Posts tagged "wedding"

  • September 20, 2016

    Just a few photos from Kerry & Jimmy’s unforgettable beach wedding in St. Joseph, MI. What an amazing experience, and what a wonderful group of family and friends!

  • August 07, 2016

    A few photos from Sara & Ed’s elegant backyard wedding in Chicago, IL. These two really know how to throw a party!

  • July 28, 2016

    A few photos from Katie & Frantz’s gorgeous wedding in Chicago, IL this past weekend. What an amazing couple, and I simply cannot wait to share more!

  • August 02, 2014

    Lauren & Brad were married at St. Catherine of Siena in Portage, MI on July 12, 2014, and celebrated at Cityscape Events at the City Centre in downtown Kalamazoo.

    The girls started off the day getting ready at Lauren’s parents’ house, which has a beautifully-landscaped backyard and pool — perfect for our pre-ceremony bridal portraits. St. Catherine of Siena, their church and the ceremony location, was just around the corner. After their ceremony, the wedding party boarded a party bus, to travel to the reception in style. And what a reception it was, taking over the gorgeous Cityscape Events at the City Centre in downtown Kalamazoo. Following a cocktail hour, the night kicked off with toasts, dancing, live music, and a special song written and performed by Brad’s father. Lauren & Brad certainly did it up right!

    What a perfect day, and what a truly wonderful couple. Congratulations to you both!!!

    Continue reading "Wedding: Lauren & Brad"...
  • July 21, 2014

    Here are just a few photos from Lauren & Brad’s beautiful wedding in Kalamazoo, MI on July 12. I’m so happy to be able to share these, and can’t wait for the rest. Thank you, Lauren and Brad — it was such an honor to be a part of your special weekend! Congrats!!!

  • July 02, 2014

    While I fully expected Jenna & Alex’s wedding in Cabo San Lucas to be amazing, I was totally unprepared for the sheer level of awesome. Every single aspect of this wedding, from our home base at the breathtaking Esperanza Resort, to their rehearsal dinner on the beach at the Hacienda Beach Club, to their simple and beautiful ceremony at dusk, was absolutely perfect. Just hanging at the pool drinking Micheladas (“Ojo Rojo”) and Cabo Green Margaritas were moments that alone would have made the trip worth it.

    Of course, if you know Jenna & Alex or their families, then you know that this had always been the only possible outcome… I mean, their Instagram hashtag was #jenandaldocabo. Seriously.

    Here’s to Jenna and Alex: Congratulations, and thank you so so much for allowing us to “do Cabo” with you! If your wedding weekend is any indication, I know that you’ll have many more happy years of celebrating ahead.

    Continue reading "Wedding: Jenna & Alex in Cabo"...
  • June 13, 2014

    Now that I have my film back, it’s time to share a few photos from Jenna & Alex’s spectacular Cabo San Lucas, Mexico wedding! Many more to come… Congratulations, and thank you thank you thank you to Jenna & Alex!

  • December 23, 2013

    When Ashlee and David asked if I “might possibly be interested” in photographing their wedding, I jumped at the opportunity. Then, when I found out that we were talking about a destination wedding in Paris, France, I understandably passed out for a brief second… Fast forward to this past Thanksgiving week, and we found ourselves walking around the beautiful City of Lights (appropriately lit up for the holidays) making memories that will last a lifetime.

    Ashlee and Dave were married in a wonderful late afternoon ceremony at The Scots Kirk, a modern church in the 8th arrondissement, just off beautiful Avenue Montaigne. Afterwards, guests travelled to the InterContinental Paris Le Grand Hotel, and seemingly back in time to La Belle Époque, for an amazing cocktail hour and reception in the Salon Messager.

    These two were a photographer’s dream couple, since they were just as excited to take photos in Paris as I was. Not a bit of complaining as I dragged them on a brisk walk down to the Seine for Eiffel Tower shots in the quickly fading winter light, or when we stopped traffic to get “just one more” street shot of the newlyweds. We even managed to do an impromptu photo shoot in the Louis Vuitton luggage store, complete with complimentary champagne — couldn’t have planned that even if we tried. I did learn a very important lesson, too: when the head waiter at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand Hotel offers to show you to an amazing photo location inside the hotel, you don’t ask any questions… Because after you walk down stairs and through corridors, you’ll emerge into the most famous ballroom in Paris, the Salon Opéra.

    Thank you, Ash and Dave, from the bottom of my heart for a truly wonderful experience. Words simply cannot express how much I appreciate you taking me along for the ride — instead I can only hope that you enjoy the photos and the memories that we made together. All the best!

    Continue reading "Wedding: Ashlee & David"...
  • December 07, 2013

    It’s been nearly impossible to select just a few images from Ashlee & David’s gorgeous Paris wedding, but I’ve done my best… Congratulations to the happy couple, and thank you again for taking me along for the ride. I cannot wait to share the rest of the photos!

  • September 18, 2013

    I’ve said many times how fortunate I am to have such wonderful friends as clients, but this is a crazy understatement in Amy & Jason’s case. I’ve known Jason for years, and although Amy only recently came into my life, it immediately felt like we’d been lifelong friends. That’s just how Amy is, and I’m sure her own friends and family would agree. So needless to say, it was definitely an honor to be asked to be this amazing couple’s wedding photographer!

    On that note, you might remember Amy & Jason from their recent engagement photo shoot

    Amy & Jason started off their wedding day by getting ready at Hotel Sax, which set up their First Look right in front of the House of Blues. After some portraits along the Chicago River and in front of the Wrigley Building, the wedding party hopped on a trolley and headed to Prairie Production for the ceremony and reception. What followed was a fantastic evening filled with joy, music, and a little bit of dancing.

    Congratulations to you both, Amy & Jason!

    Continue reading "Wedding: Amy & Jason"...
  • September 05, 2013

    Here are a few photos from Amy & Jason’s amazing downtown Chicago wedding, which took place at Prairie Production last weekend. I have literally been staring at these images for hours, trying to find the right handful to post… A huge congrats to the happy couple, and I cannot wait to share the rest!

  • August 27, 2013

    Emma and Ross’ beautiful summer wedding was a master class in perfectly blending tradition with contemporary style.

    Their Jewish ceremony took place at the stunning Bryn Mawr Country Club in Lincolnwood, IL, and was followed by a cocktail hour and a joyous reception. It was an honor to witness the traditional wedding rituals such as the signing of the ketubah, the encircling of the bride and groom, and the dancing of the Horah. Still, Emma and Ross stayed true to their contemporary sensibilities, opting for a First Look and taking care of family portraits before their guests arrived.

    I am always so grateful to my clients for allowing me to be a part of their special days, and this wedding was no exception. Mazel Tov to the newlyweds, Emma and Ross!

    Continue reading "Wedding: Emma & Ross"...
  • August 13, 2013

    Here are a few images from Emma & Ross’ beautiful wedding at the Bryn Mawr Country Club. I cannot wait to share more of this sweet couple and their special day… Congrats to you both!

  • July 27, 2013

    Where to begin with Laura & Wallace…

    I’ve known Laura for over 15 years, having met her on our first day at Illinois Wesleyan University back in 1997 as we both got started as music majors. Laura and I became fast friends, due in part to a tight-knit circle of roommates, friends, and fellow musicians. Sitting next to each other in Wind Ensemble over the next few years only helped to reinforce that bond, and since IWU we’ve shared plenty of vacations, dinners, and drinks!

    When Laura first introduced me to Wallace, I knew he was special, and I saw that Laura knew it, too. His smile lights up the room, and from the very beginning Wallace has been the perfect complement to Laura. So when Laura & Wally got engaged last year, it’s a huge understatement to say that I was excited for them. And when they asked me to be their wedding photographer — over dinner at a Cuban BYOB in Chicago, naturally — I was over the moon!

    On July 5, 2013, Laura & Wallace were married in a beautiful ceremony at Silver Lake Country Club in Orland Park, IL, surrounded by family and friends. The day was absolutely perfect, and so is this couple — I mean, look at these two!!!

    Congratulations to you both, Laura & Wally, and thank you again for letting me capture your special day!

    Continue reading "Wedding: Laura & Wallace"...
  • July 08, 2013

    Just a few of my favorite images from Laura & Wally’s amazing wedding. It’s hard not to post all of them at once, but there are many, many more where these came from… Congrats to you both!

  • November 05, 2012

    Family. Friends. Clients.

    It seems like there would be clearly defined lines separating these groups of people, but those lines are simply impossible to draw when you’re talking about Dawn & George. From the moment I met them, I felt so welcomed, and I’m not the only one who shares those sentiments… That’s one of the amazing things about Dawn & George: everyone close to them is simultaneously a dear friend and a beloved family member. I’m incredibly fortunate that I was able to be a part of their beautiful wedding weekend in Miami, surrounded by their friends and family.

    Their ceremony was held at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, a beautiful church right in the heart of downtown Miami. From there, the group travelled to a private estate on Sunset Island for a once-in-a-lifetime poolside reception. Did I mention that Dawn & George like to have a good time, and that they are quite successful at accomplishing that goal?!?!

    Needless to say, the destination wedding experience was in full effect, including a rehearsal dinner at Texas de Brazil and a post-wedding beach day at The Satai on South Beach. You know it’s a quality wedding when you need a vacation to recover afterwards.

    Thank you again, Dawn & George, and congratulations to you both!!!

    Continue reading "Wedding: Dawn & George"...
  • October 26, 2012

    Just a few images from the absolutely beautiful Miami wedding of Dawn & George. Spoiler alert: the rest of the wedding and reception was just as amazing! I can not wait to post all of the photos…

  • August 06, 2012

    A few people have asked about the “Table Numbers” (aka “City Names”) that we used at our wedding, and I wanted to share both the story and the images themselves.

    Elena and I have been very fortunate over the years to have travelled quite a bit, and we wanted to incorporate this into our wedding. Instead of the traditional “Table 1” model, we decided to go with city names of the places that we’ve travelled together. Some are far away (Paris, Amsterdam, Florence, Rome, London, etc) and some are closer to home (Detroit, Cleveland, West Palm Beach, Denver, Memphis, etc). We made the head table Chicago, and spread the rest of the cities out among our guests.

    Of course, what’s a trip without photos?!?! We decided to set the city names (using our standard Ostrich Sans font) in a small yellow heart icon, and float that on top of a photo from each of the destinations. Once all of the 23 cities were printed, we put them into 5x7” frames, trying to match the place with the frame. Good times, and I really think that everything came together nicely!

    Here is a shot of the final prints, right before we framed them and packed everything up:

    And here are a few examples of the finished products, now helping to make our home a little brighter:

    Continue reading "Our Wedding Table Numbers"...
  • July 16, 2012

    Words simply cannot express how amazing this past weekend was.

    On Saturday, July 14, Elena and I got married at Galleria Marchetti, in Chicago, IL, surrounded by our wonderful friends and families. Saying that it was different being on the other side of the wedding festivities would be the understatement of the year… But all of the details came together just as we hoped they would, and we couldn’t have been happier.

    Of course, I managed to snap a few photos (using VSCO Cam) which show my perspective. Instagram photos from the weekend can be found on our wedding website — if you’d like your shots to show up there, just use the hashtag #aewed when you post.

    Thank you to everyone who helped to make our special day possible. We couldn’t have done it without you!

  • June 05, 2012

    When you get Chessa, Josh, their families & their friends together, you know it’s going to be a good time… I mean, with that many cousins (and “cousins”) how can you not enjoy yourself?!?! As expected, at Chessa & Josh’s wedding this past Memorial Day weekend, that’s exactly what happened, and the party did not disappoint!

    The day started with a beautiful ceremony at Nativity of The Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Plymouth, MI, tucked neatly between some thunderstorms. Right after the ceremony, the celebration continued at the Glen Oaks Country Club in Farmington Hills, for cocktails, dinner, and dancing (both Greek and “regular”). The day and night went off without a hitch, which isn’t a surprise to anyone that knows the Georvassilis and Turcott families… With plenty of help from their extended families and their huge network of friends, it was all but guaranteed.

    What an honor to be invited as a guest — I’ll never tire of seeing just how loving, and how loved, this couple truly is. Congratulations to both of you!

    Continue reading "Wedding: Chessa & Josh"...
  • November 11, 2011

    If you’d like to know how to make planning a destination wedding look easy, just ask Jenn.

    With help from her family and Maid of Honor, Lori, Jenn put together an amazing week back home in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Thursday: Pub Crawl, including a tour of the Alexander Keith’s brewery. Friday: Peggy’s Cove tour followed by a seafood-packed rehearsal dinner. Saturday: An intimate ceremony at the Halifax Citadel, followed by a big party at Casino Nova Scotia. And all along the way: plenty of fun, photos, and Maritime hospitality…

    Continue reading "Wedding: Jennifer & Brendan"...
  • October 20, 2011

    Two days (and nights) of Nova Scotian hospitality and adventure with the happy couple, capped off by an unforgettable ceremony and an all-night party. Add in Jenn & Brendan's closest family and friends and you have the recipe for an absolutely amazing destination wedding!

    Here's a sneak peak while I work on the rest of the images... Congrats again to you both — we were so honored to be a part of everything!

  • September 12, 2011

    I was referred to Judy and Thomas through family friends, and from our first meeting I knew that this wedding was going to be special. Judy and Thomas were actually married in a civil ceremony in Germany over the summer, but they wanted to have a religious ceremony in Chicago. So a lot of the "traditional" activities (bouquet toss, cake cutting, etc) were out, replaced with a relaxed and casual atmosphere. Throw in an absolutely gorgeous evening and an outdoor reception at Graue Mill in Oak Brook, IL, and you have the recipe for a fantastic celebration!

    As you can tell from the photos, these two need no direction in front of the camera. Incredibly natural, comfortable, and honest — Judy & Thomas gave me so much love to work with for our portrait session.

    Continue reading "Wedding: Judy & Thomas"...
  • August 29, 2011

    Just a peak at a couple images from Judy & Thomas' beautiful wedding this past Saturday... What a perfect day for a wedding! Congratulations again to you both!

    Update: More images on the blog, and all photos from the event have been posted in the Archive. Enjoy!

    Continue reading "Wedding Sneak Peak: Judy & Thomas"...
  • July 12, 2011

    "Would you like to come to our wedding in Tuscany?" When Elena and I were invited to her cousin Alyssa's wedding, we didn't have to think too long about our response... And even after many months of dreaming about what it would be like, let me just say that Alyssa & Collin's wedding did not disappoint! It was even more beautiful and epic than we had been imagining, and these photos only begin to do their wedding justice.

    Fortunately, we were able to spend a few extra days in Florence before the wedding (and a couple of days in Rome after the wedding), which certainly rounded out our Italian experience. Alyssa (and her sister Katie) lived in Florence a few years ago, and I can certainly see the attraction. The narrow winding streets emptying out into grand piazzas, the small cafes and gelato shops around every corner, the history mixed with the extreme luxury...

    Continue reading "Wedding: Alyssa & Collin"...
  • October 23, 2010

    Elena's cousin Kristen was married last weekend in Batavia, IL to her longtime boyfriend (and family friend) Kevin. In addition to knowing both Kristen and Kevin for quite some time, I had a special connection to their wedding, since Elena was a bridesmaid and my nieces were the flower girls!

    Kristen wore here mother's veil, and looked absolutely stunning in her wedding dress. What a happy couple, right?!?!

    Continue reading "Wedding: Kristen & Kevin"...
  • August 10, 2010

    This past weekend our friends Anita & Srdjan were married in an absolutely beautiful ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago, IL. Needless to say, the evening was simply outstanding and we're so happy for the newlyweds!

    For photos and some stunning details, click through...

    Continue reading "Wedding: Anita & Srdjan"...
  • August 30, 2009
  • July 15, 2009

    A couple weeks ago, our friends Sarah & Phil were married in a beautiful outdoor ceremony at The Grove in Glenview, IL.

    The reception was also held at The Grove, and the rain stayed away just long enough to provide a wonderful outdoor dinner service. After dinner, we moved inside to take advantage of an air-conditioned dance floor and some liberally-pouring bartenders. Of course, we didn't stop there, hosting a small hotel after-party complete with a late-night, monsoon-soaked booze run... It was a great night with great friends — thanks to the happy couple for inviting us, and for throwing an awesome party!

    Click through for some images... The rest are up on Flickr.

    Continue reading "Wedding: Sarah & Phil"...
  • June 28, 2009
  • June 27, 2009
  • June 01, 2009

    On Memorial Day weekend, I had the pleasure of shooting Kristen and Tony's wedding at A New Leaf in Chicago. It was a wonderful event all around: from a beautiful bride, to a gorgeous space, to fantastic summer weather, there were plenty of memories to capture.

    For images and more details, click through...

    Continue reading "Wedding: Kristen & Tony"...
  • August 30, 2008
  • August 02, 2008
  • September 08, 2007
  • September 07, 2007
  • May 19, 2007
  • July 10, 2005
  • July 09, 2005