Emily & Nick’s Intimate Concorde Banquets Wedding
Emily and Nick are OFFICIALLY our LAST Covid-couple! It’s worth noting because after years of re-schedules we are thrilled to say that we are now fully back to “normal” around here and so thankful! Emily and Nick were originally . . .
Emily and Nick are OFFICIALLY our LAST Covid-couple! It’s worth noting because after years of re-schedules we are thrilled to say that we are now fully back to “normal” around here and so thankful! Emily and Nick were originally supposed to get married in May of 2021, when the “shelter in place” hit the Spring before Emily called to let us know that they were going to hold off on their wedding until May of 2023. At the time we were certainly surprised that they would want to wait that long, but Emily’s foresight meant that they could have the wedding of their dreams without a worry about the pandemic.
As it turned out, good things come to those who wait. Emily and Nick’s wedding day was truly perfect, Christy and I were so thankful to be a part of it. And our friend Ashley was thrilled to be along as Emily and Nick’s day-of coordinator! Every detail at the gorgeous Concorde Banquets came together perfectly, we were especially in love with the stunning florals by our friends at Blooming Flowers. They always do such an amazing job, but the bouquets and arrangements for Emily and Nick’s wedding were particularly gorgeous!
Emily and Nick have such a sweet relationship, I don’t know if we have ever spent time with a groom who was so in love with his bride. Nick kept giving Emily so much affection and credit for every aspect of their wedding day, he even complimented her on choosing a wedding date with such gorgeous weather! These two are too cute together, it was a joy to be with them as they exchanged their emotional vows and became husband and wife! It was truly a perfect day that we won’t soon forget!
Congratulations, Emily and Nick, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY & DAY-OF COORDINATION
Something Blue
VENUE
Concorde Banquets
VIDEOGRAPHY
Furla Photography & Videography
FLORIST
Blooming Flowers
WEDDING CAKE & SWEETS
Bittersweet Pastry Shop
OFFICIANT
Forever Incredible Ceremonies
Susan and Zach’s Love is Essential Wedding
In the Spring of 2020 our world came crashing to a halt when the threat of Covid-19 forced us to shelter in place. As wedding vendors, we watched helplessly as countless couples rescheduled their weddings . . .
In the Spring of 2020 our world came crashing to a halt when the threat of Covid-19 forced us to shelter in place. As wedding vendors, we watched helplessly as countless couples rescheduled their weddings and wondered when we would get back to doing what we love. A wave of support for essential workers took hold of us and we desperately wanted to do SOMETHING to give back to those who were selflessly giving of themselves to our community.
Inspired by the Gratitude Project, Conrad and I had the idea to give a FREE wedding to two deserving essential workers. Knowing this idea would be an enormous undertaking we enlisted the help of some of our favorite “friendors” and called Jenny of JPB Designs Wedding & Event Planning and Ken of Amp Event Professionals. Jenny and Ken’s enthusiastic response to Love is Essential laid the groundwork for what would become an 18+ month project to plan the perfect wedding for two deserving essential workers.
We met every week over Zoom to plan this wedding, and as our vendor team grew so did the love and excitement we all shared. After an extensive search and application process we chose Susan and Zach to be our Love is Essential couple. Susan and Zach both work at James A Lovell Federal Health Care Center where they serve our veteran population. They were forced to reschedule their wedding twice because of Covid and had all but given up hope that they would ever have the wedding they dreamed of having.
As we got to know Susan and Zach we fell in love with their humility and loving kindness. We could not have possibly found a more deserving and wonderful couple to gift this wedding to. It was such a joy to plan their dream wedding with our incredibly talented and generous vendor team at the absolutely gorgeous Old Post Office. For all of the hard work and investment of time and resources we would do it all over again in a heartbeat. We only hope that our photos and videos do justice to the beautiful scope of Love is Essential.
Love is Essential was featured on WGN, click here to watch the segment!
Congratulations, Susan and Zach (and Shiloh!), we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
And to every single individual who worked to make this unforgettable wedding possible. thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are in awe of your talent and generosity and so grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside you on this project.
To see all of Susan and Zach’s gorgeous wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue
PLANNING + COORDINATION
JPB Designs
VENUE
The Old Post Office
FLORALS
Vale of Enna
CATERING
Blue Plate Chicago
CEREMONY BAND
J Livi & The Party
HAIR AND MAKEUP
Tricia Clarke
EVENT DECOR
Yanni Design Studio
LINENS
BBJ La Tavola
RENTALS
Tablescapes Chicago
INVITATIONS
Ink Love and Paper
STATIONERY
Simply Scripted Ink
CAKE
Defloured
DESSERTS
Vanille
BRIDAL DRESSER
The Wedding Dresser
BRIDES DRESS
The Altar
BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES
Anthropologie
MENSWEAR
Emanuele Tuxedo
Pam and John’s Long-Awaited Celebration
Pam and John were married last March in front of their parents at their church Aurora. It was a lovely intimate celebration of their love, it was an honor for us to be there along with their parents. But after patiently waiting for the pandemic to run it’s course…
Pam and John were married last March in front of their parents at Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Aurora. It was a lovely intimate celebration of their love, it was an honor for us to be there along with their parents (and other guests over Zoom!)
After patiently waiting for the pandemic to run it’s course, Pam and John were ready to PARTY with their guests. This March, Pam and John were finally able to fully celebrate their marriage along with their family and friends. It was SO worth the wait, we had the most wonderful time celebrating with everyone! We gathered together at Hoosier Grove Barn, a beautiful rustic space in Streamwood IL. Pam had chosen a new dress for the party, it was fun to photograph that dress while she finished getting ready with her bridesmaids. Pam and John’s first look was surprisingly so sweet and emotional (considering these two had already been married for a year!) We had the best time photographing these two and their loved ones, before the reception kicked off. After cutting their Nothing Bundt Cake and listening to emotional toasts in their honor Pam and John took to the dance floor and didn’t leave for the rest of the night. It was the perfect party, everyone had such an amazing time!!
Congratulations, Pam and John, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Pam and John’s beautiful wedding photos click here
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue
VENUE
Hoosier Grove Barn
HAIR AND MAKEUP
Tricia Clarke Bridal
FLORIST
Fabbrini Flowers
DONUTS
BB Baby Donuts
Taylor & Alex’s Gorgeous Chevy Chase Wedding Reception
Taylor and Alex originally planned to get married in August of 2020, but Covid had other plans for their lives. Not wanting to wait that long, Taylor and Alex exchanged their vows in an intimate ceremony last summer . . .
We were first introduced to Taylor and Alex by our good friend Ken from Amp Event Professionals. Taylor is Ken’s sister in law and has a heart of gold. Taylor and Alex originally planned to get married in August of 2020, but Covid had other plans for their lives. Not wanting to wait that long, Taylor and Alex exchanged their vows in an intimate ceremony last summer with their closest family and friends in attendance. It was one of my favorite Covid weddings, there was so much emotion and beauty in that courtyard ceremony at Taylor’s home church.
Ashley and I were so excited when it was finally time for Taylor and Alex to properly celebrate their marriage this October at Chevy Chase Country Club. It was unseasonably hot for October 1st and Taylor struggled a bit in the heat, but after we got her cooled down the rest of their day was really perfect. We loved celebrating with Taylor and Alex and their loved ones, and at the end of the night we toasted to their lives together with their adorable and delicious home-brewed beer! It was a perfect night with the perfect couple, we wish we could photograph Taylor and Alex every year!
Congratulations, Taylor and Alex, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Taylor and Alex’s beautiful wedding reception photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue Photography
Wedding Dress
Stella York
Hair
Every Kind of Beautiful in Lake Zurich Dawn McKee
Makeup
Every Kind of Beautiful in Lake Zurich Anna Milanzi
Bridesmaid Dresses
Wedding Shoes
Menswear
Men's Wearhouse
Florist
Blooming Flowers
Wedding Rings
Neil Lane
Desserts
Lovin Oven Cakery
Wedding Coordinator
Kimberly Merwin
Videographer
Tom Munaco
Sarah and Dean’s Long-Awaited Makray Wedding Reception
Sarah and Dean met at the University of Illinois (her parents and sister also fell in love at U of I, and, fun fact, I met my husband there too!) Their original wedding date was scheduled for 4/18/2020, making Sarah and Dean one of our first “Covid couples”. . .
Sarah and Dean met at the University of Illinois (her parents and sister also fell in love at U of I, and, fun fact, I met my husband there too!) Their original wedding date was scheduled for 4/18/2020, making Sarah and Dean one of our first “Covid couples.” In the end, When the Shelter in Place order was issued, Sarah and Dean moved their Spring ‘20 Makray Memorial Golf Club wedding to December – at the time we all assumed that we would be in the clear by then. Well, of course the pandemic had other plans for all of us. As things became more complicated Sarah and Dean decided to get married at Holy Family in Inverness and celebrate a very small micro wedding in her parents’ backyard. They then rescheduled their Makray reception for September 11, 2021.
After riding the emotional roller coaster of planning and replanning their wedding, Sarah and Dean were very ready to FINALLY celebrate with their friends and family this fall. We were happy to see Sarah and Dean (and their immediate families) again, and it was so great to finally meet all of their friends and family! Following a beautiful vow renewal ceremony at Holy Family we to Makray for pictures and their long-awaited celebration. There were plenty of nods to the U of I throughout the day – the navy bridesmaids’ dresses with orange sprinkled throughout their beautiful bouquets, an emotional rendition of the Alma Mater during dinner, and of course, masks with the U of I logo on them. It was a perfect day and one we won’t soon forget.
Congratulations, Sarah and Dean, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Sarah and Dean’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue
FLORIST
The Flower Studio
BRIDAL GOWN
Enchanting by Mon Cheri
BRIDAL GOWN BOUTIQUE
All About the Gown
WEDDING CAKE
Lovin Oven
BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES
David’s Bridal
Jaleesa and Josh’s Intimate Courthouse Celebration
We first met Jalessa and Josh at another Something Blue wedding earlier this summer, when Conrad got the call to meet these two at the courthouse to photograph their wedding he was thrilled…
We first met Jalessa and Josh at Michelle and Eric’s Marriott Lincolnshire wedding earlier this summer. When Conrad got the call to photograph this sweet couple at their intimate courthouse wedding in Sycamore, IL he was SO excited to celebrate with them! After a quiet but emotional ceremony in the courthouse Jaleesa and Josh met their friends outside for some pictures, it was really just the perfect morning!!
Cassidy & Brad’s Wedding Reception
Cassidy and Brad met online and went on their first date at Arlington Ale House. Last summer Cassidy and Brad got married in front of their closest family and friends at St. James in Arlington Heights. Conrad was there…
Cassidy and Brad met online and went on their first date at Arlington Ale House. Last summer Cassidy and Brad got married in front of their closest family and friends at St. James in Arlington Heights. Conrad was there to photograph their sweet backyard celebration in 2020 and was happy to see them again this year to be a part of their long-awaited celebration!
Cassidy wanted their 2021 event to be a relaxing celebration, they had patiently waited so long for the chance to party with their family and friends! After she got ready at home with Brad sweetly helping her, they loaded up onto a gorgeous white trolley with their wedding party and headed back to St. James. Cassidy and Brad renewed their vows and were able to take some mask-free photos at St. James before heading out to Recreation Park to capture pics of their wedding party in downtown Arlington Heights. Finally everyone made their way to The Metropolis Ballroom for a perfect wedding reception – it was the best day, a great reminder that good things come to those who wait!
Congratulations, Cassidy and Brad, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Cassidy and Brad’s vow renewal pictures, click here
VENDOR DETAILS:
Photography
Something Blue Photography
Wedding Dress
Bri’Zan Couture
Hair
Kimberly May
Makeup
Autumn Gammel
Bridesmaid Dresses
Azazie
Wedding Shoes
Kelly & Kate
Menswear
Mens Warehouse
Florist
Soukal Floral
Wedding Rings
Mike Gale, Gale Jewelers
Desserts
Oak Mill Bakery
Venue Coordinator
Shawna McGarry
Videographer
Bella Tiamo
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
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
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
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
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
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!!
Heather and Daniel’s Covid-Style Anniversary Session
Conrad and I were super bummed when we realized that we weren’t going to be shooting a wedding this New Year’s Eve. We have two weddings to look forward to on New Year’s Eve in 2021, but thought it would be really nice to end 2020 on a positive note by hanging out with one of our favorite couples. Heather and Daniel agreed to do a sweet New Year’s Eve anniversary session with us; we started by photographing a slice of life inside their beautiful home and ended with a quiet celebration at their wedding venue.
On New Year’s Eve 2019 we celebrated Heather and Daniel’s elegant wedding at The Metropolis Ballroom in downtown Arlington Heights. We had the most amazing time at their wedding, and as we rang in 2020 with confetti and sparklers we had NO idea what the coming year would look like.
As 2020 unfolded and Heather and Daniel enjoyed their first year of marriage together, life wasn’t quite what any of us expected it to look like. But watching Heather from afar on social media showed that her and Daniel still found ways to find fun even in quarantine. They went to outdoor restaurants, took a little trip or two, and always managed to look VERY in love along the way.
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
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.
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
Susan and Zach’s Love is Essential Engagement Session
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. It was so much fun getting to know them at their fall engagement session touring the city together on an adorable tandem bike!
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
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 in Cary, IL.
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
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
Sara and Pat’s Sweet and Simple Backyard Wedding
Sara and Pat hosted an intimate micro wedding in his parents’ backyard that was truly perfect - from their emotional first look to the surprise drive-by wedding parade through their cul-de-sac to a magical sparkler exit we loved being a part of this beautiful day!
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.
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