled with emotion (made even more powerful thanks to some next-level DJ expertise by our friend Ken of Amp Event Professionals). And while the weather was gloomy all day the sun cooperated and peeked out at the perfect time for some beautiful golden hour photos. We absolutely loved celebrating the love between Caitlin and PJ and wish these two a lifetime of happiness together.
Congratulations, Caitlin and PJ, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Caitlin and PJ’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDORS:
Photography
Something Blue Photography
Wedding Dress
Crystal Bride
Hair
Erika Romero
Makeup
Rose from Zano Salon
Bridesmaid Dresses
Azazie
Menswear
Black Tux
Floral
Floral Expressions
Cake / Desserts
Ciambella Bakery
Reception Coordinator
Nikilett Dieter
Katie & Matt’s Brix on the Fox Celebration
This summer we celebrated weddings in a whole new way. The pandemic shook up our routine of big celebrations and led us to pause and see weddings differently. Last summer Katie and Matt were forced to…
This summer we celebrated weddings in a whole new way. The pandemic shook up our routine of big celebrations and led us to pause and see weddings differently. Last summer Katie and Matt were forced to put their big wedding celebration on hold and instead exchanged their vows at their church in front of only their families. Conrad was on hand to photograph the intimate celebration (and to meet their puppy Freedom after the ceremony!)
Conrad and I were both so happy to be welcomed back this summer to document Katie and Matt’s big party. Ashley came along to help me shoot photos while Conrad captured video throughout the day. We convened at Brix on the Fox and honestly had the best time with Katie and Matt’s friends and family. The day was so relaxed and everyone was so eager to celebrate with this awesome couple! And while we didn’t get to hang with Freedom this summer we were happy to see that he was at least well-represented on Matt’s socks and koozie. It was the perfect day filled with beautiful details and joyful moments.
Congratulations, Katie and Matt, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Katie and Matt’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
Hannah and Andrew’s Marriott Lincolnshire Summer Wedding
Hannah and Andrew met on a birthright trip to Israel when they were only teens. They had instant chemistry and have been together ever since. Hannah was barefoot when she met Andrew (blame 18 year old logic thinking Crocs would make suitable hiking shoes)…
Hannah and Andrew met on a birthright trip to Israel when they were only teens. They had instant chemistry and have been together ever since. Hannah was barefoot when she met Andrew (blame 18 year old logic thinking Crocs would make suitable hiking shoes). On their wedding day Hannah was barefoot again, a sweet nod to when she first met her groom.
We met Hannah and Andrew at the Marriott Lincolnshire on a day that was threatening rain. Before the raindrops started to fall Hannah and Andrew sweetly saw each other for their first look. Hannah’s Dad had created a beautiful chuppah for his daughter’s ceremony, but as the rain started to fall the decision was made to move the cermeony inside. A team of family and friends worked to dismantle the beautiful chuppah to bring it inside the Marriott, and it was held up during the ceremony by several friends. After the moving ceremony Hannah and Andrew moved into the Lakeside Pavilion for their reception – there were so many sweet moments throughout the day, it was such a joy for us to be there!
Congratulations, Hannah and Andrew, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Hannah and Andrew’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue Photography
Wedding Dress
Martina Liana From Volle’s Bridal
Makeup
Viktoria Zarovsky (Beautoria)
Menswear:
Mr. Tux’s Formal Wear
Floral:
Mayfield Flowers
Wedding Rings:
James Allen
Wedding Cake
Lovin Oven Cakery
Ceremony Harpist/Violinist Duo
Michelle Campbell Harp
Videographer
Something Blue Videography
Colleen & Craig’s Christmas in July Chevy Chase Wedding
Colleen LOVES Christmas. She notoriously puts up her tree way earlier than anyone else, and she had always dreamed of having a Christmas wedding. She had planned the Christmas wedding of her dreams before Covid forced those plans to change…
Colleen LOVES Christmas. She notoriously puts up her tree way earlier than anyone else, and she had always dreamed of having a Christmas wedding. She had planned the Christmas wedding of her dreams before Covid forced those plans to change. Colleen’s dreams of snow and mistletoe were dashed when her and Craig had to move their Chevy Chase celebration to July of 2021.
In his love for Colleen, Craig suggested they plan a “Christmas in July” wedding. These two are both incredibly thoughtful, and their genuine love for their friends and family was on full display on their wedding day. Conrad and I were so happy to see so many familiar faces at Colleen and Craig’s wedding; we photographed Craig’s sister’s wedding a couple summers ago and it was so great to reconnect with them! Both of these families have so much love for each other, and everyone was so kind to us at Colleen and Craig’s wedding. One of our favorite moments was Colleen’s sweet first look with her Dad and brother, everyone was crying (including us!) when they first saw Colleen in her gorgeous wedding dress.
It was amazing to work with our dear “friendors” Ken and Ryan at this wedding – Ken of Amp Event Professionals is the hardest working and kindest DJ we know, it’s always amazing to watch him work his magic on the dance floor. And Ryan of RJO Photo is always a great partner and good for a ton of laughs when we get to work together! This was such a magical day filled with joy, love and so many beautiful moments. When it was time to say goodnight we mixed up a batch of fake snow to give Colleen her snow and mistletoe photos, it was the perfect ending to this unforgettable day.
Congratulations, Colleen and Craig, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Colleen and Craig’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue Photography
Videographer
RJO Photo
Wedding Dress
Morilee From Here Comes The Bride
Hair and Makeup
Jaycie Ganek
Bridesmaid Dresses
Azazie
Menswear
Calvin Klein
Floral
Fabbrinis’ Flowers
Jamie & Brent’s Makray Memorial and Top Golf Wedding
Jamie and Brent’s relationship has a steady foundation that withstood the test of Covid as they navigated planning and then replanning their wedding. We loved first getting to know this fun couple (and their adorable dog Stanley!)…
Jamie and Brent’s relationship has a steady foundation that withstood the test of Covid as they navigated planning and then replanning their wedding. We loved first getting to know this fun couple (and their adorable dog Stanley!) at their engagement session way back in 2019. Little did we know then what path their wedding planning would take.
When their wedding day finally arrived, the forecast called for storms ALL. DAY. We weren’t expecting to get any photos outside, but the heavens smiled down on Jamie and Brent and we managed to get lots of beautiful pictures at Makray Memorial Golf Club that day. One of our favorite moments was when Jamie surprised Brent by having their dog Stanley there, he was SO excited to see Mom and Dad and show off his little doggie tux!
Brent recently lost his father, and Jamie’s Dad passed away ten years ago this summer. They chose to honor their fathers in several beautiful ways on their wedding day, but the sweetest and most emotional was the two chairs marked as “reserved” with their Dads’ favorite football team’s logo in the front row at the ceremony.
As they replanned their wedding in light of the pandemic, Jamie and Brent chose to do their reception at Top Golf. We loved the decision to go somewhere FUN for their reception, and their guests had an amazing time! It was a beautiful and unforgettable day.
Congratulations, Jamie and Brent, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Jamie and Brent’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue Photography
Ceremony Venue
Makray Memorial Golf Club
Reception Venue
Top Golf
Wedding Dress
Brides By Young
Hair and Makeup
Beauty by Jaide
Bridesmaids Dresses
Davids Bridal
Menswear
Mens Warehouse
Floral
Town and Country Gardens Contact Name
Wedding Rings
Rogers and Holland
Wedding Cake
Cakes by Diony
Reception Coordinator
Valarie
Ashley and Rick’s Northfork Farm Wedding Reception
Ashley and Rick’s shared love of horses brought them together. When Rick’s profile popped up in her search because he’s 6’7” (she is 6 feet tall), she was able to look past his Cubs photos because he had a photo with a horse…
Ashley and Rick’s shared love of horses brought them together. When Rick’s profile popped up in her search because he’s 6’7” (she is 6 feet tall), she was able to look past his Cubs photos because he had a photo with a horse. Ashley’s childhood was filled with happy memories with horses, and she incorporates horseback riding into every vacation. After their first date, Rick offered Ashley a rose (Bachelor-style!) from his annual Kentucky Derby celebration. Turns out Rick had that photo with a horse in his profile because he loves horse racing. Ashley and Rick went on many dates that summer at Arlington International Racecourse. Their families met there and Rick asked her Dad about proposing at the racetrack.
Ashley and Rick planned their wedding for June 2020 at Arlington Racecourse, but Covid forced them down a different path. They got married on our original date at Immanuel Lutheran Church and streamed it to their guests. After doing their engagement photos at Northfork Farm in Oswego, they decided to plan a celebration for their family and friends at the beautiful venue.
When the day came for Ashley and Rick to celebrate at Northfork, it was HOT. Like “your wedding photographers are sweating profusely and it’s awkward” hot. But Ashley and Rick kept their cool and we had so much fun photographing them with their wedding party and family before the reception kicked off. Once we were inside the tent it was a joyful celebration (we were SO excited to run into Lauren and Pete and watch him bust out some SERIOUS dance moves!) And once the sun went down we headed outside for a beautiful sparkler sendoff with the gorgeous horse barn in the background. It was the most perfect day, a celebration that was truly worth the wait.
Congratulations, Ashley and Rick, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Ashley and Rick’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue
Wedding Coordinator
Emma Pasteris
Wedding Dress
Crystal Bride in Geneva, IL
Wedding Rings
Jared's
Flowers
Stephanie Pinkowski
Makeup Artist
Christy Swain Beauty
Hair
Jennifer Lenci Nowak
Bridesmaid Dresses
Sorella Vita from Crystal Bride
Wedding Shoes
Mischka Badgley
Menswear
Men's Wearhouse
Lauren and Ian’s Chevy Chase Summer Wedding
Lauren and Ian used to work together, but she didn’t see him as more than a coworker until she ran into him years later. Their paths crossed again at a friend’s birthday bar crawl, and Lauren won Ian over by buying him shots that night at the bar…
Lauren and Ian used to work together, but she didn’t see him as more than a coworker until she ran into him years later. Their paths crossed again at a friend’s birthday bar crawl, and Lauren won Ian over by buying him shots that night at the bar.
After that night Lauren and Ian were inseparable, and soon they were engaged. Conrad loved doing a fun Blackhawks engagement session for this sweet couple in the winter of 2019. Lauren and Ian’s path to their big wedding day was long and winding due to circumstances beyond their control. Covid pushed them to have an intimate wedding celebration last summer, which was one of our favorite backyard weddings of the pandemic. Their love for the Blackhawks was sweetly woven into the details last summer, and when we all gathered again in 2021 for their big celebration at Chevy Chase there were lots of fun Hawks details to go around.
Their big party was well worth the wait, we had the best time celebrating with Lauren and Ian’s family and friends. During their vow renewal, Ian (a man of few words) sweetly told his wife “I love you so much I would marry you twice.” And we love this couple so much, we would happily photograph them over and over again.
Congratulations Lauren and Ian, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Lauren and Ian’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue
Videography
Our Wedding Movie
Wedding Gown
Jenny Yoo From Brideside
Wedding Rings
Helzberg
Florist
JH Events and Flowers
Wedding Cake
Lovin Oven
Wedding Coordinator
Josh Nilsson
Wedding Shoes
Badgley Mischka
Menswear Designer
Men’s Wearhouse
Ashley and Ryan’s Magical Makray Wedding
Ashley and Ryan met over a decade ago, but they travelled a long and winding road to find themselves at the altar. While they ran in the same circles the timing was never quite right for them to start dating. They finally made things official in January 2018, and before long…
Ashley and Ryan met over a decade ago, but they travelled a long and winding road to find themselves at the altar. While they ran in the same circles the timing was never quite right for them to start dating. They finally made things official in January 2018, and before long these two knew they were meant to be together forever.
When Ashley and Ryan’s wedding day arrived, there was SO much positive and supportive energy surrounding this sweet couple. After Ashley slipped into her gorgeous Maggie Sottero gown we arranged a super cute reveal for her girls, they were all really happy and excited to see their gorgeous friend as a bride. Talk about the ultimate squad goals!
It was an unusually hot day for Ashley and Ryan’s June wedding, the complete opposite of their beautiful winter engagement session. Once it was just Ashley and Ryan together the two of them were calm, cool and collected. Ryan’s response to seeing Ashley was SO cute, he totally became the human mind-blown emoji! Our favorite part of the day was when we had those quiet moments with just the two of them, they are so in love and perfect together! After their ceremony their wedding party celebrated with a fun champagne toast, the best transition to the epic party they threw at Makray Memorial Golf Club.
Congratulations, Ashley and Ryan, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Ashley and Ryan’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue
Videography
Daniel Bragiel
Hair and Makeup
Deb Petrelli & Team
Wedding Gown
Maggie Sotero from The Crystal Bride
Florist
Fabbrini’s Flowers
Wedding Cake
Lovin Oven
Wedding Rings
Jared
Bridesmaid Dresses
David’s Bridal
Menswear
Calvin Klein
Live Band
DeJa Vu Band
Val and Brad’s Hotel Baker Family Affair
Val and Brad have been friends for a long time, and they found their friendship grew after they each navigated divorce after kids. They bonded and soon fell in love, but their amazing children also developed a beautiful connection with each other. As this family relationship grew stronger…
Val and Brad have been friends for a long time, and they found their friendship grew after they each navigated divorce after kids. They bonded and soon fell in love, but their amazing children also developed a beautiful connection with each other. As this family relationship grew stronger, Val’s daughters and Brad’s son REALLY wanted them to get married. Val and Brad’s kids were the driving force behind them deciding to get married, and they were SO excited when that day finally arrived.
Set against the charming backdrop of the Hotel Baker in St. Charles along the Fox River, Val and Brad’s wedding day was nothing short of perfect. Our friend Elyse of Two Sisters Events served as day-of coordinator to make sure everything went smoothly and created the most GORGEOUS bouquets and arrangements for the wedding. Val looked absolutely STUNNING in her form-fitting gown from Crystal Bride. It was such a sweet moment when her daughters helped her into her wedding dress!
Congratulations, Val and Brad, we wish you and your beautiful family a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Val and Brad’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
VENUE
Hotel Baker
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue
FLORALS & DAY-OF COORDINATION
Two Sisters Events
Amanda and Zach’s Intimate Backyard Wedding
Amanda and Zach always wanted to have a small, intimate backyard wedding. When so many couples were forced to go in that direction because of Covid, these two embraced the opportunity to plan the wedding of their dreams…
Amanda and Zach always wanted to have a small, intimate backyard wedding. When so many couples were forced to go in that direction because of Covid, these two embraced the opportunity to plan the wedding of their dreams. Zach is a firefighter and Amanda is a nurse, celebrating these two essential workers like this was so perfect. They invited only their closest family and friends, and Conrad got to go along to photograph this beautiful day (his friend’s Mom is the groom’s Aunt and officiated the ceremony).
Zach’s Mom helped pull together all of the pretty details to transform Zach and Amanda’s backyard for their wedding day. Their yard was the perfect backdrop for their joyful ceremony, once Amanda and Zach were declared husband and wife there was a lot of clapping and hugging to go around!
After some photos and a champagne toast, Zach pulled his motorcycle into the backyard for photos (another perk of getting married at home!) From their yard Conrad took them to downtown Bloomingdale for some golden-hour portraits against the town’s quaint backdrop before they headed back for a relaxing dinner. It was the perfect day for this amazing couple!
Congratulations, Amanda and Zach, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Amanda and Zach’s beautiful backyard wedding photos, click here
Brittany and Eric’s Beautiful Mistwood Golf Club Wedding
Brittany and Eric met in high school and have been inseparable ever since. They welcomed their adorable son Joe in 2019 and worked to plan their beautiful Mistwood Golf Club wedding all while raising a baby during the pandemic.
Brittany and Eric met in high school and have been inseparable ever since. They welcomed their adorable son Joe in 2019 and worked to plan their beautiful Mistwood Golf Club wedding all while raising a baby during the pandemic.
When the big day finally arrived, Brittany was so peaceful and beautiful as she got ready with her squad of supportive family and girlfriends. Brittany rocked Converse along with her gorgeous ivory lace Essense of Australia gown, we love a bride who prioritizes comfort for a long wedding day!!
After we arrived at Mistwood in Romeoville, Brittany and Eric shared a sweet First Look just outside the club. Little Joe came along to see his Mommy and Daddy all dressed up, it was the most adorable moment! We had the best time celebrating this amazing family along with all of their guests!
Congratulations, Brittany and Eric, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Brittany and Eric’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY // VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue
WEDDING FLOWERS
Floral Events
WEDDING GOWN
Essense of Australia
BRIDAL SHOES
Converse
WEDDING CAKE
Creative Cakes
MENSWEAR
Calvin Klein
Liz and Erik’s Emotional Metropolis Ballroom Wedding
Liz and Erik live in Kansas but made plans to get married at the Metropolis Ballroom in Arlington Heights so that they could accommodate Liz’s Mom who was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. The pandemic forced Liz and Erik to change and rearrange their plans…
Liz and Erik live in Kansas but made plans to get married at the Metropolis Ballroom in Arlington Heights so that they could accommodate Liz’s Mom who was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. The pandemic forced Liz and Erik to change and rearrange their plans, moving their wedding date from May 1, 2020 to July 10, 2020 before finally landing on May 1, 2021. Sadly, Liz’s mom passed away from complications due to her MS last fall, but her presence was powerfully felt throughout this emotional wedding day.
When we arrived at the Metropolis, Liz was finishing hair and makeup as her sisters and future sister in law looked on. Conrad and I took photos of her dress and invitation but paused to ask about the yarn wrapped around her bouquet and Erik’s boutonnière. That pretty blue yarn was from Liz’s mom’s collection, and it was wrapped tightly around Liz and Erik’s personal flowers as a reminder that she was there with them on their wedding day. There were SO many tears on this beautiful day, tears of joy mixed with grief as we celebrated this wonderful couple.
Congratulations, Liz and Erik, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Liz and Erik’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR TEAM
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue
FLORIST
Apple Creek Flowers
WEDDING CAKE
Oak Mill Bakery
HAIR AND MAKEUP
Blush and Braids Beauty Bar
WEDDING GOWN
Stephanie’s Bridal Boutique
BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES
David’s Bridal
GROOMS’ SUIT
Joseph Abboud
WEDDING RINGS
Valina
Anna and Zach’s Romantic Spring Wedding
Over the last year we have celebrated weddings on a more intimate scale than we once did. Covid forced brides and grooms to scale back and rethink their original celebrations, and as wedding photographers and videographers we had to change gears along with our couples.
Over the last year we have celebrated weddings on a more intimate scale than we once did. Covid forced brides and grooms to scale back and rethink their original celebrations, and as wedding photographers and videographers we had to change gears along with our couples. We first met Anna and Zach over Zoom (something I had never heard of in the early part of 2020) and were excited for the opportunity to celebrate their wedding in April 2021.
When Anna and Zach’s big day arrived, we were excited to see a big wedding party ready to celebrate this sweet couple. Their day was filled with memorable moments, but our favorites took place during their beautiful ceremony at St. Celestine church. Zach tried not once but TWICE to kiss his bride at the wrong moment during the ceremony, it was such a funny and sweet testament to how much he loves Anna. When the time finally came for them to kiss and they were pronounced husband and wife then the party began!!
After the ceremony Anna and Zach joined their wedding party for photos at the Monument Park in Rosemont for photos before we settled in at Allegra for a night of celebrating. Our good friend Ken of Amp Event Professionals created the perfect atmosphere for Anna and Zach’s wedding by going above and beyond (like he always does!) and surprised them with an amazing video tribute from their friends and family who couldn’t attend the reception. Then during the first dances Ken had prepared amazing audio of Anna and Zach talking about the love they have each other and their parents. It was really beautiful to watch everyone become so emotional during these special dances!
Congratulations, Anna and Zach, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY // VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue
DJ // PHOTO BOOTH
Amp Event Professionals
VENUE
Allegra Banquets
WEDDING DRESS
Reddington Bridal
FLORIST
Quashtoff’s Flowers
JEWELER
Oak Park Jewelers
Something YOU – Liz
I have known Liz since high school, but through Something Blue I have gotten to know her better as we know both gracefully slide into our forties. Liz sent me a message a few days before our spring Something You event asking if she could join us…
I have known Liz since high school, but through Something Blue I have gotten to know her better as we know both gracefully slide into our forties. Liz sent me a message a few days before our spring Something You event asking if she could join us – I was thrilled to hear from her and even happier to have the opportunity to reconnect at this session! While Elisa worked her magic pampering Liz, I loved being able to hear about her adventures abroad and the ways she has grown over the last few years. Liz, you inspired me that morning to be more confident, to take ownership and move forward with courage. Christy took some gorgeous photos of Liz that day, these are just a few of our favorites.
We hope to see you again soon, Liz, thank you for joining us at the studio for this Something You session!
Something YOU – Bravely Facing Cancer and Chemo Head-On
We first met Julie’s family at a sweet snowy session earlier this year. After sharing some of Nancy’s bad-ass wig-free photos on social media, Julie reached out asking if she could come to the studio for a special Something You session. Julie told us she had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, and that the chemotherapy treatments were causing her hair to fall out in clumps. It was time to shave her head, and seeing Nancy’s bold photos inspired Julie to have her head shaved at our studio. She bravely wanted have photographs of this incredibly difficult moment.
When Julie arrived with her family and sister, she was visibly and understandably tense. As a mother, she worried about what her daughters would think watching their Mom lose her hair. The lovely and talented Elisa did Julie’s makeup before we began, That time when a client is being pampered at our studio is usually joyful, but this time, the mood felt heavy. We all felt Julie’s grief and pain, and as we inched closer to the time to shave her head there were a lot of tears shed in that space.
We invited our friend and neighbor Denise to come to this session to shave Julie’s head. Denise is a cancer survivor, and having been down this road herself she brought wisdom and empathy and JOY to the studio when she arrived. She was an angel guiding Julie down a very difficult path.
After Julie’s sister braided a small section of Julie’s hair to keep, Denise started cutting off her auburn locks. We were all crying in that moment. But Julie bravely pushed forward, holding her daughters close as she showed them the true definition of courage. Once Denise got through most of her hair, Julie’s husband Kenny sweetly stepped in to finish cleaning up his wife’s head. He tenderly encouraged her throughout the morning, but watching him use the clippers on Julie was one of the most beautifully romantic things we have ever seen.
When it was over, Julie looked at herself in the mirror and her face lit up. She exclaimed, “I look like a badass!” And she really did. A badass who bravely faced into her fears in a very public way. A badass who modeled strength and courage for her daughters. A badass who will continue to fight no matter what. It was an incredibly honor to witness this transformation.
We love you, Julie, and we are cheering you on in this battle. Thank you for sharing this incredibly powerful moment with us.
To see all of Julie’s head shave photos, click here
Danielle and Eddie’s High School Romance Engagement Session
Danielle and Eddie met at Hersey High School – granted, she was older – but as their paths continued to cross through athletics and mutual friends they grew closer together. They started dating in college and the rest is history, now they are excitedly planning to get married in May of 2022.
Danielle and Eddie met at Hersey High School – granted, she was older – but as their paths continued to cross through athletics and mutual friends they grew closer together. They started dating in college and the rest is history, now they are excitedly planning to get married in May of 2022. They both ran track (and Eddie played football) and thought it would be sweet to do some of their engagement session at the field at Hersey. We met their former coach there who hugged them before unlocking the gates for us so that we could explore together. From the very first photo Danielle and Eddie had each other laughing (and me too!), these two are absolutely perfect together! Scroll through these cute shots to find my favorite – I told them to walk and act like they were helping each other home after a night at the bars and Eddie got REAL dramatic on me!! I am laughing still looking back on this sweet session!
After wrapping at Hersey we drove south to Busse Woods where Danielle and Eddie (very quickly!) changed outfits before we did some more romantic photos near the water. Honestly, by the end of this session my face hurt from smiling so much, I absolutely LOVE these two and can’t wait to celebrate their wedding next year!!
Thank you, Danielle and Eddie, for being such great sports and keeping me laughing throughout your entire engagement session. I can’t wait to celebrate your wedding with you next year!!
To see all of Danielle and Eddie’s sweet engagement photos, click here
Something YOU – Nancy’s Warrior Session
Nancy was diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer last year – she underwent an 11 hour surgery to remove most of the cancer before starting chemotherapy in November. She is one of Christy’s closest friends, and Christy wanted to honor Nancy with this Something You session.
When we first envisioned our Something YOU sessions, we wanted to create a portrait experience that would empower women and help them feel beautiful regardless of their circumstances. It has been such a joy doing these sessions for a wide variety of women, women who all inspire us in different ways. This session was honestly one of the most inspiring and beautiful moments I have ever experienced as a photographer. Christy invited her amazing friend Nancy to join us at the studio, and it was an unforgettable morning.
Nancy was diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer last year – she underwent an 11 hour surgery to remove most of the cancer before starting chemotherapy in November. She is one of Christy’s closest friends, and Christy wanted to honor Nancy with this Something You session. She wasn’t sure if her friend would be up for doing something like this, after all it requires a ton of courage and vulnerability to get your photo taken ANY time, but at this particular time in her life Nancy was facing so much uncertainty.
With the help of the incredibly talented Elisa of Elisa Artistry, Nancy was pampered as she mentally prepared for her session. Christy is amazing at making everyone feel comfortable, and once she started shooting Nancy really began to open up and show her amazing personality. The narrative arc of these photos is so stunning to me; she started the session reserved and unsure of herself, and before long was owning every pose and absolutely KILLING it. She absolutely rocked both of her glamorous wigs (which her dear friend and cheerleader Stacy helped her fix and style throughout the shoot). One of our favorite moments was when Nancy started flicking off the camera while wearing the cancer awareness shirts that her incredible friends had made for her.
After Christy captured tons of gorgeous shots of Nancy in her wigs, we asked if she would feel comfortable taking off her wig for some photographs. Nancy bravely agreed, and we all cried along with her as she exposed her bald head. Her strength, courage and vulnerability is amazing, we are in awe of this beautiful woman.
The Monday after this session Nancy went to her doctor for a scan. The scan came back clear, meaning she is now showing no evidence of disease!! What awesome news to celebrate!
Thank you, Nancy, for being so amazing and sharing your story and journey with us. It was an honor to take these photographs for you.
To see all of Nancy’s Something You photos, click here
Something YOU – Donna Marie’s Warrior Session
Two weeks after she was released from the hospital, my dear friend Donna Marie agreed to come to our studio for a Something You session. From these photos you would never know that DM is someone who has fought many long and scary battles for her health…
Two weeks after she was released from the hospital, my dear friend Donna Marie agreed to come to our studio for a Something You session. From these photos you would never know that DM is someone who has fought many long and scary battles for her health. Over the past year DM experienced recurrent concussions and spent many long days recovering - time spent away from screens, in her room with the shades drawn, waiting for her brain to recover and hoping for life to go back to “normal.” But the nature of chronic concussions is unforgiving and unrelenting, and Donna Marie has lost a lot over the last year. Then early in March complications from a uterine disease Adenomyosis and a bad reaction to medication left DM hospitalized with blood clots in her legs and lungs. Told she could die from the clots, told she could die from bleeding from the fibroids. This woman is a F I G H T E R, fierce in every sense of the word and an inspiration to SO many. I was so happy when she agreed to come honor the strength and beauty of her body by doing these photos, and of course she simply SLAYED her session!
Donna Marie brought her amazing bestie Tajali along for moral support (or I should say, Taj drove DM because she’s an absolute gem and has been supporting DM through her ongoing crisis). Once DM finished with her sexy modeling moments Taj and I hopped in for a few quick pictures. But the palpable power of celebrating Donna Marie’s life and strength got the better of all of us and we ended the session in tears. What a beautiful thing it is when women empower women.
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!!